Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-01-10
DAKOTA RAILROADS.
Report of the Commissioners Appoint
ed to Ride Around on Free Passes.

uAhUsA hRilhUAUS.
Report of the Commissioners Appoint
ed t" Ksde Around on Free Passes.
Bismarck special: The report of the
railroad commissioners covering two
years of service has been submitted to
the governor. The report deals with
the miles constructed in the last two
years, the reason for the shortage OF rail-
road building in 1888. the freight car
ried, the taxation problem, the condition
OF the rosde, the proposed new roads
and the elevators and warehouses of the
territory. The board has passed upon
over 800 complaints and apparently to
the satisfaction OF all parties concerned.
Quoting from the report;
Notwithstanding the fact that the
board is not given the power necessary
to the satisfactory adjustment of ell
differences between the corporation Gnd
its patrons, it has given all complaints q
| careful consideration, and in nearly
every case has its requests been prompt
ly complied with by the railroad man
ayers. Remaining as it has in many
cases. an advisory board, without the
power of final judgment. IL has met
with gratifying success IN the adjust.
ment of the differences which it he's
been called upon to consider. In nearly
every case where the commission has, ,
after careful consideration, made a de
mapd that wrong be righted, the com-
paDy has been prompt to acknowledge
its error, and although many COM
plants have been beyond the jurisdio.
tion of any tribunal outside of the
courts, the great majority have been
such as to command careful considera-
tion and decisive action"
The mileage completed in the territory
since the adjournment of the last legis-
latlye oody in March, 1887, has been 842
miles. OF this amount only 1875 miles
was built In 1888. The explanation
of this deficiency is set forth in the fol-
loving extracts:
The mileage OF road constructed in the
! territory in 1883 is not as great as many
expected, and the laok OF aggression on
| the part of the companies is accounted
for in many ways. Some claim that the
various railroads doing business in tho
territory, deciding that it was not wise
to push ahead OF settlement, entered into
| an agreement to. build nc more until the
country for which their lines were point
ed is. settled; others believe that it was
the fear OF adverse legislation, and men
who are supposed to represent the inter-
| ests of the railroads, have claimed that
| the companies had resolved to build no
more roads in the northwest until the
stringent laws OF the northwestern states
| are repealed, or the railroad commits
| sioners OF states where the Office is cleo.
! tive and the powers of the commission
far reaching, retreat from the extreme
positions which they have taken on GER
tain features OF the law regulating rates.
This board is inclined to believe that
neither of these theories is wholly right,
nor wholly wrong. A combination OF
questions such ss these has had it's in
t1uence on the railroad men and capi-
talists, and, together with the great de.
sire 90 capture the trade of the great
lake region, has prevented any extensive
railroad building in Dakota during the
past year.
The condition of the roads is reported
as very good. The report gives:
The total number of tons OF freight
carried in 1887 was "a. 674, ,46S. and in
1883. 28.h97 40, or an increase OF over
1922 977 tons. The number of tons OF
/ iocul tIGiSbN III 1901 WAS III. u64
o33; in 1888; is 936 OIL, an increase OF
nearly 8,SSl ,l8S tons. There are 433
railroad stations in Dakota and there
are 6,67I railroad employees in the terri
tory who received in salaries during the
fiscal year S9,73l,049. There are 19
wooden bridges. with a total length OF
4,93l feet; 18 combination bridges
measuring 3.l0S feet, four iron bridges;
and there are 8.98S wooden trestles''
and "piles," measuring in the aggregate
2S6 2l3 feet. During the year there were
25 persons killed on the railroads in the
territory. Among these were IL en-
| ployes, and 8 who come under neither
the head "employes" nor .'pasgengers.
| The total cost of roads and equipment is
shown TO be $733,003 ,003 80.
| The report of the commission in its
comments on the grain warehouse law
points ont the defects and roasts the
grain buyers, as will be seen in the fol-
lowing excerpts:
| The sot referred to, among other
thipRs, requires each public warehouse
man to procure q license, furnish bond
Tor each and every warehouse operated
to keep in conspicuous place in each
warehouse samp @ of each of the ex-
isting grades OF grain; also keep posted
to the public view copy OF the grain
warehouse law. The warehousemen in
question have set up the claim
that the definition of the term
"public warehouse" furnished by SEQ
tion OF chapter 130 exempts them
from the requirements OF that law. SEQ.
ton four enaets THAT all elevators OF
warehouses in this territory in which
grain is stored for compensation are
hereby declared to be public ware
houses.' To eysde the purpose OF the
warehouse law, these warehuusemen
have adopted the ingenious plan OF az
cepting grain for storage in Minnesota
only. That is, the contract between the
warehousemen and the party storing
grain with him, provides always fol
such storage at some point in Minnesota
and for delivery in that state. IL wat
certainly the intent OF tha law to EN-
brace within its terms all warehousemer
dong business in the territory Whethe,
il does that or not could not have been
settled decisiyely outside of the courts
Serious obstacles prevented the testing
OF the question iudioiaily. There wat
no fund at the command OF the commits
sion for the purpose of procuring evi
dence and carrying on litigation. Mer
who we've competent to furnish testi
mopy were disinclined, for the reason
that they did not care to invite the In.
lconyenience threatened by these ware
n houeemen and their agents, who declar-
4 ed that they would not accept for storag,
or buy grain from those who should have
the temerity to testify against them or
behalf OF the territory. These threats
!. Ueya aCfuallv eDfnrnp6 p1aipat parff.,