Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-03-01
Total gross earnings tax.

Total gross earnings tax .sl94 246 &c
One half of the gross earnings tax of the
Northern Pacific has not been paid, owing TO
litigation, which is the result of a contro-
versy as to whether or not the company's
lands can be taxed The Northern Pacific
representatives state that the company is
willing TO pay tax either on its gross earn
ings, or on its land, hut not on both. The
total number of miles run by trains in Da-
kota during 1856 was "a ! 81, 009; liz 1887,
~, 693, All. During 1887 the total tonnage
of grain was j, DDS, 634, of which Dakota
had 700, 52l. In the construction of its
extension through Northwestern Dakota and
into Montana the Manitoba eelipsed
all previous efforts at track laying,
and opened up one of the richest agricultu-
raj districts of the territory to the settler
and homeseeker Another advance step is
that taken by the Northern Pacific in giving
the public through fast train between St
Paul and the coast, and thus shortening the
"Trip nearly one day. 1t has also reduced
the time of its local passenger train. The
Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul is reaching
for unoccupied territory; the Chicago &
Northwestern is doing likewise and the Min
neapolis & Pacific has started for the Mis-
souri, valley in a manner that is encouraging
to the settlers along that stream
SOME COMPARISONS.
Dakota has more miles of completed rail-
road than either California, Tennessee, Viz
gina, North Carolina, Colorado, Arkansas,
Alabama or Georgia; twice as many miles as
either Massachusetts,, South Carolina, Fiori-
da, New Jersey, Mississippi or Kentucky;
and more than three times as many miles of
railway as either Maine, Maryland, West Vir-
ginia, Louisiana or Oregon. As nearly all
the roads of the territory are com paratively
new, the bridges and trestles are strong and
unimpaired. On the Northern Pacific and
Manitoba roads there has been a reduction of
about 20 per cent on freight rates; on pass
fhA rafa haO hoo ..
cents per mile to four cents per mile, and on
mileage books from three to two and one
half cents per mile. The Minneapolis & ST.
Louis has reduced its freight rates about Is
per cent but its passenger rates remain I'M
changed-four cents per mile During the
year there were twenty eight persons killed
on the railroads in the territory. Among
these was ore passenger, seventeen en-
ployes, and ten who come under neither of
these heads. The total number of miles of
Western Union telegraph wire in Dakota is
5,2l1, the number of telegraph offices, 279,
tenn OF handling and shipping, grad
ing and storing grain had
been source of much annoy
ance TO the public, and in many in
stances an absolute loss to the farmers The
ownerE of elevators were unchecked in
their control o. the local markets through
out the territory; there was no protection
TO the producer, and the cheating in grades,
dockage and Yeights grew more. The new
grain warehouse law brings the management
of the elevators within the reach of the pub
lie. and provides means for checking many
OF the abuses OF the past The new law
provides that all elevators storing grain for
n compensation shall give good and sufficient
bonds, and secure license from the railroad
commissioners Before there was
LACK OF SECURITY
for grain which was stored in elevators For
hn BTe in h,,h n
OF standard grades. All owners of ware
houses who have complied with the
law by taking out licenses admit that
the standard samples supplied by the
commission are of great benefit TO them.
instead OF drawback, as at first supposed.
Many OF the disputes existing heretofore be-
tween the farmers and elevator men will be
avoided III the future. Several railroads re-
port the number of bushels of wheat carried
| from Dakota from Aug. l TO Nov 10, 1887.
as follows:
Burlington. Cedar RaDids & Northern 255, 75o
chicago, Mil Il st. Paul ESTIMATED. s, OOu. OOO
Chicago IL n Northwestern - $50 - . $50 2yG
Minneapolis IL Pacific ......,..... OLSON
Minneapolis a st. Louis - 900 5Ig
81 Paul, Minneapolis IL Manitoba 8 600 Oo0
The number of bushels of wheat at pres
ent stored In the elevators and Warehouse
OF Dakota is over 10000, 900; add to the
ABOVE amount the wheat yet unthreshed.
5000, 900 bushels necessary Tor home con
SUMPTION and seed for 1883, and iU makes
oo,OOO 600 bushels, a low estimate for the
year 1878 what shall be done to relieve
the people OF the embarrassment and loss
through wheat blockades 2" is the question
heard on all sides During the shipping
season the large number of cars of wheat
rom Dakota caused a complete blockade al
Duluth, st Paul, Minneapolis and Milwau.
kee AS one of the remedies for
ike difhculties in the future, the
commission recommends that every
farmer who has not a granary of his own
bulld one before the harvest of 1855. The
material for granary capable of holding
Two thousand or more bushels of wheat viii
| cost at the rate of two cents per bushel-
less Than the price paid for storage in one
season--and Will serve the farmer double
| purpose; hrst, 1t will, in a measure keet
the knowledge of the number of bushels ~
marketable wheat from the SPECULATIVE
members OF the boards of trade in Eastern
wheat markets and will thus keep the price