St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-09

were invited to join in an excursion to
the end Of the line. L remember what
a pleasant trip it was, and all
agreed that the completion of
the road to that remote point was
the grandest railroad achievement of
that day. While this was going on, there
was man in coal office, modest and
unasSuming, who at the proper moment
stepped out of his office, and forged TO
the front, yes, TO the very head of the
railroad interest in the West. and at his
side was the late Norman W. Kittson.
Today there is no one in railroad circles
who seems to have the sagacity and push
of James j. Hill. When he has decided
upon an extension or the construction
of branch line. he goes over the pro-
posed route and, if satisfied, he orders
the work done, and without any blowing
of horns the road Is built. Few knew
of the work being done by which the
iron horse of the Great Northern would
initiate its lungs on the Mississippi and
dash with the rapidity of the winds
through hills and valleys to quench its
thirst In the blue waters of the Pacific
ocean, but it is an accomplished fact.
No wonder that our people are proud
of Mr.. Hills success, and wish to show
it by a celebration that Will eclipse
anything of the kind ever attempted in
this city.
Look at the entire railroad system OF
the United States. and what a monu-
ment to the projectors and builderS
Extremes Meet.
A few DAYS since | took stroll
through and around the union depot.
On the railroad track | observed two
cars which attracted my attention. One
belonged to the Canadian Pacific, the
other to the Southern Pacific. As |
looked UP and down the tracks, |
observed cars belonging to almost
every important road in the coun-
try. These cars brought the products of
the North, East, West and South, and
dumped them into our storehOuses. The
cars of the Canadian and Southern Pa
cific were refrIgeratOrs. Think Of the
contents of these cars as they came
laundering into the union depot. The
Southern Pacific brought the fruits of
the>Southern states and California to
our merchants as fresh as they were
when taken from the tree. while the fish
brought in by the Canadian and North
ern Pacific were as fresh as they were
when taken from the ocean and from the
lakes.
Montezuma was fond of fish, and had
a line of couriers along the route from
Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. a
courier would leave Vera Cruz with a
basket of fish. and travel on run for
ten miles. deliver his precious load to
fresh courier who would carry II about
about that distance and deliver to
until rQaphnI
Mexico. At best the fish was not very
fresh. But now we can go into fish
market and select from the fish Of the
Atlantic, Pacific, Gull of Mexico, Hud
sons bay, in fact from all waters of the
country, and get them as fresh and
sweet as when taken ont OF the water.
This is due to the grand railway develop
ment throughout the country.
The time has come when the people
at large recognize the fact that the
great progress which our country has
made in the last thirty years has been,
to great extent, due to the facilities
afforded by the railroads of getting their
productions rapidly to market
Before we mad any roads in this state
land could be bought for g all acre. and
50 cents a bushel was regarded as
good price for wheat. st. Paul is today
one of the great railroad centers in the
country. There are. l believe, six or
seven trunk lines to Chicago. while the
500 furnishes US with route 10 New
York 116 miles nearer than by way of
Chicago. The Rock Island. the Iowa
and Minnesota divisions of the Mil
waukee & ST. Paul, the Omaha and
Kansas City penetrate the fertile re-
gions in tile South and Southwest,
while over the track of the latter. that
grand and wealthy corporation, the lii
nOis Central. has access to the city.
Railroad and river complete our trans
portation with the South.
To the North and West the Great
Northern and the Northern Pacific. with
their branch lines and connections. az
ford the means Of transportation TO and