The Dickinson press., 1912-03-23
RY OFFICIALS
VISIT CITY

Elliott and Party Make Long Stop.
Didn't Say Anything About
North and South Road.
1t was learned Monday morning that
President Howard Elliott and party of
the. Northern Pacific was to arrive in
Dickinson early in the afternoon for a
stop of IL 10 16 hours and a hurried
meeting of the Commercial Club men,
bers was held soon after 9 o'clock. No
one knew just why the party was to re-
main in the city so long. 1t seemed to
many that the visit must have some
connection with the unusual activity of
surveyors in the northern part of Dunn
county. 1t was learned later that the
party was out on general inspection
trip of the road of about three weeks
and that Dickinson was favored as
night stopping point, the special COM
ing from Fargo during the day.
Mayor r. H. johnson. President A.
D. Heaton of the Commercial Club and
President j. w. Reed of the Merchants
Association of Stark aid Dunn counties
were selected as the committee to wait
upon the railroad officials on their ar
rival and to advise them:that they were
to be the guests of honor at business
mems reception in the evening. The
committee was also delegated to take
up any matters with the officials that
in their judgment seemed important to
the city's welfare. such as the subway.
north and south road, etc.
BY 8 80 the Commercial Club rooms
were crowded with people anxious to
see Howard Elliott and other officials of
the Northern Pacific. 1t was estimated
that 200 were present.
Mayor johnson extended a hearty vel
come to the visitors, stating that the
interests of the people and the railroads
were identical. He thought possibly the
fact that there was but one railroad
into Dickinson was more fortunate fol
the Northern Pacific than for the people.
However. the mayor said that. he
realized that the road wanted te
see our people prosperous and was doine
q great deal to help the farmers 10 gel
better results from the farm.
President Elliott said: II endorse
what your mayor has said. that what is
good for you is good for us. We are on
our general inspection trip, going
through to the coast. and are glad of an
opportunity of meeting with you. but
we had not expected to see so many ou1
tonight.
see the familiar face of Geo. w
Kilmer who graduated from our servic.
as depot agent two years ago. l am
told that he now holds the important
Office of county treasurer. Well, he il
a good man anywhere.
The MP. is doing what it can to hell
develop this section of the country. It il
certain that you cannot succeed with.
out the railroad and just as certain tina
the railroad cannot succeed without you
Many of our officers and stockholders ar,
trying to cooperate with your people in
introducing new and better methods
We have three men in your state whit
are helping out with dry farming meth
ods. acting in conjunction with Pres. J.
H. Worst, Prof. T. A. Hoverstad ant
also with the experiment station workers
We are trying all the time to make
the railroad lines better. There is {
strong effort all over the United States
to solve the problem Of better equipment
and better methods of operating. New
York, Vermont, New Hampshire and al
the states are working as hard as Nortt
Dakota to get better agricultural result.
and to get more people for their vacant
farms. So our state is in competition
with them all. It is hard to get people
10 come from long distances. eThe
South and Canada want people. Their.
lis no better land north across the lint
than here. but distance lends enchant.
ment, yon know. We think that people
are going to Canada too much and We
are doing all we can to show them thu
error of their way.
The Missouri Slope country at on.
time had 5000. 600 acres of land out o.
reach Of the railroads. It was then tha
you felt the need of railroad transpor
tation. and you also needed agricultural
development.
Perhaps you have not thought of it,
Ebat it meanss q great deal to9run thess
great railroad systems. The margin o.
profit ID close. We. are Of necessity
continually forced to get new equip
ment. ne collect freight and passense
fares for defrayins expenses and max
ing reasonable return on money in
vested. Therefore we must be careful
about the extension Of new lines. Il
L. A tA -.