Финансист

Chapter LVIII

           

           TheprojectwhichfascinatedhimmostwasonethatrelatedtothedevelopmentoftheterritorythenlyingalmostunexploredbetweentheextremewesternshoreofLakeSuperior,whereDuluthnowstands,andthatportionofthePacificOceanintowhichtheColumbiaRiveremptiestheextremenorthernone-thirdoftheUnitedStates.Here,ifarailroadwerebuilt,wouldspringupgreatcitiesandprosperoustowns.Therewere,itwassuspected,minesofvariousmetalsintheregionoftheRockieswhichthisrailroadwouldtraverse,anduntoldwealthtobereapedfromthefertilecornandwheatlands.ProductsbroughtonlysofareastasDuluthcouldthenbeshippedtotheAtlantic,viatheGreatLakesandtheErieCanal,atagreatlyreducedcost.Itwasavisionofempire,notunlikethePanamaCanalprojectofthesameperiod,andonethatbadefairapparentlytobeasusefultohumanity.IthadarousedtheinterestandenthusiasmofCooke.Becauseofthefactthatthegovernmenthadmadeagrantofvastareasoflandoneithersideoftheproposedtracktothecorporationthatshouldseriouslyundertakeitandcompleteitwithinareasonablenumberofyears,andbecauseoftheopportunityitgavehimofremainingadistinguishedpublicfigure,hehadeventuallyshoulderedtheproject.Itwasopentomanyobjectionsandcriticisms;butthegeniuswhichhadbeensufficienttofinancetheCivilWarwasconsideredsufficienttofinancetheNorthernPacificRailroad.

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