The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-01-08
II the board of directors September

| OF tne OOATu OF directors september
| 30, 1908:
II was moved by Burnham and
seconded by Hoffman, that a com
mittce OF three, with Mr. Hoffman
as chairman, be appointed to go to
the railroad employees meeting
on Sunday, October I, and explain
to them that the time had arrived
for the Commercial club to com.
menCe action In the freight rate
case, and confer with them i'm re-
gard to It, and to call on Mr. BradCn
and explain to him the situation,
and ask for the adjustment before
commencing any action, and that
this is his last chance to do some
thing for Norfolk in the way of
freight adjustment, and ON motion
carried.
The secretary was instructed to
write to the Fremont Commercial
club for IA copy of their bylaws.
Meeting adjourned
j. d. Sturgeon, Secretary.
This resolution naturally nullincd
the effort the club had made and
placed it in worse plight than II had
been at the beginning of the year as
far as the freight rate situation was
concerned; its quictus was made not
by bare bodkin" but by courtesy
killed 10y cOurtesy-thc same influence
that defeated Judge Williams for re-
election as railroad commissioner
This committee never has reported.
Probably the railroad men have been
too busy to hold meetings since.
A Matter of Population.
II uniplt moi NO or,fgg "a rpl ,,,,
attention for a moment to our increase
in population from 500 in 1880 to 5000
i'm 1910, being at the average rate of
$50 per annum for the thirty years:
or from 5000 in 1890 to 5000 in 1910,
being an average of 100 per annum for
twenty years, from which it would
seem that the birth rate has so little
to do with it that we must conclude
that commercial advantages, with
churches and schools are the only fac
tors.
New Railroads.
1t seems to me that Norfolk can
grow only in three ways: by farmers
trade, which increase must be slow,
through trade from other towns. and
by industries of its own. The two first
have given us a gain of 100
a year for the last twenty years, and
will make city of 10000 people in
fifty years more, whereas, If we could
occupy our field to the north and
west of us on as good terms as Sioux
City, Omaha and Lincoln, we would
have 10000 or $4,000 population in
twenty five years. This is our only
chance, and to avail ourselves of ii we
must throw off the grip Of the freight I.
rate that is choking our life out, either |
by prompt, active, forceful and ag
gressive actiOn-Or possibly promote |
other railroads, which being done .
would give us a grip on our territory .
that would compel business here. That |
is to say. line of road through the .
central part of Madison county to .
Elgin, Deloit, Chambers, Amelia and .
the southern part of Rock county, |
would first settle the county seat
question, and pass through fifty miles
IF splendid, well settled farming cOun-
ry, and as much more through what
S sure to be the best dairy region of
plentiful hay and pas
enough farm land to sup
port that business, and flowing wells
wherever a pipe is driven into the
ground.
r,, N'T J: oss'p'e ne
t n.n a Il'Ie ,ouIu We puiIt 10 the
io 'i, ~ ic9, IliS Ihe NoIIhlolh
oIlel " ,IC,Iy n@ud'' occup! ing the
%ii'Uus N'lO" ''eeN N'l'eH' Where
ne i9l "t.S naEe "l7"e more money
nan ''. III any o'ieI pdIt VI NEBRASKA
'u' ing Ine pass ,"em'l i've years lhoh
~ ~ VI I'"I w. Mi"uI''I a"cH' spencer
que ..Ie ana ''HlIeson aISo occupyInS'
, i.Ii 'Ie eAIePLIun u ,he snort uIS,
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a. 'U""t' anu "IUS.N wen SET
lIu' ~ 'ne la3t I'dlL'eu to"n' lo-"lt'
','ii sui wen poa'eu boG" county
,,,i ,,.'r mas my p"' c!Id So loI
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bioh ~ t,,l maj" t tne '''N,uh me
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ontos r,o,,. tir,,a-, an VI '"t ,I
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"'H''' ~ ~ 7NppDI L II Sppu DuSlutSS