The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-11-12
RAILROAD COMMISSION HERE.

| Wv ~ AASA >ASAAO ~ AVh IVA AS
RAILROAD COMMISSION HERE.
The Three Members of the Commission
spent Sunday in the City
Messrs. w. b. Tompkins, of Rapid
City, w. T. LSFollette, of Cha hertaip,
and Alexander Kirkpxt'i" Of Miller,
who represent the membership of the
tate railroad commission, arrived
Saturday and spent Sunday in the
city. They left Monday morning via
the Omafa for Farmer, small station
II miles east OF this city. A petition
has been presented to the commission
asking nat station and agent be es-
tabl.slled at that place and the COM
mission went there for the purpose OF
inquiring into the necessities of the
situation.
For some time past the people of the
towns west Of here on the Milwaukee
road have been iuportuning the board
to compel the company to put on pas
senger train between Mitchell and
Cham berlain. In conversation with
Mr.. LaFollette he stated that in all
pro 5ability the passenger train service
asked for would be granted and that
the railroad commission had issued an
order requiring the Milwaukee COM.
pany to establish passenger service
between these, two points, which,
hitherto, has been supplied with an
accommodation train. There ia, un-
doubtedly, some justice in the demands
of the towns west of here for passen-
ger service, Concerning the. order of
establishing passenger service be-
tween Cham berlain and Mitchell the
Sioux Falls Press gives the following
additional information:
The railroad commissioners yesterday
ordered the Chicago, Milwaukee, &
st. Paul railway company to put on
and operate regular passenger train
g. ch way daily, except Sundays, from
anu between the stations OF Mitchell
and Chamberlain, and over it's entire
line of railway from Mitchell aud
Cham berlain commencing on and after
the 18th Of November, 1897.
The order is the result of hearing
/ held at tho office of the railroad COM
mission on the l4th of October of this
year at which hearing the Chicago,
4 Milwaukee & ST. Paul railway company
appeared and submitted its evidence,
data and statements concerning the
matter complained of in the petition
| filed with the commission on the lst
day OF Septemb ber, 1897.
The petition fled by the citizens of
Cham berlain ct al. sets up in their COM
plant that the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul Railway company owns and
operates in connection with other lines
OF railway, line from Mitchell to
Chamberlain, a distance OF sixty-seven
miles. And that for more than year
past the company has not operated a
regular passenger over this sixty-seven
miles Of road, but has given as pas.
senger service to the public, coaches
attached to freight trains and cattle
cars The time occupied in making
the trip from Mitchell to Cham berlain
has been from four to eight hours and
the travelling public has been subject
10 great delays en- route by reason ,oi
handling the freight business, switch.
ing of cars and other causes not Incl
dent to regular passenger trains. The
petitioners also set up that the mixed
train is made up Of some cars moi
equipped with the best Of couplers aud
aud air brakes, by reason of which the
coaches in which passengers are car
ried are ierked and bunted in dan
gerous and violent manner, rendering
travel upon this train dangerous an6
disagreeeble, especially to women anc
children.
| At the hearing held in this CITY or
the 18th day Of October, 1897, the com
pauy appeared and presented its evi
| dence and furnished figures and data
from which report and from admission.
made by the company, the commission
finds it's earnings from business propel
and usually carried and transacted b,
passenger trains, for the year ending
June Both, 1897, were as follows:
Passenger fares. .......... $13,29l 9,
Carrying United States mails
! Cess ocduction Of $447.68,
account snow. 8.775 s.
Express. .,........ l,552 2
Excess baggage, commiss-
ions, sale of tickets for
long distances, at stations.
named and Intermediate,
not reported ed.............. s......1
1otsl. ................. s23,619
1t was also made matter of recort
by the estimate of the railway com
pany, that the expense Of operatin,
regular passenger trains over tn