USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > History of Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota > Part 60
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SAINT PAUL-RAILROADS.
ing debt, unsecured by mortgage, of $147,829, making the total amount of paid up stock and debt $12,964,829.
On May 1st, 1877, the property of the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad Company (road, franchise and lands) was sold upon foreclosure. in the United States circuit court. It was bought for the benefit of the bond and stock-holders, and at a meeting of the latter, held June 27th, 1877, a reorganization was effected, and the name of the road changed to St. Paul and Duluth Railroad Company. The capital stock was authorized at $12,000,000. The total common stock, which was all issued in exchange for various securities of the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad Company, under the plan of reorganization, was $3,488,905. The preferred stock, rated preferred seven per cent. if earned, was $5,306,851. Up to this period no cash dividend on stock had ever been paid. The report for the year 1880 showed the common stock issued to date to be $4,055,327, preferred, $4,736,007.
In conjunction with the Minneapolis and St. Louis Company, the St Paul and Duluth built, during 1880, a branch line from Wyoming to Taylors Falls, a distance of twenty-one miles. Many permanent improvements have been made lately, in the road bed, bridges, etc., and the road put in good order generally. This property is destined to become of great value in time, and already improvement is visible. The lands owned by the company are those which the settler can select with great advantage to himself, especially if possessed of only small means, as the timber will more than pay for the land. The local traffic of the road is constantly increasing, and if the improvements made necessary by this augmenting business, did not require such a constant expen- diture, the returns to the stock-holders would make a much more favorable showing than they have heretofore made. The present officers of the road are, James Smith, Jr., president; W. H. Rhawn, vice president; E. Q. Sewall. general superintendent; P. S. Harris, secretary and treas- urer; F. S. Ilsley, auditor; A. M. Eddy, general freight and ticket agent. The total mileage is 1933 miles. The total railway receipts for the year ending December 31, 1880, were $668,777; all expenses, $575,595; net receipts, $93,182. Of this amount, however, only $221,868 was for
transportation expenses, and $29,970, general office expenses. There was expended out of the gross receipts $221,947 for maintenance of road- way, and $101,808 for maintenance of equipments.
On May 1st, 1880, a contract was made with the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad Company , allowing that company to run its trains from White Bear Lake station to Duluth, upon the annual payment of $50,000, and such proportion of the expenses for maintaining and repairing that portion of the road used, as the wheelage of its trains bore to the whole wheelage passing over the line. This contract was made to prevent the Minneapolis and St. Louis company from con- structing a road, as was the intention, to a point to connect with the lake. At the same time an- other contract was made between the two com- panies, whereby they joined together in the con- struction of the branch road from Wyoming to Taylor's Falls. This branch was finished and opened for business to Centre City, (ten miles) on August 23d, 1880, and to Taylor's Falls on the eighth day of November, 1880. This road became (by the contract mentioned) the joint property of the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway Company and the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad Company, each having contributed one-half of the money necessary to build the road, each re- ceived the bonds issued by the different towns in its aid, and one-half of the lands granted by the state. The cost to each company, for its half share, of the construction expenses, was $151,532. The St. Paul and Duluth Company received from the towns of Chisago Lake, Shafer, and Taylor's Falls, $16,500 in the bonds of those towns. The land grant to inure to the company is 46,000 acres. As soon as completed, the branch road was mortgaged for $246,000, or $12,000 per mile, to secure bonds running thirty years and bearing seven per cent. interest. Thirty per cent. of the receipts from all business passing over the road by either company is to be set aside to pay the in- terest on these bonds, and any deficiency must be met equally by each company.
The improvements made lately have been of a very material character, consisting of the replace- ment of bridges, increase of equipment, the lay- ing of many miles of steel rails, and the enlarge- ment of the dockage and freight facilities at Du- lutlı,
348
HISTORY OF RAMSEY COUNTY.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.
This great trans-continental road plays an im- portant part in the political economy of St. Paul. In the last few years it has manifested great en- ergy in new construction, and being now able to command all the money necessary for that pur- pose it is likely that its operations will be pushed forward with equal rapidity in the next few years. Indeed, it is confidently expected that the year 1884 will see the completion of the road, with through track from here to the Pacific.
