The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-26

-" ~ u.-.-.--.-r~
Railroad Commissioner's Report.
STATE OF MINNESOTA, J
OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS,
ST. PAUL, Dec. Goth, 1875.
To His Excellency, Cushman K Davis, Gov
eruor: II:
SIR: have the honor of submitting
my first annual report, or the fifthHfrom
this department, covering the oper3 tions
of railroad companies in this St8ke for
the year ending June 3Oth, 1875. ~
The reports from the companies are
not as complete in details as I had hoped
they would be, except in the case of the
St. Paul and Sioux City and Sioux Civ
and St. Paul, they being all that could BE
desired in every particular. 1t wilIbc
seen by comparison of the reports from
this department for the years 1874 and
1878. there is falling off in the earnings
Of the railroads operated in this State this
year, ending June 30, 1875, of ss1,242,-
5l6.l9.l00. There is partial compen-
sation for this in the reduction of oper.
ating expenses, year ending June 30th,
1875, of 1914. $40. $500, making the earn
ings less operating expenses for the year
ending June 30th, 1875, 1857, 969.66 less
than for the year ending June 30th, 1874.
The cause Of this falling off is accounted
for by the general depression, Of business
and light crop of lS3l.this report only
covering the business contingent upon
the crop of 1874, the tonnage 81 grain Be- e:
ing less by 133, 818 tons for the year end:
ing June 3oth, 1885 than forl 5he ,>year
ending June Both, 1874, and in fact the
difference in tonnage is greater than is
shown by this report, by reason Of the
failure of the Winona & St. Peter rail-
road to report the tdht4ge, |of GRAIN for
either wear, and in addition to the above.
where the crop failed the people were
rot in condition I'd dsaaa&A roSements,
reducing materially the demand for lum-
Der and general mereheP qqi7 r. =, 81 :
stimulated by extensive land grants and
construction companies extending in
many instances into and through the al
most uninhabitcd portions of our State
to the northern and western frontier, has
not so far proved remunerative to the
companies, but at the rate that portion of
CUR State has been settled since the com
pletion of the railroads, the day is not
far distant when rthey will not only be
remunerative, but otogether~ with their
land grants, will be a magnificent prop.
erty. It will be seen BY reference to the
State Auditors and census reports that
our railroads have been Of incalculable
benefit to the State in causing the rapid
settlement Of our frontier counties. In
the year 1870 forty Of the frontier coun-
ties contained population of about 49,
600, and the census Of 1875 shows pop
ulation of 100000 in tile same territory,
an increase in fize~:Fears~of $4,000 or
200 per cent. This rapid growth is due
almost entirely to theS Building Of rail-
roads into and through the territory.
There has also been corresponding in
crease of the taxable property >iHssthis,
territory, as for instance in thaaitem 81
lands reported by the several lSA1d gra1t
railroads, as sold and contracted
sold during the yeassnding Decsmbl Y,
6l-l0e acres; and tie total number Of
acres sold up TO December 31f1S74, is
95l,344 4l-l00 acres IIand b4Amher15
acres sold during thkEear ending }Ddeem-
Der 81 1875 will gre@tly dPx te Sf
In comparing our $failroada' 1It6 4 " =
roads of other Stats1it wdpl& 3Ae,,ffh tA{ 81
had been built far in:ady anEs5 81 III a4l.
ity of the country ttffurniA & % 3ets
an adequate amount!g busitt
them remunerativettSHhe S4adsa&
Minnesota have to depend utnn the re:
sources and wants ofsN1inne nta f4t their
business, and in tN case DIV isconsin,
Illinois and the moro faster& statkS they
not only have the reesurces VA AYts of
those States, but in addit5b& III the
carrying trade caused by ou{ res4Hrces
and wants, as the great najoSity oH our
produce and general traffic with the East
is carried over their lines. The fact that
eastern railroads haveyehe capacity 10 do
all their own business and ours, in: add.
ton would seem to show that our rail.
roads were too larger Ind >hayes cost too:
much money for the-Pzsseat wants Of our
In view of these 6 tt0s' 11asddid ( S 8 &c
we'll whenever, in our State, more rail-
road facilities are needed, to consider the
feasibility of narrow gauge railroads I?
1t is estimated that the standard gauge
a feet, 8 LIZ inches) railroads can be
built and equippedr foT~fIo4 $4,000 to
$4,000 per mileE &hles tne} nar1
row or three feet gauge