Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-05-07
Railroad Prospe ects.

The situation OF railroad matIeTS ~
such at present that we would prefer TO
express no oplnion on the subject, but as
there is much inquiry we will state just
how the case looks to us. Important
railroad movements are on foot through
out the northwest, and the tendency Of
the times is for the wealthy and power
full companies to come in possession OF
the lines of weaker companies, by mort
gage foreclosure or otherwise, thus plac-
ing the whole railroad system of the
| northwest IN the hands Of a few power
full companies. Things are getting in
such shape that no weak company can
build road without first securing the
aid or "backing" Of one or more of the
strong companies. fla financially weak
company undertakes to negotiate a loan
to procure the means to build a proposed
line, capitalists atonce inquire whether
the proposed line has the support and
friendly feeling of the stronger compa-
nies with which connections are to be
made. Ha friendly feeling does not ex-
ist, no money can be borrowed. A line
Of road that has no outlet to Eastern
markets except over the lines of more
powerful and hostile companies, IS so
situated that it's business can be ruined.
And even where such friendly feeling
exists, there is no guarantee that it will
be perpetual; and it is therefore very diff
flcult at present to procure money on
credit to build lines that are not so situ-
ated as to be to great extent independ-
ent Of other lines. AS to the Little Falls
& Dakota, Mr. Simmons learned while
in st. Paul last week that negotiations
for the money to build the road were pro-
crossing favorably, and that'the eonApa
ny fully intend to commence work be-
fore July first, and complete the road at
an early day. The company do not see
proper to make further details public at
present, and we are compelled to form
our opinion by such deductions as we
take from the facts within our reach. 1t
is our. opinion that if the road is built,
it will be by making it a Lake Superior
& Dakota railroad; and that no capital
lists can be found who will loan money
to build the road if it is not to haye an
independent outlet to Lake Superior.
The Pioneer Press of Saturday last con.
tanned the following:
Articles of incorporation appear elsewhere
in the Pioneer Press of the St. Cloud g. Lake
Traverse Railroad company, the principal
members of the organization being Messrs. R.
B. Angus, Norman ". Kittson, j ames J. Hill, |
K. B. Galusha and Edward Sawyer. The
line is to start from St. Cloud and thence run !
by way Of Sauk Centre, Morris, or some other !
more desirable points on the two divisions of
the St. Paul d: Manitoba road, to the western
boundary of the state. AS this road is al |
ready partially constructed and several hun
dred men are at work upon the western end,
it looks as if this road would slightly inter- |
fere with the prospects of the Little Falls & |
Dakota, which was surveyed last summer by |
Col. VIM. Crooks and his party. The capital
stock is 81 100000.
This move is looked upon by some as
a mere "blind," and they do not believe
that it is seriously intended to build
such road. We are unable to share in
that belief, and are of the opinion that it |
is the intention of the company to prose-
cute the work vigorously until the road
is completed. 1t will in reality
be the property of the St. Paul, Mime
apolis & Manitoba, and it is alre ady
completed from st. Cloud to Sauk Gen.
tire, and large force IS now at work
building the road from Morris to
Browns Valley. This will leave gap
of only about fifty miles between Sank
Centre and Morris, and there can be no
reasonable doubt that it would pay the
company to fill the gap and make a con-
tinuous line from st. Cloud to Dakota.
The company have ample means, also,
with which to build the road. It would
cost the Little Falls & Dakota company
| $450,000 to build from Little Falls to
Sank Centre, while the St. Cloud & Lake
Traverse line is already built from the
Mississippi river to Sauk Centre, there
fore the construction of the Little Falls
& Dakota from Little Falls to Browns
Valley would cost $450,0O0 more than
the line from St. Cloud to the same
point Meantime St. Cloud and other
| points are taking an active interest in
the proposed Austin, Mankato & St.
Cloud line. Some six or seven hundred
dollars were raised in st. Cloud the other
day to be used towards the survey of the
line, and that sum was expected to be in
creased to one thousand dollars in that
town. Other points along the line will
furnish two or three thousand dollars,
which will make enough to complete the
survey If that road is built, railroad
outlet from St. Cloud direct to Lake Su-
perior will be positive necessity. This
danger, which now surrounds the rail
road interests of Morrison county, is the
same one that we fully explained to the
people at the railroad meetings held ear
ly in last March. The Little Falls &
Dakota company is held by all the bonds
voted along the entire line, aggregating
100000, to build the road to Little Falls
if the road is built at all ; but if Morrison
county had voted against bonds the COM
pany would have been relieved from any
further consideration Of the interests of
the county. We also explained our rea-
sons why the building of the Little
Falls s. Dakota would necessitate its
continuance to Lake Superior, through
the eastern part Of this county; and we
are now firmly of the belief that there
can be but little hope of its construction
at all unless it is made a. through line
from Dakota to the lake. u There are
other reasons confirming our belief,
which we would enumerate if space per
mitted, prominent among which are the
recent actions Of the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & st. Paul aud the St. Paul & Mani
toba companies in relation to their Da-
kota extensions. .=sss.~.
| Postmaster General Key resigns his
position to accepta United States judge
ship for the eastern districto of Tennessee
! s55-5....s%5s ----- --
Mrs Houston, living in Mover coun-
ty, MINI, in a fit of insanity last week
attempted to murder her FIVE children by
driving knitting needles into their brains
| through their ears One was killed and
EfWo others seriOnsly ininred sa