1362 1872 1882 1892 1903 1901 MILES OF MAIN TRACK AND BRANCHES OF RAILROAD IN MINNESOTA, EXCLUSIVE OF TRACKAGE RIGHTS. Year. Miles. 10.00 1,900.00 3,332.93 5,615.77 7,250.01 7,467.21 The amount of mileage apportioned to each road will be found in detail by referring to Table I of the Statistical Tables which appear further on in this report. SUPPLY OF CARS. The movement of grain from interior points to the terminal markets of Minnesota, from the crop of 1904, has been relatively large during the fall months. This can be ascribed chiefly to the high prices ruling in the markets, although the exceptionally favorable weather up to December 1st was an additional factor of no small moment. The railroad companies were taxed to their utmost resources to provide for the heavy demand for cars under these conditions, notwithstanding which fact there was an unusual absence of complaints of car shortage for grain shipments. The efforts of the companies were specially directed toward filling all necessary requirements of the grain shippers, and with the aid of other favorable conditions above noted, the larger part of the grain crop of 1904 was moved to the terminal markets between the first of September and the first of December, with less delay and friction than has occurred in many years. The question of distribution of cars among shippers, ordinarily a prolific source of complaint, has been raised in but few instances, the railroad companies having exerted themselves in an endeavor to prevent any reasonable ground for complaints of this character. The fact that all available box cars were pressed into the grain service resulted to some extent in a shortage of these cars for wood shipments, leading to a few complaints from this class of shippers. Flat cars were substituted, and the urgent demand of shippers of wood was satisfied in this manner. Flat cars are not as acceptable to such shippers as box cars, owing to delay and expense involved in preparing them for loading. It may be said. also that the companies themselves are not favorably disposed to their use, in view of the danger of falling wood and consequent ditching of trains. No serious trouble in this direction was experienced, however, and by the first of December shipping conditions again became comparatively normal. All complaints of this nature which were sent to the commission were immediately taken up with the railway concerned. and relief promptly secured. APPLICATIONS TO MAKE LOGGING ROADS COMMON CARRIERS. On February 25th, 1904, a petition was received, signed by residents in the neighborhood of Solway and Mallard, in the counties of Beltrami and Clearwater, respectively, asking the commission to declare the owners of the logging road known as the Red River Logging Co., common carriers. On April 25th, 1904, the commission, through investigation, made the following findings and disposition of the case: The commission having investigated the conditions governing the construction and operation of the above named company, and having had same under consideration, find as follows: 1st. That the line of railway referred to was put in on a temporary roadbed, for temporary purposes only, to-wit: for the purpose of removing the timber belonging to the company, along the line. The steel does not belong to the lumber company, but was borrowed from the Great Northern Railway Company for temporary use, to be pulled up and returned when the work of removing the timber was completed. 2nd. The lumber company is not a railroad company and does not own any cars, engines or equipment which would enable them to operate or maintain the line, even if they were so disposed. 3rd. The lumber company has a contract with the railroad company, by which the latter were to haul the logs only, this contract not providing for hauling freight; nor does it show that it was intended that freight hauling would be a feature of the business, this having been done only as a matter of accommodation, and nothing appears to have been said or done by the company to encourage the belief that the road was built for other than temporary purposes and for the sole convenience of the company, it appearing on the contrary, that it has been publicly and privately stated to all inquirers, that the line was merely a temporary one. 4th. From the foregoing facts, the commission concludes that it would not be warranted in declaring the said Red River Lumber Company a common carrier as prayed for in the petition. These findings are based upon information obtained by examination of the conditions contained in a certain contract or agreement between the Great Northern Railway Company and the Red River Lumber Company, entered into on the 28th day of December, 1901, also from verbal testimony submitted by W. J. Walker of the said Red River Lumber Company before the commission, on the 28th day of March, 1904, a copy of the contract referred to being attached to the files in the case. In pursuance of the above findings of fact, the Secretary was instructed to notify the petitioners that their prayer is denied. INTERLOCKING PLANTS. New interlocking systems were installed during the year covered by this report, as hereinafter stated. These plants were officially inspected and approved by the commission and permits for their operation issued. At Newport, at the crossing of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railways with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway. At St. Croix Junction, at the crossing of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway. At Detroit, at the crossing of the Northern Pacific railway with the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie railway. At Erskine, at the crossing of the Great Northern railway with the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie railway. At Carleton, plan approved by the commission for an extension of the existing plant, to cover additional trackage, at the crossing of the Northern Pacific railway with the Great Northern railway. APPLICATIONS BY RAILWAY COMPANIES FOR PERMISSION TO CLOSE CERTAIN STATIONS. A number of applications were filed during the year by railroad companies, for permission to remove agents or to close certain stations. Previous to the enactment of Chapter 319, General Laws of 1903, the companies acted upon their own judgment in this connection, frequently causing much inconvenience and dissatisfaction, thus giving rise to complaints of injustice, resulting in the introduction and passage of the law referred to, which requires that the written consent of the commission shall be obtained before such action is taken. In considering such applications the commission found cases where the business was large during the fall when grain was moving to market, but amounted to little or nothing after the close of the shipping season. In some of these instances the companies were permitted to substitute a partial service by the appointment of a custodian at a small compensation to keep the station rooms clean, warmed, and open at least onehalf hour before and after the departure of all passenger trains due to stop at such stations; also requiring the company to afford reasonable facilities for receiving and shipping freight. At points where there is no population and no business outside of the fall grain shipments, the companies have been allowed to discontinue the station service until such time as business revived sufficiently to justify its renewal. Applications to discontinue or modify the service at stations where regular agents have been employed, are denied by the commission when it appears that the volume of business is up to the statutory requirements entitling the station to such service, and is fairly distributed during the year. The disposition made by the commission of the applications filed during the past year by the railway companies, follows herewith: GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. Dec. 23, 1903. Application to retire regular agent at Darwin. Denied. |