The Railroad That Would Make Seattle

The Northern Pacific R. R. To be Completed to Seattle by September 1st. Freight and Passenger Rates — Facilities for Travel, etc. [Victoria Colonist, June 8th.]

Mr. [Muir], of the [railroad] Company, was at the [board] yesterday, where a representative of the [Colonist] was favored with an interview. He expressed himself as confident that the Northern Pacific Railroad will be completed through from the East to Seattle by the 1st of September, when the company will be prepared to deliver freight from New York to Portland and Sound ports. The [line] between Kalama and Portland will be [completed] in time for the date fixed for [opening], and until a bridge is built Columbia River trains will be crossed in a gentle ferry boat capable of accommodating cars. This ferry boat has been built at the East and is shipped in sections for Portland, where it will be put together. The company intend to have the same through [rates] to Sacramento and Seattle as to Portland; they are desirous of cultivating the trade of British Columbia. Freight from Montreal to Victoria will [come] down at about the same rates as from New York to Portland. Probably a slight addition may be made for carriage from Seattle to Victoria, but if so it certainly will not exceed [a few dollars] per ton. The tariff of freight rates contemplated by the Northern Pacific Railway Company on its through business from east to west will be similar to that ruling between New York and San Francisco. The advantages to the merchants of Victoria of forwarding eastern goods over the Northern Pacific railway will be a saving in time, as freight will be carried between New York and Victoria in fifteen days. Mr. Muir was not in a position to state what the passenger rates between Victoria and New York will be when the N.P. line is completed, but remarked that they would be reasonable, and that the rates between St. Paul and Portland are now $100 first class, $75 second class and $45 immigrant. As soon as the through line is opened Mr. Muir anticipates quite a flow of people from the Eastern States into the Pacific Northwest, many of whom would doubtless settle in British Columbia and Alaska. In anticipation of increased travel on Puget Sound waters two magnificent steamers are now under construction for the company, one of which, an 18-knot boat, with all the latest improvements for the comfort and accommodation of passengers, will be run daily between Victoria and Seattle. Now that Parliament has been prorogued at Ottawa there is no longer an excuse for any further delay on the part of the Dominion Government in throwing the railway land belt open for settlement, so that immigrants arriving by the new transcontinental route can settle permanently in British Columbia.