The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-29

are growing UP. The mere money in
crement resulting from the fact that
the country has been given an oppor-
tunity TO grow, is not as important to
the state at large as the coming of
new population, the beginning of new
farm and business development and
the creation of a new district with
which business can be done and new
trade built up.
| "A farmer and his family are worth
to the market town a great deal of
trade each year, aside from the COM
merce arising from the production of
the farm. Any area that will draw in
and support 1000 new farmers. is an
asset to this state worth 81 900. 600 a
year, and proportionately valuable to
the production and agricultural pres-
tige Of the commonwealth. While
placing itself In a position to handle
the traffic of the future with profit
the Northern Pacific railway has In
this instance greatly profited the state
and it's business institutions. and In
every instance where rail lines pene-
trate new country, the same benefits
arise"
Mr.. Elliott then made plea for a
just consideration at the hands of
North Dakotans.
One reads in papers and magazines
sometimes the statement that rail-
roads can be built for $4,000. $4,000
or even $4,000 a mile, and so they
can, but they are not the kind OF rail-
road that will handle, the heavily load
ed cars of wheat, coal and other pro-
ducts Of a state like North Dakota.
It is not the kind Of railroad that
the progressive people Of this state
desire to have.
To build the branch lines needed On
this state and to furnish engines, cars.
shop facilities, water supply and the
necessities demanded by present and
future demands OF the public. means
that about $4,000 mile must be uro-
vided by someone and in heavy. roll
Ing country, more than this. That
someone will have to invest that $780,
600 under conditions that make him
feel reasonably sure that hit will make |
return. and per cent is a moderate |
return for business enterprises in this |
state, and also that his principal In |
safe, and that he Will receive as much |
announcement and protection from |
the state as do other forms of bust |
ness, is an obvious conclusion.
After he has placed his $4,000 on |
the ground In the form of a mile of |
he must pay taxes. averaging |
In North Dakota 5000 a mile for main /
lines and nearly 5000 a mile for branch
lines; his z per cent interest is So. 100
or $4,000 for these two items. But he
must maintain and operate his rail-
road so as to perform the duty i'm
posed upon him by the public, in the
hope that as time passes business will
grow sufficiently TO Justify his invest
ment.
To maintain and operate a mile Of
branch railroad in good and bad
weather. and giving only a moderate
amount OF train and station service.
viii cost about $1,000 to $4,000 per
mile, so that the investor, before he
puts $4,000 or more into a mile OF
railroad should see In the not far dis
tant future, earnings from that mile
Of from $4,000 to $4,000.
"On the $4,000 mile OF branch rail-
road the business is generally very
light and If the gross earnings are $40
. working day or $3.50 a year, II
means that the branch Is above the
average. Many branches in the thinly
settled country will not produce even
40 a working day gross or $4,000 q
year and some In this state will not
produce even $1,000 a year gross, be-
cause the rates on both passenger and
freight business are SO low that the
volume OF business done at these rates
will produce no more, and thus the
has very little Of earnings ex-
sept from the handling OF property and
SO the owner of q mile OF branch
Inc must face a loss year after year.
upon many branch lines in newly set
led and undeveloped country, hoping
hat the business of the railroad In
he aggregate will enable him TO carry
such unproductive pieces OF property
Intil they contribute their full share