Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-09-04
INCUBATION OF NEW ROADS.

INCUBATION OF NEW ROADS.
With the growth and progress of
North Dakota, railroads are being
built in many directions and project
ed in many others. There are plenty
of towns and counties in the state
that have not ample railroad facil-
tiles. There will doubtless be many
lines built. in the next generation.
The traveller through North Dakota
twenty years from now will see the
same changes over present conditions
that the traveller today sees over
those of twenty years ago. He will
see the state gridirOned with new
roads, not all of them trunk lines,
but short lines bringing the pro-
ducts of a certain section within
reach of the people of other sections.
And there are promoters projecting
a good many lines that will never be
built. This is inevitable, but the peo'
pie of the state will be able, from
the feasible nature of project, to
distinguish between the roads that
are warranted by conditions of trade,
and those that are and will remain
paper roads.
With reference to a proposed line
from Grafton to Bismarck, mention
of which is made in another column,
the Grand Forks Herald comments
as follows:
Another North Dakota railway pro-
ject is being incubated, according to
a story which appears elsewhere in
today's Herald, which may prove OF
vital interest to Grand Forks. For
years residents of the city have rea-
lized in a measure something of the
importance commercially of rail-
road extending southwest from Grand
Forks to some point on the main line
of the Northern Pacific. Practically
all other territory, excepting that ly-
ing to the southwest, is now tribu-
tary to this city commercially, but on
account of its inaccessibility in the
way of train services large share of
the traffic that should come to this
city from the southwest now goes
elsewhere. A number of attempts
have been made in the past by the
Commercial club to inaugurate some
plan by which such line might be
secured. At one time it looked very
much as though an electric line had
been provided for extending from
Grand Forks to jamestown and sew
eral other prospective plans have ap-
peared, but the lines themselves have
never materialized. Such line as is
now proposed, extending from Graf
ton to Bismarck, should be paying
proposition and would be all right pro-
vided it came to Grand Forks, but Il
would not do for Grand Forks to al
low such line to be constructed
without making an effort to become
factor in the situation. 1t is a matter
Of vital Importance that Grand Forks
should secure the trade of the coun-
try to the southwest and the future
of the city may depend more on Sc
curing such a line than is generally
realized. 1t may be important, also,
that action should be taken in the
very near future to bring one end
of the proposed line, OF some otnes
extending in the same direction, to
this city before 1t is too. late.
So far]as the present proposition Is
concerned it may never amount to
anything and it is not yet even built
on paper. nor even beginning made
in that direction, but at any rate the
scheme may serve as a reminder that
something might happen in this d.
rection which would not look very
creditable to the reputed enterprise
of Grand Forks Sometimes delays
are dangerous. There is money in
Grand Forks, or rather capital owned
in Grand Forks, and invested In
schemes Of many and various sorts
elsewhere to build a railroad from this
a line from this city to tap the fertile
country in northern Minnesota now
being opened to settlement. A, mil.
lion dollars could be stacked up on
the tables by residents -rof Grand
Forks for any such proposition, in,
voIying as this certainly does, the
future prosperity Of Grand Forks,
without any Inconvenience whatever
to the aforesaid residents. Hundreds
of thousands of dollars are sent an
nuall- from Grand Forks to points all
over this and foreign countries for
Investment in banks, In mines, In land
schemes and Other enterprises, which
might much better be invested here.
That a railroad constructed from
this city southwest to Bismarck, II
rightly constructed and rightly man
aged. should prove a dividend earning
proposition from the start, there is
no question A dozen important towns