, 1883-09-22
NORTHERN PACIFIC.
The First Projected and Last
Completed of the Great
TranScOntinental
Lines.
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE ENTERPRISE
The Country TraVerSea by the
Road, and It's Resources
for Settlement.
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE ENTERPRISE

Although the first projected railroad line
across the continent 10 the Pacific coast, the
Northern Pacific is the last 10 be completed.
As long ago as 1885 the project of building
a railroad from New York city 10 the
mouth OF the Columbia river was discussed
in the newspapers. In 1915, Asa Whitney,
a New York merchant, proposed t0 Con
gress 10 build a railroad from the head OF
Lake Michigan to the mouth OF the Col
umbia, in case it would give him a land
grant. sixty miles in width, for the whole
length of the line. This plan was embodied
in bill which was before Congress for q
number Of years, and in 1Si7 came near
passing. Whitney may fairly be regarded
AS the father of the Northern Pacific enter
prise. He traversed the country from
Maine 10 Louisiana, addressing public
meetings and legislative bodies, and spent
lis entire fortune in the work.
In 1853 the Government made surveys OF
five routes 10 the Pacific. The northern
route was surveyed by an expedition under
Isaac |. Stevens, Governor OF Washington
Territory. who had been . regular army
officer HIS report Was very favorable,
showing that the mountain passes we're
lower than in any other portion ui the
Rocky Mountain system, the line entirely
practicable, the grades moderate, and the
winter climate of the country much mlder
than had generally been supposed.
When the Union and Central Paclnc
cnmpanies were chartered IN 1862, (. strong
effort WAS made To obtain a ciIarIer for the
northern line. II failed al the time. bat
was revived in 1864, when the Union and
Central companies were before Congress
asking for legislation, subordinating the
Government lien TO their frs, mortgages.
JOSIAH PERHAM AND TIE CHARTER.
Tie man who succeeded IL getting the
charter was Josiah Perham, who lad organ
ized n company, under the sanction OF The
Legislature of Maine. called the Peoples
Pacific Railroad Company, and had at
tempted, in 1862, TO obtain The Union Pa
cific charter for his corporation Failing III
this he turned his attention 10 the Northern
route. and by promising 10 ask for no sub
sidy in money or bonds from the Govern
ment, he obtained in 1864 a charter, coupled
with land grant Just double IN area that
given 10 the Union and Central Pacific Com
napies. The Northern Pacific grant en-
braces the alternate sections for twenty miles
IN each side of the road i'll the States, and
for forty miles in the Territories, with an
additional ten miles on each side Us an In
demnity limit, within which lands may be
selected 10 COMPENSATE for those taken by
settlers inside Of the original grant FER
ham had been merchant in Maine. and also
in BOSTON. and was principally known for
his success in organizing railroad excursion
narties: in fact he was the inventor OF Inc
chesn eycursion system. He tried III vain
for nearly two years TO obtain capital Tor the
Northern Pacific Company, of which he
had been elected President. The obstacle
IN the way, beside the tendency IN the pup.
lie mind 10 regard the northern Det OF
States and Territories as semtarcuc re-
zion was chiefly a clause which ferham
himself had inserted in the charter, and
which prohibited the company from mort
gacinr It's roads or land grants, or issuing
5onds Perham's idea was that one hundred
millions of the stock Of the company would
at once be taken by popular subscriptions
In December 1865 he turned over the
frarch 10 a syndicate of New England
cap,,al.-.s for barely enough TO pay ms
debts. and did not live to see the nrst SPADE
ful of earth turned in the prosecution OF The
enterprise for which he had obtained from
CONGRESS grant of land greater IN extent
than MANY of the kingdoms of Europe lie
died al Boston in 1868
TIE JAY COOKE LOAN.
The second President of the company was
.r Governor I. Gregory Smith. of Vermont,
President of the Vermont Central Railroad.
smith and his associates spent over four
,,aars in a vain attempt to induce Congress
10 make grant of bonds 20 aid in building
the road, or 10 guarantee the interest On 'ne
comnany's stock. In order TO strengthen
this project for Congressional and the OF
,-anization of the company was changed IN
der Smiths management. and nsmoer oi
eminent railroad men brought in, including
J. Edgar Thompson, OF the Pennsyivahis'
Robert Burdell, of the Erie; William " "
Fargo, of the New York Central; u w.
Cass, of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne "
Chicago; and William B. Ogden, OF ue
Chicago Il Northwestern.
No progress was made towards conlnehc-
ing the construction OF the 1oad I'LL Jay
Cooke came TO the and OF The enterprise
with his great reputation as suceessiui
financier. He obtained legislation IN W ASH,
ington, authorizing the issue OF BONDS anu
changing the main line Of the road, so that
il should run down the Columbia river 10
portlanl, anu lHtnCc uoi IL to oSS'
instead Of across the tremendous barrier OF
the Cascade mountains Cooke hrst pro
posed TO plsce the Northern Paclnc loan IN
Europe, but his plans 10 this END were De
featei bv the breaking out of the Franco
German war.
He then put the bonds upon the American
market. using the same means to popuiariee
them which he had successfully employed
in selling the great war loans Of the United
States Government In two years time, be-
ginning in the spring of 1870. he sold about
$50. .OOJ 600 of bonds. In 1870, with the
means supplied by him. the company began
to build its line. commencing work at
Thompson Junction, twenty-three miles
west of Duluth. Jay Cooke was then build
ing line from St Paul 10 Duluth, and the
Northern Pacific bought half interest in
the tweuty-three miles from its junction 10