The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-09-20
COMPLETED AT LAST.

Formal Completion of tho Northern Pa
ciflc Railway-The Golden Spike Driven
by President villard-The Blow Heard in
New YOrk-A Noted Assemblage Present.
HELENA. n. T., Sept. TO-
The Willard excursioniSts left here short y
after seven o'clock Saturday morning and
reached the scene Of the ceremonies Of this
day, point few miles west of the Mullan
Tunnel, on the western slope Of the ma n
divide of the Rocky Mountains, at $50 a.
m. At Sis p. H., after short prayer, the
last rail of the Northern Pacific Railroad
was laid and the last spike-a golden one
was driven home by Mr.. Willard with q
silver sledge-hammer making the iron high
way complete and ready Tor travel from
Duluth to Tacoma, distance of little
more than 1850 miles. There are also GA
miles of branches, mostly completed, giving
a grand total of more than 1854 miles OF
road.
William NJ. Evarts delivered the address
of the occasion, in which he gave history
of the road, which he said was a dream OF
1885, when merchant of New York City,
Asa Whitney, made proposition to Con-
gresS to build road from the great lakes to
the mouth of the Columbia River, in con-
sideratiOn of a land grant of sixty miles in
width along the entire route, but whose plan
failed to win Congressional favor A charter
for the road was again sought i'll 1862,
but the effort resulted i'll a failure.
Josiah Perham, a New England mer-
chant, secured charter in 1864, but failed
TO obtain capital to build the road, in great
measure because of a clause inserted i'll the
charter by himself fOrbdding the company
TO mortgage the road or lands, or TO iSSue
bonds. In December, 1865, Perham sold
the charter to some New England capital.
lists for barely enough to pay his debts, and
died three years later, before the first spade
full of earth had been turned on the pro-
posed road. The President Of the new
company was Ex-Governor Smith, of Yer
mont. No progress toward actual con-
struction was made, however, until
Jay Cooke assumed financial lii
rection. Mr.. Eyalts then reviewed
the financial ups and downs of the company
when work on the road was begun ar
ThOmpSon'S junction, twenty-three miles
west of Duluth, 10 1881, when Mr.. Willard
obtained control, closing with a perOratiOn
strongly eulOgstic of the ability, zeal and
energy of Mr.. Willard, and the officials who
have cO-Operated with HIM Ill bringing the
road to a successful completion. Speeches
were made by several other prominent gen-
tlemen.
At the close Of Tie ceremonies a number
OF the guests returned eastward, while 9th
ers went over the road to Puget Sound, and
will return home toward the close of the
month.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Sept. 10.
The electric fash which passed over the
telegraph wire, announcing the driving of
the last spike on the Northern Pacific, passed
through this city at 6:15 o'clock Saturday
night, and was celebrated by the firing of a
salute and the ringing Of all the ire bells in
this city.
New YORK, Sept. 10.
The last rail laid Saturday on the North
ern Pacific Railroad was attached TO 4
Western Union wire running into the branch
Office at Broad street, and while President
Willard was driving the golden spike, the
blows of his silver sledge hammer were re-
peated in this city OH the telegraph instrl-
ment. General officers of the road gathered
around the instrument listening to the
strokes that told of the completion of 3
great national highway.