Year: 1878




Ff


The differences which have existed
for several years between tho Northern
Pacific and St. Paul and Pacific rail-
roads in Minnesota have At last been
amicably settled. There has been .
contest between them over . certain
part OF their respective land grants.
and rivalry As to local trade which has
been injurious to both. All this is
now fully adjusted, and the two com.
panies are not to encroach by lateral
lines on each others territory. The
Northern Pacific also gets q great ad-
vantage by lease Of tracks and depots
Of the st. Paul and Pacific from st.
Paul to Suck Rapids, for . term Of
ninety.nine years. These adjustments
terminate a controversy which has been
quite embarrassing to the Northern Pa
ci6c. The St. Paul Pioneer Press Of
the goth November speaks Of the ar
rargements as most important Incl
dent in giving new strength to this
company, which, it observes, will now
be free BY its disentanglsment from 10.
cal conflicts 10 Minnesota, to work out
its great mission Of extending its CONT
mental highway to the Pacific.


Referring also to the fact that an
other section of 200 miles Of the North
ern Pacific from Bismarck to the Vel.
lowstone is to be built next year, the
same journal adds the statement that
the company "has been placed upon
such solid footing of commercial cred-
it by it's large earnings for two or three
years past that it is enabled to command
all the money necessary to complete
this section, and its wealthy stock hold.
ers are themselves abundsntly able
from their own resources or credit to
supply the needed funds. And they
have concluded to 90 on and build this
additional two hundred miles without
waiting for any congressional extension
Of their time-relyiog upon the decision
Of the United States supreme court
that the grant is valid until declara.
tion Of forfeiture is made BY Congress
or BY the judicial department Of the
government. This, it is certain, will
never be done, aud in this faith the
company is going on to prosecute the
construction Of their great highway
in the full confidence that within five
years they will reach the Pacoifc cast" /"


These statements confirming fully
what has been learned from other
sources, give additional assurance that
the prospects of tho Northern Pacific
are improving rapidly, and that reason-
able expectation may be entertained
that, 10 spite of all efforts against the
enterprise in and out of Congress, this
great highway will yet be laid across
the continent, even if it receives NO
further aid through legislation. I,
will soon be more apparent than ever
that this enterprise is the one upon
which the great northwest must mainly
rely for railway connections. So far as
Oregon is concerned, the state has suf
fered greatly by the refusal to accept
the bill offered last session, under which
the company would have agreed te
build on the south side of the Columbia
river, and to fu, nish and put in opera
tion certain number of miles of road
on the Pacific division each year. Sen
ator MitchelPs operations defeated at
offer we are not likely to have again
Unfortunately Oregon's connection and
relations with the load will now be
matter Of uncertainty. Standing OF
the original grant, the company will
now be likely to take the route on ths
north side Of the Columbia river, or di
rectly over the mountains from Puge
Sound. While The Oregonian regret'
this situation, it is its duty nevertheless
to point out the probable fact. 1t ha'
foreseen this during the whole contes
Of the past year, and therefore has beer
the more anxious that course be pur
sued at Washington which would pro
tect and advance the interests Of Ore
gon.-Oregonian.::