The producers news., 1925-05-29

tension of the Plentywood branch
from Scobey to Opheim, by
which the farmers Of that sec
ton of the state expect to fur
nish a portion of the funds need
ed for the construction work, Mr..
j Budd said it was a most unique
; situation and one he had never
before experienced.
; Project Long Considered.
: While l. had been the intention
= of the Great Northern for num-
Der of years to extend this line,
3 the conditions had not been right
3 in a financial way and the road
3 did not feel like expending the
3 money. required, Mr.. Budd said.
= ''MOst of the farmers had been
> in there from 8 to 10 years, and
3 were after US year after year to
3 extend our line to reach them"
3 Mr.. Budd said. Il explained to
3 them that it was dangerous for
the railroad to do its financing by
going into debt, as soon 1t would
be In a precariOuS situation.
told them we had to make a
large expenditures every year IN
the improvement Of our existing
tracks and terminals and in the
obtaining of locomotives and
rolling stock and we could not
. sell our stock at par, due to mar
ket conditions, SO We could not
raise money by that method.
Recently, they wired me ask
9 ing if I would meet with them,
and a delegation met me at Glas-
9 gov. where we again went over
fhe situation and they informed
s. me they were Wiling to make an
investment at an interest return
Of 5 per cent, and they then an
3 nounced a subscription OF S2oO,-
600 i'm stock of the Great North
ern at par. I at once told them
/ would Immediately recommend
to our board OF directors the con-
strUction of the extension.
eve already had surveys COM
$ Dleted f0 a 12-mile stretch west
$ of Scobev and are now securing
the rights of way over that por-
ton and are making surveys andi
= when these are completed, viii
start grading. We expect to get
most of the grading and much
of the bridge work completed
this year and viii lay the steel
. next wear. While it Is our eX
s. pectation to have the line com
8 pleted at an earlier date, We have
i set Oct. 1, 1926, as the time 1ol
! 3 commencement of operations ov
4 3 er the extension.
Expect Certificate
"Of course, it is necessary tha'
we first obtain from the inter
state commission a certificate o
necessity and convenience. w
have made application for thi
and have no doubt that it WI
. be speedily granted.
Eve believe the country to b
travelled by this extension to b
a very fine section of the state
although there are no more thai
! One-third the number Of farmer
> that should be there. We eXpec
to do selective cOlOniZing t. I'll
up this new country and viii g
into the middle western state
! and make a selective colonizin
! drive. We expect to pick on
: people and bring out only thOs
we feel viii be able to make
{ 8 success.
! ''I think that through this driv
! 3 several hundred Families WI
4 come into that section in tn
t next few months.
e eve, of course, expect to 81
5 8 a heavy wheat tonnage out
e the Opheim country. Scobey, tn
present terminus of the line,
Y now the largest primary whe;
3 3 center in the country. Sixt
: years ago this honor fell
southern Minnesota, and Il
{ grain shipping center gradual
, has worked west into North D.
kota and then crossed she In
into Montana. While wheat
the principal crop In Sherid;
and Daniels counties, there
r lots OF stock up there and Il
farmers are raising a great de
of corn"