Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-29

MIR. Drake, president of the st. Paul &
Sioux City road, sends rs letter taking ex-
captions to the comments made by the
GLOBE yesterday, upon the attitude taken at
an early day by himself and many of his as
sociates, towards the Duluth road. Mr..
Drake is decidedly in error in supposing the
comment was based upon any hostility to
the Sioux City company. We aimed to give
a simple recital of historical facts, for the
purpose of showing what had been lost by
lack of harmony among our own citizens.
Mr.. Drake denies, in behalf of the Sioux
City company, any hostility toward the Du-
luth road. In the same breath he admits
that he, and others with him, did OPP
pose the bonus voted by st. Paul, and
that bonus was the turning point in
securing the enterprise The GLOBE did not
assume that the Sioux City company, as an
organization, had ever taken action either
for or against the Duluth road, but we spoke
of the 'men who own and control the Sioux
City company having furnished this oppo
sition. We know there were some exceptions,
and that some of the Sioux City company
we're warm friends Of the enterprise, but
speaking in q general way, the men who
owned and controlled the road opposed it,
This Mr.. Drake virtually admits in stating
that he and others did make such opposition
The reason for such opposition is not the
point at issue. 1t was the existence of the
opposition at the critical period of the en-
terprise to which We referred.
MIR. Drake fails to understand by what
process of reasoning we connect the opposi-
ton ramed, with the failure of the Sioux
City company to lease Or obtain control of
Duluth road. The process is very simple.
If there had been hearty sympathy and CO.
operation on the part of st. Paul the Duluth
road would have been secured in the interest
of st. Paul. It was because there was
no such unanimity, because divided
sentiment had been fostered that the
road was not secured when it was
going begging. It's purchase was
purely financial question. Mr.. Drake
will undoubtedly agree with us that St. Paul
could have been induced to supply the
means to have secured the Duluth road
for its natural ally, the Sioux City road, if
the Sioux City road had occupied position
to inspire confidence in and support such
measure. Take, for example, the building
of the Saltwater line. st. Paul contributed
four hundred thousand dollars for that enter
prise more than enough to have bought
the controlling inter .st in the Duluth road.
This vas secured by the men who own
and control the Sioux City road, and it was
done because St. Paul was unanimously in
favor of q second outlet to Chicago. or
course the expenditure was unnecessary. No
road from Chicago could have permanently
halted at Hudson, Wis. st. Paul was the
point which it must reach, and it would be
here to-day if not dollar had been con-
tributed by st. Paul.
The only object of the GLOBE in the ar
ticle of yesterday was to point out the loss
which had accrued by failure to work unit
eddy in st. Paul. It was done in no spirit
of nnkindness or unfriendliness to Mr..
Drake or his company, but to draw an i'm
portant moral. The very case which we
have cited shows what united action can
accomplish and proves that the securing of
tte Duluth road by st. Paul is one Of the
things which 'might have been.'