The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-07-19

Citizens Meeting Thursday
Evening Unanimous
fOrath6 Lime.
Committee appointed Meet
the Officials OF the
Company.

That Redwood Falls is tired of
being located on a railroad going
nowhere, and running into the city
at it's own pleasure, and giving its
patrons such service as it chooses,
was clearly demonstrated at the
meeting of taxpayers at the opera
house last Thursday evening.
It was one of the most enthusiast
tic and unanimous gatherings that
has ever assembled in Redwood
Falls-indeed, probably the most
unanimous, not barring church
gatherings or anything in that cir
Gle where unanimity is supposed to
be portion of the foundation on
which the structure may be based.
There were nearly 100 taxpayers
business men and residents
present. Besides, there were sew
eral farmers present from Redwood
Falls township who happened in
just to see how the people of the
city would receive a proposition for
a short line to the wood market of
north, the wheat markets of Duluth,
and the coal fields of Iowa.
The meeting was called to order
shortly after eight o'clock by Presi-
dent H. A. Baldwin of the local
board of trade. Mr.. Baldwin was
not present at the first meeting with
the officials of the Gulf & Manitoba
Railway Co., but briefly stated the
object of the meeting as he under
stood it, and then called on 0. l..
Dornberg for further remarks, the
latter bringing out quite clearly the
advantages set forth by the Gulf &
Manitoba officials to any town hav-
ing connection with their line. Mr..
Dornberg thought that there were
several points that must stand out
very conspicuously in favor of aid
ing the road. The first was the
wheat market at Duluth, by which
farmers would receive from one to
two cents per bushel more for their
wheat than by the present indirect
connections with St. Paul and
Minneapolis. The second was the
short line to the wood districts of
northern Minnesota, whereby the
price of wood would be reduced from
$3.50 to 81 per cord. The third was
connection with the coal fields of
Iowa, Missouri and Kansas on the
south, lessening the price of that
commodity to residents living on
the line. J. A. Schmahl followed the
latter with a repetition of some of
the statements made by the officials
of the Gulf & Manitoba railroad
pointing out that Georgia pine and
other southern lumber would be
sold here cheaper when the line was
completed, and also that a connec-
ton through to Galveston would
give a wheat market at either end
of the line, and that Texas cotton
would be hauled through Redwood
Falls to the Great Northern, and
sent over that line to Japan and
China, taking boat at Seattle. He
intimated that the Great Northern
might be interested in this road,
and if so, he said, there was no one
whom he would sooner see have a
line into Redwood Falls.
Judge Bowers was called for and
pointed out very clearly that if Red
wood Falls was ever going to get on
trunk line this was her chance.
He believed that it was one of the
biggest opportunities that local bus
mess men and farmers would have,
and intimated that it remained to be
seen whether we were going to push
ahead during the next few years,
and thereby insure our future or
lay idle while the procession goes
by. Judge Bowers then moved, in
order to get the proposition before
the meeting, that it be the sense OF
the meeting that Redwood Falls
wanted the Gulf & Manitoba road to
pass through the city, and was
willing to give such aid as was in
it's power. Mr.. Tibbetts. while
heartily in favor of the line, thought
that in case the city gave any aid,
the officials should agree that the
line be not only connected with