The Northern Pacific Railroad Company re- ceived its charter from Congress, July 2d, 1864. Identified with the fortunes of Jay Cooke, it flourished with his affairs and suffered with his fall in 1873. Its fate was a little precarious for some short time after the crisis, but excellent management brought it safe through its many perils, and to-day it possesses vigorous strength, which manifests itself in steady increase of traf- fic over the completed portions of its lines, and the opening of new sections of country to settle- ment and trade.
The first grading of the road was commenced about July 1st, 1870. On January 1st, 1872, the track was laid as far west as Moorhead, and on May 10th, 1873, Bismarck was reached by the locomotive.
On January Ist, 1874, the company made de- fault in the payment of interest on its bonds. There had been bonds issued to the extent of some thirty millions of dollars, which were se- cured by mortgage on the property, rights and franchises, including the right to be a corpora- tion. This default of interest continuing, on the 16th of April, 1875, the trustees and certain bond- holders commenced proceedings to foreclose. The property was sold, on August 12th, 1875, includ- ing the railroad and all franchises mortgaged, and were purchased by a committee of the bond- holders for the sum of $100,000, for all bondhold- ers who assented to a plan of organization adopted June 30th, 1875. This plan provided for the sur- render of old bonds for preferred stock in the reorganized company. The new organization was perfected September 29th, 1875.
The capital stock of the company was fixed by its charter at $100,000,000, divided into 1,000,000 shares of $100 each. At the re-organization, its capital was divided into preferred stock, 510,000
shares amounting to $51,000,000, and common stock, 490,000 shares, amounting to $49,000,000.
The preferred stock was made receivable for the company's lands east of the Missouri, and on the 30th of June, 1880, by redemption on land, it had been reduced to $43,412.645.12, of which, $4,311,830.10 was held in the company's treasury. The report of the state railroad commissioner shows that the outstanding bonded, certified and floating debt of the company, on June 30th, 1880, was $7,500,000. These figures were not exact from the fact that, of this amount, the company's treasury held $2,500,000. Its cash assets were also $500,000.
In November, 1880, a contract was made with a syndicate of eastern bankers to market the first mortgage bonds of the company, to the amount of $40,000,000. This syndicate took $10,000,000 of the bonds at ninety cents, and has been taking the rest at ninety-two cents, as fast as the road is being built and the new lines accepted by the government. The amount of these first mortgage bonds was limited to $25,000 per mile, and it has been so arranged that the total debt of the com- pany on the completion of the entire road shall not exceed $50,000,000. These bonds run forty years, at six per cent. interest, principal and interest payable in gold. They form a first lien upon all the franchises and property of the com- pany, except on the lands east of the Missouri, reserved for the withdrawal of the preferred stock.
On May 1st, 1878, the road from Sauk Rapids to Brainerd, a distance of sixty and one-half miles, owned by the Western railroad of Minnesota, but which the Northern Pacific had operated, was leased for a period of ninety-nine years from that date, for a rental of thirty-five per cent. of the gross earnings. Made a contract with the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba railroad, and the Northern Pacific began to run its iron trains on the branch line between Sauk Rapids and St. Paul, a distance of seventy-five and one-half miles, on April 21st. 1879. These two contracts thus offered the Northern Pacific a shorter route to the west than via the St. Paul and Duluth railroad. In common with the St. Paul, Minnea- polis and Manitoba railroad, the Northern Pacific has perpetual use of this Sauk Rapids branch, and suitable and convenient accommodations at
349
SAINT PAUL-RAILROADS.
the passenger station in St. Paul, suitable and proper connections with all the railroads touching the said station and depot grounds in St. Paul, and the exclusive use for ten years for freight purposes of not less than ten acres of ground in St. Paul. The contract arranged also that the former road should put the line in good order and condition, as a road of its class, and, after that, the expense of maintaining the line was to be the joint work of the two companies, on the basis, and in the proportion, of the number of wheels per mile run over the same by the lines respectively. Station service is apportioned on the same basis.
