The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-09-12
Thomas Fletcher Cakes.

enterprise would be incomplete, without
some notice of the man whose marked
executive ability has contributeds 80 much
to its completion. Thomas Fletcher
Oakes was born in the city of Boston, in
l841, and educated in its schools. In
1868 he was in a bankers Office in New
York. In 1866 he. went west with Saml
Hallet, and became purchasing agent for
the contractors of the Kansas Pacific,
where he remained till the completion Of
the road, when he was appointed general
freight agent of the line, and in 1875 was
made general superintendent. About
that time, Willard was appointed receiver
of that road, and thence dates the origin
of the connection between the two men.
Subsequently Mr.. Oakes was made super
intendent of the Kansas City, Fort Scott
& Gulf railroad. When Willard had
become president Of the consolidated
Railway and Navigation companies in
Oregon, he at once secured Mr.. Cakes
services as vice-president and general
manager of that system, and with great
vigor and energy he built most Of it's
lines. When the Willard combination
had secured control of the Northern Pa
cific. Mr.. Oakes came at once to New
York, and was made vice-presideot and
executive manager. To his great ability
and energy we are indicted for the mar
velous rapidity with which the last 800
miles Of the line was completed. He is
the first executive officer of the road
who made the complete overland trip Of
the line. The superintendency Of all
detail management belongs to him. VIII
lard deviscs the general schemes, and
Cakes executes the mass Of details. The
one is the financier, and the other the
executive manager. It is a case Of Napo-
leon and his grand marshal, Ney.
THE WILLARD ADMINISTRATION.
The Oregon & Transcontinental COM
pany was now the principal owner Of the
stock of all the lines in Washington and
Oregon, and of the Northern Pacific be-
sides. Of all this combination, Henry
Willard was the head. The new policy
was to be enunciated. It soon became
manifest that the Oregon 4 Transconti-
mental was to be used as powerful aux.
iliary in the completion of the Northern
Pacific. 1t at once gave the latter project
the strong support of its immense capital
and enabled it to push construction with
out moments halt. Itfurnished means
to build branches, which the Northern
Pacific, under the charter, had not the
power to do, and thus prevent the en-.
croachment of rival lines. As the con.
troller of the vast traffic of the compre-
hensive system of railroad, ocean and
river lines already developed in Oregon
and Washington, it will now compel that
aggregation Of business through the main
| artery-the Northern Pacific. In this
wider view of the whole matter, it will
be seen that the Willard association oi
companies proves to be of immense value
to the nations northern highway to the
Pacific. It has brought to it immense
support and unexampled progress. From
Lake Superior to Puget Sound the hum
of activity has prevailed. Lateral
| branches, such as the National Park line
| the Palouse Branch, Fergus & Black Hills
Little Falls & Dakota and Fargo & South
western, have been constructed. Duluth
has conquered the prejudices against II
and grown with amazing rapidity. Brai'
nerd, Moorhead, Fargo and Bismarck
| have grown with marvellous strides. New
cities have sprung into existence, such a
jamestown, Mandan, Miles City, Billings
Glendiye, Livingston, Bozeman, Spokane
Falls, Ainsworth, Portland, Seattle, and
Tacoma, and other cities on the Pacific
slope have doubled their population. The
lumber trade, fisheries and mining in
terests have doubled in q single veal
under the incentive of this national high
way. Population along the opening lines
has increased an average of lao per cent
The volume of emigration in number
and character has been marvel, and the
absorption of land has been on the samt
extraordinary scale. The creation o
empire which il progressing under the
spur of the completion Of the. Northern
Il Pacific is without a parallel in the history
of the world. At least we stand in thu
presence of the completion of this colossa
enterprise. It is greater than the finish
ing of pyramid, or any of the sever
wonders of the world which excited tha
admiration of antiquity. The dream o
Carver, of Whitney, Of Cook, is an &C
comp!ished fact. TO Willard belongs tn
honor of completing this imperial work
and with his name will he forever asso
ciated.