The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-12-25
The Northern Pacific.

The local road most demanding public
attention during the past year has been
the Northern Pacific. 1t was during the
past twelve months, it might be truth
fully said, that this road began opera
tons. The opening of the year found it
in very incomplete condition, it then
having only direct rail communication
west from St. Paul as far as West End,
1,O45 miles from Minnesota's capital, and
from Portland to Eddy, $40 miles from
Oregon's most important town, leaving
gap of aD5 miles to be completed. AS
soon, however, as winter broke, and
springs balmy days enabled the laborers
to take to the road, the pick and shovel
were applied by thousands of men, and
work upon the embankments and cuts OF
the greatest transcontinental railway Of
the century continued. Gradually mile
after mile, from West End on this side
and Eddy on the West end, was graded,
until June 10 Helena and Missoula were
reached by the approaching gangs. The
large force of track-layers followed
quickly in the footsteps Of the graders,
and their advent into Helena and Mis-
soula occurred but few days later. Pre-
partitions were then commenced for the
meeting of the two forces. 4 point
about forty miles west of Helena was
selected as the spot, and September 9Th
the day set for the meeting. The work
men, however, as they approached each
other, were filled with an enthusiasm
which could not be checked, and az a
consequence the last spike was driven
and the road practically completed Aug.
%, just sixteen days previous to the day
set for the celebration of that event. The
opening ceremonies are sufficiently fresh
in the minds of the public to need no
further mentioning here othe1 than that
they occurred on the day set for them,
and passed off with that smoothness for
which the company is characteristic in
everything it undertakes. The year 1888
presented many difficulties for the COM
pany to contend with. Those were of
all characters, that proving the most diff
ficult to overcome, being the continual
warfare kept up by Wall street. Happi-
w, however, these have all disappeared,
and since the placing Of the new $780,
100000 second mortgage, in November
last, the company has enjoyed some little
peace, and has been enabled to pursue
the even tenor of it's way without inter-
ruption from outside sources.
TIE GREAT TUNNELS.
Two of the three great tunnels have
been completed, and the other is expect
ed to have trains running through it the
latter part of the coming month. The
! I-e.> Diaea 4...>..ol, thirteen mites west
of Helena, having total length of 533
feet, was completed in April, the Mullen
tunnel, having total length of $3.50 feet
was completed November Z. Work upon
the latter was materially delayed by the
falling of masses of rock The total
length of the Bozeman tunnel, which
will be completed next month, is 1872
feet.
TREE PLANTING.
Tree culture has met with the most
enthusiastic attention by the Northern
Pacific management. This work has
been going on for some time, and the re-
suits have been satisfactory beyond ex-
pectation. Cottonwood slips planted last
year are now eight feet in height, and
some box-elder have grown from the
seed to the height of over three feet dur
ing the year. Progress in this depart
ment was somewhat delayed by the
death of the superintendent, Leonard
Hodges, which occurred last spring. His
successor has now the work we'll in hand,
and it is going forward IN a satisfactory
manner.
Messrs. Potts and Harrison, of Town.
send, have done as much and perhaps
more than any others in the territory, to
improve the stock of Montana. While
MANY have been content to introduce
fine running and trotting stock, their at
tention has been devoted to adding the
solid and substantial draft and work
horses. They have invested about $780,
600 in stock and breeding farms, and are
now, after several years Of accumulated
investments, and careful breeding, en-
abled to put upon the market a well
selected strain of young stations, bred
| from full blood draft and American
mares of the best type that money could
buy, and are we'll adapted to cross with
American mares. They have also a large
number of broke and unbroke horses of
| weight from 100 to 1900 tbs., we'll suited
| for farm and work horses. In addition
| to this they offer for sale young Jersey
bulls of fine strain and some grade Holl-
stein bulls. When we speak of person
or firm as having SO many breeds of fine
horses and COWS, we scarcely give a
thought to the time, patience, energy
and perseverance which has induced
them to invest so much capital, and a
long time before any returns are to be
expected. This is, as applied to horses,
an investment which requires more care,
thorough knowledge and more patience
than in any other stock. Several years
must elapse before any pecuniary re-
suits will follow, and in all that time an
unremitting care must be had of them.
| We are glad that they are now where
substantial results will be realized, and
a return be made upon their invest
ments. We call the attention of breeders
to their advertisement, and cheerfully
recommend them Messrs. Potts Harri-
| son with the assurance that If they but
they will get stock just as represented.
Take Notice.
The undermined has taken the con-