The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-02-03
time
GETlINGTO
DULUTH
How One Passenger Had to
Maneuver to Get to The
Zenith City
PLEASANT time IN FARGO
But Trip From Bismarck
Was Beset With Many
Difficulties

The Duluth Herald has been agitat-
ing for some time for better train
service to the city at the head of the
lakes. In recent issue The Herald
carried the following story:
There were two men on duty at the
station of the Northern Pacific railroad
at Bismarck, N. d.. on the evening of
Friday, Jan. &c.
nections could be made to Duluth:
neither offered to sell a sleeper ticket
for the last stage Of the journey from
Fargo on.
One of them maintained that the
only connection for Duluth was made
by Train No. 8, leaving Bismarck at
2:34 in the afternoon. stopping at prac-
tically every station between there and
Fargo and arriving at Fargo at 9:45 o.
m. The other maintained that the best
procedure was to leave Bismarck on
the Atlantic express at 1880 a. M,
wait at Staples from $3.50 p. m. to $40
a. m. and then take the train for Du-
luth.
rs there sleeper?" inquired the
passenger.
mo. there's no sleeper on that
train said the clerk.
The passenger happened to know
men behind the window, so with some
coaching and good deal of research
work in the time tables, they admitted
that one could leave Bismarck at 1906
a. m. on a limited train, arrive at Far
go at $40 in the afternoon, take a
sleeper there in the evening and pro-
coed to Duluth on a train leaving at
1925 p. m, which would turn the
sleeper over to the Duluth train at
Staples.
Anyway You Wait.
''Well, anyway" said the clerk,
"you have to wait six or seven hours
somewhere"
The prospective passenger remarked
upon the inadequacy of the service.
'They don't expect much business
there" said the clerk
The prospective passenger requested
that berth be reserved for him at
Fargo and was assured that it would
be done.
The little matter of purchasing a
ticket having sbeen attended to, the
prospective passenger returned to his
hotel to await the morning. The train
in the morning was only little late, a
seat in the Pullman was obtained, and
the journey to Fargo was accomplish
ed without trouble.
At Fargo an inquiry disclosed that
no reservation for a berth had been
made by Bismarck.
Why didn't they sell it to you
there?" asked the agent at Fargo.
They've got berths for SALE"
The ways of Northern Pacific ticket
agents being unknown to the pas
senger, he couldn't answer the ques-
ton. He did get berth from Fargo.
Waiting at Fargo.
Fargo isn't the worst place in the
world to kill six or seven hours, and
the time passed pleasantly with dinner
and the movies. Bedtime, the passen-
ger repaired to the station to find that
No. 8. the train that might have
taken him from Bismarck at a local
late, and accordingly the prospect Of
arriving in Duluth before noon was
not bright. When he boarded the
sleeper, the colored gentleman in
charge gave him the same kind advice
he had given others.
You better get some fruit or
something for the morning boss, be-
cause we'll probably be late and
there's no chance to eat"
Boss did. So did most of the other
nine who boarded the sleeper. One
woman didn't take the advice and she
had cause to regret it.
The morning light at 1880 showed
the sleeper just out Of Staples on the
final stage of the trip to Duluth. The
train crew said they had once received
orders to go without (which would
have entailed wait at Staples until
the afternoon train-but the orders
had been countermanded.
Getting Coffee.
A cup Of coffee was something great
ly desired. The fact was preached to
the conductor. who sale that there
would be a stop Of five to eight min
utes at Brainerd, and If those awake
and dressed would hurry. they could
get across to Dicks" get a cup of
coffee and get back. -Four Pullman
passengers were dressed and able to
make the hurried trip for the trav-
eler's delight, "sinkers and" The
other Pullman passengers and the
coach passengers went without eating.
The train arrived in Duluth at 1915
p. m. Presumably dinner was enjoyed
by all-after their arrival.
F.. The weather and consequent late
trains made the trip more OF hard
ship than IL would have been under
normal conditions-but the people who
were on the Atlantic Express bound
for the Twin Cities and who were
left thereon when the Duluth passen-
ger remained at Fargo arrived in the
i VIII NIL1GN bC4OLS AAAAAAAA6hGs
The trip from Bismarck is repre-
sentative of coming to Duluth from
all of the territory west of Fargo to
the Pacific coast. 1t is impossible for
any one to make a connection on the
North Coast Limited, the best train
of the Northern Pacific, unless one Is
willing to wait at Fargo from a. m.
to a. m. for a day train, or at Staples
from All q. m. to 1885 p. m. 1t is pos
sible to make connection at Fargo,
by travelling on the Atlantic Express
up to that point and waiting about
seven hours for the Duluth train. Or
one can, IL he be willing, travel on
the local train to Fargo and make a
close connection.
One glaring feature is the lack Of
knowledge of the agents as to the
connections for Duluth. II the agents
at an important station on the main
line cannot direct the traveller to Du-
luth, one may well imagine the extent
of the lack of knowledge possessed by
the agents on the numerous branch
lines.