The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-07-27

| (" Not 70 be opened until the Northern racine
railroad reaches Missoula" Ana SO IL re
NAMED intact until Saturday, June
when the barrel was preached and the hoerai
owners not only remembered their frienus III
home but abroad.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD Co,
SEcRgTARY's OFFICE, 80 WALL ST.,
NEW YORK, July 10, 1885,
Messrs. Worden Higgins, Aissoula, Mont:
GEsTLEsyEN-I recall my visit to you in
your store LIN Missoula In 1869, with regre'
that am TO urteen years older than / was
then and that the distance to your hospitable
counter is dis couragingly great to legs sixty
seven years of age. Do you remember max
ing my eyes bulge with glad surprise by the
gift of nugget of gold-the first ever held
in my hand?
Venerable Acc luaintances IL is not to re
new the pleasant past that write, but to as
sure SO much of tive future as In in a barrel Of
whisky laid away n your cellar to await the
completion of the Northern Pacific railroad
and then to be DRANK in honor Of the accom-
plished enterprise. You did well to cdcht
that liquor. 1t was a patriotic act. The
completion of the ira uscontinental railroad
oHSA
national importance that the uttermost grape
of the uttermost and final cluster in both the
Champagne and Burgundy districts might
well be pressed and drank in recognition of
the boundless good, and those famous wine
territories be left as dry to- the bibulous as
the desert of Sahara. Equi valent to this ex-
haustion of the best wine districts in France
in honor of the blessed and blessing Northern
Pacific, will be Missoulas emptying down
her worshipful throat the barrel of old rye
which your pious hands respectfully laid
away in your cellar years ago-excepting my
share, which I don't propose to drink by
proxy. Stand at the bung hole, friends, on
the festal day, and watch Missoula's joy find
worship in the descending level of the liquor.
When by measure IL has sunk to quarter of
a barrel, drive back the thirsting crowd,
drive in the bung. pull out the spigot, and
plug the hole. Then roll the precious and
patriotic residue into your cellar as my prop
erty. Most respectfully yours,
SAM'L WILKEsoN.
P.S. If before shipping to me my share of
the barrel that good newspaper man, Mills,
of Deer Lodge, should visit you, take him
into the cellar, remove the bung, and let him
smell have great respect for Mills. w.
Did they do il? No! Ere in his eyre in
the eleven story palace, where sits th g VEN
cradle secretary Of the Northern Pacific Co.,
the one prominent.offi of all who survived
"The wreck of matter and the crush of
worlds" rs the Northern Pacific Company
haa al and
disaster to ultimate triumpb-'ere his glad
eyes had read that afar off, in the boundless,
bounteous and beautiful new Northwest his
pen had oft so glowingly described there was
kept under safe watch and ward for him a
package of that peerless and princely nectar,
Messrs. worden s. Higgins had respected
Mills" In more tangible shape and through
the kindness of DIR. w. w. Higgins placed a
package of the Eden dew on our mother-of
pearl inlaid editorial escritoire. Is it saying
too much to state that we placed it where it
would do the most good? And yet, not all
Safely away within the crystal caress of DO.
hemia's rarest workmanship a good half of
the token reposes to await the Completion o.
the Northern Pacific Railroad to Deer Lodge,
and then In that consummation of infinite
Joy the seals shall be broken and Kentucky s
fountain wash all our cares away. A "smelp
forsooth, good friend! and callst thou thai
"respect?" What has thy servant done that
thou should'st torture him? He never asked
thee tor an annual pass or promised to
write thee "Life" Perhaps thou thinkest
that the "odor of the fragrant pines" and
''the ice cold water of the mountain rills," SO
delicately and frequently referred to in the
Northern Pacific guide books are sufficient
for northern nostrils and palates; but we tell
thee good friend of yore, tell thee not boast
ingly but gently, that unto this day as here
tofore thou knowest, there be too many in
this mountain land who chant Don Juan's
creed:
Few things surpass old wine: and they may
preach
Who please,-the more because they preach
in vain,-
Let us have wine and women, mirth and
laughter,
Sermons and soda water the day after.
And why may we not expect Mr.. Wilkin.
son at the driving Of the golden spike when
the great Northern route is formally opened
for the travel and traffic of the world? No,
one In all who have labored for the great en-
terprise have done more than he. 1t was he
that In charge of the New York Tribune;
Washington Bureau during the war wrote
for that then potential paper of victory and
defeat In field and forum, and whose energies
oft gave force TO motion or thwarted the
countrys foes. "Peace hath her victories
not less renowned than war" and not least OF
these Is the building of the Northern Pacific.
For years the once trenchant pen has laid at
rest or been welded only in those musty
mathematical archives known as ledgers. OF
In shifted, stately and diplomatic official cor.
respondence. Come forth from the financial
cloister. Revive your aging body once more
with 1.-The odor of the fragrant pines" and
your eyes with sight of the delectable
mountains of Montana. By the beautiful
river see struck the final blow that consum.
mates your Iabors; listen to the terse senten-
ces Of the great orator who win crown works
with words, strike hands with old friends,
grasp again your wizard pen, show rs "old
age ne'er cools the Douglas blood" and from
the ripeness Of your years, the best achieve.
ment of your brain, and the very fullness OF
your heart write: at is Finishedp'
"Time's noblest Offspring is the last"
Death Of James N. York.
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