Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-12
HIGH Line At
VALLEY CITY
CONSIDERED

VALLEY CITY, \. d.. Jan. lZ.-be-
fore nearly TWO hundred business men
and citizens of Valley City, the High
Line controversy which has been III
the courts for more than three years
was given a thorough airing yesterday
afternoon at the city hall.
That the Keen interest OF the city
the railroad case has not abated IN
whit was evidenced by the turnout
which face the board OF railroad com
missioners when they opened their ses.
sion with W. II. Stutsman presiding.
For more than four hours they listen.
ed to the arguments OF the attorneys,
and the evidence of local residents as
to their experience with til road. ana
their ideas OF the relief needd for the
city.
One surprising fact about the meet
ing was that nearly every prominent
business man in the city had some
thing to say on the subject. and the
second that with but one exception
they were in favor OF no surrender and
no compromise but complete satisfac-
ton to the city in the way of adequate
train service and depot facilities. Men
who rarely speak on any occasion III
public waxed eloquent in detailing the
petty ~anno;ances practiced by the rail-
road and incident to the change made
from down town to the High Line ser
vice. The fact was brought out that
Valley City has been consistently ig-
nored to a large extent by the rail-
road, in its folders, on its trains. and
in every other way possible.
Among others. John Tracy OF the
rirst National bank declared that to
his positive knowledge the railroad
had mapped out a plan which would
have resulted in pulling all Of its trains
out OF the city and leaving the tracks
to be used for ajerk line service be-
tween Alta and Berea. He stated that
the only thing which prevented this
move was the determined fight made
by the local business men.
Herman Winterer. who with Lee
Combs represented the plaintiffs. were
rigidly impartial in calling for an eX.
preston Of sentiment regarding the
needs of me town. Many were called
upon who had previously made little
or no expression of their opinion, ana
of them all Mayor l.. S. Platou was the
only speaker who defended the posi-
tion OF the road in any way.
The mayor maue a brief but very
earnest address, stating his position
very clearly and forcibly, and urging
the desirability OF having all of the
trains taken out OF town to the High
Line. He believed that by this time
this had been done for a few weeks the
travelling public would be more than
satisfied With the change, and that the
town would really benefit rather than
be injured from the lev service.
Owing to the short notice p o
which the meeting had been called
there were very few travelling men
called, but those Who were there were
mphatic in thir statments that the city
had been seriously injured by the pres
ent condition OF the railroad service.
They said that at least twenty-five
travelling men had been deferred from
coming here on that account, and al
most as many more had left the city
for the same reason.
The Inconvenience of the service
was as much a factor in bringing this
about as the additional expense Of be-
ing carried to the High Line.
For the Northern Pacific, Judge N.
c.. Young Of Fargo declared that any
settlement through the roal's provid-
ing transportation to the High Line
was Out Of the question. as was a set
Element based on an agreement regard.
ing the Cooperstown trains. He said
that so far as lie was concerned he was
as much Sin the air as when the case
first came up three years ago.
Lee Combs and Herman Winterer