Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-22
THE HASTINGS 8 DAKOTA
The New Railroad Connection FOR the
Central Portion OF Our Territory.
Minneapolis Tribune.

Minneapolis Tribune.
The Carver Free Press of the OH inst.
contains the important information that the
NJ. and ST. p. railroad company, owning
and operating the Hastings and Dakota
railway. have determined to build a track
from Norwood. thirty three miles southwest
of that city, into Minneapolis. The route
projected is from Norwoodto Young Amer.
ca, a prosperous village commanding a
large local trade; thence to Waconia, on
Clear Water lake. a beautiful sheet Of water
four mile. in length and three in breadth
and a delightful pleasure resort; thence to
Victoria in Lake town, a new village In the
midst ola rich farming country thence to
Excelsior on lake M%innetonka. a place we'll
known 10 u readers, and from there to
Minneapolis Oh a line passing q little north
of the Minneapolis and st. Louis road. The
entire distance is through a very fine and
productive country. The reasons which
impel the Milwaukee and 81. Paul company
to build this branch are thus set forth by the
Carver paper:
SIT il undoubtedly true that Minneapolis
and St. Paul will for many years to come be
the great cen,ers of trade for the northwest,
and any roads that do not run to them will
not receive by a great deal as much patron
age as those roads that do. The Hastings
& Dakota railway, instead of terminating
its eastern end at St. Paul or Minneapolis,
practically terminates at Hastings, some
thirty miles below ST. Paul. Very few, if
any of our merchants or business men de.
sire to go there for any purpose, and there
fore, 80 far as local traffic and passengers are
concerned, all that portion of this road lying
be ween Shakopee and Hastings is but poor
ly p%atronized.
The Hastings & Dlkota railway, from its
terminal point at Big Stone lake, has been
nothing more or less than a grand feeder of
the Minneapolis y St. Louis railway and
the ST. Paul u Sioux City railway,
directly at Minneapolis and St. Paul.
1t is true one can reach st. Paul
and Minneapolis by the Hastings &
Hastings, but how many people are going
their way, when that distance can be gained
by going another route? How many will
ship their goods, wares and merchandise
from st. Paul or Minneapolis by a rounda-
bout course when a direct one is always
known to be the best !? We therefore can
plainly rec why the Hastings & Dakota
ANYWAY company ~ uutAN q 4Oao Vi
their own from Norwood to Minneapolis,
where a direct connection already exists to
St. Paul.
II will be seen that the proposed line
from Norwood impinges somewhat on the
territory Of the proposed narrow gauge to
Hutchinson, and of the proposed Minneapo-
lis & St. Louis branch to Excelsior. If the
Milwaukee L. St. Paul have really made up
their minds to build it, many will see
therein a design to head off the
two enterprises mentioned. However,
these cannot complain if the Hastings and
Dakota gets ahead of them and occupies
their territory. A direct southwestern
connection with the Hastings and Dakota
will do Minneapolis no harm, hut on the
contrary, will open up a fine section Of
country to our trade, and give our mer.
chants shipping facilities to the great Big
Stone lake region which they do not now
possess. If the narrow guage company
does not wish TO contest this territory with
the Hastings and Dakota, it can find abund.
ant scope Tor its energies in a line of road
to the northwest, between the branch and
main lines Of the St. Paul, Minneapolis
and Manitoba road.