Daily globe., 1883-08-26
Il Little Sharp Drive at the Northern
Pacific.

Il Little Sharp Drtve at the Northern
Pacific.
Helena, Hontana, Independent
kilograms say the formal ceremonies
of the Northern Pacific completion twill
take place about sixty miles west of Hell
ena." This would be about the mouth of
Gold creek. We believe the intersection
of the Utah & Northern near the mouth of
Blackfoot is forty-nine miles west of
Helena. While the Northern Pacific has
been built without soliciting, receiving, or
being offered much advice from US, we
wish to contribute our mite toward the
great enterprise, and now respectfully
urge that, unless there are better reasons
why it should not be, the ceremony shall
be at the mouth of Blackfoot.
While it does not appear Mr.. Willard has
as yet issued any invitations to Montan-
ians, and it is liAely for obvious reasons
when it is done there will be but few in
vited guests. it is certainly not the pur-
pose to perform this ceremony ''with
closed doors" as it were. 1t is matter
of great public interest. The grant to the
Northern Pacific of over 250,000 square
miles of its lands has lain like blight up
on this territory for many years, and in
the good feeling toward the enterprise and
in the hope of its ultimate completion
there has hardly been a murmur of op-
position, while the public sentiment was
aVerse to forfeiture of the grant even
when that forfeiture necessarily included
''the more speedy completion of the road"
Now, when completion is assured and dis
tinguished visitors are brought across the
sea to participate in the ceremonies, it
would be great error, indeed, for the man
ayers to exclude any who desire to witness
the ceremony, either by failing to make it
known that they will be welcome or by
selecting other than the most accessible
point for the event.
Owing to the delay on the west end it is
likely that the actual point of connection
will be near Gold creek. unless it is ordered
otherwise. But the cerem ony, if it may
be elsewhere than at the actual point of
connection, or if that point may be forced,
should be where the Union Pacific system
intersects the Northern Pacific, thus ena-
bling !visitors from the south as well as
from the east and west to witness it.
1t Is not suggested in this that we be the
guests of the Northern Pacific Railroad
company, or be accorded free transporta-
tion. Neither of these things is desired
But if it is matter of sufficient interest to
induce number of foreign gentlemen to
journey this far to see, it is an event of
more significance to scores of Montanians
whose attitude toward the Northern Pacific
may be of more consequence than that of
titled gentleman from over the sea.
We mention these things just as they
are. While the kilograms are, and have
for some time, been burdened with &C.
counts of the guests of the Northern Pa
ciic who are received at Bremen, and who
will be carried on palatial specials to the
scene, no Montanians have yet even been
notified that they may stand afar off and
witness the ceremony.
There is beautiful meadow at the
mouth of Blackfoot, where the pavilion
can be erected. It is accessible to both
railroads, in the heart of the mountains,
and designed from the foundation of the
world for this event. We trust that it will
be selected, and that whoever is managing
this affair will knock down the fence and
tell the people to walk into the show.