Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1896-05-21
SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT
Of the Commissioners on the
Condition of North Da-
kOta'S Railroads..
In General Service They Com
pare FavOrabIy With
Worlds Best Lines.
The Northern Pacific in Excel.
lent Condition.--kiCks
Galore on G. N.

b0bbS SOssNsSsOsss bNsSS\S
Galore on G. N.
The sixth annual report of the CON-
missioners Of railroads for tue year end
ing Dec. l, 1895. together with the an
nual reports for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1895, of the railroad companies
IN North Dakota, has been submitted to
the governor. 1t is voluminous docu"
ment Of over 400 pages, the greater part
of which is devoted to reports of the six
railroads operating in the state-the
Northern Pacific, the Great Northern,
the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba,
the 800, the Milwaukee, and North
western" The full text of the law re-
lating to the powers and duties OF the
commissioners, and the rights and priv
ileges of railroads and public warehouses
Is given, also detailed list of all com
plants and petitions that have been
made to the commissioners during the
year, and the disposal of the same.
The report of each road gives, beside
brief history of it's organization and it's
officers, list of all property operated in,
and out of, the state; it's capital stock
and funded debt; cost of the road, equip
ment and permanent improvements;
earnings from operation in the state,
operating expenses, number Of employees
and salaries paid; passenger, freight and
train mileage; freight traffic movement,
mileage, accidents to passengers and
employees; telegraph mileage and general
characteristics OF road. Statistics are
also given concerning the elevators,
warehouses and loading platforms on the
lines Of road, their owners, capacity and
location.
Much valuable statistical information
concerning the railroads Of the state,
interesting and instructive in COM
paratlve study of the llnes operated,
furnishes much food for reflection
70 the student OF transportation and
labor. The report on the whole makes 8
creditable showing of the work per-
formed by the commissioners. In view
Of the revision of the state laws during
95 the commissioners were compelled to
hold several important matters in abey-
ance until after the completion of the
codification of the laws. This is true es-
peoislly Of Ignite coal rates, and certain
Determinations in freight and passenger
rates in the northern part of the state.
Concerning the annual inspection OF
the various lines of railroads IN the
state, a year ago, the commissioners
ssy-The Northern Pacifc's property,
railway. station buildings, grain eleva-
tors, rolling stock and general facilities
for handling business tributary to it's
line, was found to be in excellent condi-
tion. Many additions and improve
mente have been made 10 the way Of
grain loading platforms, elevators etc,
and general freedom from complaint
from shippers tributary to this line, dur
ing the pre- viousseason of unpreceden Ted
large shipments Of grain and other pro-
duce and merchandise, attest the gener-
al efficiency OF the service rendered.
The Great Northern railway, which
has milage in North DAKOTA exceeding
all other roads, twas found to be IN fair
condition, while active work was IN pro-
gress or contemplated, in line of renew
ing bridges, relaying all defective track
with new steel rails and other necessary
work il line of repairs and renewals and
maintenance Of way and structures. A
general demand existed along this line
on the part OF farmers, business men and
shippers, for the construction of grain
loading platforms and other conven-
inces for the transaction of business as
required by law. A number of improve
ments we're made on this line during
the year and much yet remains to be
done for the proper accommodation of
shippers."
The property and equipment of "Soo,"
"Milwaukee" and "Northwestern" was
found to be in good state of repairs, and
the roads provided with ali necessary
facilities for transportation of business
tributary to them.
On the whole, the railway lines of
North Dakota compare favorably and in
many ways exceed IN point Of equipment
and general service, say the commission
ers, the best railway lines of the world.
The service rendered by the railway
companies at competitive points within
the state, in the furnishing Of cars for
shipments of freight, facilities for busi-
ness IN general, and accommodation for
passenger traffic, has been remarkable
for efficiency.