The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-02-23
BOOST FOR A
NEW RAILR ,)AD
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETIIE HELD
MONDAY EVENTS.
BRoOKINCs NEEDS 1SE ROAD
IF IT is EVER TO GF0 OUT or
THE SMALL TOWN CLASS.

and business men was held at the
G.. A. r. hail on Mnoday evening to
discuss the railroad proposition now
before the people of this city. The
hall was packed to overlooking with
citizens, but not half of the business
men, the men who should be interested
in such a proposition, were present.
The meeting was called to order by
Geo. p. SeXaur, who acted as chair
man of the evening. Mr.. Sexauer
made a rafting good booster speech,
and by his enthusiasm and ready wit
he kept up the interest throughout the
evening. In his opening talk Mr..
SeXauer called attention to the many
advantages that Bookings enjoys.
Here is located the best educational
institution in the state, supported by
federal as well as the state govern
ment; adjacent to Brookings is the
best farming country in the state, a
tributary country richer than that sur
rounding any other city in South Da-
kota; BroOkings has the reputation of
being the cleanest and best governed
city in the state; it is the county seat
of Brookings county, which has author
lied the building of a 100000 court
house; the federal government has
made an appropriation of $4,000 for a
postoffice building. Mr.. SeXauer re-
viewed these and other advantages
that Brookings has, and which no other
city in the state pOssesSse. He hen o
up the question of our disadvantages.
First of all, we have but one line of
railroad and we can never hope to
get out of the small town class until
We get other transportation lines. He
showed that this was the one and
only advantage that Watertown, Aber-
deem, Huron, Mitchell and Sioux Falls
had over us, and we could not hope
to compete with them until we get
the roads.
Philo Hall followed the chairman
and gave a splendid booster talk along
the same lines. We are especially ia
vored, he said, with many advantages
that have come to us without the eX-
penditure of money or energy and in
his opinion it was about time we did
something for ourselves. The college,
the new court house and federal build
ing, and a rich farming country, as
we'll as the reputation OF being the
~cleanest town in the state, were as
sets of tremendous importance If sup
nlemented by a little energy and boost
ing spirit on the part of the citi-
zens. He related how some twenty
years ago we had passed up an OPP
porunity to get the Rock Island road,
because we thought it would have to
come here anyway, and later let the
South Dakota Central go by in much
the same way. Another mistake OF
this kind, he said, would be fatal, and
as the town needs railroads and moth
ing else, the present opportunity should
be grasped at once.
Rev. Hugh Robinson was called upon
and gave a report of his communica
tons with Madison, his former home,
taken up at the instance of the com
mittee. Over at Madison, according to
the speaker, they are hustling for the
railroad and are receiving enthusias
tic support from the country people
living along the line of the proposed
road. Mr.. Robinson laid particular
stress upon the fact that the Madison
people are not concerning themselves
about the financial status OF Mr.. Ma
gee, the promoter. All that they are
concerned in is to see that Madison
does it's share and puts the respon
sibility up to Mr.. Maege to deliver
the goods. This is the view taken by
our people, for it is not u concern
as to how the road is built; all we
have to do is to show that we are
ready to do our share and come VI
to the mark with our money when the
road is delivered. 1t is a purely bust
ness deal and should the road fai
to go through We will have at least
shown that we are in a receptive MOOD
for any proposition of benefit to the
town.
M. E. Culhane called attention tt
the advantages Of the line to Brook
ings. He showed that it would tai
one of the richest sections OF the
state 10 the southwest Of us. Oul
merchants would profit immeasurably
and every manufacturing plant o.
other business enterprise would bt
benefited. The speaker showed th<
natural advantages OF Brookings al
to location and proved to the salts