anded the territory tributary to the port cities of Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle. Although these cities fought over the trade of the interior, they increased it immensely over the days of the Columbia-Willamette route. The railroad encouraged the flow of immigration to the region. Most of those who produced the great population increase of these years and contributed to its greater homogeneity were relieved in body and pocketbook to come by train rather than by covered wagon or by ship.17The railroad redefined the economy for the northwest region. It opened opportunities for nationwide markets for local products such as wheat and timber. People who had been dependent on local merchants as their only source of supply, and having to pay whatever costs the traffic would bear, now had the opportunity to bring products in from other areas of the country, where they were cheaper.17 The railroads motives were less than benevolent, however. They were in the business for profit, federally unregulated at this point. Discrimination in freight rates, non-competitive points, and a general tendency by the public to believe that the railroad did not help lower prices contributed to a growing anti-railroad feeling in spite of the advancements.18 The railroad advanced the economic development of the region, as well as its own, by publicizing the opportunities of the area. Both the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern had publicity bureaus. The Northern Pacific distributed literature throughout the eastern part of the United States and Europe. It sent special cars to the East with publicity exhibits. It sold land inexpensively, realizing that the real profits for the railroad would come from the transportation of corps, not from the sale of the land.19The railroad also created new communities. A classic example is Spokane, Washington, which became a true railroad huban agricultural center.20 Another industry which benefited greatly fro...
