The Dickinson press., 1891-08-29

Minneapolis Tribune: The certainty

FAM ps.
Minneapolis Tribune: The certainty
Of an unprecedented crop in Minnesota
md the two Dakotas is imposing ire
mendous responsibilities upon the rail
way companies. Ever since the grain
fields began to give certain promise of
the greatest yield on record the COM
have been exerting every energy |
to so increase their carrying facilities
that serious blookades might he pre-
vented and the vast surplus carried to
the seaboard without anything more
han ordinary delays. But the output
Of the threshers is SO for ~cxcee..ing all
early estimates that the Of
every railway corporation will be taxed
to their limit in disposing of the earth's
bounties. In nearly every case there
have been great additions to the rolling
stock and equipment of the companies,
and ave where there has heen noheavy
expenditure for additional engines and
"a T to handle the present crop there
has been q formidable concentration of
moving forces at the leading shipping
points. This plan of distributing cars
to the business centers or to convenient
stations on the several lines where they
can be readily controlled whenever it
becomes necessary to utilize them seems
to have been generally adopted on the
principal freight roads.
With a view to ascertaining the ex-
tent of the preparations made to handle
the new crop, the headquarters of the
several roads were visited yesterday,
and the result shows that they have not
been caught mapping. The Great
Northern Railway. conceded to be one
of the best equipped roads in the
try for handling farm products, is not
depending upon the liberal
already under its control. General Su-
p%erintendent Case and Mr.. Mohler,
traffic manager, reported that ten large
engines and 800 cars have been added to
the equipment in anticipation OF the
fall demand. Four hundred of the new
cars are of the largest capacity. The
storage room of its elevators has also
been heavily increased this season. Ac.
cording to the assurances given by the
gentlemen named, the extra power
and facilities will be sufficient to
block any market within the
Great Northern territory IN any given
day. The most serious trouble ex-
pected is in securing facilities for quick
handling at terminal points. They say
that prompter inspection is impera-
lively demanded at Minneapolis. The
state allows n day for inspection here.
but more rapid work and an increase of
the inspectors working forces will be
required to prevent frequent and seri
GUS blockades. Warehouses should not
be made out of cars. if embarrassing de.
lays are to be avoided, and the shifting
OF wheat from n elevator to another
OF demands for re.inspection for the
purpose of delay should be s~crupulously
omitted from the business procedures
of dealers. The Great Northern has en-
deavored to provide adequate means for
handling its share of the crop in the
most::expeditious manner, andhores that
its effort will be seconded by the COM
mission and elevator men.
The Northern Pacibc 90. was found
equally alive to the necessity of prompt
and generous measures to insure the
satisfactory movement of the vast ac-
emulation in the fields. During the
year, or since the last crop, there have
been added to its equipment no less
than 1,4O0 box cars and fifty engines.
OF course, this addition was not all for
the purpose of moving agricultural pro-
ducts of 1891, but it will be utilized for
that purpose, and is now held as a re-
serve. The opinion was expressed at
the general Offices that this extra equip
ment will be sufficient to handle the
business of the line, provided there are
not too many calls for cars by the farm
ers. Heretofore there has been more
delay from this cause, than at the ele.
vators, and an effort will be made to
prevent a repetition Of former expert
ments. Provision has been made
for handling so per cent more
wheat in Minnesota and North
DAKOTA than in any previous year.
Inquiry at the headquarters of the
Chicago, st. Paul. Minneapolis & Omaha
90. elected the information that 500
new cars and fourteen locomotives had
been ordered, and will be on the ground
and prepared for the journey of the
cereals. The Omaha is is good condi.
ton for the work before it, and the
equipment is fully equal to the other
facilities. It is believed that the prin.
cipal crowding will be at the terminals,
but arrangements are in progress to
prevent such o condition, so far as it is
possible. 'All the sidet1acks are even
now blocked with extra cars to meet the
coming demand, Z" remarked one of the
officials. "Our greatest difficulty will
be at Minneapolis, owing to the lack of
adequate track room"
The Chicago, Milwaukee g. st. Paul,
Notwithstanding the completeness Of its
old equipment, is working nights, days
and Sundays preparing for the enlarged
demand upon its resources. For some
time new cars have been coming out OF
its Milwaukee shops at the rate of ten
per day. At the Minneapolis shops
everything resembling a car is undergo
ing repairs. The road will be in better
condition than ever before. A force Of
from $50 to 175 repairers is employed in
overhan!ing damaged cars, and the
South Minneapolis yards is full of more
or less demoralized specimens, which
will soon reappear, good as new. The
number OF new cars and those re6tted
Tor the falls business is given at ], 800.
!hefe have been no additional locomo-
tlves bought, as the company was al
ready well supplied-the only antici-
p pate deficiency being in the line Of