The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-05-26
Residents Of Guthrie and Vi
cinity Put Case Before Com
missioners Today !
OFFICIALS OF M. & I.
RAILWAY ARE PRESENT
Hines Representatives Putting
Up Case for Railway Sta
ton This Afternoon i

Before o. p. B. Jacobsen OF
Fergus Falls, railroad and warehouse
commissioner, at the Markham hotel
this forenoon hearing for the estab-
lishment of a station with q station
agent was held with large number
of residents of Guthrie and the VI
cinity present. Data from both sides
of the case will be presented to the
commission for consideration as soon
as possible, says Commissioner Jacob
sen in closing.
Among those appearing for the
establishment of a station at Guthrie
were Oscar Dahl, cashier of the
Farmers State bank of Guthrie; c. p
Lermo, storekeeper in that village,
and large number of farmers resld-
ing in that community. Complaints
as to service received because OF in
adequate service were entered and
explained by several of the repre-
sentatives who appeared to be en-
tirely in favor of the Minnesota e.
International Railway company estab-
fishing station at that point.
At present the only railroad touch
;np Guthrie is the M. & I. and the
onlv accommodation made for freight
for that station is shed approx
mately 1Ox12 feet in size, capaDie
of holding only a portion OF the
freight at times. There is no agent
or custodian to receive or make ship
ments at that point, consequently
onlv small amount OF the frelgn1
IS ever placed in the shed, it is SAID.
Passenger service from and TO thaI
no;nt is at times very poorly regulat-
ed and no provision has been made TO
house those who are waiting 1or
w. H. Gemmell, general manager
of the M. & l. Railway company
stated that the company has peen
willing for some time to make ar
ranuements for a custodian for that
point, a person who could spend part
time in seeing that all freight was
stored out of the weather., put tnaS
It was found to be impossible TO MI
that position. He also stated Ihat
the company has operated at loss
during the past year and in view Oh
that fact deemed it inadvisable to
build a station at this point where
there was not at present enough oosl-
ness to make it a paying proposi'lon'
Nevertheless he stated that ne De-
loved that something should be done
TO furnish better accommodatlons 1Vi
waiting passengers, suggesteo
nairine the storage shed and making
nrovision for a custodian service ~
This time. This, he believes "oulu
relieve the present situation IN the
host wav possible for the patrons Oh
no road and the road itself untll
such q time as the business at thaS
point would warrant the pu1ldlhs VI
a modern depot structure:
Estimated shipments for the COM
mo wear were submitted by varlous
farmers who appeared and all ex-
pressed the opinion that the estaD-
iishment of better service for ooth
freight and passengers would in the
end make returns to the community
and to the railroad company. Whether
or not Guthrie will be allotted sta
ton and an agent at this time will
depend entirely upon the action taken
by the commission. 1t appears very
evident at least that the present serv~
ice will be made considerably better
even if a depot should not be estab-
lished
Representatives from Hines are
their case before Com
missioner Jacobsen this afternoon in
an effort to secure for that point
station and an agent. Hines
is also located on the M. & L. and
is between Bemidji and International
Falls