The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-22
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC
A DREAM THAT HAS BEEN REALIZED.
Great RI J,eIDE. on the Pacific Coast over .hs Con-.
pi.tIOn OF the Raad-POrtiAud Wild with De.
IIsht-OrAtlOns 70 Willard and bis Guests.
The Old and the NSW Ia Vivid Contrast.



Special Correspondence qt3< hllelltOHeer.
PORTLAND, 0REGoN,5 September l3.-
have witnessed in the last few days som,
rather remarkable scenes in this far dis
tant city OF the North Pacific coast country
in the shape Of great demonstrations Of 10!
on the part OF the people over the compile
ton and formal opening to travel and traf
fic OF the Northern Pacific Railroad. Port
land has been bedecked with flowers anC
flags and evergreens in honor Of the event
and in honor OF the arrival Of Mr.. Willard
aud his large visiting party OF foreign anC
American citizens OF prominence. From
far and near-irom tho adjacent portions O
Oregon and Washington Territory-the peo
pie have gathered in and filled all the hotell
and lodging houses to repletion in order tc
witness aud take part in the ovation to The
man whom they seem to regard with posi-
tive affection as the person who, Of al
others, has conferred upon them The pear
oigreat price.
Last Saturday Mr.. Willard, the President
OF the Northern Pacific, drove the last
spike at point in the Deer Lodge Valley,
in the Rocky mountains, over 600 miles
east Of this, in the presence Of a distin-
guished company Of Europeans and Ameri-
cans, about 500 in number, whom he
invited to be preSent,most Of whom had &C.
companied him from "the States, and many
OF them from New York City. As matter
OF fact the road was completed about two
weeks before-earlier than the day antici.
pated and named-but connection was
made by means OF switch, and the main
track was purposely kept open for the
ceremonial spike driving Of Saturday last,
80 that the world might be made aware,
with as much eclat aud prestige as possible,
OF the great event.
And surely 1t Is great event, the closing
up OF over 1000 miles Of track between
this city, on the waters OF the great Colum-
bia river, and the city Of St. Paul, on the
waters OF the great Mississippi river, on q
line OF latitude along which railroad
was,supposed and declared only few years
ago 10 be simply q great waste OF money.
It is great event to the whole country, but
especially great and important to the reo-
pie OF this upper Pacific coast, who have
Tor 80 long a time waited and watched,
hoped and prayed for 1t.
a GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.
Now that the contamination OF their long
deferred hopes has actually taken place,
and that at last they are actually in railroad
communication with the rest Of the coun-
try, it is no wonder that they give way for
whole days together to demonstrations Of
great joy. Alter three weeks Of mingling
among them and travelling about among
them l know how, in some degree, to ap.
preciate their feelings and to sympathizs
with them. Hence am not taken by sur
prise at all I have seen and heard in the
last few days in this city. Whatever may
be their disappointments in the future, as
regards the full fruition Of all their expec.
tations land they have very great expecta-
tions) it is certain that they are very, very
happy to-day.
Eteth letter resches you, you will have
read in the kilograms sent out from here
this week some report OF the proceedings
that have taken place In celebration ot the
event to which have referred. You will
have read OF their industrial procession
through tho city, Of their European and
American speech making at their commo.
dious pavilion and OF their grand musical
entertainment in the evening in the same
building After witnessing 1t all | eau only
say that as whole aud in its several parts
1t has been q great success. Portland In
the estimation OF all her visitors, from the
old world aud the new, has done herself
proud, and has advertised herself TO good
advantage to the critical eyes tf the news.
paper men, jurists, bankers, private capital
istf. statesmen, foreign ministers, members
OF Parliament and members OF Congress
who were lockers on at her doings.
The expressions OF sentiment on the part
OF the distinguished representatives from
England and Germany who addressed the
great audience in the pavilion were Of q
yery hearty character indeed-unusually
30 for Euglishmen especially. They had
travelled 80 far between New York and
Portland, and seen 10 much OF our wonder
full country, and particularly so much OF Its
vast area between the Mississippi river and
the waters Of the Pacific ocean here, and
also go much OF its illmitable resources
80 much OF It's newness and vet so much Of
It's rapid and prodigious development, that
all stiffness seemed to have been taken out
OF their usual style OF address, aad they
gave way to the emotions Of wonderment
and admiration which seemed 10 possess
them.
The fact that they found away OIL. here,
at the end OF the line, city Of such sizs,
wealth, intelligence, and cultnra as Port
land, no doubt astonished the Europesns
generally. lam sure that mos oI our own
people from the East were astonished at
what they saw in the evening, even II they
were not by what they saw In he day time,
for they listened 10 the music oil an or
chestra riyaling in siza that Of Theodore
Thomas, in N4w York, that difcjuraed the
Wagner music that has made Thomas
famous, in styls that would no doubt have
enthused the great impresatio himself,
could he have lis.ened to it
THE CRY OF PORTLAND.
Portland is a city Of $1,000 inhabitants,
counting both sides Of tho river (the Will
lianette) on which 1t is situated, and ia
said to be, in proportion to its population,
the third wealthiest ciy in tue United
States. 1t is a city OF many beautiful
homes, OF many handsome aud some very
imposing business ,locks, and that did a
wholesale trade Of $40 COO 900 last year. II
Ia a thoroughly solvent and solid city, and
represents the wealth that has been accn.
INFLATED here, not from the Est, but ex'
clusively out Of tho re?ourCes oi the coun-
try adjacent, especially ont OF the fertile
valleys Of the Columbia and ihR William.
~ n 100 ci.v that Ia heliryph nv many