The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-01-03
Division Freight Agent Griffin In.
vited t. Come Here to Dis
cuss Proposition.
PRESENT RATE Is PRoH1B1T1vE
Would Cost About Ten Dollars Per
Car to Have Animals Stop OF
Here in Transit.

Active steps will be taken by the
Commercial club, through J. J. OPP
sahl as a committee of one, to secure,
if possible, rates from the Great
| Northern which will make it possible
for Bemidji to become the center of
summer sheep feeding industry.
This was decided at special meeting
of the club held yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Ospahl was further instructed
to invite J. H. Griffin, division freight
agent of the Great Northern, to meet
with the club next Tuesday evening,
at which time the matter can be
more thoroughly discussed. Mr..
Griffin was instructed to investigate
the situation here and report to the
heads of the road.
At the meeting yesterday after
noon it was developed that there are
several tracts of 1000 acres or more
within fifty miles of Bemidji that
would make first class summer pas
ture for Montana sheep. These tracts
are largely owned by the big timber
interests of the state and the most
of them have not even a forty taken
up by settlers. On tracts Of this size
it would not be necessary to construct
fences but the sheep could be herded,
it was said. .
Photographs of land uncleared and
the same land after sheep had been
pastured on it were produced and
made a visible impression on the,
club members at the meeting. Mr..
Opsahl also had a map showing by
townships what land has been taken
by settlers and what would be avail
able for sheep feeding.
According to the Polk directory
for 1910, there are 400 sheep rails
ers in Minnesota, North Dakota and
Montana. OF this number, 1854 live In
Montana. It is these men who are
now shipping sheep to the killing
pens direct from the Montana ranges
to whom Bemidji will look for ami
mails to be pastured here if desirable
rates can be made. ~ *@-E.
Bemidji is out of the direct line
for the movement of sheep from the
western ranges to the killing yards
as the main line runs through from
Minot to St. Paul. The Great
Northern already has a stop-over
rate which would apply to Bemidji.
but which business men here believe
is prohibitive. The rate in force is
ten cents per car per mile. 1t Is said
that the haul to South st. Paul via
Bemidji would be about 100 miles
farther than over the main line so
that the additional freight would
amount to near ten dollars per mile.
w.. P. Kenney, vice-president OF
the road, has written that the move
ment of sheep which are fed in tran
sit is small but that few thousand
are fed each year in the prairie Sec
tons. That the Great Northern is
interested In the proposition Is be
lieved to be shown by the activity OF
the officials.
At the Commercial club meeting
tuesday night the entire matter will
be gone over again more thoroughly
as it is hoped that Mr.. Griffin will be
able to throw some light on the prop
able attitude Of the sheep men. At
that meeting it will also be decided
whether or not it is feasible to plan
for a house warming when the new
Great Northern depot is finished and
If SO, whether or not some Montan&
sheep men. shall be invited to meet
with the Commercial club and offic-
ials of the road at that time.