The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-24
HISTORY O. Belt LINZ
SOUTH ST. PAUEs LITTLE ROAD
HAS HAD A CHECKERED
CAREER
IT'S MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Did Much to Helpl.stocI Trade and
Will Afford Means of Entry to
Burlington, Cedar Rapids
& Northern.

yoHu al fedSondple doubt, railroad
company heading for St Paul as fast
as a corps of engineers can make sur
veys and lay out right of way. it NAV
not be undressing to recall something
of the early history and struggles of the
belt line
That this line has contributed in an i'm.
pcrtant degree to the decision of the road
in question, the Burlington, Cedar Rapids
& Northern, to enter this citv over its
own rails there can be no doubt The
company recently bought out owns
magnificent steel and wagon bridge over
the Mississippi, and the little line itself
affords direct and immediate access to
the largest and most important industry
in the Twin Cities.
Eleven years ago In 1889 several erar
tlemen connected with the stock yards
industry, conceived the idea which was
subsequently cryStalized in the form of
the miniature railroad Thew saw the
growing Importance of the industry with
which they were identified. and foresaw
that some day in the not distant future
another large road might gain access to
the Twin Cities by way of the line thew
had in mind. A charter was secured and
the South st. Paul Belt Line company
was Incorporated by Messrs. M. Gahan
Charles l.. Has, Frank Clifton, W. R.
Todd W. G. Denny, A. S. Weymouth and
H. B. Carol. The charter obtained.
in the venture This proved a harder
task than the promoters had anticipated
Times were hard capital vas tight and
new enterprises of all descriptions were
extremely difficult to float. Try as they
would the little band of promoters could
not succeed in their desire, and. finally
the scheme was allowed to drop out of
sight Nothing more was heard about IL
until 1898, when Ambrose Tighe. repre-
senting Messrs. "A. II. Padgett, Frank P
Blair, M. D. Miller, M. Schader ana
others, bought out the charter and fran.
chse CT the original promoters. Surveys
were made and the new syndicate re-
tanned possession OF the property of the
company until the following year.
THE SECOND SALE.
In 1894 the second sale took place. this
time the -Pittshlrg bridge company be-
ing the purchaser The construction of the
bridge a t Newport was Immediately COM
menced and by the following summer
the five miles to the stock yards was fin
ished At this time the property included
the splendid steel bridge. 1,50O feet IN
length and costing in the neighborhood
of $250,0G0, the tracks providing access
direct to the stock yards and connec-
tions with the Chicago, Milwaukee & ST.
Paul, and the Burlington at Newport
Upon the completion of the road, the
Gen. NJ D. Flower, as secretary an1
manager. t. M Nelson, of the Pitts
burg Bridge company, was elected presi-
dent, ]. s. Michaels, of st. Paul, director
and attorney, and w. w. Curtis. of Chi
cage, chief engineer. The engineer in
charge of the construction of the road
bed and bridge was c. Loweth.
Provided with a manger. president, So
licitor and directors, the little road
bravely commenced business with an
equipment Of one. engine and a lease on
another which was to be brought into
rcquisition whenever necessary. The
switching business was not as successful
at first as was anticipated and the an
nual deficit over earnings was about 5000
per month for t1eltwo years. gradually,
under careful and economical manage
ment the System was brought to point
where the fixed charges could be met
after operating expenses had been paid.
During the last two years a particularly
good business has been done and in 1909
4400 cars Of stock were handled. In
meeting expenses the management was
aided to some extent by the income from
the bonds which South ST. Paul tioated
to aid the project, and the terms under
which this aid was granted shows tina,
the municipality had visions of bigger
things in the future, for it was stipulated
when the $4,000 was given. that any
other road DESTROYS of entering ST. Pau
over the bridge, was to be free TO do so
On payment of certain reasonable charge
1t can be safely said that the new CON-
pany will carry out the provisions of this
stipulation, and twill continue to handle
the traffic Of the connecting lines.
PLAN. THE. EXTENSION.
Last year the old company, feeling en-
couraged with the rapid growth of bust
ness, secured a charter from congress
permitting the construction of an extern
sion Of the line on the west side of the
river. and the construction of bridge
at Dayton's bluff This was brought be-
fore the city council, and had the matter
been pushed, the company would have
doubtless been granted permission to
build the bridge. No3very vigorous meas
ures were taken, however, to further the
scheme and nothing was done until the
sale was announced last month. AS is
well known, J. r. Hastings was the pur-
chaser and the property and all stock
and bonds have been turned over to him
by Gen. Flower, to whose skillful and
careful management the success which
the road attained in the last few years
mas been due.
The officials of the Burlington, Cedar
Rapids e. Northern have not as yet an
nounced that the purchase was made by
that company, but the fact that line
that a corps of engineers is at present
engaged in surveying a line to ST. Paul
is evidence which even the most skeptical
would scarcely doubt.
Without doubt the Burlington Cedar
Rapids & Northern will build I'D to he
Newport bridge, cross to the east side at
that point, and then build into the city
to the depot and freight yard district on
the levee 1t will also establish connec-
II fIoa hc1f x1rin
cure access to the stock yards in South
st. Paul.
The results attained in the last few
months have thus fully justified the en-
terprise of the few daring promoters who
were wise enough to see that the belt line
project would not only be of immense
benefit to the stock yards, but would
some day afford the means of adding TO
the network of railroads which have con-
tributed no small part to making the
city what it is today.
The bridge at Newport is said to be a
fine piece Of engineering work, and ex-
perts have pronounced it one of the best
spanning the Father of Waters today.
AS to the terms of the purchase or the
price paid, nothing has been made known
as yet. Gen. Flower states that the pur-
chasers particularly requested that this
be kept secret for the present. Some
idea may be gathered, however from the
money expended in constructing the
bridge and line. The former cost $3.50, COO.
and the laying of the tracks and roadbed
cost about $4,000 1t is certain that the
value of the property has appreciated
considerably in the last few years, and
the price paid is probably in the neigh
borhood of $35G0OO, OR even 100000. This
includes the franchise to build a line into
St Paul on the west side of the river.
EpyvOrth League Rates.
CHICAGO, Feb. aS-Mr. E. o. McCor-
mick, passenger traffic manager of the
Southern Pacific railroad stated TODAY