The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-26
ELOQUENT FIGURES

Nothing could speak more eloquently
for the northwest than the figures re-
Gently compiled covering new railroad
construction. The lines. that cross the
great producing territory west Of the
Mississippi and north of Iowa are
building now, or have plans in hand,
for nearly seven thousand miles of new
road. Much of this new work is far
out on the Pacific coast, but a good
part is farther east, in country more
thickly settled, already served by rail
roads, but not in degree commensurate
with recent progress and settlement.
One might discard every other leading
factor for industrial activity and find,
in the new railroad construction alone,
a patent influence for prosperity.
These new lines are going after bust
ness. In few instances they are build
ing out in advance of the population
trend and leading the march into un-
settled country, as did the railroads a
decade ago, the better to hold the
ground and be prepared for the deyel-
opment expected later. But the greater
portion Of the mileage is laid in re-
sponse to the call of the ever-growing
country. The people have moved in
and settled up the land. They are
breaking the soil and creating new ton
mage and the railroads must increase
their lines to handle it.. e -
The traffic situation in the northwest
this year, which may be said to be show
ing some improvement now, in so far
as serving the country shipper is con-
cerned, is an illustration of the made
quacy of the roads to meet the demands
Of crop-moving time.
The strain has been especially severe
this season. Millions have been spent
for new equipments and millions more
will have to be spent. >ss: i.
An approximation of the cost of the
new construction in the northwest. and
the Pacific northwest is 100000, 900.
When these new lines shall have been
equipped the figures will be much
larger. ~-,> =,
One can see in this great work the
steady shifting of the balance Of
wealth and power The northwest may
have possibilities yet before it as I'M
dreamed-of as were the possibilities Of
the central west, which came to be
realized against the judgment of con-
servatives of generations gone, who
held their thoughts on economics with
in rather marrow confines and could not
believe the supremacy Of New England
could ever pass. n ... :... ~
T. The next generation Of American
business men will see the development
Of the trans-Pacific trade, That we
shall one day accomplish things in the
western field that 1teegaae, to the Orient as
great as those accomplished in the At
lantic trade may well be believed. In
thiss respect we. are in our infancy.
There will in all human probability be
a Pacific coast trade within: another
decade that will run to great figures.
= It is in times Of general prosperity
that the big things Of commerce and
| finance are done. The cost of building
railroad is greater now than it would
have been year or two back, perhaps
| greater than it will be some four or
| five years hence. Yet altho material
costs more, and when it is harder, to
get prompt delivery, and when labor
/ costs more and all items figure in to
swell the total, the roads finds it the
! time to press forward. Everything is
high now compared with prices Of years
gone by, but the people have money
Time was when the cost of living was
much lower than now, but the people
especially the laboring people, had lit
tie money. 49, ,... :. -
The railroads find it the same way
When the country is depressed it is not
a good time to finance new ventures
When everything is prosperous, the
money to finance a big project is usu
ally to be- had, if only the plan is sound
and ultimate returns promise well.
Minneapolis is profting greatly, and
stands to profit more by all the activity
in the northwest. There can be little
doubt about the future of the city
Everything is tending more and more
to fix it as the center of vast country