Mower County transcript., 1902-10-08
the MARVELLOUS. ...~
NORTHWEST.
Editorial Chicago Inter Ocean.

Editorial CllCdRO 1nGof OCodA'
The annual report of the directors of
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
Railway submitted to the last meeting
of the stock holders, and covering the
operation of the system for the fiscal
year ended June 30 illustrates, among
other things, how little even the most
intelligent and careful of observers re-
alize the extent and grandeur of the
resources of the great n Northwest.
The year was one in which the
Northwestern farmers met with tre-
mendous losses, as result of a general
and disastrous drought. Before the
season was far advanced it was predict
ed in the money centers of the country
that the railroads penetrating the terri
tory would suffer immensely from the
failure of the crops. "
Figures were not wanting to prove
that the traffic would decline anywhere
from SO to Is per cent. Yet as the
weeks and months passed by and the
railroads entering the corn and wheat
belts seemed to require the service OF
all their rolling stock, the efforts to
bear the stock market became weaker
and weaker, until they were finally
abandoned.
The Northwest had a reserve that
neither Wall street nor La Sale street
had counted on. If the estimated loss
by drought be compared with the value
of the farm products hauled by the.
Northwestern railroads during and
after the drought season, an idea Of
this reserve may be obtained. 1t lssre-
vealed, in part at least, by the fact that
the company named was able to report
gross earnings for the year of s$45,613,-
124,84, or $3,244,112.19 in excess Of the
previous year.
The tonnage was 87,732 tons less than
in the preceding year, and agricultural
products comprised only 24.80 per cent
of the total, as against q. 81 pei. cent Of
the total in the previous year, but the
number of tons Of commodities, other
than agricultural products, carried dur
ing the year was 50, ,954 1881, an increase
over the previous year OF 1,962,622 tons.
The people Of the Northwest had less
to offer IN the way of products than
they had the previous year, 2but the
higher prices obtained for what they
had enabled them to spend more on
other commodities. In other words,
the drought, instead of injuring them,
improved their condition to the extent
that it served to increase the value of
their products and to enlarge their pur-
chasing power. .<.....--.., -.
That they were provided with ready
money is proved in many ways, and ~
no way more satisfactorily than IN the
reports of collections which have been
made from time to- time. But it is
demonstrated in the report Of the pas
senger traffic of the St. Paul lines in a
manner that will perhaps prove more
conclusive to the average man. The
earnings from this source were 1885
per cent greater than in the previous
year.
This cannot be accounted for by the
increased immigration into the North
west. 1t can only be accounted for on
the theory that the people Of that Sec
tion we're able to indulge in the pleasure
of travel last year to a greater extent
than in the previous year. People d0
not travel for pleasure, as rule, unless
they are provided with comfortable
surplus.
It may be true that last years pros
perity was more apparent than real
since it drew largely upon the reserve
1t may also be true that another yea1
of drought would have exhausted this
reserve completely. But this is mere
speculation, and hardly worthy of con
sideration, in view OF the fact that this
years harvest will restore the reserve
and allow very handsome margin.