The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-06-29

and an acClVe campaign Tor 1unQS Will
begin within a day Or two. .''
The committee on a site, members
of the Association Of Commerce, have
been looking over the Great Northern
and the 500 sites and will make Sc
lection this week, it is believed.
The committee consists of A. A.
Robinson, chairman, A. Bratsberg,
Norman Ellison, E. A. Shirley, Halvor
L. Halvorson and G. E. Danielson.
Altho site has not been definite
(ly settled, the committee appears
quite favorable to one offered by the
Great Northern Railway Co., just to
the right of Third St. N. f. south
and east of the Minot flour mill. The
old section house and some smaller
buildings would have to be removed.
There is ample trackage and it has
been pointed out that there would be
plenty of room for teams to stand
while waiting to unload.
Whatever site is eventually select
ed, it is important to secure plenty of
trackage. The Great Northern main
tains 24-hour switching service and
state that they have ample refriger-
ator cars which would have to be
used in case of shipping in cold
weather.
The 500 railway company also offer
a number Of sites, one of which is be-
ing considered seriously by the COM
mittee. Gerry w. Halves, general
agent from the Minneapolis offices
and other officials are in the city this
week comforting with the local agent,
Mr.. McGrath, and members of the
committee. The 500 site is just west
of the Minot Hide & Tanning Co. and
is family close in. The 500 offer a
24-hour switching service and state
that they can furnish ample refriger-
ator cars whenever occasion demands
Early in the fall, refrigerator cars
will not be needed, it is said.
Unloading facilities are important.
AT Burlington last fall, SO teams
were counted one day, waiting to I'M
load.
Minot will have potato warehouse
by the time the crop is ready for har-
vest. The businessmen are determin-
ed that this building must be erect
ed. The site of course is important.
The committee must exercise it's best
judgment. It cannot be built on both
railroads. One road will have to be
disappointed. The important thing to
remember is that $4,000 acres of po-
.tatoes have been planted in north
western North Dakota this year.
Thousands of bushels Of potatoes will
be marketed from long distances in
trucks. 1t might be said that larg-
er percentage of this acreage is in the
Minot trade territory. The growers
have been promised potato ware
house and they can rest assured that
they will have adequate marketing
and storage facilities. Last fall, many
farmers who tried to dispose of their
potatoes in Minot, had to drive back
home with their loads or take them
to Burlington, where a warehouse was
erected. Upon promise that ware
house would be built this year, vast
acreage was planted to potatoes in
this vicinity. ss. -...... 81.
1t is conservatively estimated that
a million and half bushels of po-
tatoes will be marketed in Minot the
coming fall when the warehouse is
built. At ordinary prices, this will
bring between $500, 100000 and $780,
100000 into the pockets of the growers.
:. This will mean a nice profit. A very
large potato crop is in prospect the
country over and it will be necessary
to market them in car lots. Buyers
are not expected to visit the fields
this year, tho they can be induced to
come to Minot if q warehouse is built.
The Berthold growers will market
100000 bushels, it is estimated.
The committee has gone so far as
to consider plans for building. Two
representatives of the Davenport
Sales Co., lumber and concrete, have
been here all week. They have made a
proposition to erect a warehouse
64x178 feet, with 14-foot posts, 105
cars storage capacity, for approx
mately 18,500.0O, which will include
the cost Of all potato loading and un-
loading machinery, with facilities for
unloading three wagons at one time,
sorting, sacking and ready for the
car. The bins are ten feet square
and interchangeable, so that early in
the fall; practically the, entire ware
house is working space: The plans
call for no basement. The walls are
insulated with IA inches of planning
mill baled shavings, said to keep out
all frost and eliminating all danger
OF the potatoes freezing. No heat ia
necessary or desired in the building.
The building will be warm in winter
anu SSVA Al "a SlUlllaT ware
house was built at Grafton, N. D., a
year ago and is said to be giving good
satisfaction. Members of the com
mittee are talking of visiting Grafton
before closing any deal. It is possible
that arrangements may be made SO
that the local lumber yards may fur
nish the material, which will be of
good lumber with concrete abutments.
! The committee will no doubt desire to
do this if possible.
At first plans were considered for
q cooperative potato warehouse. Ow-
ing to the financial condition, this
cannot be worked out at this time, but
It will be built with the understand
ing that as soon as the growers are
able to finance it, it will be turned
over to them. According to present
plans, corporation will be formed
and the businessmen will be expected
to take up most of the stock. Plans