Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-17

pleasure. It O. the farmers crops
to a profitable market. 1t gathers
goods from our commercial centers
ana delivers them to the warehouse
OF the business man. It brings tne
fuel to you7 towns and EARNS. Tee
storms tnat niocE -our hign|aTs,
block our rails as well. In the WIN,
ter OF 1906 and 1907 our line alone
paid out $46S,90 for the one item OF
clearing away snow and ice.
We are trying to perform a more
and more thoroughly efficient service
toward the people of this state. Dur
ing the past four years the Northern
has constructed 272.16 miles
of additional branch line track with
in this state, and has laid an addition
al 1873 miles Of second track, spur
track and sidings. From 1910 to19l3,
inclusive, the company has put into
the improvements and additions to its
property in North Dakota a total of
$12, 54,256.29, or nearly $4,250,o 900 a
year.
When the service performed by the
railway is considered; when it is real
lied that it has kept pace we'll with
the material advance of the state;
when the burdens placed upon it by
the cost of meeting the demands of
the public are understood, ! have no
fear but that the farmers and bust
ness men of this state will grant
their verdict that for the freight and
passenger rates they receive, the
railways have done we'll by the public
and have not taken an unfair share
s their income.
If North Dakota is to have the
new rail lines it needs and if the
counties I have referred to which
have so much land now distant from
transportation, are to be- permitted
to enjoy the facilities that will pro.
mote their best development, the
money with which to, build new lines
must come from the pockets of in
vestors who are willing to risk their
capital in railroad enterprises. We
must look to the older eastern states
FOR the capital with which to do this
work, and if VIZ go to eastern invest
ors with the story Of North Dakota's
needs, we must give the east solid
assurances that the people who are
70 have the benefit of new railroad
construction are anxious and ready to
fully co-oDerate with the railroads,
and demand of their public officers
and of their legislatures a spirit OF
fairness. When farmers and business
nen generally have a better knowl-
edge of what the railroad is doing
to maintain agricultural and business
prosperity; when they realize the
close relation that must exist between
transportation. and agriculture and
business. if the latter are to be sue.
c~essful. there will be a better rela-
ton between railroads and the public
and the doubt in the minds o. invest
ors as to the. wisdom of risking mo-
ney in new railroad construction will
gradually disappear.
Realizes Public Demands.
The railroad manager realizes we'll
the demands of the public, and the
great necessity of rapid and contin-
ual Improvement of the Northwestern
railway mileage and equipment. Up.
on the other hand he faces somewhat
unwilling investors Of money, and
many thousands of stockholders who
Justly demand that there shall be a
fair return upon what they have put
into the business before new enter
nrises are undertaken. If railroad
stocks We're more generally distrih-
uted in the states where the lines arc
laid, it would contribute greatly to a
better public understanding of rail-
road questions. l find that out of
the $4,000 who are stockholders of
the Northern Pacific, there are but
five who are residents of North Dako-
ia. Perhaps as these states grow old
er and the demand for the invest
ment of capital in home business en-.
terprises is less urgent, we shall see
these railroads more largely owned
by the people Of the states they tray
erS. #, .",f
We of the railroads are doing what
we can to carry the facts about the
great prosperity of this state through
out the United States and to the ears
Of those who are able O help its devel-
opnent. The courage, determination
and patience of those Who broke the
prairie sod and established their
homes here is bearing rich fruit, as
are such exhibits as this and the
excellent work of your commissioner
Of agriculture. In this forward move
7nent we should work together, feel
ing that the best results can be
brought about only when the farmer,
the business man and the railroads
are seeking the ground of common
understanding, fairness and mutual
helpfulness. l thank you. i#t