The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-07-15
Promoters of North and South Road
Confer at st. Cloud.
Want Citizens There to Assist to the
Amount Of $4,000.
1t Is Hoped to Begin Active Opera
tions During the Fall.
Confident That Line Can Be Built.
Support to Be Given.
From Mondays Daily.

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President Yarnell and Secretary Nc
Kenzie of the Minnesota Central Rail
road company held meeting with st.
Cloud citizens last Friday evening for the
purpose of ascertaining what aid and en-
couragement would be given to the con-
struction of what is known as the north
and south" railroad projected to run
from Llbert Lea through Mankato, Glen
coe, Litchfeld and st. Cloud to Duluth.
Judge Collins was chosen chairman and
G. F. Ladner, secretary.
Mr.. Yarnall explained that they would
be enabled to secure the building of
the road, provided people along the line
would exhibit their faith in the project
by advancing money to an average Of
about $4,000 per mile, for which they
would receive certificates. They say that
this amount pledged, they could contract
with an eastern company which is en-
gagged in the building of railroads and
which would build the road and equip
its terminals. This done, bonds could be
issued upon the road and sold and the
holders of certificates would be reimburs-
ed for the advances made.
The matter was discussed quite fully
by several of the gentlemen present and
many questions were asked of Messrs.
Yarnell and Mckenzie and answered.
As result of the discussion, mo-
ton was made by D. II. Freeman and
adopted that the following committee be
appointed to investigate as to the stand
ing of the representatives of the com
pany, and as to the feasibility and prob
ability of the construction of the road
o. Fl. Havili, chairman; Jas. Jenkins, Sec
rotary; L. w. Collins, c. L. Atwood, E.
F. Moore, Theodore Bruener, P. B. Cor
man, G. F. Macdonald, Hugh Evans, G.
F. Ladner, d. H. Freeman and D. C.
Ables.
Mr.. Yarnall was requested to make
proposition in writing as to what he
desired st. Cloud to do, and submit it
to meeting of the above committee
which was to have been held at the
Grand Central hotel parlor Saturday eve
ming at eight o'clock.
During the discussion previous, Mr..
Yarnell gave it as his opinion that st.
Cloud should take about $4,000 of the
certificates referred to above.
1t was brought out at the meeting
that the projectors of the road were de-
sirious of beginning operations this fall
and completing the line as far as Litch-
field. It was suggested that st. Cloud
be made the headquarters for the line.
It is estimated that the cost of building
the line as far as Litchfeld would be
100000. In its write-up of the meeting
The St. Cloud Journal Press says:
That the citizens of st. Cloud almost
unanimously want north and south
line which by connection at its southern
terminus will give st. Cloud and this
region direct outlet to Chicago and the
east other than by way of the twin cities
and the merger lines.
That there is good possibility of the
required amount of bonds being taken
by the ST. Cloud people, on the basis of
the completion of the line to Mankato
and its definite connection with one of
the trunk lines to the east.
That there is far less chance of these
bonds being taken ON the proposition
of payment when the construction
reaches Litchfeld.
That knowledge of a definite alliance
between the Minnesota Central and some
one of the trunk lines to the east prefer
ably the Illinois Central-would in
crease the favor in which the general
proposition is held, and improve the
chances of the required amount of bonds
being taken by this city.
That there is a fear that totally in
dependent line, especially if it stopped
at Litchfeld for time with no ade-
quate guarantee of its immediate con-
tinuation to Mankato, might eventually
be gobbled up by the merger lines and
thus fail to fulfill the purpose of afford
ing a competing line and an outlet indie
pendent of the merger lines.
All these points, however, are such as
no doubt can be adjusted to the mutual
satisfaction of all parties concerned, and
the undercurrent of faith in and favor
toward the proposed line is very strong