The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-12-31


Dan r. Conway people, which en-
bodies the stabilizing forces of prece-
dent, instilling a we'll poised pride,
creating an unfertiIe soil for the de-
magOgUe's appeal.
The Empire Builders
1t is we'll that we emphasize, even
in the columns of our newspapers,
the accomplishments of the pioneer
of Montana, whether he be trapper,
trader, miner, cowboy, merchant,
politician or railroad magnate. Pos
terity can we'll be guided by the prec-
edents which have been set, if pos
terity is reminded of these prece-
dents, teaching them the value and beauty
of industry; melting them to excel in the
labOrs which have brought such rewards
to the people of Montana within a half a
century after the era of progress was intro
duced. Material things pass; the best OF
steel will wear away the inscriptions on
iron are effaced by rust; decay destroys
wood; even stone will crumble and decOm-
pose, but the mage of history once placed
in print is handed down from one eddy
to another on the stream of time, Tor the
benefit and guidance Of a progressive
citiZenry.
The story of Montana reveals nothing
more significant or more vital to the states
general development, or establishing a
greater precedent than the coming of the
"Steel Rails
The Northern Pacific
Because it was the first railroad TO ira
verse Montana from its eastern to its west
ern borders, the completion of the North
ern Pacific'S tTanScOntinental line In 1885,
constitutes the most slgnlIlcaht accom-
pliShment i'm the railroad annals of this
commonwealth
Like all other pioneer institutions, the
principal difficulty to be overcome in the
construction of the Northern Pacific rail
road was the almost insuperable financial
obstacle. In the new western country,
such a thing as capital in any great GUAM
tity did not exist. Thus the promoters
were forced to resort to numerous eXped-
tents and suggestions. Real capital came
from the east through bond sales. Cities
and communities along the projected line
aided in lana subsidies. The government
gave large land grants. The greatest OOSta'
Gle. however, was the securing of ready
cash capital from a timid and apathetiC
The Company Chartered
The Northern Pacific was organized anC
received its charter from the federal gov
eminent in 1864, at the time the Union Pa
cific and Central Pacific were being bull
across the central west. 1t has already beer
explained how this northern route was thu
first contemplated transcOntinental route
and why it was not chosen as the cOurs'
to be followed by the first Pacific line.
The oldest of ali projects for the open
ing Of a rail line to the Pacific coast, tn.
Northern Pacific idea dates back to 1885,
Ten years following this, Asa whitney,,
New York merchant urged a plan 10
building a rail line from the head OF lax
Michigan to the mouth of the COlumbls
He asked congress for a land grant 6
miles in width along the entire propose
route. Congress finally favored the build
ing of the first transcOntinetal line aIon
a central route ending at San francisco
Josiah Perham
The man who succeeded in getting tn
charter for the Northern Pacific was JC
siah Perham who had organized a compan
under the sanction Of the Legislature {
Maine, called the Peoples Pacific Raj
road company. He had endeavOred to 81
cure the charter of the central and f1rs
line for this company but failed. Then /
turned his attention to the Northern rOut
and by promising to ask for no subsidy
bonds or money from the government, |
obtained in 1864, a charter coupled with
land grant just double in area that give
to the Union Pacific and Central Pac1fl
The Northern Pacific land grant embraci
the alternate sections Of land for 70 mill
on each side Of the road in the states an
40 miles in what were then territories, vii
an additional ten miles on each side as :
indemnity limit within which lands mig
be selected to compensate for those TAX,
by settlers inside the original grant. II
total area Of this was 31,O5S,331 acres.
Perham tried vainly to obtain capital I
his project and after two years OF eI1Ol
turned the charter over to a cOmpal
composed Of New England capitalists al
eastern railroad men, with j.. GREGG
Smith as president. This new organz
ton endeavOred to obtain further aid fro
congress but met with no respOnse to the
memorial In 1862, however, amendment
the charter were procured permitting
company to mortgage it's road and lan'
and a contract was made with Jay Coo
& Co., OF Philadelphia, to sell the bOn'
In a period Of two years, this firm dispOs
Of over S30,OO0,O0O Of Northern Pact
bonds bearing Z per cent interest.
Construction Started
With this money construction was sta
ed in the spring Of 1870, and by the fall
1873 the road had been completed from I
luth at the head Of lake Superior to B
marck, on the Missouri river Ia Dakoi