St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-01
TRUESDALE'S BIG CUDGEL.
he Takes It in Behalf Of the ST. Louis
and vigorously Replies.
HE GIVES A GREAT ROAST
TO the Manitoba People, and Quotes
History for Their Benefit---A
Short Synopsis.

Minneapolis & st. Louis road, has pre-
pared statement in which he defines
at great length the position of his COM
pany relative to the crossing contro-
versy. He says he dislikes to go into a
question which the courts have decided,
but is impelled to do so by sense OF
duty to his company. At the beginning
he gives the history of the obtaining of
the present right of way by purchase,
together with the perpetual lease from
the st. Paul & Pacific company of
ground that the courts have over again
decided was it's own. Then comes the
story of the proposed demand, which
he claims is demand solely in
the interest of the Manitoba COM
pany, to enhance the value OF
it's holdings. He shows how the two
roads compete, and says: 1.-THE demand
is monstrous one in every aspect, and
the spectacle of commercial organIZa-
ton endeavoring to enforce it upon this
company by the means sought is with
out parallel in this or any other civil
lied country, where the rights OF citl-
zens and property are sacredly guarded
by a constitution and laws. 1t is de-
mand that no one having such lmpor-
tant interests in charge as has the man
agement of this company, and desiring
to protect them, could think of acceding
to for single moment without being
grossly recreant to the trust committed
to its charge. No one of the gentlemen
who applauded and voted for the adop
ton of that committees report but
would, if occupying the position of the
writer to-day, be as strenuous and UNI
compromising in his opposition to this
outrageous confiscation OF this COM
pany's property as is the undersigned"
To comply with the conditions pro-
posed, he says, and ''located with our
main track as explained herein, with
the growth of our, business, we can,
either on our own property or on that
purchased of adjoining owners, provide
additional tracks and facilities as
needed. Located for all time with
single track held by the jaws Of an iron
wise in the middle of the Manitoba COM
pany'S property, we never can do so
unless that company consents, and
then only subject to such condi
tiOnS and rentals as it may be
pleased to exact" The company has
already paid the Manitoba, III a lump,
for all rights it now enjoys, and does
not propose placing itself in the posi-
The proposition that the Manitoba will
not complete it's proposed terminal
facilities unless this track is removed,
he regards as big bluff, and the idea
that it will provide them outside of the
business center is, In the face of the
competition, too absurd for discussion.
If the st. Louis company were still
owned in Minneapolis, no such sacrifice
of its best interests would be required;
and in this connection the writer gets
in covert fling at certain member of
the board of trade who made hand
some thing out of the sale of the road.
He takes the ground that the city is not
in a position to ask this sacrifice on the
ground of past favorS granted the COM
pany, as the men who profted largely
by the transaction have, with few ex-
captions, used the money received by
them therefrom very largely in develop
ing and furthering the resources and
interests of this city, and to this end
have invested in similar enterprises
vantage. *
''In the committees report labOred
effort is made to pose the Manitoba
company as the great friend and bene-
factor of this city. Refer again to a
map, reader, this time recent one of
Minnesota and Dakota. Look at the
lines of that company constructed dur
ing the part two or three years OF now
under construction. From Superior to
Hinckly, now building, Hinkly to St.
Cloud, ST. Cloud to Willmar, Willmar to
Sioux Falls, Benson to Huron, via
WatertoWn, the Aberdeen line, the line
paralleling the Minneapolis & Pacific
railway, and so on; are all or any Of
these lines built for the purpose or with
the expectation that they will benefit
Minneapolis or its great milling inter-
est? The president of the Manitoba
company has openly said that he eX-
poets to carry wheat from the farmers
Superior and by his own steamboats, to
the Buffalo and Eastern and foreign
millers at figures that will crush out all
of his competitors and inferentially the
milling interests of this city with
them"
He scores the Manitoba numerically
and concludes that when Jim Hill
takes snuff in st. Paul, numerous Min
neapolis men have a fit of sneezing.
He calls attention to the following:
cit is a well known fact that the
Northern Pacific, Minneapolis & Pa
cific, $780, and Minneapolis & ST.
Louis railways have purchased or con-
demned considerable property near the
foot of Second avenue south, for the
purpose of erecting thereon commo-
diOus passenger depot for the conven-
fence and accommodation of the
public travelling on these lines. 1t is
equally well known that the Manitoba
perate fight against the enterprise, and
seeks, if possible, to kill it off. 1t is
also well known that some, if not all,
the lines interested have most incon-
venient and inadequate passenger facil-
tiles in this city, and would gladly
undertake the work Of providing better
ones during the coming year, at an
expenditure not of S2,000,0O0, perhaps.
but of one-third that amount, say, but
cannot do so by reason off the oppo-
sition referred to- The Minneapolis
public will please observe carefully how
long it will be before the railroad COM
mittee of it's board of trade takes up
this same suject, and in the same vigor
GUS English as the gentleman who
wrote the screed against this company
is so capable of using, demands of the
Manitoba company that it withdraw its
senseleSs, factious opposition to this
much-needed and desired Improvement.
" l. o WTlUGI lldu tuG plGdS-
ure within the past few months of an
audience with a joint committee from
our board of trade and the st. Paul
Chamber of Commerce, charged with
the duty of securing, if possible, lower
passenger rates between these two
cities. 1t was, it must be confessed, a
source of considerable satisfaction to
him to listen,to one of the members of
that committee who had strongly OPP
posed the st. Paul q Northern Pacific
and this company in their efforts to
build the formers line to ST. Paul
through the grounds of the State uni-
versity at the time of that memorable
contest. He urged his company most
eloauently to reduce it's rates regardless
of the action of, or the effect upon, its
competitors; that it could thus adyer7
tise its line, gain many friends, and in