The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1883-08-18
OPENING OF THE NORTHERN
PACIFIC.
The NorthWcat.

1t Is expected that the tracks OF
the Northern Pacific railroad. ad-
vancing from the two slopes of the
continent, will meet near the western
portal of the Mullan tunnel, on the
main divide of the Rocky mountains
about the 10th of September. The
event will he worthily commemo-
rated. An oration will be delivered
by Hon. VIM. NJ. Evarts, ex-Secre-
tary of State. Excursion parties will
go from New York. and from Port
land, Oregon. to witness the cere-
monies. Many distinguished guests
will attend. The President of the
United States has signitied his inten.
rion to he present, if his engagements
will permit. Several members of the
cabinet and other officials holding
high stations under the Government
have accepted invitations, as we'll as
tie governors of the northwestern
states and territories and the mayors
of the great cities. The party will
also include a number of the foreign
ministers resident in Washington.
many eminent guests from Europe
and representatives of the leading
American, English and German
newspapers.
The last spike will be driven by
Henry Willard, under whose able
management, as President of the
Northern Pacific company, the last
of the transcontinental roads pro-
jected by Congress i'll 1853, has been
completed. Although the last to be
built, the Northern Pacific is the
best of all the roads to the Pacific
coast; it opens more valuable country
to settlement than either of the
others; it's tributary territory is more
extensive, more productive and of
more varied resources.
The completion of the Northern
Pacific is an event of national inter-
est. 1t links the Great Lakes with
that most capaclous and beautiful of
the worlds harbors, Puget Sound.
1t joins together by the steel arteries
of commerce the whole northern
tier of states and territories from
Lake Superior to the Pacific. 1t is
building up new communities, devel-
oping new industries, and opening
new homes to hundreds of thousands
of people. 1t shortens by six hun.
dred miles the route from New York
to Japan and China. 1t furnishes &
new channel for the trade of nations
A generation has passed away
since the idea of a railroad along the
route followed by Lewis and Clarke
first occupied the public mind. How
many courageous and devoted mer
have labored for the realization Of
this grand enterprise! Honor to
the memory Of those who have pass
ell from the stage of action-to AS;
Whitney and Josiah Perham, who
urged the project upon the attention
of Congress; to Edwin T. johnson
and w. Milnor Roberts, the great
engineers, to Governor Isaac /. ste
vens, the pioneer explorer and sur
veyor, and to many more! Honor
too, to the living--to the whole line
of former presidents of the com
pany-Smith, Cass, Wright. Billings
and Barney; to President Henry Vii
lard, whose genius for organization
and finance has provided the means
to complete the road, and given it Ill
extensive system of feeders and
branches; to Jay Cooke, who, in 1870
raised thirty millions to begin build
ing the road; to the officers of the
company, and particularly to Thomas
T. Oakes, the Vice President, ant
4Adna Anderson, the Chief Engineer
who have directed the construction
of over 1000 miles of track on the
main line and branches i'll two years
time; to General Sherman, who gave
to the enterprise the invaluable sup
port of the army, and to his sub
ordinate officers who swept the say
age Indians from the pathway of the
road! Honor to them all! May they
stand on the grassy slope of the Mai1
Divide, on a bright September day
listen to the eloquent words of the
great orator and witness the consum
nation of their hopes in the driving
of the last spike on the Northern
Pacific railrOadi