Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-10-12
President Earring Was Here.

President Earling of the Milwaukee
accompanied by number of company
officials were in Canton for a short
time last week, and while here in
spected conditions at the depot, and
from information at hand it would
seem that Canton is not going no get
a new depot, but considerable inn
provements are to be made on the
old one.
From what we can learn the old
building is to be painted, and the
lunch counter removed to new
building to be erected in the angle
between the tracks just west of the
depot, and the gentleman's waiting
room enlarged by the space occupied
by the lunch counters. The roof of
the present depot is to be repaired
and made rain proof. The old wooden
platform is to be entirely removed and
replaced with brick. With these i'm
provements the old depot will be
roomy enough, but any improvements
made that do not provide for toilet
rooms and sewerage connection,
which can be provided at small ex-
pense, will leave the depot lacking
the most important convenience de-
manded by the hundreds of women
and children that are often compelled
to wait there for hours to say nothing
of sanitary conditions.
This needed improvement will cost
but trifle in comparison with the
necessity for the modern conditions,
besides the business at Canton war
rants little effort on the part of the
company to give the travelling public
reasonable and proper facilities at
crossing points.
Canton is an important railroad
center and the business keeps grow
ing. The business of the Canton
office amounted to nearly $4,000 last
month and it will probably reach
$780, 900 during the year. AS proof of
the railroad business that centers at
Canton it is only necessary to state
that one night recently there were
when the night accommodation ar
rived from Sanborn, and before she
could get to the depot train of cars
had to be run down to Beloit. Its
not often that jam like that takes
place, but almost every day one can
find six or seven freight trains and
quite frequently four passenger trains
besides the Cannon Ball. We only
mention this to show the Importance
of Canton as railroad center.
Canton will ask nothing unreason-
able from the Milwaukee hence Can
ton should in all fairness be given
square deal, and the Leader has un-
bounded faith in President Earling
and his desire to do justice to all pat
rons of his road. or course we realize
the enormous business operations of
the company and it's extensions west
from Chamberlain and Evarts and the
thousand and one other things that
demand attention, insistent and
more pressing than our case, hence
we must wait our turn and our turn
will come.
The editor of the Leader once
wrote Milwau ukee official urging
better shipping facilities for stock,
and proved that the Milwaukee was
losing business to other roads because
of the filthy condition of the stock
yards here. Some improvement was
made but not near enough. Canton
is the natural center for a large share
of stock shipping from the county
but is not now in condition to point
with pride to her stock yards. The
editor knows from personal know
ledge that that the Northwestern
and Rock Island are getting stock
that would come to Canton if the
stock yards at this place were in bet
ter condition. Much has been prom
ised in this direction but little has
been done.