The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-03-07
eFRIDAY, MARCH7, lssl.
T. rMNRsoN CONVENTION.
An AQthusiastio Gathering from Da.
kota, Minnesota and Mani.
toba, to Asitats the
Hudson Bay
Route.

&otas Alnno6oCa ana 0A01s
toba, to Agitats the
Hudson Bay
Route.
A large audience was present at the
opening of the mass convention at
Emerson OH Tuesday afternoon to dis.
cuss resolutions in regard to the Hud.
son Bay Route. The opera house was
gaily decorated for the occasion. Elk.
pressive mottoes hung from different
parts of the hall while the union Jack
and stars and stripes indicated the
fraternal character Of the meeting,
Mr.. G. S. Douglas called the meeting
to order. Mayor Nash was called to
the chair and Mr.. T. A. Cole was ap.
pointed secretary. The chairman In.
troduced Mr.. w. n. Fairbanks, who
spoke to the first resolution which is
as follows:
Resolved, That the object Of this
convention'i is to secure the immediate
building Of the Hndson's Bay railway
from the Northwest corner Of Lake
Winnipeg to Fort Churchill on Hud.
sons Bay, said railway to be
built, owned. and operated by
the Provincial Government, and in
such way as to secure minimum rates
Of freight on exports and imports.
Mr.. Fairbanks recalled meeting
held seven years ago in Emerson at
which resolutions were passed strongly
urging the practicability Of the Hud.
son Bay route. There were not many
who had faith in the scheme then, hut
further investigation of the project
had awakened deeper interest and
more wide spread belief in the feast.
bility of the proposed route. Mr..
Fairbanks spoke enthusiastically of
the scheme.
Rev. John Scott seconded the resolu.
tion in speech that was loudly an.
plauded for its fraternal sentiments
and glowing representations in regard
to the project under consideration.
Hon. Mr.. Steenerson from Crook.
ston, state senator, moved the second
resolution:
Resolved. That the railway extend.
ing from the north end of Lake Winni.
peg to Churchill Harbor on Hudson's
Bay would he Commercial undertak.
ing in the full acceptation of the word
with an abundance of freight assured
from the opening of the road.
MI. Stevenson dwelt upon the com.
mercial aspect of the question and also
advocated the theory of railroads being
under the entire control of the govern.
ment. Experience with railroad cor.
porations i'll the United States with
their monopolizing tendencies, in the
speakers estimation pointed to a better
method, viz: Placing railway systems
under government control.
Mr.. Quincy, of Fargo, was then
called upon who gave some telling
figures in regard to the productiveness
of the Red River Valley after which
the meeting adjourned until 7.3O p. NJ.
AT the evening meeting Rev. ].
Sermons was the first speaker. He
gave very interesting description of
the country to be traversed by the
proposed route and showed that It
abounded in rich deposits Of minerals
and in large well timbered areas of
country. Mr.. Semmon's address was
eloquent and instructive and listened
to with much interest by the large
audience present.
Mr.. Neeson Of Selkirk produced a |
sketch of the Hudson Bay country on |
a bulletin board. He showed, that
although Churchill harbor could be
best utilized for present purposes, Mel.
son harbor could be so improved as to |
lie of service for a longer time in the
year.
On the assembling Of the convention
in the afternoon of Tuesday, at the
opera house, Mr.. Collins Of Winnipeg
explained the state Of feeling in Win.
aipeg in regard to the question now
being agitated. Public meetings were
being held repeatedly in Winnipeg, as |
many as two q week and the deepest in.
terest prevailed. Amongst otherstate.
ments made in regard to the length and
cost of the route he said it was 257 miles
from Lake Winnipeg to the head of
on Nelson river.
Col. Plummer spoke eloquently to
The following resolution:
Resolved, that the interests of the
of the Red River Valley
both north and south of the boundary
line, are identical and that all should
work together for the common good. |
That both Congress and Dominion
Government should be importqned to
improve the channel Of the Red River
for steamboat use.
He took occasion to say In connec.
ton with this resolution that the
farmers Of the Red River Valley if
they would avoid facing financial ruin
twice in five years, must not depend
chiefly on one staple crop. Too many
farmers starting in with an admiration
for bonanza farms, have get their am.
bition on broad acres OF wheat, neg.
lecting other sources Of profit in con.
nection Herewith. Speaking more
particularly to the question, he expect.
ed that at no distant day the railroad
system which was reaching towards
Fargo from the south will meet itI
from Hudson Bay. He argued that
it was the duty Of the American Con.
gress to interest itself in improving
the Red River Of the north and tn