Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-08

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that a two-cent rate, tolerated in the
eastern states, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indi-
lana or Illinois, would not mean that the
same rate might justly be enforced in
North Dakota, There the population
runs from 100 to 200 persons to the
square mile. In North Dakota we have
fraction over 5 persons to. the square
mile Of territory. These figures are on
the basis of distributing the people over
| the area Of the territory in question
equally. But when in addition to this
disparity of population we consider the;
vast aggregation of people in the larger
centers and cities of these western and
middle states and along the transporta-
tion lines traversing this territory as
compared with the sparsely settled dis
tricts of North Dakota 1t is at once ap-
parent that our states not in the same
/ class as those mentioned, and that rates
which might be profitable there would
imean bankruptcy here. The passenger
traffic tributary to one moderate sized
city, not to mention the larger cities, of
these eastern states amounts to more
than the entire local passenger traffic on
either of the transcontinenfal lines that
traverse our state from the Minnesota to
the Montana line Our population is
! rural The farmer rarely INDUCES in
travelling about on railroads except on
| special occasions, excursions and the few
gatherings we have, and that infre-
quently on account of reduced rates. On
the other hand, in the east the character
of business and occupation calls for
greater travel The ability to see things,
enjoy and take in amusements, etc,
causes people in communities near large
cities to travel necessarily, and the rev
venue from this class Of traffic amounts
to thousands of delIars there when it
would not amount to hundreds here.
Yet, under ordinary conditions, the
cost of railroads which have been built
here and the expense Of maintenance and
equipment compared with the eastern
territory do not bear the same proper
ton as the revenue obtained under ex-
| traordinary conditions such as we are
now having. It's impossible TO conceive
the disparity ss. 81 ..s5
/ Labor is higher here, material of all
kinds more expensive, and all necessary
expenditures greater. Freight rates on
iron and coal alone enormously increase
| the cost OF construction and maintenance
| here over the same cost to the eastern
roads. The iron and coal used in rail
| way enterprise. are delivered to the east
| ern railroad at the same figure that the
same articles cost the roads of this coua-
try laid down at Pittsburg; then must
be added the carriage charges to this
| point which means an additional outlay
Of magnitude hardly comprehensive to
| the average citizen.
Iake, for instance, the state of Ohio
as an illustration of the difference in
conditions. Ohio's population is about
| 100000; its area is 40, 100 square miles !;
its population per square mile is s110 1-3
/ persons. Miles of railway in Ohio about
5000.
In North Dakota our poulation IS
about 100000; our area is 70,195 square
miles, and our railway mileage I, 100
| miles
4 Ohio furnishes to her dense population
2l2 miles Of railway to every 10000
inhabitants, North Dakota furnishes
100 miles to every 10000.
North Dakota has built and maintains
one-third as much railway mileage as
i Ohio and at a cost in proportion much
1 greater for both construction and main
tenance, with one-twentieth the people
TO draw revenue from, and because Of
the conditions referred to the disparity
is much greater Besides the area over
which the people here are settled equals
one and three-fourths that Of Ohio.
i Illinois and the eastern states are more
extreme examples than Ohio.
/ Surely a rate that is considered just
and proper there cannot render profitable
returns in North Dakota. Rates that
would maintain railroads in the states
mentioned would bankrupt roads in
North Dakota, vel nowhere in these
eastern states do we find that a lower
rate than two cents per mile has been
i put in force,
Wherever these low rates have been
fixed by law all cheap rates, excursion
rates and special reductions SO common
IN North Dakota, are abolished and
every man who desires to travel pays
the same as everybody else, the maxi
mum rate II would be the same ii,
| North Dakota. and IFS advantages ac-
eruir,g to the common people, the farmer
and man Of small business by reason Of
Tsducsd rates will be wiped out.