The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-02-07
THAT r. r. EXTENSION AGAIN.

We iCSCiNCu uutUC a iCuSeby Soih'
munication this week suggesting that
we get busy on agit:,ting the extern
sion Of the G. & N. w. Railway from
Winner west into this county. This
is subject that no doubt Is upper
most In the minds Of a great many
people in this county, now that the
war has come to an end, and especi-
ally when they have to dig up from
S25 to $50 ton for coal, or pay from
60c to roc per 100 pounds overland
freight to get their hogs TO the Win
ner market, and like tariff on every
thing they haul to the RAILROAD or
bring out from there.
The Editor Of the Pioneer got busy
on this proposition shortly after the
armestice was signed, and got into
communication with the Director
General Of the United States Railway
Administration, presenting the mat
ter in somewhat lengthy communi-
cation, and that Official referred the
matter to the Regional Director at
Chicago, and we have had Sc feral let
ters from that official In which he
stated that he had carefully gone
over the matter and would have II
investigated, but the last commun'-
cation we had from him he stated
that until there Is resumption OF
normal conditions, and definate con-
clusion Is reached as to the future Of
the railroads, fear that 1t will be
very difficult fSr any decision to be
made in regard to the building OF this
or any other lines Of railroad" OF
course the railroad proposition at the
present time is considerably Up In the
air, that Is the railroads do not know
whether they are going to get their
properties back, or whether the gov.
eminent will hold OH to them five
years longer, as some of the politicians
would like to do, and the result Is
chat there probably will be no action
taken in this extension matter until
the policy of the government with
regard to the railroads Is dehnately
settled. In the mean time the pe',ple
of this section will have to continue
TO put up with the hardships and in
|conyeniences, incident to IT, ing In .
railroadless county, until such time.
at least, until the politicians decide
what they are going to do with the
railroads, and at the same time the
progress and development OF this
great new country Is being retarded
1t appears to us that It might not
be bad iLea for this whole county
to organize to boost for the building
Of this extension. have a real active
organization whose only object 1t
would be to get that extension built,
regardless of what towns or communi
ties it would build through, just 50
that 1t was built into or through this
county at the earliest date possible.
A united booster organization might
be able to jar something loose.
One of the great problems confront
ing this government right nov Is pro-
viding jobs for thousands Of returned
and discharged soldiers, and 1t seems
to us that II an active program of
railroad extension work. and other in
ternal improvements we're launched
it would 60 long way towards reliev
ing the situation Of the jobless, that
will soon grow into serious menace
to the country, unless something Is
,done. A railroad built through this
section would be an inducement for
many of tho returned soldiers to come
20 this county and build perman. mt
homes, increase the food supply by
tiiIing this fertile soil, and add to
The number Of happy and contented
households Of this great nation.
Let us organize a railroad booster
club and 60 after the government
railroad officials and the officials of
the G. & N. w. and make our case so
Istrong and our demands 50 insistant
that they will have to give this coun-
ty the recognition it deserves. Let
them know we have waited patiently
for more than six long years, that dur
ling the war we did our full share as
good patriotic citizens, and now that
che war Is over We demand . little
recognition from them. The columns
Of the Pioneer are open to all for the
discussion Of this question. and we
i Wnnld like tn haxr from nthara