Morris tribune., 1892-01-06
That Day Train.

Crosstield OF Browns Valley, one OF
the committee appointed to wait on
President Hill of the Great Northern
railroad in relation to putting on q
day train ON the breckenridge diyis-
ion, and from our conversation learned
that the full committee was present
and were pleasantly received by Mr..
Hill.
Mr.. Pearce of our city, chairman OF
the committee, presented in clear
and concise manner the business of
the committee, and stated the griev-
ances of the people between Willmar
and Browns Valley, and what they
desired as redress therefor; that is,
a day train from st. Paul to Morris,
both. ways each day, except Sunday.
Mr.. Hill replied with a statistical
statement of the cost of running the
day train during the last few years
that it was operated, which showed
that it had been continued at loss
OF $4,000 per year and the last year
at loss of $4,000. To this Mr.. Hill
added the statement that if he could
be satisfied that the restoration of the
train would pay approximately the
cost of running it he would restore
it, but could not do so at the rate of
loss it had before incurred.
This opened up general discussion
of the whole question, in which all
the members of the committee parti
cipated, each one stating such points
as were of interest to his Immediate
vicinity and such as were deemed of
general interest.
The present condition of carrying
the mails was thoroughly shown up,
and the lack of first class accommo-
dations for first class fare ON the night
train was made very apparent.
At first Mr.. Hill seemed to be in the
position Of one, as he said, who had
investigated the subject and could
seeno reasonable way for relief, though
he net every inquiry in courteous
and fair manner, and went SO far as
to offer the committee the opportunity
to examine the books of the company,
from which they could Judge for them
selves; bnt after an hours discussion
he appeared to think that the matter
could be further inquired into with
profit to the road, and by the time the
conference was over he seemed to
have changed his opinion to quite an
extent on account of the remarks and
suggestions made by the committee,
particularly that in relation to the
opening of the Sisseton reservation
in the spring, when certainly day
train and. better accommodations
would be required between St. Paul
and Browns Valley, unless the road
wished to lose the traffic incident
thereto, which would be large, with
Browns Valley naturally the objective
point for the whole of it.
Mr.. Hill finally said, after two
hours conference, in which he asked
many questions which were answered
by the committee, that the matter
should be thoroughly investigated,
and if there was chance to restore
the day train without too great a loss
in its operation it would be done, and
instructed the generel superintendent,
Mr.. Mohler, to make thorough exami-
nation Of the matter and report there
on, with his opinion, and assured the
committeeman the investigation would
not be made with view to finding an
excuse or reason for not restoring the
train, but with view to discovering
some excuse which would reasonably
warrant the restoration of it, for a
trial at least, and that if upon trial it
was found to pay so or IS per cent of
the cost of operation it would not be
taken off. He stated that the road
was not and would not be blind to it's
business and that the committee
would be informed of his decision in a
week or ten days. The committee
seemed to have been satisfied with
the conference and is of the opinion
that we shall have a day train in the
not distant future.
On the whole we think Morris and
the towns interested have to congrat-
ulate themselves on move which has
resulted in this conference, without
which it is very unlikely that anything
would have been done, and from
which it appears very probable that
their wishes will be granted.