St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-14
Sketch of What Has Been accomplished,
and That as Still to be Done at the
Empire CITY of the Northeast.

C001pHUy.
This company succeeded the Western
Railroad company of Minnesota as owners Of
the railroad extending from Brainerd TO
Sank Rapids, and also the land grant con-
nected with this railroad
The new company was organized under
amended articles of incorporation on May 9,
1883, with capital of SO, 100000, and fol-
the purpose of extending its line from
Sank Rapids, and to provide proper terminal
facilities in Minneapolis and st. Paul for the
traffic Of the Northern Pacific railroad.
The charter of the Western railroad pro-
vides for the construction of a railroad from
Sank Rapids via Minneapolis and St. Paul to
the city or Mankato, and under this provi-
sion the new company commenced the work
of constructing that portion of the line be-
tween Sank Rapids and Minneapolis in Au-
gust, 1888, and on July l, 1884, the line was
opened to the traffic Of TIE Northern Pacific
railroad. This latter company had antici-
pated their need of terminal facilities in the
two cities by the purchase of large tracts OF
land, which were transferred to the st. Paul
d Northern Pacific Railroad company. IN
Guiding purchases made by the company
since its incorporation, these tracts are as
follows:
At the junction Of the main line with the
st. Paul, Minneapolis 81 Manitoba railway
and Minneapolis, Sault Ste, Marie 81 Atlantic
railway in northeast Minneapolis, ninety
acres.
In northeast Minneapolis at the present
station, grounds containing four acres.
In the city of Minneapolis, bounded on the
north by Tenth avenue, on the cast by First
street north, on the south by the st. Paul,
Minneapolis 81 Manitoba railway, and on the
west by Second street north, about twenty
acres. The property upon which the shops
above described are to be ereGed situated
midway between the two cities aid contain
ing PIG acres.
The Rice purchase, so called, including
the several purchases near Mississippi street
and north of aud adjoining the property of
the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha
railway, in Trout Brook valley, aggregatng
100 acres, and also the land lying south Of
East Seventh street and east of Broadway,
constituting what is now the city freight yard
of the Northern Pacific company, and con-
tanning fifteen acres.
1t is the purpose of the company to develop
these properties as fast as it becomes neces-
sary, and they have abundant funds for this
purpose. The finances of the road are
under the immediate supervision Of
Edward d. Adams, of the firm of
Winslow aud Lanier, of New York, and the
vice president of the company, and this is a
fact that is alone sufficient to assure anyone
Of It's financial soundness.
The work done by the company since the
summer of 1888 consists of the construc-
ton of the main line from Sank Rapids to
Minneapolis, aud the development of their
terminal facilities in Minneapolis. The con-
struction of the main line involved a bridge
TO cross the Mississippi river in Minneapolis,
and other bridges of less magnitude. With
one exception, combination struc-
ture of wood and iron, these
bridges are constructed of iron.
The masonry is of granite, and first class in
every particular. The work upon the ter
minal grounds In Minneapolis is of a very
substantial and first-class character.
Bassett's creek has been disposed of by
confning 1t to an arehed culvert which is
twenty (2O) feet wide and three hundred
and sixty-fve 1861 feet long. The valley
of the creek is filed with earth to the height
of thirteen feet above the cuivert, or to the
grade of First aud SECOND streets. This en-
baukment required 800, 600 cubic yards OF
earth. The grade of Second street has been
raised to correspond with that
of First street, the work
having been done BY the company.
brick freight depot has been constructed
on First street. 1t is 200 feet long and forty
feet wide, being divided into two compart-
ments by fire wall. The north end is oc
cuped by the distributing refrigerator of the
Northern Pacific Refrigerator company
Each compartment is supplied with Fair
banks II Cos. warehouse scales. At the
south end is situated a two story office build
ing +0x40 There are three rooms and ire
proof vault on each floor. The offices will be
heated by steam, the APP aratus being placed
in the basement. The entire building viii
be lighted by gas The eompsny are also fin
ishing an engine house which will accommo-
date nineteen engines.
Connected with this is blacksmith and
small repair shop, engine and boiler house
and lav4tory. \ he llogg Il Maurice turn
table sixty-one feet long is already compile
ted. The tracks in the yard are well under
way. When completed there viii be eight
miles of track. \ forty ton Fairbanks track
scales has been provided and put in place
When completed this will be one of the
most convenient aud commodtous railroad
wards in the city. These facilities are to be
shared with the Minneapolis, Sault Ste Marie
q Atlantic railway under lease.
The work already done is an earnest OF
the intention of the company to provide rail-
road facilities In the twin cities that shall be
in keeping with their commercial import
ance.
In nearly every city throughout the country
the railroad corporations have made the errol
of not providing enough room for the ex
mansion Of business. The 81. Paul s
Northern Pacific Railway company have
guarded against this, and have anticipated 5
time in the not fsr distant future when the
two great cities Of the northwest will contain
collectively upwards of half million inhab
itants. When that time shall arrive, as i
viii within the next decade, this company