Besides the large amount of new road com- pleted last year, this company has well maintained its completed road and added to its rolling stock. A gratifying fact is the great increase of the earnings of the road every year lately. Its com- pleted sections are on a paying basis. The total number of miles operated in Minnesota is three hundred and eighty-eight. When completed, the total length of road from St. Paul to the Pacific will be two thousand two hundred and fifty miles.
The commissioners report for 1880, gives the gross earnings for that year as $977,488, and the operating expenses as $417,810. During the year 1880, the terminal facilities at Duluth were much improved by the completion of one thousand feet of additional dock, and several miles of tracks for elevator purposes, and for making up trains. Made contract with the company, private individuals built, during the same year, an elevator at Duluth, with a capacity of a million bushels of grain, and line elevators, with an average capacity of thirty- five thousand bushels each, at Verndale, Wadena, Bluffton, Perham, Detroit, Audubon, Lake Park, Hawley, Glyndon, Fargo, Mapleton, Casselton, Wheatland, Tower City, Valley City, and Jamestown. The erection of the building to be used as the general offices of the company is progressing steadily. This building will be situated on the half block of ground fronting on Broadway with Fourth and Prince streets at the sides and an alley in the rear; the dimensions of which are 100x200 feet. The plans provided for the erection of a very hand- some structure 60x100 feet, three-stories in height, calculated to accommodate all the general offices, including the land and express departments.
CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAIL- WAY.
This magnificently equipped and well managed road is of immense benefit to St. Paul. Backed by great capital it has become recognized as the great passenger route of the north-west, and its operations in the prosecutions of its legitimate business, have brought the state of Minnesota to the notice of emigrants in all quarters of the globe.
The total amount of stock issued is $27,603,744, of which $4,279,500 is the proportion for Minne- sota. The total cost of the road up to the date of the last report was $73,836,637, to which must be added the cost of its recent extensions and im- provements in Minnesota, which will foot up to a large sum. The total length of road owned and operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company, is over four thousand miles. The system embraces the Iowa and Min- nesota division, or former Minnesota Central; the River Division, or former St. Paul and Chicago; the Wabasha Division, or Midland Railroad; and the Hastings and Dakota Division.
THE RIVER DIVISION
from St. Paul to LaCrescent consists of the St. Paul and Chicago railway. Under the terms of the charter of the Minnesota and Pacific Railroad Company, which was granted by the territorial legislature in 1857, power was given to that cor- poration to construct a line from St. Paul to Wi- nona. In 1862, this franchise, together with oth- ers owned by the Minnesota Pacific, passed into possession of the St. Paul and Pacific, by grant from the legislature, the former having forfeited its right and title. In 1863 a grant of lands be- ing donated by the state, efforts were made to proceed with its construction. In pursuance of this intention, Hon. E. Rice, in 1864, then presi- dent of the St. Paul and Pacific, went to Europe to engage the attention of capitalists, and after much hard work, managed to induce some mon- eyed men in England to invest their funds in the enterprise. Sufficient money was obtained to prosecute the work and thus preserve the charter from forfeiture to the state. One of the condi- tions of this investment of foreign capital was the procurement of additional land grants, which was effected. The city of St. Paul, subsequently
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350
HISTORY OF RAMSEY COUNTY.
gave a heavy bonus to the line. Work was com- menced in September, 1865, and the first train ran over the road as far as Hastings on Decem- ber 14th, 1869. The work steadily progressed, and trains from the east commenced running through to St. Paul, via Winona, in September, 1872. In the meantime, at a meeting of directors, held March 19th, 1867, the name of the enterprise had been changed to the St. Paul and Chicago Railway Company.
This line crosses the Mississippi at Hastings, the bridge over which was completed in 1871. It was the first iron railroad bridge in the state ; and in regard to workmanship and cost, it ranks among the most important structures in the North-west. The contract for the construction of the approaches, and the foundation, masonry, etc., of the bridge, was let in November, 1870, to Langdon & Co., of Minneapolis, and was com- pleted early in May following. The approaches to the bridge north of the river, consist of a pile bridge 708 feet in length, a permanent bridge of two spans, each being 106 feet in length, and a pile and trestle bridge of 2,285 feet in length. The approaches on the south side of the river consist of a trestle bridge of 146 feet in length. The total length of the river bridge is 706 feet. It consists of an iron draw 300 feet Jong, built next to the south shore of the river, two fixed spans, of 150 feet each, constructed of iron, north of the draw, and a combination span on the north shore, 106 feet in length, which is similar in form to the fixed iron spans, but has top chords and posts, constructed of wood. Post's patent trusses were used for the whole bridge. The total cost of this bridge and its approaches, was $200,000.
