The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-08-09
Railroad News
DAKOTA'S RAIL
MILEAGE GROWS
NEARLY 1900 MILES or NEW
TRACK is UNDER coNsTRuc-
TON iN FLlcKERTAEL STATE
MANY NEW TOWNS GIVEN BIG
IMPETUS.

IEMNtM
North Dakota's railroad map viii
undergo great changes within the next
few months when nearly 1900 miles
of new road will be completed.
Taking into consideration the size OF
amount Of railroad mileage it already
has, the new mileage that is being
laid in North Dakota easily places this
commonwealth ait the head OF all
states in the union from the point OF
rail construction for this year.
The completion OF the new lines will
increase the states total mileage about
% per cent
New business centers win take on
increased Importance by reason OF the
construction of the new railroads. New
Rockford, Wells county. IS one OF the
cities particularly favored, the Great
Northern making that place a division
point, and favortng it with the ter
minus of a new east and west line
which win extend into an entirely new
territory.
VI. g. st. L. Building New Line.
Just at present the greatest interest
is conferred on the new line of the Min
neapolis a. St Louis railroad. which
will extend from q point on the
boundary line OF Rutland, Sergeant
county, to the north boundary line
Of the state. This line will form a
connecting link for the road to the
grain fields Of the Canadian north
west.
The route is not exactly determined.
jamestown, in Stutsman county, will
be favored with the road. The ross
ing point on the main line OF the Great
Northern probably will be between
Devils Lake and Minot.
Railroad construction in the west
central section OF the state has be-
come quite animated as d result OF
the contest between the Sault ste.
Marie lines, the Northern Pacific and
the Great Northern for new terri
tory.
The 500 line leads the other two
lines, but the Great Northern Is fast
driving entering wedges, which will
bring 1T on an equal footing.
May Be Part Of New Coast Route.
Within the last few weeks much
stress a been laid upon the con-
struction, by the 500 railroad, Of the
connecting line between FordviIle.
Walsh county and Drake, McHenry
counts. That this line is only a con-
Meeting link of the new coast route for
the 500 railroad Is the contention that
has arisen.
In explanation Of the railroads. work,
II 10 SGLlC0 AAGSG NAAO AAC 0GAA0lL VA
this line will be followed by the SHOW
ing OF an extension out from Plaza.
MountraiI county, in a southwesterly
direction, into Montana. and thence to
the coast.
To the north another move by the
500 line Is being made with the object
Of reaching territory now tapped X
clusfvely by the Great Northern. The
extension OF the Crosby-Ambrose line
into Montana is the step under CON
~sideration, and the plan has already
been approved
The Great Northern, from New
Rockford into Mckenzie county, was
a move that was not entirely expect
ed. This line crosses a territory that
is now served by lines running in a
northwesterly direction. Over half OF
the territory into which the line runs
is not now served by railroads of any
kind, the closest lines being from
twenty-five to fifty miles away But
the Great Northern will, by the time
it's line reaches that point, have COM
petition from the 500 railroad and the
Northern Pacific, which is coming up
from the south side OF the Missouri
river.