The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-05-22


further south. An answer was returned
assuring the writer's that we would be
very much pleased to have the road
come here and would do everything
reasonably in our power to give them
right of way, etc. We can reasonably
presume that similar answers were sent
from the other towns addressed.
Last year crew of surveyors came
through this county having located a
line north Of jamestown. OF this crew
Of surveyors and their work we had no
knowledge except that they were here.
There seemed to have been some misun-
derstanding as to objective point, as
they first came by way of Crystal, Cava-
lier and Bathgate towards Neche.
While between here and Bathgate the
route was changed to this city and the
last stake was driven just northwest of
Northern Pacific depot here. This
routing and the change was made en-
tirely by the railway people and nobody
in this county had anything to do with
it or had knowledge of it until it was
done.
Later the route from Crystal to this
city was made straight line from Crys-
tai to this city, and, therefore passes
through Hamilton instead of Cavalier.
This year Mr.. D. j. Hull, as agent for
the company, has been here at different
times looking after free right of way
through this county and has also been
all spring working along the whole line
from here to jamestown where the COM
pany has established an Office and head
quarters. The different towns along the
line have held meetings and appointed
committees and now have practically
obtained the free right Of way for the
whole distance. In obtaining this right
of way no land owner has been asked to
deed his land or cucumber it in any way
until the graders are ready to begin
grading the road on his land. If there
is no road built he is at no loss what
ever.
As to the cost of the committee work
done in this county, it is very small as
yet. Probably considerable less than
$500 would pay for all work done by all
the towns. AS against this expendi-
ture. which is mostly time and some
travelling expenses, the railway COM
pany have probably spent two or three
thousand dollars In surveys and other
expenses. Certainly this shows the
good faith of the company and the alb
surdity of the Chronicles claim that
two men of Pembina land one of them q
printer) would be spending this much
money on a humbugging railway
scheme, just to keep the county seat at
Pembina.
As to the company itself, we have
been given list Of names of men (lately
published in the Pink Paper) who are
undoubtedly men of means and who
would not be in any humbug SCENE, and
who are the promoters and directors.
We know that the same work that is
being done from Pembina and James,
town is also being done southwark and
in South Dakota. We learned this
week, incidentally, that a gentleman
who is a near relative of one of our
prominent citizens writes to his friends
here that he is engaged in getting the
right of way for the same company in
Texas. This proves that if anybody
hereabouts is getting humbugged that
there are many others'also being joked
in the same manner.
As this paper has heretofore observed
and shown by figures. and as everybody
knows Of his own knowledge, any rail.
way at all is of material value to the
county and community through which
it may run. That it may be of more
particular benefit to some localities than
others is true, but it is safe to say that q
railroad from Crystal to Pembina, by
whomsoever owned or operated, will add
at once at least e400,O 600 in assessed tax
able value to the county at large. and
which Of course is but one part Of the
benefits Of . competing road
What effect the road may have in the
location Of the county seat il. . matter
for the future to determine. Sufficient
unto the day are the evils thereof. We
believe that the new road whom built
viii benefit Pembina city, and every
town, township and school district