The Minneapolis journal., 1901-04-19
A BLACK HILLS LINE
George D. Dayton Thinks It's Time
Minneapolis Had One.
THE MONEY TO BE HAD EASILY
The Trade From the Hills Would
BE Big Thing for
the City.

Minneapolis capital and enterprise
should build or stimulate the building Of
a line to the Black Hills. That is the
opinion of George D. Dayton Of Worthing
ton, MINI. Mr.. Dayton has recently in
vested heavily in Minneapolis real estate.
and as large property owner he is in
terested in the future development OF the
city. He says:
Why not let Minneapolis capital and Min
neapolis brains build the long-needed rail-
road from Minneapolis to the Black Hills?
There is no doubt but that the money can
De secured il the right men take hold of it.
Money is cheap and easy to get In fact the
line could be bonded for all that the road
would cost. Men who know say that such
line could be built most Of the way for less
than railroads are bonded for per mile.
When Minneapolis has a Black Hills air
line constructed other roads would be ready
to buy it.
direct line would insure the success OF
the road, as other lines would be unable to
compete in the items of time and mileage.
Minneapolis has the brains and the money to
build this line. All that is necessary is
the requisite amount OF public spirit The
city has the location and surroundings to
make 1t great center. Let US get together
and do it.
o. G. Wyman, of Wyman, Partridge &
Co., says:
believe that IL Minneapolis people realized
what great benefit a railway line direct to
the Black Hills would be to this city it
would have been built long ago. The busi-
ness done In the Hills is immense Its peo-
pie are good buyers and that section of the
country Is developing rapidly Minneapolis
capital should have taken hold of this propo-
sition long ago, but for years we were led to
believe that some Of the lines in South Da-
kota, especially the North Western and Mil
waukee, would furnish US with the needed
communication with the Hills The Milwau-
kee broke its spell of inactivity in railway
extension along that line a year ago when
it extended from Bowdle to the ldyer. From
what l can learn the prospects of an exten-
sion to the Hills are better than they have
been for years-enough so that minneapolis
people can accomplish more by cooperating
with the Milwaukee in an effort to obtain
an extension of the Hastings & Dakota
branch beyond Evarts than they can in an
independent movement. The extension of tho
Hastings & Dakota branch to the Hills would
give us almost an ideal line.
A Deep Question.
Senator Washburn said that a Rlaot,
Hills line was one MINNEAPOLIS had long
been in need Of AS to Minneapolis build
Ing direct line or any kind of a Zine to
the Hills, that, he said, was a deep cues
ton. Capital was employed in so many
avenues now that a railroad proposition
OF that kind might not attract enough
money to make it go. 1t would be no
great thing to start the enterprise, how
ever, as a grade from Pierre to Aber-
deem already existed. Such a proposition
would probably meet with opposition from
the other roads pointed for the Hills. The
Black Hills trade would be a big thing
for Minneapolis.
3. F. Nelson was of the opinion that
II Minneapolis capital was to engage in
such an enterprise it would haye to do
SO In conjunction with some other road.
The territory from Minneapolis west into
South Dakotav~was already well ironed
The Minneapolis & st. Louis with ter
minal at WATERFOWL, would be the best
line, In his judgment, that Minneapolis
could work with. He did not believe that
an independent line from Minneapolis to
the Hills could be made attractive to local
capital.