The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26

short line to st. Paul was not built, !
and trains came in by way of Fort
Smelling and Mendoza. The st. Paul
& Pacific line to st. Paul climbed
heavy grades and wound around thru
the Midway district, crossing and re-
crossing the present route of the four
track short line.
There were three regular ticket Of
fees in town. George l.. Scott. at 9
Nicollet House block, represented the
Milwaukee; Skies & Newton were city
ticket agents for the North-Western,
at 3 Nicollet house; and w. G. Teller,
at Washington avenue S, was city
ticket agent for the st. Paul & Sioux
City, the st. Paul & Duluth, Mime
apol1s & st. Louis, and Central Of Iowa
the latterroad then making bid for
southern business thru its local con-
nections. The st. Paul & Pacific had
no city ticket office, but j. w. Henion
was agent at the depot"
A Quarter Century Of Railroading.
This brief sketch of the conditions
existing in 1878 will serve to show
that while much had been done be-
fore that date In the way of opening
up the railroad system Of the north
west, the great work-the really sig
nificant achievements, and by far the
larger part of the m1leage-has been
the product Of the last quarter CEN
fury.
Significant among the events OF the
past twenty-five years have been the
construction Of the transcontinental
lines, the absorption of the small lines
by the greater and the building up of
great consolidated properties. the
reaching out Of the great southern sys-
TENS to secure entry into the north
west, and the development of the lake
from
Thru all these events and as a part of
them has been an enormous amount
of construction. In Minnesota alone
there were In 1880 5000 miles Of road;
but in 1890 there were 5,4O9; in 1900,
6,794, and in 1908, about $500 miles.
Building the Transcontinentals.
The story of the two great trans
continental lines, the Northern Pacific
and the Great Northern, is told more
fully in another place, and will only
be touched upon here, In 1878 the
Northern Pacific extended west only to
Bismarck and did not even have its
own rails into Minneapolis. Five years
later the last spike was driven in the
mountain division, and the great cele-
bration Of the completion Of the work
was held. The mileage had grown
from about 700 to $500 miles. A new
route or commerce was opened; the
waters Of Lake Superior were linked
to those Of Puget sound; one of the
great achievements of the worlds work
had been successfully ended. Not only
was the completion of the Northern
Pacific celebrated at the end Of the
two tracks In the mountains, but in
Minneapolis there was a demonstra-
ton such as had never been seen be-
fore.
In 1873 the st. Paul & Pacific was
in the hands Of g. receiver. Its lines
terminated at the Red river. But there
was a vigorous man In charge Of the
st. Paul station. who had unbounded
confidence in himself and in the road,
and at one step James J. Hill reor-
ganized the railroad and lifted himself
from the position of station agent
to that of general manager Of the new
st. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba rail-
road. He commenced an aggressive
policy of building and development.
In 1883 he was made president of the
company; in 1890 the various COM
panies which had developed In con-
nection with the parent company were
consolidated under the name Great
Northern, and three years later the
coast line was opened. In fifteen years
bankrupt road Of 900 miles length
had become a prosperous transconti-
mental system of over 5000 miles.
The Building OF the 500 Line.
Early in the seventies General W
D. Washburn Of Minneapolis became
firmly convinced that the city
must eventually have direct railroad
outlet to the east, independent Of Chi.
cago. Each year saw g. greater at.
tention to the northwest upon the par
of the Chicago Minneapolis lines, bu
It was an interest which did not al
ways fall In with the views Of Mime
apolis shippers and Minneapolis buy
ers. The tendency Of Chicago inter
ests was to dominates; to handle rates
and to divert shipments for her owl
profit. General Washburn had bull
one road--the Minneapolis & ST. Loui
for the special benefit of Minneapo
lis, and he determined to build an
other. He proposed a. direct line t.
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich, there to con
meet with the Canadian Pacific, an,
thus form a direct line to tidewate
quite independent Of the route aroun'
the lower end Of Lake Michigan. Il
1883 the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Mari
& Atlantic was organized, and in 1888
was completed and opened for traffic
General Washburn was it's first presi
dent, and has for years had a plac
on it's directorate. The name was sub
sequently changed to Minneapolis, 81
Paul & Sault Ste. Marie, and the Min
neapolis g. Pacifc-a western feede
consolidated with the eastern line
The western line was then extended t
the Canadian boundary. where connec
ton was again made with the Cana
dian Pacific, and new transconti
mental route to Puget sound opened
Thomas Lowry was elected presider
Of this line In 1889, upon the electio
Of General 'Washburn to the Unite
States senate, and has ever since re
matned at the head of the company.
Lake and Rail Transportation.
The building of the 500 line serve
to emphasize the special advantag
which Minneapolis and the northwe!
enjoys thru the nearness of the gres
lakes; for the 500 line, altho built
connect with the Canadian Pacific, ha
also it's lake port and was q success!
full bidder from the first for Take an
rail- business. The gist Of the "lak
and rail- matter Is this:
Goods may be transported from cas-
ern points to Lake Erie ports, whel
they are transferred to vessels, brougl
to Lake Superior ports and aga
transferred and brought on by rail
Minneapolis, on about even terms wit
direct shipment to Chicago. Ia
bound goods have the same adval
tage. In other words, Minneapoli
tho 400 miles nearer the grain f1elt
and the consumers of the northwe
than Chicago, Is on equality with thu