The Dickinson press., 1906-10-20
EARLY N. p. HISTORY.
Part Taken by vermonters
in Construction of this
7ranScontinental Line.
Pioneer Ranching in
Bad Lands.

March 3, 1853, Jefferson Davis, then
secretary Of war, and later president of
the southern confederacy, procured the
passage of resolution by congress
authorizing him, as secretary of war, to
make such explorations as he deemed
advisable to ascertain the most practi-
cable route for railroad from the Mis-
sissippi river to the Pacific ocean. Under
this resolution three expeditions were
organized, one to survey southern, one
a central and the other northern route.
A southern route to the Pacific had
long been favorite scheme of the lead
ing men OF the south with view to
strengthening the predominatlng inAu-
ence of that section in the national gov
ernment against possible northern de-
velopment. ...-s..., rs.
The panic of 1857 intervened, and in
1861 the war of the rebellion. Resulting
from the war the construction of the
Union Pacific railroad became neces-
sity and the interests of the northern
route were overshadowed by the greater
public interests then demanding atten-
ton. The Union Pacific railroad COM
pany was incorporated by act of con-
gress July l, 1862. Lands were granted,
and also subsidy in bonds, in order to
promote the construction of the road at
the earliest possible date. July 2, 1864,
the Northern Pacific Railroad company
was incorporated by act of congress. 1t
was granted lands to the extent of forty
sections to the mile in the territories and
twenty in the states, but a money sub
sidy was denied.
Josiah Perham of Maine had been the
leading character in securing the charter
for the construction of the Northern Pa
cific railroad. Congress having denied
subsidy in money to aid in the construc-
ton the charter was likely to fail, when
the active services of Thomas H. Can
field of Burlington, Vermont, were en-
listed, and through his efforts a,syndicate
was formed consisting of ]. G. Smith of
ST. Albans, Vermont, Richard D. Rice Of
Augusta, Maine, and others. Later, Jay
Cooke & Co., Charles B. Wright, Thomas
A. Scott, Frederick Billings of Wood
stock, Vermont, and VIM. Window and
VIM. King of Minnesota became identi-
fed with them, and to these men belong
whatever credit is due for carrying to a
successful completion this great enter
prise.
In 1870 Mr.. Garfield, accompanied by
]. Gregory Smith, went to the line of the
road and selected the crossing of the
railroad at Brainerd, Minnesota, laid out
the town of Brainerd, planned for the
location of the shops and located the
Red river crossing at Fargo. Mr.. Can
field returned the next spring and located
Moorhead and Fargo, and in May, 1872,
located the Missouri river crossing of the
road and the town of Bismarck.
January l, 1872, the first rail was laid
within the limits of North Dakota, the
road having crossed the Red river at
Fargo at that time. In June, 1873, it was
completed to Bismarck, and ten years
later the completion of the line was eel
ebrated. Sitting Bull, who attacked the
surveyors in June, 1873, when they at.
tempted to extend the survey westward
from Bismarck, and who attacked and
destroyed Clusters command on the
Little Big Horn in June, 1876, carried the
United States flag, accompanied by many
OF his warriors, in the procession which
welcomed General Grant and others on
this occasion.
i Edwin F. Johnson conceived the idea
of the construction of the Northern Pa.
cifc railroad. At the office of Thomas
H. Garfield, at Burlington, Vermont, he
planted the enthusiasm and aroused the
energy in the breast of that young en-
thusiast, which organized the forces and
pushed the work to completion. 1t was
, largely Can6eld's work which procured
the charter; his work that saved it; hi.
that organized the syndicate which finally
+ built it, and his that enlisted Jay Cooke
in the enterprise.
The great financial concern of ia,
Cooke & Co., which had negotiated th'
bulk of the government loans during tn,
civil war, was forced into bankruptcy b,