The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-23
PERMISSION TO INCREASE
ITS CAPITAL STOCK.
COMMISSIONERS SANCTION IT.
THE IMPROVEMENT PROPOSED
INCLUDE AN EXTENSION ACROSS
LAKE COUNTY.
ELY TO GUNFL1NT IRON MINES.
and a Track Near Two
HarbOrs.

| Upon a presentation of the case by
Counsel J. H. Chandler, supported by
! the statement of President GreatsingeI
and Chief Engineer Angst, the Duluth
&c Iron Range railroad was yesterday
| granted permission by the state rail-
road and warehouse commissioners tc
increase its capital stock from $3,OOO,-
| 900 to $1O,O00,0O0 for the pur-
pose of meeting the expense
| Of certain extensive improve
ments, some Of which have already been
inaugurated. The findings and a copy
Of the decision Of the commission will
be handed down in the near future. In
it the amount Of money to be spent in
| improvements will be named as APP
proximating $4,000, 900. Since the appli-
cation was filed by the railroad COM
pany, some days ago, speculation has
been rife as to what was to be urged
as sufficient ground for permission to
| make such a substantial increase in the
capitalization.
The contemplated Improvements. as
| outlined before the commission yester-
day, include the construction of an eX-
| tension from a point near the Ely ter
minus, in st. Louis county, north and
east, between SnoWbank and Wind
lakes, across the north end of Lake
county, distance of about siXty-three
miles to the western end of the Port
Arthur. Duluth & Western road at the
Gunf1int iron mine. In addition the
company means to prosecute the work
Of constructing what Is known as the
Mesabe Short Line, plans and a map
n
the state authorities The short line
will extend from Two Harbors in a
northWesterly direction inland for a
distance Of siXty-six miles to the Fayal
and Adams mines near Eveleth and a
short distance beyond there. This line
will materially lessen the distance be-
tween the two mines named and Two
Harbors, the lake port where the ore
is transferred to the big carriers.
An important Improvement is to be
made at and near Two HarbOrs At q
point on the main line just below
Cloquet river a track will be construct
ed for a distance of a score or more of
miles upon which ore from the ranges
will be shipped instead of down upon
the present main line as at present.
This new piece Of track, shortly after
leaving the present main line, reaches
the summit of a big eminence, and then
proceeds down grade and across the
main track just before reaching Two
HarbOrs. A loop is to be built around
the town to prevent congestion of
trains, and empties leaving the place
on the north side will cross the new
strip and" take up the present main
line again at a place called Waldo. The
present single track at BiWabik and
at several other points will be doubled
next season, and the docks and track
age at Two HarbOrs will be largely
added to.
The most important improvement is
the Ely extension. The Port Arthur,
Duluth & Western, which is a Cana
dian company, has been duly incorpor-
ated in Minnesota, and the owners of
the line are most anxious for the con-
nection they will be afforded by the
construction of the Minnesota road TO
the boundary line Among other things,
the connection will make access to the
Rainy River country much easier than
at present 1t is not known just when
the work will be begun, although the
work of making a survey has been
completed, and the general route to be
followed is definitely known.
The railroad officials submitted their
case at some length, after which the
commissioners retired to executive ses-
sion and after a brief elaboration de-
cided to grant the request of the road.
The railroaders appeared much pleased.
President Greatsinger stated that his
company was handling from 4,5O0 to
5000 tons of ore a day, and that the
past season has seen 100000 tons sent
from the head of the lakes to the
various markets. The present week,
he added, will probably end the ship
ping season. In that time, it is expect
ed that the ore which is now piled on
the docks at Two Harbors will be NOV
ed to the furnaces of the East.