The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-09-20

These lines he had consolidated and greatly
extended, so that they represented what, for
o new country, was q remarkably efficient
transportation system In 1880 Mr. Willard
determined, il possible, to secure harmony
of interests and control between his Oregon
make the former the western extensions
and feeders of the latter In 1881 he
organized what was known as the
Sblind pool" In New York, and obtained
within a few weeks from subscriptions
over 81, 600, 600 OF money. without disclosing
large sum, and without giving any other Sc
curity than his personal receipts. With this
money and other means of his own he quiet
ly purchased controlling interest In the
stock OF the Northern Pacific Company and
was elected its President in September of
that year, placing his friend and former as
sociate in railroad management in Kansas
and Oregon, Mr.. Thomas 4. Cakes, in the
Vice Presidency as the chief executive Of
hcer OF the company.
Construction operations went on rapidly
during the years 1880, 1881 and 1882 from
both ends Of the line, and at the beginning
of the year 1883 the track remaining to be
constructed was reduced to about :0J miles,
on which the grading had been mainly done.
The Missouri division was completed In the
spring of 1852, 2l7 miles to Glendive, its
western terminus and was at once accepted
by the Government
There are two great tunnels on the line;
one at the Bozeman pass. in the Belt mount
aims, and the other ut the Mullan pass, In
the main division of the Rocky mountains
The former Is eco feet long, and the latter
$50 feet
There are two great bridges upon the
Northern Pacific The Bismarck bridge,
across the Missouri, a. Bismarck, Dakota,
which is placed 30 high above the rivSr as
TO require no draw, and fairly ranks among
IL h.,I ~ hex vi H..
the Ainsworth bridge, not yet completed,
across the Snake river, at Ainsworth, Wash
ington Territory, which is low bridge with
a draw. Both these bridges are built upon
stone piers, with superstructures or IRON
and steel The Yellowstone river is crossed
three times, the Upper Missouri once, and
the Clarke's fork or the Columbia three
times, by Howe truss bridges Other inter-
esting features Of construction are the two
long pile bridges across the arms OF Lake
Pend dOreille, each about mile In length;
and the great Marent Gulch trestle in the
Coriacan defile, which has a height of 226
feet
The mileage of the main line and branches
of the Northern Pacific system, now in
operation, is as follows:
MAIN LINE DIVISIONS
Miles.
Minnesota Division, Duluth to Fargo. 49,. 252N
Wisconsin Division, Northern Pacific
Junction TO superior. ................... 23n
St Paul division, ut. Paul 10 Brainerd.... 136
Dakota division Fargo to Mandan. $50. 1894
Missouri division, Mandan to Gendive.. 2l6
Yellowstone division, Glendive TO Bill
HDES.. 40
Montana division, Billings to Helena " 239
Rocky Mountain division, Helena to
Heron .........,............ 274
Pend d Orelle division, Heron to Wallula 1904
Pacific division, Portland to Tacoma. ..... 146
Total mileage, main line divisions -. 1,ssoA
BRANCHES.
Little Falls and Dakota branch, Little
Falls, Mimi, TO Morris, Mimi. ........... SO
Northern Pacific, Fergus and Black Hills
branch Wadena, MINI, to the present
end OF the track in Dakota. 116
Fargo and Southwestern branch, Fargo,
Dakota, to Bamoure, Dakota. ........... SO
jamestown and Northern branch, James
town. Dakota, TO Devils Lake, Dakota. 104
Sykeston branch, Darlington, Dakota, to
SykeStOn, Dakota. Observation-Disclosures. IA
National Park branch, Livingston, Mon
tana, to the boundary of the National
ParK .................. o.
Palouse branch, Palouse junction, Wash
ington Territory, to Moscow, Idaho,
NEARLY completely. Observation-Disclosures. $50
Cascade branch, Tacoma, Washington
Territory, TO Wilkeson, Washington Ter
ritory under construction across the
Cascade mountains and down the Va
kma valley TO Ainsworth, 2l0 miles,. 20
Seattle extension, Puyallup to Seattle,
Washinton Territory. 80
Total mileage OF branches ............... GA
Grand total mileage of main line and
The distance from Portland, Ore. to New
York, all rail, is 3, 2S3 miles