The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-12-05
ANOTHER RAILROAD.
Something More thana Rumor but
Less than the Actual
Fact.
Fergus Falls Telesrsu.l

An hseihsent looking gentleman step
ped into the Journal office yesterday and
ordered some letter heads. His copy"
read as follows: coffee of Superinten-
dent Of Machinery aud Movement Power
A. & st. Joseph's r. r. Co., Hannibal,
Mo-" A systematic process of suction
pumping applied to him developed the
following facts:
His name is W. A. Cowan. He is the
engineer in chief of the Hannibal & st.
Joseph road. He is in this country by
direction of the officers Of the road, and
with him is party of surveyors-not a
large party, but enough of them to create
much comment wherever they stop, al
though heretofore nothing definitely of
their purpose has been learned by out
side.s. The object of his trip is to exam
inc the country and by the aid of his sur
veying party to locate the most feasible
route from Burlington, Iowa, to Pembina
D. T.. The Hannibal Il st. Joseph road
designs to run such line next year,
probably beginning operations early in
the spring. The great object of this new
line, according to Mr.. Cowan, is to take a
laSoe share of the lake traffic from the
northwest and to compete strongly with
the other northwestern railroad liues.
As the H. & st. ]. forms an important
link in the Union and Central Pacific
railroad pools, it is easy to see what an
immense advantage such branch line
would be to the road. By the use ofother
branch tracks of the H. & st. ]. road,
and of roads controlled practically by the
same interests, the cost of the construc-
ton of such branch will be small com.
pared with the distance traversed. Ifthe
reader will run direct line from Penn
bina, D. I. to Burlington, Iowa, he will
observe that it passes through the center
of Ottertail county, and Mr. Cowan
states that It is very probable that the
proposed line, even without any
exertion on our part, will be run
through Fergus Falls. He thinks this
city is of sufficient importance to induce
the road to strike it, even though slight
detour or angle from the direct course is
necessary.
The presence Of a party of surveyors
does not mean much, but the presence
of the chief engineer has considerable
significance. 1t is plausible, reason
able move on the part of the Hannibal
& st. 10. people to reach out after a part
of the rich northwestern traffic, now 10
thoroughly controlled by pooling inter-
ests, and although it would be premature
to announce the road as a settled fact,
there certainty is a strong probability
that it will reach US next year.
The Devils Lake country is another
objective point for this surveying party
and even into Manitoba it's feelers are
to be stretched. All this touches so
nearly the territory of the st. p, NJ. &
NJ. that Mr.. Cowan was asked what effect
the new road would have thereon. He
replied that it would he sure to have an
enlivening effect on Mr.. Hills railroad
schemes, and a good effect on tributary
country. He further said that the road
would cross the Manitoba tracks in the
face of any opposition, and at any cost,
even if it had to tunnel under or bridge
over its lines. In case the project carries
there may be some lively scheming ON
this point, because the new tracks would
have to cross at least four of the Mani
toba main lines or branches.
Mr.. Cowan also stated that the name
of the new road will be the Burlinqton.
Psmbina & Northern, and that more re-
motley in tile future it looks to ain extern
sion still further north than PsmJina.