The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-09-02
NORTHERN PACIFIC.

ing Of another golden spike" and
the ceremonies attending the COM
pletion OF another line of railway
across the continent. Next Satur-
day the two ends of the Northern
Pacific track will be joined, the
last spike driven, the gap closed, and
the road declared completed and
open for business between st. Paul
and Portland. This event is i'm
portant "sll along the line" It
does'not affect merely the belt of
territory across which the road runs.
It will have its influence upon the
entire West, and especially upon the
now quite extensive railway system
Of this region. There are now prac-
tically Ave through lines to the Pa
cific ocean-the Union and Central
Pacific, the Southern Pacific,
the Denver & Rio Grande
and Central Pacific, the Atchison,
Topeka s. Santa Fe, Atlantic & Pa
cif'c and Southern Pacific, and the
Northern Pacific, with a sixth az
preaching completion-the Union
Pacific and Oregon Short Line.
The western ends Of four of these
are controlled by the giant associa-
ten, the Central Pacific, and it is
quite probable that corporation will
govern and regulate all through
business from San Francisco south
to Mexico for years to come. The
outlook for new through lines is not
very promising, and railroads are
Rot often built until there is at least
q reasonable prospect that they will
be Femunerative. The way matters
now, appear is that the four lines
south of the Northern Pacific will
be forced into combination to COM
pete with the last named; and
that road has at least its
share Of the advantages, whatever
of the disadvantages it may have
to suffer. The Northern Pacific
rOute lies through a country most OF
which is rich agriculturally. 1t
trsverses Dakota, which is destined
to become one of the most prodHc-
tive grain-growing regions in
America; a large portion of Mon.
tana is also capable Of growing
wheat and some of the other
hardy grains; and Washington and
Oregon are the farmers paradise,
The road also crosses a fairly rich
and extensive mineral region. In
fact, it trayerses very little worth.
less country. It lie section tina!
will be settled quite rapidly, and q
large portion of it by a sturdy
thrifty population, such as is
profitable to railroad. II
there were no through bust
ness it is believed the North
eTn EPacihc could be success.
fully operated, paying fair interest
On the money invested. The other
lines have nature in its ugliest and
most waste forms to combat. The
Southern Pacific has to Cross about
zoo miles'o desert, in which broad
stretch theTe!is nothing from which
the road can draw support except
an occasional. and not extensive
Eatningodistrict. This is an expen~
Gve piece of work, however, both
% to its original cost and the cost of
its maintenance and op ration.
The tlantic & Pacific, across
Nor - Arizona, is somewhat
no. for. late in the fertility of
the country and the opportunities it
presents for settlement and reclaim
alton. The Union Pacific has little
valuable territory between Me-
brssks and Utah, and if it weren't for
offending our sage-brush friends over
in Nevada we would suggest that
the Central Pacific enters upon a
virtual desert when it leaves the
Bear River, and only now and then
touches a habitable oasis this side
Of the Sierra Nevada range. 1t will
thus be understood that the south
ern lines must get a large proper
ton of their support from through
business, while the northern road
can pick up business all along the
route. The chief advantage that
the lower roads enjoys is in their
comparative freedom from snow and
ability to run at all seasons. Yet
This will not long be detriment to
the Northern Pacific, for protecting
against enoW has been reduced to a