Great Falls tribune., 1889-06-12
THE NEW PACIFIC ROUTE.

The consequences which we anticipated
for the Northern Pacific and Wisconsin
Central deal are coming to pass. St.Paul
and Minneapolis are awaking to the evil
influence Of that union upon their trade
with the northwest. They are finding
out that the Northern Pacific has become
to all intents and purposes Chicago
road. Its real eastern terminus is now in
Chicago. 1t has practically annexed the
Wisconsin Central, and accordingly will
employ that road as much as it can for all
passenger and freight traffic between the
east and all places west of the Mississippi.
In sending goods from Chicago to Tacoma
it will forward them by the Ashland
branch of the Wisconsin Central. In
conveying bullion, cattle or wool from
Idaho or Montana to Chicago and the
east, it will carry such commodities by
its own line to Ashland and thence over
the Wisconsin Central to Chicago. This
traffic will be all diverted from st. Paul
and Minneapolis, where in the ordinary
|
course of business it should flow.
The Pioneer Press comedies this in a
significant article, in which it says:
The question whether Chicago shall
take away from St. Paul the trade of
Minnesota, Dakota and Montana has
agitated the minds Of the local jobbers
for several months past. New interest
has been reused by the controversy be
tween Elijah Smith and Henry Willard,
which affects northwestern interests
materially. The consummation OF the
Northern Pacific Wisconsin Central alli-
ance will make necessary the completion
of competing line from here to the
Pacific coast.
The St. Paul merchants naturally look
to the Manitoba railroad as the only true
northwestern line. The Pioneer Press
says: .." 0..." WY. a...m..
Should thesManitoba conclude to build
from Fort Assinnaboine westward, the
question would be settled in favor of st.
Paul. The distance from this place to
Assinnabolne is 961 miles, and from the
latter to Puget sound, measured by mer-
idians of longitude, $40 miles. Allowing
100 miles. OF nearly 20 per cent, for engi-
| ueeElLS lltCeSSluleS III tue all SuultuI, I'LL .
would make total distance from St.
The Northern Pacific line is 2,058 miles
in length from st. Paul to Tacoma, on
Puget Sound, and by its new Chicago al
llance-the Wisconsin Central-the dis
tance from Tacoma to Chicago is $3.50
miles, as against the Manitoba's distance
from an eligible point at tide water on
Puget Sound to Chicago Of, 2015 miles.
For the Manitoba will have the choice of
four competing lines to Chicago, or an
impartial dealing with them all-roads
whose average distance between the
points is about 415 miles.
1t will be seen that the Manitoba line
is expected to build to the coast and thus
give st. Paul and Minneapolis an inde-
pendent route between the Pacific, Du-
luth or Chicago. This route would have
easier grades than the Northern Pacific
and would be 45S miles shorter, which is
an important consideration in these days
of rapid transit and economy in operat-
ing expenses. ...-........ -..
While we are glad to see st. Paul thus
stirred up, we consider that the best route
to the Pacific lies westward from Great
Falls. Assinnaboine is 961 miles from
St. Paul, while Great Falls is 1,073. The
difference o. 112 miles might be saved
between this city and St. Paul. 1t may
be possible to save this difference on the
route between Great Falls and St. Paul,
but we believe that any gain in miles
would be more than offset by the COM
mercial and manufacturing facilities
which Great Falls would afford. 1t is
obvious that the Pacific extension could
start from here and reach the coast by a
much shorter route than the Northern
Pacific. At Helena the Northern Pacific
is only 15 miles shorter from st. Paul
than the Manitoba and Montana Central
roads. From Helena to Tacoma by the
Northern Pacific it is 903 miles From
Great Falls to the coast in direct line
t is some hundred miles less. Allowing
: for all engineering difficulties and othel
e considerations it is clear that the Manitob,
: Pacific can reach the coast by mucf
r shorter route than the Northern Pacific
e even when the latter has built at grea
t expense the Gallatin- Butte division.