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

---------A s.
Railroad Comn,issioner's Report.
STATE or MINNESOTA, J
OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONER, ;
ST.. PAUL, Dec. Goth, 1875. }
To His Excellency, Cushman K. Davis, Gov
ernor: =
SIR: I have the honor of submitting
my first annual report, or the fifthSi from
this department, covering the operations
of railroad companies in this State for
the year ending June 30tl, 1875. ~:
The reports from the companies are
not as complete in details as had hoped
they would be, except in the case of the
st. Paul and Sioux City and Sioux City
and St. Paul, they being all that could be
desired in every particular. 1t will be
seen by comparison Of the reports from
this department. for the years 1874 and
1875. there is falling off in the earnings
Of the railroads operated in this State this
year, ending June 80, 1875, of $l,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 Both, 1874.
The cause OF this falling off is accounted
for by the general depression OF business
and light crop of lS3,sthis report only
the crop Of 1874, tic tonnage of grain BE-
ing less by 1855 tons for the year end
ing June 30th, 1875, than for the 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 tmpAge! of grain for
either year, and in addition to the above,
where the crop failed the people were
rot in condition ID ahalle% improvements,
reducing materially the demand for lum-
Der and general merchandise. 80.
The building OF railreads,in this State,
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 they will not only be
rcmunerative, but <'together with their
land grants, will be magnificent prop.
erty. It will be seen by reference to the
State Auditors and census reports that
our railroads have been of incalculablc
benefit to the State in causing the rapid
settlement of our frontier counties. In
the year 1870 forty of the frontier coun-
ties contained a population of about 49,
900, and the census of 1875 shows pop
ulation of 10000 i'll The same territory,
an increase in FIVE. years Of $4,000 or
200 per cent. This rapid growth is due
almost entirely to the; building Of rail-
roads into and through the territory.
There has also been corresponding in
crease of the taxable property in this
territory, as for instance in thesitem Of
lands reported by the several land grant
railroads, as sold and contracted N55tosl}9he
sold during the yearending Decendber'9l
1874, and subject to. taxatior, is 1885,
G1-l0C acres; and the total number OF
acres sold up to December 31,,1S74, is
51,344 4l-l00 acresssf2sand the 1nllmbcr5ol
acres sold during thesyear ending {Decem.
Der 81, 1875, will greatly exceed that Sot
1874. -: ,65|Il~ - ;'-1 II.
roads of other States it would sAertsshe5
had been built far in ADVANCE of#the phil
ity of the country t6++Efurnish. them with
an adequate amountsof businags;t1 mike
them remunerative;G The rhiiiirloads d
Minnesota have to depend upon the re: re:
sources and wants ofs,Ninnesota for their
business, and in tbs case 81 Wisconsin,
Illinois and the moreeasterh State they
not only have the resources Tpd wants OF
those States, but in additRn haHe the
carrying trade caused by QUIZ: resdurces
and wants, as the great cajofity OF our
produce and general traffic with the East
is carried over their lines. The fact that
eastern railroads have the capacity to dc
all their own business and ours in addi.
ton would seem to show that our rail-
roads were too larseE and have cost toe
much money for therpxeseat wants Of our
State. rr ~u,,~~.r~~r- - r-+
In view of these ratts ~ Would # r. not {, be
we'll whenever, in our State, more rail.
road facilities are needed, to consider the
feasibility of narrow gauge; railroads
1t is estimated that the standard gauge
a feet, IL inches) railroads can BE-
built and equippedr for fom $4,000 to
$4,000 per milest xlale$ THE mar
row or three feet gauge
road can be built for from S., 900 to $40,
600 per mile, making a difference o.
$1,000 per mile and saving in interest o.
$500 per mile per annum, which in> add
ton to the amount saved III operating ex'
penses and wear of rolling stock and iron