The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-29
Railroad News
new R. R. Lines
WILL BE CAUSE
DE- MANY CHANGES

Esmond, N. d., Feb. 2s-Pierce county
has at present fifty miles Of railroad.
being eighteen miles OF the Great
Northern's present main line. and
thirty miles Of its branches, running
northward from the main line, and
there are two miles OF the main line
Of the 500, just cutting across the ex-
treIne southwest corner OF the coun-
ty.
From the 500 to Rugby Is a distance
Of about forty miles. South Of Rugby
there is a territory six townships
or thirty-six miles north and south.
and three townships or eighteen miles
east and west, without a railroad. The
central part of that territory is tribu-
tary TO Esmond, on the n. p. four
miles owe the line in Benson coun-
ty. The southern part trades at the
towns in Wells county, on the 500, and
the northern part goes to Rugby and
other towns on the main line Of the
great Northern.
But soon all will be changed and
that territory will be crossed by two
new lines. the Fargo-New Rockford
Minot line Of the Great Northern. (the
AASW sAAtdAA lAAlCyy dCIVSS An9 6OuElGIA
row of townships, about six miles
distant from the main line OF the 500.
and the new Drake-Devils Lake-Ford-
vile CUTOFF of the 500, which curves
n-ortheasterly from Drake Il a point
about twelve miles south of Rugby.
then runs straight east to Devils Lake.
In Pierce county the grading is
practically completed on both lines,
and there is every assurance that both
will be laid with steel this season, thus
adding about fifty miles to the rail-
PAD mileage of the county, and to the
taxable property Of the county. The
result will be that no part Of all Pierce
county will be over ten miles from a
railroad town, and but few places in
the country will be over six miles.
Being part Of the lake region of
North Dakota, pierce county is plenti-
fully supplied with small lakes, famous
for their duck and geese hunting. The
largest is Girard lake, called after
Major Girard of the u. S. army. whose
soldiers made a few good" Indians
there in frontier days.
There are two new towns already
plated and established in Pierce
county, on the new line Of the Great
Northern, SELF, about eight miles from
Harvey, and Aylmer, on the McHenry
county line. There will be about three
new towns on the new line of the 500.
only n Of which has yet been pur-
chased, and not vet plated, in section
l0-l5S-74, near the old Filing post
office.
In addition to those two new lines
assured, there is also a prospect Of
the extension Of the Oberon- Esmond
line Of the N. p. from Esmond to
Towner, and If that is built ii will
also run clear across Pierce county,
and will add about twenty-five miles
Of railroad to the county's mileage. 1t
was surveyed two years ago., and the
survey crosses the new line of the 500
at a point about twelve miles south Of
Rugby.
500 graders are getting more numer-
Gus in Esmond each day, and over
twenty cars of machinery, dump-cars.
rails, ties. engines, and camp equip
ment have already been unloaded
here for Peter Nelson. the contractor.
He has rented an office here in town.
and this viii be headquarters for his
checking clerk, paymaster, etc.
The w~ished-for new snow came at
last, and he has loaded his dinkey en-
gines on huge logging sleds for their
Journey to the camps. which are near
Fillmore. at the north end of Gran
berry lake, in Benson county. The
rows Of dump-cars stored on Front
street suggests a traffic blockade on
our street railway system.
The Northern Pacific also has a crew
Of men here digging a test well for a
water-tank, and inquisitive persons
are wondering If that portends an ex-
tension Of this line to Towner.