New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-03

Seattle and West Coast. 1900
Portland and Willamette valsy~.............. 100
| These make total Of 2,672 milcs. 1t IS custo-
mary In reckoning the railroad building Of any sec
ton Of the country to count by State lines as 70,
instance to count all the track which has boon laid
within the borders of the Northwestern States and
territories as Northwestern mileage. II this were
done and ALI the road built in Iowa, Nebraska
and Wyoming, well tho work Of the Union
Pacific and Oregon and California on the North Pacific
coast, wore added to tho above figures tho total
southwestern mileage Of 1887 would DO between
$500 and 3,4OO miles,
But much Of this additional mileage is really
tributary to Southwestern roads and IS real part
VI the Northw cstern systems The table given above
includes only WORK upon tho roads which part
ST. Pau and Minneapolis, and which mako these two
N the United states The mica @ given above is
oil Of commercial Importance to these two cities. 1t
the new construction of tho Northwest phosophi-
cally, and not merely geographically, regarded.
GEOGRAPHICALLY AND PHILOsoPHCALLY con-
sIDERED.
Geographically conslderedthat IS rcckoned by State
lines-t the construction In the Northwest has
been greater this year than the new construction
in the whole Of the United States in either of tho
years 1854 and 1855. Last year-1898-the North
western construction by State lines 300 against
the $500 this year. On what has been called the
phloso. heal method of mpntatlon the figures of
% would not have reached 1900 miles, a. against
the $500 of 1887. An yet 1886 was considered
year OF almost marvellous activity I'm railroad build
ing
..ut It is not the length in miles OF the new
roads that Is so Important this year. Tho years
construction has been chiefly made up of few very
Important pieces OF continuous building which have
opened up large sections Of new country which have
created distinctly new trade routes and the possible
fuIdrc iniagnce oI hlch ipon me current oi cor
mcrcc between the East and the further Northwest It
Is Impossible 90 calculate.
, ne secopI glcaicSi lndlvllna, ,r.
sault Ste. Marie and Atlantic Railway from Mime
the last few weeks that the 500" road has attracted
any attention from the Eastern press. The entire
lis to the saut, of which al had been built prior TO
this year At the sault the international bridge,
dian PaciGc IS Just Completed The track has also
been finished In the past two weeks ON the branch
OF the Canadian Pacific which Joins the main line with
the sault. Here then, is new trade route from ST.
Paul and Minneapolis to the Atlantic coast by which
tide water (at MontreaD with run by rail 400
miles shorter than 1t could reach tidewater by any of
eighty miles shorter from Minneapolis than the short
est Of the Chicago lines To Boston # IS five miles
on Virtually even terms Bss.des this advantage
in mileage The fact that the greater part Of tho new
reach of the Interstate Commerce law seems to give
II possblitis OF making low through rates with which
the other lines cannot hope to compete.
FORMIDABLE RIVAL OF THE CHICAGO LINES.
It is probable that the first train load of through
freight will have the new line from Minnesota
to the seaboad before the end Of the first week of this
year. There Is an enormous quantity Of through
business being held here by shippers BIO cent over
tho road For time it will have work enough
for all the 1t muster If 1t hold the busi-
thai ia waiting to be given to it, the $500
promises to be very formidable rival to the Chicago
lines. AM the bulk of Mlnnesotas business will hence
forward be done directly with New York instead
OF through Chicago mddlemen Under any fircunl-
stances tho road Will be very important factor
In tho transportation situation Of the Northwest In the
future.
,be hp
Of size perhaps less important I'm the possibilities
that it opens out Is tho construction OF the St PAUL
Montana and thence fby the new Montana Contrib 10
Montana and thccnc (by the now Montana CentraD 10
Helena This has been. perhaps in some respects
, been achieved in America Between April 2,
1887 and October 10 $40 miles Of new track were laid
In the month Of August alone 115 miles were lad an
average OF four and onehal miles day The largest
days work done on August II. when $4,000 fret
davbrcak and dark with the possible exception Of one
DAVIS work tho Union Pacific. the fastest piece
ard parallel 10 the Northern Pacific main line across
the whole of Dako'a and half Montana u has
grades ard traverses a country which ONLY moods the
trarsrortation which 1t brings to mako 1t settle up
rapidly.
wv THRoUGN ROUTE To THE PACIFIC.
Rut this new line Is chiefly significant being
avowed,v only tho initial stem toward the construction
~ n new tbr uyh fcrta to tho Parifc coast. The
con,panv HI. hid eurines's in fro mountains all the
summer seeking feasible passage to Puget sonnd
II 4, understood good route was discovered ana DC
for~ the end OF 1880 II Il fairly certain thai ~"
Manitoba Road (which when J. J. I'LL took hold OF
IL seven wears a useless piece Of track ooo
miles I'm lengthl will have line from here to the
Pacific and total mileage of over 1000 miles.
The company's mileage IS ALREADY 2 $50 mllc- Mani,
The arrival of the St Paul. Minneapolis ana NAM,
toba at Helena gives competitive route Eastward
for the shipment OF the output OF The Montana mines
and It has resulted In su'den qnckemng Oh inc Hill
CT ntc q,.'s II the Territory
But HIPS road is by no means the only new com,
1aclfc's territory. The completion OF the connection
of the Union Pacific with Portland and the Ease OF
critics were events of fhc imports to the North
Pacific slope The finishing Of ths 200 nue. con OF
munIcstion between Portland and San Francisco. Is
certainly no less important Mcanwhia inc on n'ag
the mountains OF Idaho for route through to me
coast which woul give tn" Vanderbilt interests
complete transcontinental route.
srrrNGTHrNIvG TIE XorTHFRN PACIFIC
But this sudden activity OF competition only seems
TO have strengthened the Northern Pacific What
over may be the drawbacks to the joint lease arrange
mcnt of the Oregon Railway and Navigation, the com
pany itself Is stronger to-day than II has ever been
before. II has moro money behind it-so far as Cd"
be seen-and in better fighting shape so far a. 'he
further West IS concerned: with every prospect,
through the Wisconsin Central and Chicago Terminal
| lompany of arriving at much better East bound
facilities than have heretofore been within Its reach
OF the 3l2 miles Of new track which the company me-
| nary inipOr The first Of these Is that Wn'rn
went to the completion OF the Cascade DIVISION, ~
which the Northern Pacific finally secured us ihuc
PENDENT 10 the sonnd The second Is inc Ion-
siructlon OF the Duluth and Manitoba as thc lihr-
ty.sx mile spur running W TO the Canal an DounuaiS
Is called. This is the branch which was 70 naNo
formed tbs complement to the Red River Naiisy van
| road which has been d-a to the Nor'niay
ministry in Manitoba. Ultimately the Rel RIVER var
10y Road Will probably be built. When mar , nay
| canes The nneiy-six mile branch OF tho NortMTrn
| Pacific forming ngature between The tana'H az;
| and Am,..can systems OF the West viii have ''~
greater than local importance.
| Nj. sTICKNEYs LIMITLfss AMBITION
One more item OF the irst Importance In the So"'
abroad building has been tho sudden blossohi"s D'
| Of tho Minnesota and No,thwesrn-a feeble, "se''
niece of track ono year aso-lno q Formidable sysch
Wbat tie final liut To Mr.. stckney's ambitions may