The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-12-13
Princeton Union:
rlnceCOn UnlOn:
Railroad Bonuses.

Farmers. will you aid us in getting at the
amount rh paid to railroadsn the shape Of bonuses?
The roads have declined to publish them In their
sworn reports s!-Great West -
Inc editor OF the Union is not q farmer
although by his own labor he can and does raise
truck OF more value on a rood of ground than
some farmers do on a ten acre field-but we will
endeavor to enghten the GREAT WEST as to
railroad bonuses in this vicinity. In March, 1885,
MI. james j. Hill held consultation with a dele
gatlon OF Princetonites, several OF whom were
farmers and made proposition to build q road
rom Elk River. In Sherburne county, via Prince
ton, to Miaca in Mile Lacs county. His propo-
sition was gladly accepted. Mile Lacs county
voted bonds to the amount Of $47 OOO bearing
interest at the rate Of five per cent. due in twenty
years; the town OF Baldwin Sherburne county,
voted $27OO, with the same rate OF interest and
due at the same time. The road was built and
completed in December Of that year. About the
first OF December of that year the St. Anthony &
Dakota Elevator Co. commenced buying wheat
here In less than three months no. OGO bushels
OF wheat were marketed at this point and at
least $4,000 bushels had been sold ut other points
that 1all-because farmers we're obliged to sell
tnelr wheat in order to pay their bills. (Will the
Morrlson County Democrat make note of this
Good prices were paid for wheat here. and there
was no cause OF complaint on the part of the
farmers. The railroad also opened up market
Tor baled hay, ties, piling, cordwood, ETC. Before
the advent OF the railroad there was no market
Tor hardwood OF any description at this point
r farmers could not give cordwood away. Now
farmer can clear his land and find q ready cash
market for every stick Of timber he cuts He
earns good wages in the winter while engaged in
clearing his land and the land, when cleared is
the most productive in Minnesota The wheat
crop 1or the past three years. owing to the unpre-
cedented drouth and other causes has been q
failure But the railroad is not to blame for that
1here Is not practical business man or farmer
in this vicinity who regrets voting bonus to the
railroad company. Since the advent of the rail-
ROAD Iand has doubled and trebled in value We
are not theorlzlng, we are stating plain facts
accomplished results. We speak from personal
experience. We know something OF the hardshps
farmers endured in hauling their produce over
twenty and thirty miles OF long dreary roads to
market We have Travelled those roads under a.
blisterlng July sun, and when the thermometer
registered 30 degrees below zero. In many DOR
tons OF the State farmers and business men have
grievances against the railroads that should be
redressed, that fair-minded man will dispute.
But in this neck o. the woods, railroads have
been our salvation.
1t is difficult indeed to reply to the
above. 1t becomes SO necessary in
this day to have railroads that it is
true that people are willing to pay
any price for them! But is this not
the most powerful argument in ia
vor of restricting them in their ra-
pacity? Is it not the argument
which editor Dunn would use
against usury-against extortion
under tremendous advantage? Mr..
Dunn says the farmers have received
a good price for wheat. We are COM
PEELED to deny this; not from a de-
sire to start a fresh point for contro-
versy but from the absolute necessities
OF the circumstances. 1t is impOssi-
BILE that they could have had a good
market for their products. If Mr..
Hill has built a road 80 miles long
through Princeton he has saddled
not alone a debt of something like
$50, 900 on that section. That is the
visible debt. He has not invested
$32O,0OO to build that road even
with your assistance! He has in
vested nothing. Now don't say we
are extreme-we are not. Our effort
is to be fair and reasonable. Mr.. Hill
borrowed from the farmers along
this line the sum of nearly one mil
lion dOllars-the cost of the 32 miles
as assessed for payment. And the
farmer, on whose credit it is borrow,
ed must pay not only the interest,