The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-09-17
AYO1,txER .1IeAILROAD LETrER2 Il

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EDIToR ADVANCE: MI. Rochus-
sens article on the ''Wortllington and
Yankton Narrow-Gauge Railroad" is a
worthy document, fqlrit is gratifying
to know that somebody, though com
[parAtive stf;.ngs, isiilteiested inathe
[|faeYelopnient, az Till sple,aid pttiir:1e.
f fS.9's.h tnrG N;lI1e II III sgsy rail-
lie is able to understand the wants of
Worthington and the people of the
country at large, offers what he deans
the best remedy for the diff culties
which threaten us in the Hear future,
and under which we al :e:ldy labor, Still
it occurs to me that the construction of
4 narr0w-gauge railroad from Worth
ington to Yankton can III no wise af-
tarins winch interests 5st i;.d tSi
i'af can L Sftin aS%a1 10;
much desired end spoken Of III Til, arti-
Gle referred to: i. e., make it 4 tlistribii::'
ting point for the couljtry west .'of1 lis.
1t would benefit Luverle; Sioux FAlls;,
and OTHER intermediate points, and
14AnktOll, the western terminus, for. rs
II feeder to the st. Paul and Sioux City
road, 1t would. place them on an; equal
footing with Worthingtoi,,f and enable
their. business mon to compete. with
ours: tOta better. advantage than they
have: hithertO. enjoyed. Grain could
not dc stored 1T Wprthington and held
to speculate upon us, in the commercial
martS, Of the west, because Of our isoll-
ton from water transportation, and tile
immense cost Of: getting it into tile
market. Neither can Il wholesale trade
he established 50 long us our business
men are subjected to the excessive
clfargcs in freight on merchandise nec-
essary for the trade. ~. 49,
We want another railroad, but let it
Ike accompanying line and not a. feeder to
Il corporation which has already made
Its power felt by the farmers. For mat
|'lys years to cO,ne these interior towns
will have tO.depend almost solely upon
AgilcNlt rlesfo OF SalppoEt. 1t the farlnr
ers -ale not proSpeKedb in their Mb0rS
business men cannot expect. profit 1blc
trade. Had We at this time direct rail-
way COMMUNICATION with milwaukee,,
farmers would get, from to Is cents
per Dushel more for their grain this fall
titan they viii be compelled to sell for,
under existing circumstances. Com
pute the total Of grain which will prob
ably be marketed ard see how mich
would be saved to the people i'm this
particular, and say nothing of the ill
creased value OF property, and the a4-
dition of population and capital.
Grain raised last season within 24lniles
of Warrington was hat led i distance
of ~ miles to- LeA1ars and marketed,
Il fact that will at,0nce explode the old
fogy notion that, in. case ". do get Il
railroad crossing that twill cut trade
off that now comes to- .Worthington.
1t would draw more trade from the
west than now comes to our Shire town.
A competing line would enable our
grain dealers to pay more for grain
and our marchatlts to sell goods cheap
er, and people are bound to go where
they can get the most for their produce
and lay out the proceeds to the best adj
vantage. -
:Sibley may build Il half dozen: roads
west into Dakota, but give Wortl,ing-
ton u singlekcOmp9ting~ route, connect
ing with some Of the eastern lines and
Wortlington will ship five bushels of
grain to Sibley's one: Aov ~ - !
It is 4 severe comment upon tile eli.
terprise of Worthington that prclimin:
airy steps are being taken for the con
structiOn of the Southern Minnesota,
road through tue region of country
north of us, and no effort has us yet
been made to divert it hitlier. We ca,,
certainly pay rs much for it :ls the l,eo,
pie north of us: Bit in case the road
is built through on the line NOW pro.
posed, a branch from Wortl,ingtoM TO
Jackson would he of infinitely more
value than the proposed road to Yank-
ton. First let us get Il competing line
eastward and then it will he compare
lively easy to build roads (larrow -gau &c
or otherwise) westward
The great State of Illinois owes its
present prosperous condition to the
score Of railroads which checker its
surface. The era of railroad building
found many. portions of Illinois il
quite as poor condition, financially, tx
i assist in the building Of lailroads.;s We
are to-day, nevertheless charters wert
granted and the projects completed
and now, lll1nQis is ,cmpl,aticaily the
railroad State. It will cost no more to
construct railroads through this prairie
country than it did to- buildthem across
;1tlle vast plains of the Sucker State
We need an eastern road and must lr,vt
it, it We ever expect to be IL prosperous
country. Agitate ! More anon.
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