Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-09-30

line, and other railroads have since the
first, kept ahead of the incoming far
mers and have provided them with
transportation, to open up markets for
their products and make their business
successful. This work should continue
or the development of the state will be
retarded. New miles of railroad must
be built before the wild prairie that is
still unused, but rich in agricultural
possibilities, can be made productive.
1t is only few months since North
Dakota had practical example of what
new railroad means to a growing ag-
ricultural state, in the opening up of
Hettlnger county by the construction Of
the Northern Paci6c's Cannon Bali ex-
tension. Lands were worth from 50 to
S. an acre before the railroad was built
and there was little development of
farming. Land is already worth from
Sc to $25 an acre and choice sections in
favored districts are worth even more.
Settlers are going in and thriving
towns are growing up. The mere
money increment resulting from the
fact that the country has been given
an opportunity to grow, is not as i'm
portant to the state at large as the
coming of new population, the begin
ming of new farm and business devel-
opment and the creation of new dis
trict with which business can be done
and new trade built up.
A farmer and his family are worth
to the market town 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 900 new farmers, is an
asset to the trade of this state worth
| 81 900, 900 year, and proportionately
valuable to the production and agricul-
tural prestige of the commonwealth
While placing itself in a position tc
handle the traffic of the future with
profit, the Northern Pacific railway
has in this instance greatly profted the
state and its business institutions, and
! in every instance where rail lines pen,
citrate new country, the same benefits
arise.
Here in the capital of the state, we
are on the eastern edge of the Missouri
Slope country, full of possibilities, but
only just beginning to grow. West o1
the Missouri river there are ten coun-
ties with 1904 900 acres of land, Of
which one-third or 4 ,587 900 acres are
more than fifteen miles from the rail
road.
Some railroad lines have been built
in this district, but in time there must
be more if the good land out there is
to be used as it should be. 1t is to the
interest of this state that its policy to-
ward agriculture and transportation
should be fair and liberal, so that
these two great primary occupations
will go forward hand in hand
Without steady improvement in agri-
cultural methods and production, and
without patience, fairness and encour-
agement on the part of legislatures,
executive officers and commissioners
| in dealing with the railroads, the best
results will not be obtained.
The time when railroads could be
built cheaply has passed. When these
prairies were unoccupied and the land
was of little value, right-of-way could
be acquired at reasonable figure. The
land has been settled and right-of-way
costs from two to ten times what it
did only comparatively few years ago,
while damages to adjacent property
have been found in points that were
never thought of before.
The railroads in North Dakota have
undergone great changes. When they
were built the demands of the prospec-
tive traffic were not heavy and cheap
railroad was good enough. Conditions
are very different now.
Traffic has increased greatly and a
discriminating public is insistent upon
the best equipment and service. The
wants of many people must be served
where formerly there were few The
old kind of railroad has gone forever,
and what there was of it that could be
reconstructed to meet modern require
ments has been so improved that its
identity is lost, while entire miles have
been abandoned, the rails taken up and
new lines built.
Two railroads., virtually, have been
built, one representing the original con-
struction and the other the rebuilding
Of the original line, to meet the de-
mands of the present.
One reads in papers and magazines
sometimes the statement that railroads
can be built for $40, 900, $4,000 or
$40, 900 mile, and so they can, but
they are not the kind of railroad that
will handle the heavily loaded cars of
wheat, coal or other products of
state like North Dakota. 1t is not the
kind of railroad that the progressive
people of this state desire to have.
To build the branch lines needed in
this state and to furnish engines, cars,
shop facilities, water supply and the
necessities demanded by present and fu-
ture demands of the public, means
that about $50, 900 a mile must be pro-
vided by someone and in heavy rolling
country, more than this. That some
one will only invest that $50, 600 under
conditions that make him feel reason
ably sure that he will make a return,
and per cent is a moderate return
for business enterprises in this state,
and also that his principal is safe, and
that he will receive as much encourage
ment and protection from the state as