Year: 1878

Northern Pacific, and recently sent
ali engineer up the line of the Wis
consin Cestral to look the ground
over.


We also learn that a move is
being made looking towards the
building of line to fill up the gap
between Ashland and the Northern
Pacific, a distance Of some 80 miles
IN direct line between the former
place and the n. Z. Junction. This
move is in the interest of Mllwau-
kee, and is stimulated by the spirit
of rivalry towards Chicago, which
city also has its eyes upon a con-
Rection with the Northern Pacific,
possibly through the medium Of the
Illinois Central.


The line will in all probability be
built under either the land grant to
the Wisconsin Central or that to
the Northern Pacific, most likely
the latter, it being 20 sections to
the mile, double the extent of the
former.


1t is plain that one or both of
these lines will be built, and that
too very soon, perhaps much sooner
than most people anticipate. Chicago
apd Milwaukee are just awaken
ing to the facts of the settlement
of the country along the Northern
Pacific, and of Manitoba, their
heavy wheat crops and their already
great and constantly increasing
wants in the way of trade, and each
city is naturally anxious to extend
its arms of iron into such a prom
Using field.


| Whether these lines, if built, will
| pass through Superior, is q ques-
ton to be determined. An engi-
neer recently informed US that the
most direct line that could be Sc
cured between Ashland and the
| junction, would be some seven
miles shorter than a line running in
to Superior, and thence westward
so the Junction, but that the line
Uia. superior, having fewer bridges,
could be constructed for less money
at first than tie shorter line; but
that in the course of years the line
seven miles the shortest would be
cheapest. Thoee acquainted with
the topogl aphical features of the
country think the line ought to, ard
viii, come through Superior, but
we must not be too confident on
.his point. The people here, once
upon time, some ten years ago,
10 their everlasting sorrow contend
ed that the St. Paul e Duluth road
would not, because it could not,
run into Duluth, owing to the deep
ravines and heavy grades on the
route, but the result proved they
were mistaken; and they are liable
to be mistaken again.


OF course a company might be
induced to run into Superior, and
make the town its leading point,
! by liberal or reasonable donations
Of property for depot grounds and
other purposes, and of county
/ bonds, but IN our present situation,
the s350,00o of county bonds out
standing and in litigation, procludes
even the thought of a further issue
of bonds, and these outstanding
bonds everyone knows are a mort
gage upon our town property for
far more than it is worth; so that ii
would be sheer nonsense, and an In
suit to the intelligence of any COM
pany, for US to offer them 100 Or
200 acres of land mortgaged for
much more than its value


So far as we can see the commu-
nifty is now in no position to treat
with any company, and win not bs
TIL the bond question is settled IN
our favor through the courts or
otherwise. AS for oWself, in order
to save time and avoid further ex-
pense, and settle what most people
now see is q doubtful issue, and to
place our county in position to
speedily avail itself Of any opportuni-
J ties that may arise, we have urged
that an effort be made to compro-
mise the bond suit, by bringing the
parties in interest together, and hav-
ing q fair, square and full discussion
and understanding of the whole
matter, just as business men review
and settle their differences; and we
hone q move of this Kind will soon