New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-02-22
RAILROADS OF DAKOTA.
A Synopsis of the Annual Report of
the Railroad Commission Just
Issued.
General Condition of the Roads Ex-
cellent and Prospects for Extern
sions Never Brighter.

BISMARCK, Oak, Special Feb 10-Gov.
Church is in receipt of the third annual re-
port of the board of railroad commissioners
of Dakota This board is composed of Alex
Griggs, chairman, Grand Forks: A. BoyntOn
Lennox; N [. Smith. Huron; j. NJ. Quinn,
secretary. Bismarck. In the course of their
report the commission saws:
In no state or territory in the Union is the
railroad problem-the question of policy,
the powers of the legislature to control or
Testr1Ct-0f greater importance than in Da-
kota, for she is not only a young and grow
ing territory, but the most productive agri-
cultural district on. the continent She is
going througha process of DEVELOPMENT, and
the relation of the railroad to the producer
is the one paramount question which her
legislators must solve. Since the passage of
the Interstate commerce law renewed con
fusion has been vigorously at work unset
ting all past plans of the courts and the
public, and creating new obstacles. Not that
the law is detrlment or unjust, but it is
new and knotty to all who would interpret
it. A case of interest decided by the inter
state commissioners recently. and considered
at the St Paul meeting, may be mentioned
here, as it is identical with many
in Dakota. The millers of Mazeppa
complained that the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St Paul Disseminated against them and in
favor OF the Twin Cities to such an extent
that it made it impossible for them to COM
pete with The large manufactures of the Cit
les named In reply the railroad company
set forth that Mazeppa was not on the main
line of the road and that the "long and short
haul' clause of the interstate law did not ap-
ply. The commission ordered the railroad
company to reduce its rates from Mazeppa
to Chicago from 12l2 cents to 10 cents.
With regard to the railroads of Dakota
there is much of which the commission can
SPEAK WITH PRIDE.
On several of the lines there have been
improvements which surpass the march of
railroad progress in any other section of the
Union. Railroad building and improve
ment in rolling stock and road bed, train
service aud time are alluded to, while the
increased traffic of the roads within Da-
kota show the steady increase in her wealth,
population and prosperity The total num-
Der of passengers carried by railroads in
Dakota during the year ending June so,
1886, was 1888, $50, while during the
year ending. June 30, 1887, the num-
Der was :2o,6s7,sso; The total mum
1886 was 1,164 $40, and in 1887,
24,674,46S The number of tons of local
freight carried in 1886 was 8, 7OS. COG; in
1887. 1O,OS4. sS3. The reports of the sew
eral companies doing business in Dakota
show that there are AS railroad stations in
the territory, and 1924 railroad employees
who received in salary during the last fiscal
year 50, 946, 1S5 There are thirteen wooden
bridges, with total length Of 2,421 feet;
sixteen combination bridges, measuring
1852 feet; three iron bridges, Il, 1913 feet;
and there are 3,94l wooden trestles" and
piles, measuring in the aggregate $50, ISL
feet. The railroad crossings at grade num-
Der So; over grade, 2; highway crossings at
grade, 2,31S; highway crossings over grade,
q and undergrade. 10 The following table
shows the miles of road constructed in Da-
kota in 1887, with the miles of road now in
Operation.