Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-11
VIE EXCURSION.

The Opening OF the Ne,c Railroad from this
Cjty to st. cloud Celebrated IN al EecoI-
sjoh-i Happy Egent.
As announced in the GLOBE, the new line
of railroad between Minneapolis and st.
Cloud was auspiciously opened yesterday
by a free excursion rendered the city Off
Gals by the st. Paul, Minneapolis d Mani
toba Railroad company.
The train, which left Minneapolis at
$50 a. M, consisted of engine No. 127,
two passenger coaches, and the elegant
drawing room car minneapolis" The
engine was in charge of engineer James
Cowen, and the train in charge of con
ductor w. j. Thomas. Col. Benton, attor-
ney for the NJ. & N. W., officiated in the
capacity of escort for the party. Col. M.
W. Glenn had charge of the commissary
department, and Mayor Ames had orders
from the division superintendent to see
that the affair was run IN
proper shape. The party num-
bered eighty-two, prominent among
whom were the following gentlemen:
Mayor Ames, Col. Benton, City Attorney
Benton, City Eng ineer Rinker, County Au-
ditor Frank Med onald, City Clerk Selah
Matthews, Aldermen Pillsbury, Holcher,
Barge, Glenn, Morse, Watt, Andrews, Clark
Coz, Nelson, Grethen and Eichhorn. Messrs.
John Wensinger, Stiles Grey, W. II. Davis,
Baldwin Brown, j. A. Christian, E. A.Brom-
ley, August Ende, Fred Smith, G. M. Foote,
w. E. Story, j. II. Conkey, G. G. Hashow,
G. E. Warner, and fourteen ladies, the
whole party filling the three coaches to
their utmost capacity.
ST. CLOUD.
The excursion arrived at st. Cloud at a
little past u. A delegation headed by
Mayor Collins met the party at the depot
and escorted them to the Central and the
West hotels for dinner, while another par
ty dined with Mayor Collins at his resi-
dence President Allen met the party and
extended an invitation to visit the nor
NAL school, which was accepted. After
dinner the excursionists made tour of
the city and were pleased with the indica
tons of thrift. Many of the party who had
never travelled the road before were highly
pleased with the beautiful country through
which it passes. 1t is finely timbered and
with excellent scenery; and all we're
unanimous in the expression of the benefit
the road is to Minneapolis.
HISTORY OF THE ROAD.
The Minneapolis and Northwestern rail
road enterprise was inaugurated by the
people of Minneapolis for the purpose of
ultimately securing three railroads to be
controlled by Minneapolis parties. The
late Geo. B. Wright was the first in bring
ing the importance of the enterprise be-
fore the people and it is largely due to his
interchangeable exertions that the road has
at last been completed and a new agricuI
tural district opened up to the people.
j. B. Bassett was hearty co-laborer with
Mr.. Wright, and later on such men as d.
Morrison, John De Laittre, the
Messrs. Side, Christians and others.
The Minneapolis and Northwest
ern Railway company was organ
lied in 1879, and the city of Minneapolis
voted a bonus of $1,000 mile for any
length of the road completed, not to exceed
$50 miles. Before commencing the con-
struction of this road it was proposed to
build three lines of road, and right of way
had then been secured for portion of the
distance between Minneapolis and Hut
Crimson. Arrangements were then made
whereby the Milwaukee road should bring
the Hastings & Dakota branch of that
road into the city, and the Nj. & N. ".
abandon that line.
Some time in the summer Of 1880 the
Northwestern made arrangements with the
Manitoba road by which they transferred
their stock on contract that the corpora
ton build the Osseo branch on its present
land. 1t was part of the contract that the
company should release the city of Mime
apolis from all but 100000 of the bonds
voted by the city. That the 100000 in
bonds was to remain according to the
terms of the original offer for the extern
sion of the line up the west side Of the
Mississippi river. Work commenced III
1880, and in the fall of that year was COM
pIeted to Osseo. In the season of 1881 the
road was exteded to Monticello, and last
season the road was completed to st. Cloud,
where it connects with the st. Paul, Mime |
apolis & Manitoba road. The length of
the road is about sixty five miles.
MTNNEApOTTS ANTTTSFNTENTS