The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-16
LOOKED OVER
MANDAN DISTRICT
Have Gained Much Business
in Some of the Agricul-
tural Districts.

aAl01A ~. Oss MhAGh +" i
Owens. superintendent of the Duluth
and Iron Range railroad. came into
Mandan In his private a and spent
considerable time looking about the
city n interviewing some of the
prominent business men. He was ac-
companied by other OF the officials OF
the same road. and while he would
not state the eXac nature of his visit
his conversation would seem to indi-
cate hat the Duluth and Iron Range
road was contemplating extensions in
to the great wheat and stock growing
sections of western North Dakota and
Montana.
The Duluth and Iron Range road
WAS built primarily to carry the ore
and timber rom the range country
to Duluth. with little thought of the
development of the country. Accord
ing to Mr.. oWens the traffic which
the lin" has secured from the farm
ing and mercantile interests has eX-
reeded the widest expectations of the
builders of the road, and it is entirely
within the range of possibilities that
the owners of the road encouraged by
the good results from development
work may build west into North Du-
kota and Montana. The company
owns valuable terminal properties in
Duluth at the head of the lakes and
the transportation of grain. stock and
lIoluCe 10 tnit port WOulu ENSURE Il
most profitable traffic.
Although this may seem visionary
because of the immense amount of
money necessary to build what would
eventually be another tran%scontinental
line. it must he remembered that the
owners of the Duluth and Iron Range
road. the United States Steel company.
and the Rockefeller interests would
MT be hard pressed to raise anywhere
from ten to fifty million dollars. The
steel trust recently lost a big order
placed by the Hill ines for steel rails
II it would not be at all out of place
for the steel trust to retaliate by in
vading the Hill territory.
Rumors are flying hic and fast of
projected railroad ines in western
North Dakota. Surveyors of the 500.
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
are making the map of western North
Dakota look like Il sieve with the
lines drawn across it. The recent
break between the Great Northern
n Northern Pacific has made prob
able the extension of Great Northern
lines south from the main line. a thing
that a heretofore been studiously
avoided in North Dakota. There is
considerable speculation as to what
will become of the proposed water
grade from Williston to Omaha of
which the Missouri river line from
stanton To tOrt 1HteS was supposed
to be the first link. This was built by
the Northern Pacific when that road
was controlled by Hill. nj the I'M
Outstanding has been that the river
line would ultimately become a part of
the Great Northern. In view of the
break between the two companies and
the passing of the Northern Pacific in
to the hands of the Vanderbilts it will
be interesting to note whether the or
iginal program will be carried out.
Another matter that seriously in.
terests Mandan is tho building of the
500 lin" into the West Slope country.
1t has been hoped that when this time
Should arrive the 500 people would
see it to their advantage to cross the
river at landau and tap the fertile
territory to the northwest OF this city
on the way to the coast. 1t is known
that soundings Of the river ave been
taken at several points north. and al.
SO that the 500 people are perfect!
ronversant with the lay of the land
northwest of this city. The addition
of another railroad line would mean
p great deal for Mandan. for with
more lines radiating out of the city
the growth of Mandan as a iobbins
center would he swift and sure.
The possibility of the milwaukee,
building north from Shields into this
section is also to be considered. II
any event we may expect unparalleled
activity in railroad development ir
this section before another year roll.
around.