National Republican., 1883-08-18
TIE LAST RAIL.

Full Programme of the Excursion on tho
Occasion OF the Completion OF tho
Northern Pacific Railway.
Great preparations are being made by the
directors of the Northern Pacific railway for
laying Of the last rail upon their tracks
which will take place on the eighth of Sep
tember with elaborate ceremonies, near the
Mullane tunnel, in Montana territory. Hand
some invitations have been sent TO prominent
persons, both in this country and Europe, and
II is expected that the number Of guests of
the company will be between five and six
hundred. The invitation reads as follows;
The Northern Pacific Railway company le-
quests the pleasure of your presence at the OPEN
ing Of lis main line from Lake Superior to Port
land Orc, and Puget sound.
The company expects to be honored by your
taking part in the act OF joining the two ends Of
track at a point in Montana, near the eo eln
approach to the tunnel piercing the main range
OF the Rocky mountains.
The ARRANGEMENTS for the entertainment Of the
oompanys guests aru fully set forth III the inclos-
ure. HENRY VILLARD, President
Private cars for the guests of the company
will be attached TO express trains on the New
York Central, Erie, and Pennsylvania rail-
ways leaving New York the last week in
August on dato hereafter to be fixed.
Guests who may find it moro convenient to
join the excursion at Chicago will find pri-
vate cars at their service at that place, and
for the convenience of Boston guests q special
car will start from that city.
Arrangements have been made at the fol-
lowing hotels by the company for the COM
fort and entertainment of its guests: New
York-Windsor, Hoffman, Brunswick, and
buckingham. Boston-Brunswick. Chicago
Palmer and Grand Pacific.
Pullman sleepers and dining cars will be
made up at st. Paul, and run through to tho
Pacific coast and return. The trip will ex-
tend westward as far as Puget sound and Vic
toria, British Columbia, and will occupy
about thirty days.
The company intend that its guests shall
be at no personal expense during the entire
journey.
The programme of tho excursion is as fol-
| lows
The party will leave New York wednes-
day, August 20; arrive in Chicago Friday
morning; will spend the day in Chicago
leave September 1 for st. Paul, where they
will remain two days, and be entertained at
Lake Minnetonka. Tuesday, September 4,
they will leave ST. Paul, passing through the
wheat fields and lake region of Dakota; will
spend one night at Bismarck, and arrive al
Helena on Thursday evening. They will
remain here all day Friday, and leave Satur-
day at $3.50 for the point where the last rails
| of the North Pacific are to be laid.
The ceremony attending the laying of the
rails will begin at 10 a. m. and end at noon,
and the train will leave at 2 p. M, arriving
at Spokane Falls on Sunday, Sept. 8, at s a.
m. Here they will rest during the day, visit
ing the town and the falls of the Spokane
river. At midnight they will leave, reaching
Wallula junction at a. m Monday, leaving
at 8 a. m, following the line down the Colum-
bia river during the day time will reach
Portland, Greg, at p. m.
Tuesday, the eleventh of September, will
be spent in an inspection of Portland and
vicinity; Wednesday there will be an excur-
sion up the Willamette and Columbia rivers
Thursday an excursion up the Willamette
valley, on the Oregon and California railway
and return to Portland, and on Friday they
will leave Portland at 0 a. m. for an excursion
to Astoria on an ocean steamer, remaining or
the steamer all night.
On Saturday, Sept. 10, they will leave
Kalama by rail at o q. m. for Puget sound
reaching Tacoma at II, leaving by steamer on
the sound at II, arriving at Seattle at 2, leav
ing at p. m, and reaching TACOMA at
Kalama at 10, and Portland at midnight.
Sunday, Sept. 16, will be devoted to rest a
Portland during the day, and at 7 p. IN. they
will start on their return trip, arriving at st
Paul about7 p m. on Thursday, the twentieth
passing by daylight over tho division of tn
road traversed at night on the outwart
Journey.