Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-11-20


or horseback from their camps to wit
ness the driving of the spike.
1t was a curiously composed COM
pany OF people that gathered that Sep
tember day in the mountain wilderness
to honor the completion of the road.
Gen. Grant, fresh from the honors re-
ceived during his journey around the
world, twice president of the United
States, victor of the civil war, was
there. The lank form of William M.
FVarts, the Statesman of New York,
was conspicuous. Willard, suave, pol
ished, alert, moved everywhere. Round
stomached financiers from Berlin and
other foreign cities, wearing many
curious decorations, elbowed frontiers
men and studied with wonder a land
they had never visited before. H. c.
Davis, superintendent of construction,
who had driven the first spike in the
building of the road, was present to
assist in driving the last. Young
Hlgard Willard was present to assist
in the work. Mr.. Willard made a
speech welcoming his guests He was
not vain glorious; he had little to say
of his own part in the work. If he
knew that already his enemies were
encompa his downfall and the
partial wreck of the railroad he did
NOT reveal it in his manner. After!
Mr.. Willard, Frederick Billings spoke.
and then Mr.. Eyarts.
The part which Mr.. Billings had
played in the completion of the sys-
TEN was no small one. After his cleo
tion as president in 1879 the work of
construction had been vigorously
pushed. He had turned over the work
to Mr.. Willard in 1881. ss.s. .s.
When the speechmaking was fin
ished gangs OF Workmen advanced to
the foreground. gap of i 200 feet
had been left between the east and
west ends of the main line. Track
laying gangs, consisting of ten men to
each gang, eagerly put down the last
rails and drove the spikes which held
them. The moment had come for the
setting of the golden spike. Mr..
Davis placed this and gave it a slight
tap. Mr.. Willard stepped forward and
gave it the secon4 blow Mr.. Billings
was honored by having the third blow
to give. Gen. Grant delivered the
fourth. Then governors and other
honored public men came and each
gave the blow, until the spike was se-
curely set and the main line of the
Northern Pacific finally completed.
There was great feasting after this and
a glorious return of the y4llard party
4 to New York. The northwest took on
new. life. The commercial interests
of Lakes Superior and Michigan found
new markets. The richness of North
Dakota soil was discovered The min
eral wealth of Montana received an at
tention deserved long before. The
world learned that Idaho was not q
waste The lumber resources Of Ore
gon and Washington and their abund-
ance of riches in other ways were
made known The railroad faced the
problem of building up the vast unoc-
cupied territory through which it
passed, but this Mr.. Willard appreci-
lated. .3s3
A short quotation from one Of his
public utterances af .er he returned to
New York will illustrate this. He
said: q g
"The stocks and bonds of the North
ern Pacific are a good investment for
the public. But the growth OF the
road and its values will depend upon
the rapidity with which we can con-
vince the people Of Europe and the
east that the vast territory northwest
and west of st. Paul and Minneapolis
is worthy of permanent settlement.
Personally know that northern Min
nesota is destined to be one OF the
wealthiest producing sections in the
world. Properly titled the soil Of
North Dakota is admirable for wheat
production. It will be no child s play
to open this vast plain land, but It
will pay. believe that Montana con-
tains more mineral wealth than any
other territory OF the union. and it has
excellent valleys for agricultural and
cattle pursuits Idaho needs but the
solving OF the problem Of irrigation to-
become exceedingly fruitful. The
great city OF the Pacific coast the one
which will eventually outstTip San
francisco and all other present coast
towns. which will be the ompanion
sof New York and Chicago, IS vet to be
built at some point between Portland,
Ore, and the Canad dian line, To bring