Morris tribune., 1883-07-18
A GRAND EXCURSION.

{ Hensy Fiiiard's Imposing Tour Q
!, Distinguished People to Witness
: the Opening of the Northern
5 Pacific Rdii,Oay-Three
. Hundred limitations Ont.
: Specials from New York state tina
Mr.. Henry Willard, president OF tn
Northern Pacific railroad company
has isseud the invitations for the grea
transcontincntal excursion which ]
Il celebrate the openinng of the mail
line of that road about the first q
September next. The invitation
constitute beautiful specimen of tin
engraver's art, and the whole expedi
tiol is evidently gotten up regardless
of expense and on scale OF magnifi
cence never before approached any
where i'm the worl IN connection will
commercial ef4teapfise. Thecentca
event of the trip is the driving of the
golden spike which will unite the
western and eastern division of tho
road at point near the western open
ing ofthe Mullen tunnel, which
pierces the main range of the Rocky
Mountains about so miles west OF
Helena, Mont. The majority cf the
guests will come from the Atlantic
states, and are expected to concentrate
at New York city about the 9th of
| August. Private Pullman cars will
be attached to the Express trains on
New York Central, the Erie and Penn
sylvania railroads leaving New York
at that time. Invited guests who
live at more western points. will join
the excursion at such places as most
convenient to them. Chicago will be
the first grand rendezvous for the eX
pedition west OF New York, while
st. Paul and Minneapolis will consti-
tute the actual starting point for the
excursion, as finally completed and
made up. One special car starts from
Boston and another from Philadel-
phia for the accommodation of guests
invited from those cities. Ample
provision is made in advance by the
railroad company for the free enter
tainment of it's guests, in New York at
the Windsor, the Hoffman, the Bruins.
wick and the Buckingham Hotels; in
Boston at the Brunswick; and in Chi,
cago at the Palmer and Grand Pacific.
At st Paul special trains consisting of
these private cars, Pullman sleepers
and dining cars will be made up and
run through to the Pacific coast and
return, thus no dependence will be
placed upon hotels or eating stations
at any point beyond st. Paul or Min
neapolis. The guests will live on
board the trains, and every conven-
ience, comfort and luxury will be pro-
vided for the entire trip. The COM
pany take the pains to say that the
guests will be at no personal expense
during the entire journey, which will
cover period of about 80 days. The
invitations embrace a distinguished
section of capitalists, railway mag
mates, journalists and men in public
life. These, including the board ofdi-
rectors and other officials of the COM
pany and prominent stockholders,
will probably constitute a party of not
less, than 300 persons. Brief fhalts will
be made at varios points across the
continent to give the excursionists
a-chance to see all the sights worth
seeing along the new road. 1t has
not been finally decided whether a
will he made to visit Yel- |
lowstone Park or not, but if the invi
ted guests are consulted there is no |
doubt as to what their answer will be. |
After the main celebration at the |
uniting of the rails on the summit of
the Rocky Mountains the party will
proceed down the Pacific slope, and
ON reaching Wallula, near the head
of navigation on the Columbia river,
the excursionists will have their choice,
to proceed by rail down the
river bank road to Portland or change
TO steamers on the river. In either
case the scenery to be enjoyed down
the Columbia valley is among the
most magnificent on the continent.
From Portland the party will proceed
over the Pacific division of the North
srn Pacific road northward to its Pa
,ific tide-water terminus at New Ia
coma, on Puget Sound, where they
will be transferred to steamers and en-
abled to visit all parts of the sound
including days sojourn at Victoria,
,he capital of British Columbia. The
editorial members of the fraternity
who are invited will be specially
ooked after by Mr.. E. V. Smalley of
he New York Tribune staff. Mr..
lay Cooke, the practical and first pro-
noter of the great enterprise, has con-
,ented to join the party and make his
irst trip across the continent over
;he line of railway to whose constuc-
ion he gave so many years ofarduous
work and in which he wrecked an i'm
nense fortune. Mr.. Cooke has now
ully recovered his financial standing
md is In condition tc thoroughly en-
oy the approaching event.