The total land grant to the company was 992,880 acres. The total amount of bonuses voted in aid of the company, was $404,000, all of which was not received, however. There were issued $6,000,000 of common stock and $3,000,000 of bonds. The length of the road is one hundred and thirty miles. It passed under the control of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company in 1872.
IOWA AND MINNESOTA DIVISION.
This division consists of the Minnesota Central Railroad, which was sold to the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company, in 1867, together
with all its rolling stock and equipments. In the original charter, dated March 1st, 1857, the corporate name of the road was the Minneapolis and Cedar Valley Railroad Company, which was subsequently changed, March 6th, 1863, to the Minnesota Central. In Minnesota, the length of track, on this division, consists of one hun- dred and forty-seven and a half miles. The proportion of stock for Minnesota is $2,527,046 ; proportion of debt for Minnesota, $3,019,846.
HASTINGS AND DAKOTA DIVISION.
This division was acquired by the purchase of the road-bed and equipment of the Hastings and Dakota Railway Company, in 1873, the corporate name of which, in the original charter, dated February 20th, 1857, was the Hastings, Minnesota River and Red River Railroad Company. The lands belonging to the company were not sold to the Milwaukee and St. Paul Company, and the Hastings and Dakota Railway Company still has a corporate existence. Work was commenced on the original line in May, 1868, and in November, 1868, the line was opened for traffic. The main line from Hastings to Glencoe was put into ope- ration in August, 1872, a distance of seventy-five miles. The total stock issued, according to the commissioner's report for 1880, was $1,598,269; common, $98,263; preferred, $1,500,000. The cost of construction of the road was about $,1,800,000.
WABASHA DIVISION.
This consists of the Minnesota Midland Rail- road, since August 8th, 1878, operated as the Wabasha Division, by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, as a branch line. Its length of road is fifty- nine miles, from Wabasha to Zumbrota. The Minnesota Midland Railroad Company was organized under the general laws of January 15th, 1875.
August 31st, 1877, contract was entered into with Henry Crawford, of Chicago, to build, equip, and put in operation, the line of road now in operation. The contract was carried out, and brought the road to completion for the running of trains, on May 22, 1878. The building of sidings, and other construction work, was continued, until August 8th, 1878, when the Minnesota Mid- land Railway took possession. On August 17, 1878, as stated above, the road was leased to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Com-
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SAINT PAUL-RAILROADS.
pany, for one year, at a rental of $20,000, to be applied in permanent improvements. Since then the lease has been continued.
THE SHORT LINE.
The intercourse between the two cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis was much facilitated by the opening, on November 15th, 1880, of the Short Line. This road is ten miles in length from depot to depot. It consists of eight and a half miles of road to connect the two ends of the old Fort Snelling route, the cost of which has averaged some $60,000 per mile, the work having been very heavy, and the iron bridge across the Mississippi an expensive one. It is double track, steel road, well constructed and equipped. This company has made many improvements lately at its St. Paul terminus, made necessary by the great increase of its business. In process of con- struction is a very large building intended for use as a freight house. It will be, when completed, 800 feet long by seventy feet in width, of sub- stantial material, and possessing all convenien- cies for its special purpose.
CHICAGO, ST. PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS AND OMANIA RAILWAY.
The corporation owning the lines of road form- ing the above named route, is distinctively a St. Paul enterprise. The length of road maintained and operated is nearly a thousand miles. For some time past the roads forming its present sys- tem, having interests in common, exhibited a ten- dency to consolidate; the result of the law of gravitation. United under one management the aggregate traffic could be operated more economi- cally; the service would be more perfect and con- nections better. These considerations being so patent and partial, consolidation having already been effected in a minor degree, efforts were made to perfect the plan of connecting the dis- jointed parts so as to mould them into one har- monious body. These efforts were eminently successful and resulted in the present union un- der one directory and management.
