The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-01-29

cities named. ;, The company, to protect
itself in the legality Of the higher,rate on
the line generally, advancS Tho fare 81
this. first eleven miles t. s.fiity:6ve cents
from thirty), single fare, and { seventy:
1--WE cents for the round trip, from. any
cents. .sss. s E:f5tsI PIE ]
The conclusion forced upon the com,
missioncrs, from such. facts is; that; any
amendments to the law should be in the
direction Of tlexibility, that the rates may
be varied to equitably adapt them to the
circumstancss affecting cost and profit Of
kaexvice.bn ,dkerentx partse@ HE same
foaa / - IAlSbs / >.'*
Another example of the equitable neces.
sity of varying rates, sWhere water trans.
portation comes in competition with rail-
roads, ID during the seasqnQf navigation on
the Mississippi md ADMINISTRATORS. 1.-THE
railroads along these rivers must maintain
an unvarying rate that will be relnuncra-
tive on al parts Of their line, they are
precluded from competing for freight dur,
Ing the season Of high water and cheap
river freights--the' absence Of this com:
getit1qs 1Eogp tbs Ea9i az e yga'lstend to
allGhet rNer 19eSsk HE sr1ho1ds-, can
often carry return freights, rather than
have cars 60 empty, at rates that if; uni.
;frmly maintained would be very made
quate.
::us These and lkeflcts,and com: derations,
lead us to recommend such changes in the
more rigid features of the law as would
allow adaptation of rates to varying and
particular circumstances.
POLICY OF THE Law.
It has seemed to the commissioners to
be the true intent and policy Of the law
ofl874 to prevent and remedy abuses on
the part Of railroad companies rather
than to assume State management of the
roads, and that the wiser course is to in.
terfere as little with the control and reg
ulation Of the roads by their owners and
managers as is consistent with the pre-.
vention and correction of any abuses.
This State having so carly in the his
tory of its railroads asserted its rightful
lower to so far regulate and control these
indispensable and benefcent agencies Of
material and social development, as to
protect the people from evils and oppres-
sions that are felt in older communities,
the success and usefulness of the law
may be regarded as largely consisting in
the mere fact of its affirming and securing
from the railroad corporations acknowl:
edgement Of such authority on the part
of the State. The certain effect will be
to check and repress the growth of evils
that have scarcely any present existence
here, but which the experience Of the
older States demonstrates, are sure in
time to develop. I.
ST. PAUL AND PACIFIC EXTENSION.
It is to be regretted that during the
past year no work his been done on the
uncompleted portions of the St. Paul &
Pacific Railroad.
The limited extension of time by acts
Of Congress and Of the State Legislature
for the completion Of this road, renders
it important that this work should speed.
lily be resumed. Comparatively little re-.
mains to be done to complete the road to
the international boundary. Assurance
IS given that road in the Canadian Do.
minion, down the Red river to the settle.
ment Of Manitoba, will bio COM
pleted in time to make connection with
the St. Paul & Pacific road.
Any legislation that will hasten and Sc
cure the construction Of this road will be
q great boon to the settlers in Red River
Valley, and largely contribute to the de.
velopment of Northwestern Minnesota.
wlNoNA L ST. PETER ADDITIONAL. GRANT.
The act of Congress Of March 3, 1885,
which granted to this State four sections
of land per mile, in addition to the six
sections given in 1857, in aid Of the con-
struction Of railroads, has. been carried
into effect by the State regranting the
lands to the several companies to which
the original grant had been given. except
in the case of the Winona & St. Peter
Railroad Company. 1t is doubtless safe
to say that the failure to transfer the I'D.
ditional four sections to this company was
an unintentional omission. It was not
discovered until 1873, before which time,
as successive sections of the road of this
company were completed, the Governor
of the State acting under the belief that
the necessary legislation had been had
transferring the lands to the
Winona & St. Peter company, made con-
veyances Of the four sections in common
with the six section, of the original
grant. The company undoubtedly be.
lieved that the grant Injured to them, and
were thereby induced to continue the
construction Of their road to and beyond
the western boundary Of the State. The
lands must revert to the United States
unless confirmed to the company that
constructed the road in aid of which
they were granted, the terms of the act
being that the lands were to "be subject
to the disposal Of the State of Minnesota
for the purpose aforesaid and no other"
Good faith would seem to require that
these lands be confirmed to the Winona
Il st. Peter company on the same terms
that were made to other companies re.
specting the additional grant Of 1865.
1t would be eminently proper that an
adjustment be had with this company of
all pending questions respecting taxes on
lands sold or contracted to be sold, as
we'll IS direct taxes to the State on gross
earnings.
General Summary.
LENGTH or TRACK. =
The whole length of railroad in the
State at the end Of the year reported
June 30, 1874, was 1893 miles. This
does not include sidings or count as two
roads one track used in common bv two
roads, as in the case, Of Milwaukee & St.
Paul and St. Paul & Sioux City from St.
Paul to Mendoza. (Sincc the 3Oth OF
June, and not reported, the Wells L
Mankato road has been completed, add.
InR E>~k, ~