The Northern Pacific Railroad. COMMERCIAL POSITION AND CONNECTIONS. Puget Sound, a deep and land-locked arm of the sea, abounding with natural harbors, indents the western coast of the continent in Washington Territory nearly 200 miles-carrying the navigation of the Pacific ocean that far inland and eastward. On the other hand, Lake Superior extends the navigation of the Atlantic ocean, the St. Lawrence and the Lake chain, some 300 miles further west than Lake Michigan. The Northern Pacific Railroad will span the continent, and unite these opposite indentations or water-ways, by the shortest possible line. The harbors of Puget Sound are already the centre of a rapidly growing commerce with nearly all parts of the world; and the sailing distance between these harbors and the ports of Asia is claimed by experienced navigators to be materially less than between San Francisco and Asia. At Portland, Oregon, the Northern Pacific will connect with the coast lines of road extending to California, with the Steamboat lines of the Columbia River, and the coastwise trade of the sea. On the east, improvements now making and projected in the canals uniting the Lakes and the St. Lawrence, will enable ships to sail directly between Liverpool and the head of Lake Superior, the eastern terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The sailing distance to Buffalo and the St. Lawrence is substantially the same from Duluth as from Chicago-the actual difference in distance being less than 30 miles. At St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Northern Pacific Railroad system connects with the navigation of the Mississippi River, with the various lines of railroad extending through Chicago, to the Atlantic Coast, and with the general railroad system of the United States. At the Sault Ste. Marie, on the completion of projected lines eastward along the south shore of Lake Superior, the Road will unite with the Canadian system of railways, thus forming a direct and short all-rail route from Montreal, Portland and Boston, to the Pacific Ocean. At St. Vincent, on the northern boundary of Minnesota, the Northern Pacific Railroad will connect (over the St. Paul and Pacific) with the Canadian Pacific Road, which is proposed to be constructed under the auspices of the Dominion Government, and the general route of which lies some 250 miles north of the line of the Northern Pacific Road. This connection will give the Canadian Pacific direct rail transpo:tation for passengers, freight and construction material, to and from Lake Superior, and immediate access to the railroad systems of the United States and Canada. The numerous navigable rivers which intersect the route of the Northern Pacific Road, render tributary to it the trade of a much larger area of country than could otherwise be reached by it. Lateral branch lines of road, several of which are already projected, will doubtless also be built by corporate and local enterprise, as rapidly as the needs of the contiguous country require. In brief, it may be said that the Northern Pacific Railroad system, besides being entire and practically independent in itself, will, from the day of its completion, enjoy such favorable connections with the lines of water and land transit at both termini, and to the north and south of its route, as to make it a necessity to commerce, and place its success beyond question. SAMPSON & BROTHER, 16 CLIFF AND 241 PEARL STREETS, New York. STEEL RAILS, Lap-Welded Iron Boiler Tubes, Shafting, Bar and Boiler-Plate Iron, Sheet Iron, Plain, Galvanized, and Corrugated, SOLE AGENTS WHITE CROSS WIRE WORKS. Charcoal and Steel Wire Colliery Ropes. GALVANIZED ROPE FOR SHIPS, RIGGING, ETC., ETC., CONSTANTLY ON HAND. Section Irons of all descriptions supplied to order: RAILS Of the Best Makers. H. V. & H. W. POOR, 68 BROADWAY, NEW-YORK. FAIRBANKS' IMPROVED Iron Frame Railroad Track Scales. PATENTED 1857. We invite the attention of Railroad Managers and others to our Improved Iron Frame Railroad Track Scales, with special reference to their great strength and durability under severe usage. The PECULIARITY of our IRON FRAME TRACK SCALES consists essentially in the fact. that each set of Main Levers is hung in a separate TRAVERSE WROUGHT IRON FRAME, SO constructed that any heaving or settling of any part of the foundation affects each frame separately, without producing any strain upon other parts of the Scale, thus effectually guarding against all liability of breaking or deranging the parts. Another advantage of these Transverse Iron Frames, with their Upward Supports, is, that by their use the Levers are elevated, and so arranged as to require but little depth of pit. It is therefore erected at much less expense for foundation and timber than any other Scale. For weight of iron used in their construction, and its scientific distribution to parts requiring the greatest strength, these Scales correspond with other substantial Railroad work-a desideratum which every practical Railway Manager will appreciate. The most convincing proof of the high appreciation in which they are held by Railroad officials throughout the country, is their adoption by nearly all the Railroads throughout the United States and Canada, and at the present time there are more than 1200 in use. FAIRBANKS' RAILROAD DEPOT SCALES, For Weighing Merchandise in Railroad Depots. This well-known modification of Scale is in use by nearly all the Railroad Companies in the United States and British Provinces, as well as in the West Indies and South American States. They are arranged to be framed into and form a part of the floor of the building or wharf, and adapted, in size and capacity, to any desired location. FAIRBANKS & EWING, 715 Chestnut St., Phila. FAIRBANKS, BROWN & CO.. 2 Milk St., Boston. FAIRBANKS & CO., 166 Baltimore St., Baltimore. FAIRBANKS & CO., 311 Broadway, N. Y. Palads of the United States TOMTHER WITHLAN APPENDIX, CONTAINING a fall Analysis of the Debts of the United States BY |