Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-29
NORTHERN PACIFIC PRESS cen.
NEWT.
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kBO2 1Hk TRIBUNE.
NEW Yozx, Aus. &.-.Early next
month a gold spike will be driven to the
last rail of the Northern Pacific Rail-
road, which has already been practical
ly finished; bat the feeling with which
the public will regard the event viii
contrast strongly with the memorial re-
lolcings when the Union and Central
Pacific roads we're formally united.
There Is nothing marvellous in this
change of feeling. The first great vic
tory over natural obstacles vas hailed
as national triumph, but new Pacific
roads stand on different footing.
When the Soui bern Pacific vas com
pleted to junction with the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe at Demine. the
new line was regarded purely as COM
merciai enterprise, not as an achieve
ment essential to national unity. So
the third complete route, of which the
last rail was laid August 22d, in the far
north, close to the Brit sh boundary, is
commonly considered only in its COM
mercial and industrial relations.
whether there is now, or is likely soon
to be, business enough for three distinct
tfahsconfinental lines, is not quite so
clear as some persons wodld be glad TO
have il.
The general belief that We have been
building too many railroads, and that
these vast enterprises are some years in
advance of the pablo needs, prevents
ANYTHING like enthusiasm at the compile
ton of the work. Men of foresight,
however, see that the nation il greatly
strengthened by these new arteries of
communication, one Close u the south
ern and the other close 1, its northern
boundary. In the eveRt of any war it
VIII no longer be dependent upon a sim
gle central route, possibly blocked by
snow, Tor the transportation of troops
and supplies. If assailed from the south
It can move its troops with rapidity TO
any threatened point. If one roa
bound the nation together, these no,
only bind it more closely and firmly,
but give 1t vastly increased hold upon
the business and interests of the papu-
lation adjoining US on the north and
soath.
Mexico is already feeling the influ-
ences of American enterprise. Its rich
est regions can now be reached more
readily from Washington than from
Mexico, and have no commercial ont
let's except through the United States.
In q measure similar results have al
ready followed in the Dominion of Ca
NADIA. Settlers along the entire line,
from the Lake OF the Woods to Van
couver Island have. as yet, no better
communication with the outer world
than by the United States railroads, and
when branches are completed connect
Ing the Canadian Pacific with theNorth-
ern Pacific system, they will be drawn
into even closer intercourse with the
people of Dakota, Montana and WASH
inRton Territory. Thus the new AFTER
les OF trade, whether financially benefi-
cial to the projectors or not, will tend
powerfully to bring the whole continent
more under the influence of the Repub-
Ito. Their oompletiG; may we'll be re-
coRhlzed as an event of national inter-
est and Importance, which will be more
fully appreciated ten years hence than
1t can now.
THE HERALD's COMMENTS.
New YORK, August 26.-Only the
Herald and the World, Of the morning
papers here, notice editorially the com.
pletion OF the Northern Pacific. The
Herald says that fourteen years ago the
completion of the first Pacific railroad
was the cause of grand Notification.
On the laying of the last rail and the
driving Of the last spike the speeches
and responses were promptly announced
throughout the country by telegraph.
When the work begun 100 guns were
fired in City Hall Park, stock went up
In Wall street, and a special PRAYER,
composed by the bishop of this diocese,
was offered in Trinity Church. Yester-
day the Northern Pacific announced its
readiness to carry freight and passen-
gers frsm the lakes to Portland, Oregon,
their line having been completed the
day before, but there was no natioRal
jubilee, nor were there any special
prayers offered, unless privately, aud
for the recovery of the stock of the road
from the tumble in which it and sever
al other securities INDUCED in.
WHAT THE WORLD" SAYS.
The World says: Among the won.
ders worked by time, there are few
stranger than this completion of a road
which, ten years ago. led the way to the
great national panic. Since the char
ter was granted great discovery has
been made in railroad building, name
ly, that railroads can be built without
subsidies. The only apparent interest
created on the street by the announce
ment of the roads completion is over
the receipt OF dispatch, alleged to
have come from Walla Walla yesterday,
announcing that train Of thirty cars
loaded with wheat would start forth
with for Minneapolis. Grain men at
the Produce Exchange got it that fif-
teen carloads Of wheat had already ar
rived at Minneapolis from Washington
Territory, and there was considerable
excitement over it.