The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-10-26

Thirty years ago Princeton and
southern Mile Laos county were desti-
tute Of railroad facilities. Business
was stagnant. Wild land within four
miles Of Princeton could be purchased
for a song, and from $40 to $40 per
acre was the maximum price for the
best improved farms, and there was
no demand at those figures.
Early in 1886 rumors were in circu-
lation to the effect that the Great
Northern contemplated building from
the south to connect with the St. Cloud
and Hinckley branch and have direct
route of its own from the Twin Cities
to Duluth. A delegation of our citi-
zens waited upon the late James j. Hill
and urged him to build via Princeton.
There were three surveys being made
northward from the line of the Great
Northern between the northern limits
Of Minneapolis and Elk River at that
time. After several conferences with
Mr.. Hill he finally agreed to build
from Elk River to Milaca, via Prince
ton, providing Mile Laos county would
vote aid to tae extent of five percent
Of the assessed real estate valuation
the aid asked for amounted in round
numbers to about $4,000. The prop
osition was gladly accepted by the
representa- tives Of Mile Laos county.
But then as now there were kickers
and retrogressives. The cry was raised
that if the bonds were voted the tax
rate would be enormously increased.
The bonds were voted nevertheless and
the railroad was built. At that time
the real estate valuation Of the county
was considerable less than 100000,
and there were only three organized
towns in the county-Princeton
Greenbush and Milo. At the bond
election, although the St. Cloud and
Hinckley branch had been built four
years before, there were just seven
voters in Milaca, and they voted in
the town of Greenbush.
If Mr.. Hills proposition had not
been accepted and the bonds had not
been voted, the new branch of the
Great Northern would have been built
further east, probably via Cambridge,
and if so Princeton might have been
without railroad until this day, and
the grass would have been growing in
it's streets. Milaca might have de-
veloped into a Pease, and there would
have been no Pease or Long Siding,
neither would there have been a single
creamery south of the St. Cloud and
Hinckley branch.
But, as we have said, the bonds were
voted and the railroad built. The in
terest on the bonds was promptly paid
every year, and ten years ago the last
dollar of the principal was paid and
there was no perceptible increase in
the tax rate. In fact, as predicted by
the advocates of bonding, no taxpayer
ever noticed the increase.
Today we have prosperous Prince
ton, with the largest and best potato
market i'm the northwest, an equally
prosperous Milaca, with a creamery
output second to that of no towTl.sin
Minnesota, numerous creameries, pros
porous farmers, with improved farms
commanding from SIS to S125 an acre
That $4,000 bond issue was the best
investment Mile Laos county ever
made.
Thirty years ago $4,000 was more
to Mile Laos county than $250,e0(
would be today. Then the valuation
of the county was hardly one million
dollars, today it is almost 1850, 900.
At the election a week from mex
Tuesday proposition will be submit
ted to the voters to bond the county
; to the extent of $4,000, with interes
! not to exceed five per cent per annum
the bonds to run twenty years, for tn
purpose of hard-surfacing the stat'