River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-12-25
Board Of Trade.


Board of Trade met at the office G
| Weld 4 Sanderson. The president AM
/ secretary being absent, Mr.. j. ID. Putnam
was called to the chair and Mr.. A. L
Weld chosen secretary pro TEN.
| Reading of the minutes of the prev
Gus meeting and roll call dispensed with
| On motion the order of business wa
dispensed with and the report of tn
special committee on railroad matter
called for. They presented the follow
ing report:
To the Board of Trade of the town 0
River Falls:
| GENTLEAfEN:-Yo our committee to whom
was referred the natter of the proposed
contract between this town and the {. L
d St. P. r. r. Co beg leave to submit al
part Of their report a draft OF said cop
tract as agreed to by us and filed by
said company with the town clerk as re
quired by law.
[See proposition in advertising column
adding the following special condition.
Your committee further beg leave tC
call your attention in particular to three
points therein that seemed to them Of
paramount importance, and which they
were unanimous in insisting upon:
First, That the town should incur nc
liability whatever until the road is com
pleted and the cars running over the
same continuously from Freeport, ILL.,, to
to River Falls, and the town should have
its option to pay the amount OF its aid in
cash, or to issue its bonds payable at the
option of said town at the end of any
year, instead of ten-twenty bonds asked
for by the company.
Second, That the company should give
a bond with ample security in the sum
of TWENTY-FIVE thousand dollars to the
town guaranteeing that freight rates be-
tween River Falls and Chicago and other
eastern points should not for a period of
twenty wears exceed their rates from
either st. Paul or Minneapolis to the
same points for like classes of freight
This point your committee submits as of
greatest interest not only to the citizens
of River Falls, but of all adjoining towns.
1t III effect guarantees st. Paul and
Minneapolis market and st. Paul and
MINNEAPOLIS prices for all farm products
at River Falls.
A comparison of the market reports of
those cities with the prices which have
prevailed in this place for the larger part
of the agricultural and manufactured
products Of this place will convince the
most skeptical of the beneficial effect that
this will have upon each mans interest:
The aggregate saving to the people VIII
be enormous and any fair calculation OF
the amount results in an array OF figures
that almost staggers belief.
1t NAV be properly mentioned IN this
connection that owing to the situation on
the freight question now prevailing our
wheat buyers are purchasing under a
disadvantage as compared with Mime
apolis, of at least five cents buShel. AS
this town is a market for not less than
half a million bushels of wheat each
wear and should buy more than that II
freight rates would warrant, it can be
seen that the advantage to the farming
community alone and the natural adj
vance of prices would amount i'll a single
year to the aid asked for.
Your committee cannot claim that
River Falls will be the sole gamer by
this. but admit that other towns III this
vicinity will be sharers III the advantages
gained as the competition which must re-
suit will naturally give more favorable
freight rates than now prevail.
The favorable rates which the COM
pany bonds itself to give in case the aid
is granted might perhaps and probably
would have resulted from the operations
of the law of competition but we felt
that it would be safer and more salts
factory to the people to have a reliable
guarantee and therefore insisted upon
the same.
The amount asked for, S25, 900, we be
lieye small in comparison with the ad-
vantages to be gained and as small an
amount as we could reasonably expect
the company to accept in view of the ma
ture of the guarantee proposed.
In conclusion we would say that we
believe the time has come when this
town needs new and competing rail
road. Our manufactures are OF nature
that must of necessity come into close
competition with those of Minneapolis,
LARGE CITY having numerous lines OF com
peting roads and great advantages IN
freight rates; and as at this time busl-
ness of all kinds is done with exceedingly
close margins, the question OF rates OF
freight becomes an important factor III
the conducting of business.
Our section of country largely depends
for its prosperity upon its agricultural IN
terests. At the present time prices OF
farm produce are so low that slight dill
ference in freight makes difference be-
tween profit and an absolute loss.
River Falls being on branch line only
10 subject of course to local freight rates,
which differ very greatly from those of
places like Minneapolis which have COM
betting lines of roads. 1t cannot we
think. be denied that it is of the utmost
Importance that all our manufacturing
interests should receive every advantage
possible which will not, conflict with
those Of the FARMERS, but the river towns
CON afford TO nav better prices than can
he Maid here owing to this difference In
freight. This prevents large amount
If wheat from being marketed here
which is naturally tributary to this place,
and the manufacture of which would be
of great advantage to the town.
II pust be remembered that every
h1sbeI of wheat or every ton of farmers
nroduce sold here adds to the CONNER
cial importance of the place and makes 1t
= better market, and has the effect OF lnl-
proving the character OF our stores ana OF
all classes of business.
incidentally too may be urged that adj
vantage afforded to pupils desiring to at
tend the Normal School.
Among the numerous propositions
made to this town this seems III the adj
vantapes offered and the comparatively
small 9monnt demanded, the most favor
able and we feel that it is idle to wait
Io1,oer hoping for some more favorable
enterprise. but that it IS best to act
promptly and take advantage OF the stu
alton and secure a road which we believe
will prove of the utmost Importance to
to the KinnickinniG Valley.
q. /. APRoBERrs,
r. s. BURHYTE, Committee
J. ID. PUTNAM,
ALLEN p. WELD,
On motion the report was accepted
and after some discussion adopted.
On motion certain amendments to the
constitution and by laws were adopted,
and the constitution and bylaws order
ed printed with such amendments Tor the
use of members. Voted TO print one
hundred copies at a cost not exceeding
five dollars.
Committee on rooms then reported,
and on motion it was voted to accept the
rooms of Weld & Sanderson at twenty
dollars a year.
The following persons then united with
the society: W. r. Travis, f. V. Bevan,
Geo. I'll. Bates, T. Lord, j. Moe and ;. ID.
Dodge.
Adjourned to 9th of January, 1885,
4. p WELD, secy.
First publication Dec. IS, 1854,
Notice of Petition for Railroad Aid.
To the Residents and Taxpayers Of the Town
OF River Falls, County OF Pierce, state OF