Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-22
A Lesson IN Geography.

Forty years ago, when nearly all of the
of very little importance to study the railroad
geography OF the country in which we live,
but of late years the railroad have so far SUI
perseded the old methods of transportation
that it has become absolutely essential to
known something about them.
Nearly everybody knows that all of the
important towns in the United States can be
reached by rail, and yet there are compare
lively few who could tell the best routes even
between the most important points. Nor is
this at all strange, for there are so many
elements that enter into this Jnsideration
that even the most thoroughly posted make
mistakes. man may ride from New York
| to San Francisco, and, through the advice of
interested persons, he may have selected the
route that afforded the very worst accommo-
dations. He arrives at his destination, dis
guste6. tired, worn out, unfit for business or
pleasure. Whereas, had he taken pains to
inform himself as to the best route he could
with no greater expense have made his jour
ney a pleasure and profit.
He paid the penalty always enacted of igno
rance, while he might have received the pre-
MUM due to knowledg.
The same principle tina! applies in the trip
above eli, d VII tl,o a2nly with equal force
to one betwcer any pof Is where a choice be-
tween two Or more routes is offered.
The selection of the route has more bear
ing on the general results of a trip than peo-
pie ordinarily imagine, and rs long as rela-
BILE information is 80 easily obtained, as it is
at the present time, it seems a pity that trav-
elers should experience any loss through
ignorance.
Experience and a large amount of invest-
CATION will satisfy anyone that, among the
western roads tor it is toward the West that
! a large share of popular attention is now di
rected,) the Chicago & North Western Rail
way is the safest and most reliable route to
nearly all points West or Northwest of Chi
cago. Any good map of the Northwest will
show that this great road, only little short
of 5000 miles, reached with its own lines
nearly every point of interest in this great
section of country.
1t has main line running north from Chi
cago along the shore of Lake Michigan,
through Milwaukee to the mining regions
and hunting and fishing grounds OF the
Northern Peninsular of Michigan and Lake
Superior. Another running northwesterly
through Northern Illinois and Wisconsin to
Duluth and the Twin Cities of St. Paul and
Minneapolis. Another to the fertile free
laDus ana cheap lanuS OF southern allnntsO-
ia and Central Dakota, and still another run
ming due west from Chicago, through Illinois
and Iowa, to Council Bluffs and Omaha, and
through Northern Nebraska to the Black
Hills. This being the only route by which
Rapid City and the famous Black
Hills region can be reached.) From
these main lines run almost innumera-
BILE branches and connecting lines in
all directions, leaving very few places in this
region that can not be reached via the North
Western. The train service is arranged so
that all trains of branch and connecting
lines make close connections in union depots
with the through trains from Chicago. so
that passengers experience no tedious delays
or transfers. The Northwestern is great
not alone in its number of miles. Its track
il all first class, and its Day Coaches, Parlor
Cars, Dining Cars and Sleeping Cars come
as near supplying all the wants of the travel
ling public as such institutions can. Any
one desiring to study the railroad geography
of the West and Northwest can secure An eX-
celent map, free of charge, by applying to
X. s. Hair, General Passenger agent c. &
n w. Ry. at Chicago.