New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-22
RAILWAY INTERESTS.
MINNESOTA RAILROADS.

TIONAL EXPENDITURE ANTICIPATED-THE ROAD
MADE FEEDER TO THE NORTHERN PACIFIC.
PRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE.l
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Sept. 4.-Many readers of
THE TRIBUNE will remember the terrible snowstorm
early last Winter by which the workmen engaged in
grading Of the extension lines OF the st. Paul and
Pacific Railroad were cut off from supplies in western
Minnesota The land grant TO this road was about to
expire, and, moved by sympathy for company that
displaying such energy and whose officers asserted
that had the season been one OF ordinary severity they
would have completed the road in time, Congress ex
tended the grant until the second Of next December
Since the extension far learn, no work has
been done on this road although the is rapidly
drawing TO a close
The two lines that are incomplete what known
as the extension lines" The main line of the st. Paul
and Pacific road is completed and running from ST. Paul
in q westerly and north-weserly direction TO Breckin-
ridge point on the Red River in about the same lati
tude as Duluth and pit miles from this city The ST.
Vincent extension is 10 be built from st. Cloud on the
Mississippi River, "a miles above st. Paul. in north
westerly northery direction about $50 or 275 miles
10 Pembna crossing the Northern Pacific road at Gyn
DON about ten miles east Of the Red River. One humid
red and thirtynine miles of this branch are already
roned have yet to be supplied with buildings and
rolingstock before the Company can obtain title to
its land grant The other incomplete extension from
st. Cloud north to Brainerd on the Northern Pacific
BILE grading Is done, and tho Company has now in the
State enough iron to complete the Branerd branch.
The money building these roads has been furnished
by capitalists In Amsterdam and has been expended
under the direction of Mr. George L. Becker, President
OF the Company, and Mr. MOrehead Of Philadelphia, the
latter OF whom is interested in the Northern Pacific
road 1t estimated that it will require about S5OOOOoO
to complete the work and put the necessary buildings
and rolling Some time ago. these capitalists, be-
coming dissatisfied with the manner in which their
money was being expended, applied to the United
States Court for the appointment OF receiver Judge
Dillon Dubuque, refused to take the entire control OF
the road OF the hands of the present officers, but did
appoint receiver for the portions that were not COM
peted ordered that bonds to be issued should
be a hen that part Of the work on which the
money obtained for them expended. This does
not seem to have been entirely satisfactory to the for
eign capitalists who 10 furnish the money, and
finally they proposed TO finish and equip the 1879 miles
that is already ironed and build about rs miles more
This will leave about 1873 miles Of road on both extern
sons incomplete, though more than 100 miles OF 1t Is
graded This proposition, it Is reported has been ac-
cepted Judge Dillon modifying his order to permit 1t.
II the remainder of the road is not completed before
Winter the Company will be at the mercy Of Congress
as far as another renewal Of their land grant Is con-
cerned.
matter Of the most vital interest to the people Of ST.
Paul now is which line the additional rs miles Of iron is
TO be laid upon. To complete the Branerd branch re-
auires SO miles OF iron and this would bring Branerd
on the Northern Pacific lroad within about 1O miles OF
St. Paul. while from the point to Duluth is rs
miles across worthless swamp With the road CON-
pleted through TO Branerd ST. Paul would 1t is be-
eved become the eastern terminus Of the Northern Pa
cic for all passenger traffic, and during the Winter
would take all the freight the harbOr OF Duluth is
generally closed with ice from some time in November
till the 1st Of May. This year il not open until June
fha
ern Pacific will still be feeder 10 Duluth. and all
feighs that road for st. Paul will have TO 20 to the
p junction within miles OF Duluth and thence
the Lake Superior and Mississippi Road purchased
leased by NOrthernPacc TO st. Paul i56 miles, In
other words all traffic by the way OF st. Paul
and all eastern traffic of any KIND in the Winter will
have to come, 1t does now, over DAT miles
of Northern Pacific road instead of about 40 miles
of St. Paul and Pacific road Taking these facts into con-
alteration and knowing that the managers OF the
Northern Pacific have been greatly interested in the
great Duluth TOWNSHIP speculation many OF the people
st. Paul think that they see the hand OF the North
ern Pacific in the delay that has occurred In the COM
petOn of the Branerd branches OF the St. Paul and Pa
cdc road IL would leave Duluth out in the cold-as
though it was not cold enough there areadyand blast
its hopes OF becoming great city. OF course t
would Fstil continue TO be thriving lake port, and
would do large grain and coal traffic during the Sum-
mer but ST. Paul would at all seasons Of the year. get
good of the business OF the Northern Pacific road
and In the Winter the whole OF it.
The Amsterdam capitalists seem also TO have become
impressed with the idea that Messrs. Becker q More
head were spending the money OF the st. Paul and
Pacific road rather construct feeders to the Northern
Pacific and build up Duluth than TO make that road
tributary to the former Instead of tapping the North
ern Pacific at Brainerd and drawing of its trade
their line. they have spent large amount OF money
in building the line from the Northern Pacific toward
Pembina, which, when completed will be only feeder
to It,
THE CANADIAN RAILWAY INVESTIGATION
SIR HUGH ALLAN on THE sTAND-HIs STORY OF THE
CONTRACTS WITH AMERICAN CAPITALIsTs-EX-
PLANTATION OF HIS LETTERS AND TRLEGRAMs-
THE EXTENT OF his UNDERSTANDING WITH THE
GOVERNMENT.