The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-06-03
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC,
And it's Relation to Farmers Along
it's Line. T.

it's Line. -.
LETTER FROM OTTERTAIL COUNTY.
Editors NIcster1, R7@ral:-We in this
community have had a chance to feel
the tyranny of rail monopoly which I
think will not soon be forgotten by
the people. The particulars are about
as folloWs:-Last fall the Northern
Pacific railroad gave contracts for ties
to certain individuals here for q GER
tain amount and agreed to pay twenty
four cents apiece for elm, thirty cents
for oak they to be six inches thick,
and six inch face, subject to inpection
hy the roads officials, they agreeing
to inpect january Goth and April lst.
They failed to inspect in the first in
stance; and when the contractors sup
posed their contracts full, saw the
company's foreman, and he told them
to so ahead and get out what they
could. that the company would need
them. Consequently they did SO, un-
til they had doubled the amount of
Ties. when they wrote him again, but
he merely Informed them they had
better stop, which they did on OF about
April lst. They sent OH the inspec-
tion force without any further ado
and they commenced work by throw
ing cut as culls fully one-fourth of the
ties, and when demonstrated with by
men who had worked hard and put all
their money into them, they then in
formed them they wanted no more of
their ties, and passed on to some 9TH
erS to repeat the same until the con-
tractors contract was full. when they
politely informed him that they want
ed no more, while parties he had con-
tracted with for a certain number had
had none inspected at all, and others
had had more than enough to fill theirs.
leaving no chance for fair dealing here.
They have ruined several of our
business men and caused Il great deal
Of suffering among the working pop
ulation, ut which they laugh and make
no effort to relieve them. think this
q favorable time to circulate your pc
titions in this vicinity. II. p.
Whoever I'll. P.' may be we do not
pretend to know. but the way he has
taken to represent the Northern Paci-
tlc officials to farmers of the United
States through the columns of the
Rurzl, paper circulating as largely
perhaps in the ranks of intelligent
farmers, both east, south and west, as
any agricultural paper in the country,
is a little unfair, in the particular
premises mentioned. That the wood,
tie and pile business with the railroad
officials has not been perfectly satis-
factory is fact, but later develop
Ments have taken place,-no doubt
since g II. P.'' wrote his communi ca
ton, has had the effect of ad-
justing the matter more satisfactorily
than was the first inspection. At
least those who have been in the tie
business SO inform us. The trouble
at first was undoubtedly created by
the prejudice of the inspectors, and,
while the company are responsible for
the acts of their agents, yet they
should not be directly blamed for their
inspectors misdeeds, SO long as they
try to set the difficulty to rights when
hey understand the matter. We have
yet to hear of the first firm on the line
OF the road which has been ruined by
the tie business. However, the man.
ayers of the n. p. railroad will do
well to proceed with deliberation,
when they entertain any proposition
to increase freight rates, take unfair
advantage of settlers in the tie bust.
ness, or anything else tending to the
condition Of a monopoly. They have
attracted settlers here to develope
their country, and without settlers,
what would their road amount to-
and millions more will have to follow
ere the destiny of the road shall be
rrt,ne OF success. Faint murmurings of
remonstr:snce already comes waited