The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-09-06

| to aid them in all needed matters for the
improvement of this great interest. There
| is not one intelligent man in Virginia who
does not know that no proposition is be-
| fore the people. and that no proposition
will ever seriously come before the people
for either mixed schools or mixed mar
riages, and that if it should be made. the
overwhelming verdict of both white and
colored people would forever silence it.
The Dispatch in its conscience, and
apart from partiZan necessity, cannot hon
estly support the position OF its party as
declared at Lynchburg. either on this
question. OF any other affecting State poll
| icy. 1t is wonder to us how any public
man can. so deliberately stultify himself
as'to openly resolve against every propo-
sition he has advocated. and vel have the
effrontery to come before the public and
ask its confidence.
| > -
| Across the Continent.
| Twenty-seven years ago we crossed the
plains starting at Independence, Mo-, and
landing at Santa Fe. New Mexico, in %
days. At that time there was monthly
mail cumming between the twOpoints: and
also similar mail service to Salt Lake,
Utah. For thousand miles there was
scarcely an evidence of civilization on
either route. The wide expanse Of prairie
was mbroken by u single residence. Vast
herds of buffalo, numerous antelope. the
jack-rabbit and prairie dog. were the only
living creatures with which the adventll-
rer came in contact, except now and then
rowing band of Comanches OF the freight
trains running from the States to the
Rocky Mountain Territories, Now there
is an almost continuous settlement along
both the routes. Cities have sprung up
| in the mountain Businesses. and the far
mer and the ranchman are utilizing the
sea of land then in exclusive possession
of the Indian as Admitting ground, and the
wild animals which served as game. The
changes that have been effected between
1 the time when we first ventured oyer that
barren and desolate country and now may
be understood, when we state that there
are three railroads now stretching across
the continent. Last Monday, Sept. Sd. a
golden spike was driven in the last rail of
the Northern Pacific Railroad. A large
number Of distinguished papsons from
England, Germany and this country, ac-
companied Mr.. Willard, the President of
the Northern Pacific, to be present at the
imposing ceremonies incident to this i'm
portant event. Although the charm Of
novelty in the opening of Pacific railroads
has somewhat worn off, this is an event
of so much Importance to the world as to
fully deserve commemoration. A little
less than twenty years ago. on the I'd of
July, 1864, the charter for the Northern
Pacific Railroad was granted by Congress,
accompanied by an imperial subsidy Of
40, 100000 acres OF land. AT the time con-
siderable doubt was thrown upon the prac-
ticability of route through such high
ATTITUDES. The SHOWS Of the Rocky Noun
tains, it was said. would close the road
through three or four months of the
year, and much merriment was INDUCED
in regard to the ''isothermal line" which
made SO prominent figure In the early
Northern Pacific prospectuses. But the
road is completed, and the isothermal line
is not mere fiction.
With twenty-five million dollars raised
on mortgage bonds Jay Cooke, the origi-
nal protector of the Northern Pacific
route, constructed $50 miles of the eastern
end Of the road from st. Paul and Duluth.
through. N orthern Minnesota, to the Red
River. Then came the great financial
crash of 1878, under which operations
were suddenly suspended. But the natu-
raj advantages of the route were so great
| that it began TO recover from this disaster.
Under new auspices and skillful financial
arrangements the confidence of capitalists
| in the success of the undertaking was re-
stored. With the continuing tide of i'm
migration money poured into the treasury
| Of the company for it's fertile lands, and
the rapidly growing settlements on the
line of the road gave it a profitable traffic.
The extent Of the completed road, from
| st. Paul and Duluth to the Pacific is
2,16S miles. In its course through Min
nesota, Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon
and Washington Territory it bridges the
Mississippi, the Red River. the Missouri
and other great rivers, and bores it's way
through the Rocky Mountain backbone of
the continent. The road opens to settle
ment and enterprise regions of inexhaust-
| IDLE fertility and resources and vastly ex-
| tends the area from which the world must
draw its future bread supplies.
The Union and Central Pacific and the
Santa Fe and Southern Pacific, constitute,
with the great enterprise whose completion
has just been celebrated the three continent
tai lines reaching from the Mississippi Val
ley to the Pacific coast. A generation ago,
have predicted that such revolution in
the methods of transportation and travel
to the Pacific region, traversing the plains
and climbing the mountains by the agency
of steam. would have been regarded as the
dream OF an insane enthusiast. But thew
are realized facts. The wonders of the Rocky
Mountains and the wealth of the Pacific
coast are almost at our doors. Time and
space have been annihilated Territorial
Governments and States have sprung into
existence; withdrawing industries estab-
lished the artizan, the farmer, the pro-
fessiOnal man, has each surrounded him
self with the comforts of civilization.
where was regarded an arid waste. The
church and school-house have been erected
on grounds where, u generation ago. the
foot Of the white man never had trod. and
across the broad expanse there is now q
continuous stream of travel and hum of
busy life and industry.
No more convincing evidence Of the wis
dom of the government in encouraging the
construction of these great continental
highways, could be offered than the inviting
scenes and substantial wealth which thew
have created. The increased revenues to the
government from the business activities
and created values thus brought into use
as supporting agencies, justify the liberal
donations which were made by Congress
to aid in the consummation of these great
enterprises. They stand also as a testi-
mony to the sagacity and craftsmanship of
the Republican party. in freely voting
subsidies OF land to strengthen the pri
nr,n4s L. II.