The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-05-16
NORTHERN PACIFIC ROAD
f,Ixneixs,ot; Nov,s;ng Journal.

:. 1. rov certain that the Northern Pa
c;ac railroad vim be completed within
three months. II Is probable, however,
that several months viii elapse before
traffic over il Is regularly begun, tor 80
large a piece Of work must require some
per5scting before everything can go ior.
ward harmoniously. II Is expected that
all win be in readiness by the middle OF
September, in time for shipments OF grain
for the fall markets. The importance OF
this event cannot easily be estimated.
Il IL historic occurrence to be remem-
bored in our national history with the
opening Of the Central Pacific road and
the laying Of the Atlantic cable.
In the Ant place it will result in the
building up Of = great civilization in
Dakota, Wyoming, and the country
along thePscifc coast north Of California.
These are now isolated districts, which,
hssez1x, ~, many ~ settledsections
!.sidf kccnddersble towns with
Il Sreb " established and branching
importance. All that they require il
means OF communication with the out
side world, and this once given them
will beyond doubt have Transforming
effect. The great belt of rich land ex-
tending far to the north and south along
the eastern course of the road is probab-
" the finest wheat country in the world.
A large part of it lies in the United
States the remainder stretches east and
west throughout the extent Of British
Columbia all sections are easily acces-
sible, and, although the Canadian Pacific
road will divert a great deal of the
northern grain traffic, the great bulk Of
trade will iall to the share Of the Ameri.
can road.
There Is not Q part Of the country
through which the Northern Pacific road
runs which is not surprisingly rich. In
Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain re-
gion the mining interest is Of vast i'm
portance. In Washington territory and
the neighboring regions the numbering
interests will no doubt flourish through
out the country penetrated by the road,
for the facilities for manufacture are
everywhere naturally great. Thus the
Northern Pacific everywhere reaches i'm
portant interests. In this It has COM
manding advantage over the Central Pa
cifc, which runs for hundreds of miles
through barren regions, almost uninhab-
tied, and certainly forever improbable
1.-THE country traversed by the North
ern Pacific road is ON the whole no much
better than that through which the Cen
tral Pacific runs, how much greater must
the civilizing influence Of the one be
than the other? When we remember
what q marvellous effect the Central road
has had on the whole western country,
parts ofwhich are very remote from it,
we can have no doubt that the great fer
tile regions Of the Northwest, with which
the Northern Pacific will have direct
communication, have most gl0r1ous Iu-
ture in store. Dakota is destined to be
- populous and to have as intelligent
and active civilization as Illinois or
Ohio. Wyoming will also become great
state, and Washington territory and Ore.
gon will rival California.
There is one other great result which
will follow the completion of the North
ern Pacific road. A stimulating influ-
ence will be reflected upon the growth Of
our already great northwestern cities
st. Paul and Minneapolis will receive the
grain, minerals and lumber Of the west
Most Of these will be transmitted to Chi
cago, which will therefore be immedi.
Ately benefited, and become beyond all
dispute the largest grain market Of the
world.