Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1891-05-07
RAILROADS IN DAKOTA.
The Aggressive $500" Keeps
People Guessing as to its
Real Intentions.
Report that it's Line to BOyMtOn
Will be Snapped for the n.
P.'s Winnipeg Branches.
Various RllmOrs in Which there
May or May not be Con.
siderable Truth.

May or May not be Con-
siderable Truth.
Railroad Rumors.
The air is full Of railroad rumors this
spring. Most of them concern the
$780,"
While the Northern Pacific and Great
Northern have been engrossed with their
western terminal plans, this "Soo'' road
has quietly and unostentatiously stolen
into the state and is now quite factor
in the railway situation. 1t is the most
aggressive OF any of our roa is st present,
and, report has it, will build three I'M
portant branches through the Northern
Pacific and Great Northern's best terri
tory. Whatever the intentions Of the road,
it's movements are certainly indicative of
aggressiveness and promising of exten-
sions. rumors of its movements ere as
varied as the colors in Joseph's famous
coat. One day the Bismarck extension
will surely be made; the next the graders
have been called off the Valley City ex-
tension; and then again il is said that the
Hankinson line has been detected and
that the main line of the Northern Pa
cific will be crossed at Jamestown; an
other day 1t is stated that operations
have been postponed until next year.
Meanwhile the war between the North
ern Pacific and Great Northern seems to
have been followed by an armistice in
Dakota. This paralleling of lines and in.
vasion OF one another's territory have
been transferred to the coast. The
Northern Pacific, however, has been at
tracted to Winnipeg and has built sever
al hundred miles of road in that country.
This is an invasion Of the territory OF It's
formidable rival, the Canadian Pacific.
The $780, and the Canadian Pacific are
closely allied. Indeed, the recent report
that the $500" extensions are to be
built with the proceeds of G. p. bonds
gives color to the report that it is Ca
madam Pacific scheme of invasion into
N. p. territory in retaliation for the lat
ter's incursion into Winnipeg. Such be-
ing the case. the intermittent activity of
the "Soo"would be easily explained on the
ground that they are talking war to secure
peace; that they do not seriously con-
template making the proposed extensions
but simply use the $500" Dakota line as
club over the Northern Pac,fic's head.
Assuming this to be true, it then occurs
that there may be grounds for the whls-
pered report that deal is on by which
the Northern Pacific is to swap it's Man
,toba mileage for the $500" mileage in
Minnesota and Dakota. There are good
reasons for believing that such deal
may be made. As long as the two great
roads are operating lines IN each others
territory their positions must necessarily
be antagonistic to certain degree.
Then, too the $780, mileage is more val
liable to the Northern Pacific system
than it's Manitoba branches,an converse
ly the same is true Of the Canadian Pa
cific. The swap would be very natural
deal to make. The 800" mileage from
Minneapolis is 28S miles; that of the
Northern Pacific Winnipeg branches, 268
miles. The Northern Pacific has long
desired to shorten its time from Bismarck
to st. Paul and the $500" is almost an
air line between the two places. The
$500" ls ironed to Boynton, lis miles
from Bismarck. When completed to
that place, as projected, the dis
. tance to Minneapolis will be
little over 400 miles. From Bismarck
to Minneapolis over the Northern Pacific
is 434. It is thus apparent that by the
800" route the Northern Pacific could
shorten its distance to Minneapolis over
80 miles and it's running time an hour.
These are advantages which weigh
heavily when the expense Of getting
trains over the road and Importance of
quick time 10 securing through freight
shipments and mail contracts, are con-
sidered. 1t is claimed that the cost of
running an ordinary passenger train is
81 mile and over half that amount for
a freight. The saving can be easily fig
ured out. However, the air line advant-
ayes arc tu0 OuAy Ouc6 W w OoElV0U
from such q line. The country through
which the last $50 miles Of the road
would run could not be depended upon
to furnish either freight or passenger
business to any considerable amount.
It is doubtful il the saving IN distance
would compensate for the building and
operation a line through this rough
and unprodnctive region.
While considering this matter Of the
shortening by the Northern Pacific Of it's
mileage and running time to St. Paul
it might be we'll to refute the rumor that
the Minor branch will be extended to
connect with the James River Valley and
all through business diverted from the
main line and carried via the James
River Valley and Minor to Wadena.
Such plan, the Capital states, would
save 20 miles. This is easily refuted.
The distance from jamestown to Wadena