The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-05-03
NO COAL SHORTAGE
THIS YEAR, He
SAYS
President Elliot of Northern
> Pacific Confident of
That.

Prospects never were brighter for
a great season of prosperity in the
west. That is the way railroad men
look at the situation, and all that they
now look for Is good period of fair
weather, so that the farmers will have
an opportunity to get their grain
sown.
The railroad companies, are maxi
ing great preparations for a busy sea-
son. and they are doing everything
possible to avert trouble from track
age shortage and congestion, such as
was experienced last year. President
Howard Elliott. of the Northern Pa
cific railroad. said today:
I'VE are doing everything possible
to insure good traffic facilities this
year. The work on double-tracking
and side-tracking is going on as rap
idly as possible. and our terminal
facilities are being increased to
handle greater business. We are get
ting new cars and locomotives as
quickly as they can be turned out.
Other preparations are being made
from the results of last years ex-
perience.
II do not look for trouble again
this year. either from an inability to
move all Of the grain and merchan-
disc, or from a coal shortage.
Especial efforts will be made this
year to prevent any difficulty because
of coal shortage and do not think
that there will be any trouble from
this source. The facilities in the twin
cities and at the docks in Duluth and
other points are being greatly en-
larged. Arrangements are being made
to have the cars of coal deposited at
various western stations without de-
lay. and this summer we will do ev-'
erything in our power to induce con-
sumers to get their coal orders in as
early as possible. If they will order
their coal before the season opens
for transporting grain, there will not
be any danger of shortage.
by this time it is generally un-
derstood, that the shortage last year
was due to lack of trackage and IA
cilities. The growth of the west was
greater than We could keep pace with.
We are now preparing for this, how
ever. by double-tracking our lines as
much as possible. and especially in
the vital points. III We had double
trackage all the way. we could more
than quadruple our business.
DOuble.Tracking System.
AT present, work is being rushed
on double tracking the system, be-
tween Casselton and Staples, about
$50 miles. There Is now a double
track from st. Cloud to this junction,
so by autumn We will have double
tracked the most vital part of the
line. Double-track work is also in
progress at various places around
Valley City. and several other points
will be improved. The number Of
spurs will be doubled in this state,
thus making greater facilities because
more trains can pass each other on
the line.
I've have added a great number of
new cars to our equipment as well
as a large number of locomotives, so
in this line, the Northern Pacific will
be able to handle great deal more
business than they could have done
last year"
Mr.. Elliott stated that he expected
to have the Northern Pacific double
tracked road clear to the Pacific
coast within a few years.
"Of course" he said. this will take
a great deal of time. as We can only
go certain distance every year.
When asked If he believed electri-
city was the motive power of the fu-
ture, Mr.. Elliott said: THAT Is al
most too far ahead to speak of. We
will have to endeavor to get our road
in condition to handle all the bust
ness as it is just at present, but
have little doubt but what in time
electric motors will be Installed. 1t
may be within short time or it may
be years."
Some time ago<a report was circu-
lated to the effect that ]. F. Stevens
was to become president of the North
ern Pacific. When Mr.. Elliott was
questioned in regard to, this he said:
There is absolutely no truth what
ever in the report The story is a
fabrication.R
Time Will Tell
The question was put to him wheth-
er he thought that the 2-cent mile
law was good thing. He said: "Of
course share the railroad idea of
the matter. Still time can only tell
whether the issue will be beneficial
or not" He said that he did not
know anything about the friendly suit
which was being talked about by the
Northern Pacific stockholders against
q =