The line of the West Wisconsin Railway ex- tended from Elroy to the St. Croix river, and by lease from the St. Paul, Stillwater and Taylor's Falls Railroad, from the St. Croix river to St. Paul. This road was sold under foreclosure of mortgage, and was purchased by the Chicago,
St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway Company, in May, 1878.
On June 1st, 1880, the Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway Company, and the North Wisconsin Railway Company, (the line of the latter road extending from North Wisconsin junction to Chandler), were consolidated, forming the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway Company; which company obtained by purchase the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad and its proprietary roads, which were deeded to it May 9th, 1881.
The St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad Com- pany was formed by the consolidation of the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad, (its tracks extend- ing from St. Paul to St. James, with a branch from Lake Crystal to Elmore,) the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad, (extending from Lemars to St. James, with a lease of the track of the Illinois Central from Sioux City to Lemars, with branch from Heron lake to Woodstock;) and the Worth- ington and Sioux Falls Railroad, extending from Worthington to Sioux Falls, (extended after con- solidation, from Sioux Falls to Salem,) with branch from La Verne to Doon.
These companies were consolidated October 1st, 1879, and afterwards acquired by purchase the St. Paul Stillwater and Taylor's Falls Railroad, extending from St. Paul to Stillwater, and branch from Stillwater to the connection with the main line at the drawbridge over the St. Croix river, via South Stillwater; and another branch from Stillwater junction to the St. Croix river. This purchase took place March 1st, 1880. It also acquired by purchase the narrow guage road from Covington, opposite Sioux City, to Ponca, Nebraska, and converted it into a standard guage road, which was opened for business in September, 1880. It also extended the road from Coburn Junction to Oakland, connecting with the Omaha and North- ern Nebraska Railroad, which it also acquired by purchase March 1st, 1880, making a through line from Sioux City to Omaha. This description covers the roads which were sold to and became a part of the Chicago St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway, June 1st, 1881. The formation, as stated above, of the St. Paul and Sioux City, was simply the joining of two separate halves of one former whole. The Root River Valley and
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352
HISTORY OF RAMSEY COUNTY.
Southern Minnesota Railroad Company was orig- inally chartered in 1855. Subsequently the char- ter was amended and the company divided into the Southern Minnesota Railroad Company and the Minnesota Valley Railroad Company in 1864, which last was again divided and formed in two corporations known as the St. Paul and Sionx City Railroad Company and the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Company. Work was com- menced on the original line of the St. Paul and Sioux City (then Minnesota Valley Railroad) in 1857 and a few miles of road from Mendota to Shakopee were graded by 1858. No more pro- gress was made until 1864, when work was re- commenced in earnest and the line completed to St. James by November 1st, 1870. The stock- holders of the re-organized company that took charge of the work in 1864 were Messrs. E. S. Drake, Capt. R. Blakely, George A. Hamilton, John L. Merriam, A. II. Wilder, J. C. Burbank, H. H. Sibley, W. T. Davidson, John S. Prince, Horace Thompson and Charles II. Bigelow. The original cost of road equipments as represented by the stock of company issued was $4,000,000.
The Sioux City Railroad Company was organ- ized under the laws of the state of Iowa, to build a road from Sioux City to the Minnesota state line, with the authority to extend into an adjoin- ing state. The state of Minnesota authorized its extension to St. James, in Watonwan county, where its line connected with that of the St. Paul and Sioux City road. The line was completed from St. James to Sioux City in 1872.
On March 1st, 1878, the property of the West Wisconsin Railway, a Wisconsin corporation, was sold as an entirety by the master in chancery, pursuant to foreclosure decree. It was bid in for $1,500,000, in accordance with a plan of reorganiza- tion adopted by bondholders of each class. The deed to purchasers was executed May 1st, 1878. The deed from the purchasers to the Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway Company (also a Wisconsin corporation) was executed, as stated above, and delivered May 2d, 1878.
The Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis com- pany owned no road in Minnesota, but by act of March 4th, 1875, its predecessor was authorized to run cars and engines over roads in this state, and to exercise in this state, the corporate powers possessed in Wisconsin. . The same law legalized
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