The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-31
HE YEAR '05
AMONG THE
RAILROADS
Important Function of the Rail
roads of the Northwest in the
City's Business Progress.
Thirty Years of Railroad Building
Magnificent Facilities Now
Enjoyed by Minneapolis.

Transportation is the basis of COM
nlercia1 enterprise. Without the rail-
roads which give communication with
the world Minneapolis would be as in
ert as would be the human body without |
arteries and veins to convey the life
giving blood. One has but to bark back |
to the Minneapolis Of the early ZOOS
ard recall the dog trains, the Red River
Dcarts, the bateaux and the small river
steamers, to appreciate by contrast the
magnificent transportation system
which now centers in the city. And it
is difficult to realize that it has been
built up in forty years. Minneapolis
had, in fact, practically no railroad
service until 1867, when the first Chi
cago connection was made via Austin.
Not until 1870 was the Red River val
Icy tapped and only in the same year
was connection made with Duluth.
With only a suggestion-a bare skel-
eton--of the railroad system in exist
ence thirty-fve years ago, the mileage
has grown by leaps and bounds until
tbt city is the cent ter and objective
ptint Of most complete and effective
group of common carriers. With three
continental lines having their eastern
tern,1ni here, with seven lines to Chi
cage, with an independent line to the
seaboard and half dozen "lake and
rail' routes, three lines to st. Louis,
as many to Kansas City and Omaha
with these and very complete system
of local lines reaching every point in
her Immediate territory, Minneapolis
is much better equipped with trans
pcrtation facilities than most Of the
cities along the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, rivers. r.. +. -. '.....
The year 1905 has been an excellent
| enc for tho northwestern railroads.
Reports made for the fiscal year end
ing June 80 uniformly showed increased
gross earnings, and the operating ex-
pcnses were such that increases in net
earnings were made in almost every
case. The, Northern, Pacific showed
gain in gross earnings Of $4,1es ,a11,
the Great Northern $9,46S,735 and the
500 line 81 ,647,919 In proportion to
/ the business done by these roads the
earnings show uniform growth and
very prosperous condition.. The three
roads mentioned are the distinctively
northwestern roads--their business
more nearly than that Of any other re-
fleets the business Of Minneapolis.
4 But all the ines-eastern and west
ern--have done great business in
1905. Passenger traffic increased ma
terially-probably about 20 per cent
on the average-and, was handled in a
way that was profitable to the roads.
The leading compani.s take a promi-
nent part in immigration work and a
conside cradle proportion of their traffic
this year has been the handling of
prospective settlers in the northwest.
Freight traffic for much of the year
has been limited only by the capacity
of the rails and rolling stock Of the
roads. -.. j.
New Equipment.
Every road doing business in Mime
apolis has added to Its rolling stock
equi pment during 1905 and some very
notable orders have been placed. Early
in the year the Northern Pacific or
dered 5000 freight cars at one time
equivalent to a train twenty miles in
length The Great Northern made large
I purchases Of freight equipment and also
1 provided magnificent trains for it's Pa
cifc coast service and Winnipeg shor
1 line. The Northwestern Line" pu
on new trains for its Northwestern
Limited' between Minneapolis and Chi
Z cago, and the 500 equipped. its Wihni
: peg Express in a sumptuous manner
Z The Milwaukee, Great Western and Min
neapolis & St. Louis also made larg'
Ejadditions to their equipment. =
Reports, for the year show that Nort]
4 Dakota stood first in the whole list O.
I states, with 525 miles Of new track, an,
Minnesota ranked fifth with 20l miles
Of this total Of 726 miles the 500 lin
1 constructed $50, the larger part bein
the extension from Thief River Falls
} Mimi, to Kenmare, N. D., distance 0
\ about 800 miles. In extending an
\ building new branches in North Dakot
\ the Great Northern constructed ~
\ miles of track in the same territor
reached by the 500 extension. Thu
nearly two-thirds of the construction i
the two states was for the development
of one district-northern North Dakota
q The remainder Of the building wa
1 divided among the Northern Pacific
4 Great Northern and other roads, an
was mostly in short extensions in var
Gus parts Of the systems.
i Terminals at Minneapolis.
While impOrtanJ track constructio