The nonpartisan leader. [volume], January 06, 1916, Image 9

About The nonpartisan leader. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1915-1921

Image provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota

                
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The total mileage of all rail
roads in the state is approximately
5200.
The main line and branches of each
road shows the distance to be short
er to New Rockford than it is to
Bismarck. In one or two cases it
might ba possible that train service
would make it as convenient to go
to Bismarck as to New Rockford,, but
for at least ninety per cent of the
people living on these Main Lines
and Branches it will take less time
and cost less for mileage could they
go to New Rockford instead of Bis
marck. In these figures we have paid
no attention to the fact that the
Great Northern Railway Company
have bought property and have made
plans to build a line from New Rock
lord, west to connect with their pres
ent terminus at Watford, McKenzie
County, extending west from there
to Lewistown, Mont. They have also
arranged to build a line east from
New Rockford to Larimore which
which would give them direct con
nection with Grand Forks and Duluth.
This would, mean that all the people
living in the northeast corner of this
state could come direct from Lari
more or Grand Forks to New Rock
ford, and would give connections for
all that part of the state north and
south of the Missouri River west of
McLean County, including the north
half of McLean County.
In order to give you a further idea
of the mileage saved, we wish to call
your atention to the fact that it is
190 miles from Minot to Bismarck via
the Soo Lin,e,while it is only 109 miles
from Minot to New Rockford via the
Great Northern. It requires nine
hours on the train to go from Minot to
Bismarck while it requires three hours
and thirty minutes from Minot to
New Rockford. For a person north
and west of Minot, it means the ac
tual loss of two days time traveling
on the cars, to spend one day in the
capital city. In addition to this,
there is a loss of four dollars in rail
way fare there is also the loss of two
days' hotel bills. All of these items
are paid for by you and other tax
payers of the state.
From Grand Forks and the territory
north and northwest of Grand Forks
the distance to Bismarck is 273 miles,
while the distance to New Rockford
via the line through Larimore which
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ThcIiritiatiTe
—Petition
INITIATIVE PETITION UNDER SECTION 202 OF THE CON
STITUTION TO AMEND SECTION 215 OF THE CONSTI
TUTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, TO
-CHANGE THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT FROM THE
CITY OF BISMARCK IN THE COUNTY OF BURLEIGH
TO THE- CITY OF NEW ROCKFORD IN THE COUNTY
OF EDDY.
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA
COUNTY OF
We, the undersigned, being first duly sworn, each for himself, deposes and
says that he is a resident of the County nf and
State of North Dakota, and a legal voter thereof that he oersonally signed
his name to this initiative petition knowing die contents and purpose
thereof, and does hereby petition and propose that Section 215, Article
of the Constitution of the State of North Dakota be amended in accord
ance with the provisions of Section 202 of Article 15* of the Constitution
of the State of North Dakota as amended and now in force by adding to
the first subdivision of said section the words, "UNTIL JULY 1st, 1922,
AND AT THE CITY OF NEW ROCKFORD, IN THE COUNTY
OF EDDY, ON AND AFTER THAT DATE", so as to read as fol
lows: "FIRST. THE SEAT OE GOVERNMENT AT THE CITY
OF BISMARCK, IN THE COUNTY OF BURLEIGH UNTIL
JULY 1st, 1922, AND AT THE CITY OF NEW ROCKFORD IN
THE COUNTY OF EDDY ON AND AFTER THAT DATE", ao
that said: section 215 will thereafter jead as follows
I 4®^ I
THE NONPARTISAN LEADER
will be ready before the capital build
ing is erected, is oijly 118 milei. This
means, also, a saving in, time and hotel
bills. The saving in railroad mileage
alone would, be 310 miles on the round
The distance from Devils Lake to
Bishiarck via Casselton is 300 miles.
From Devils Lake to New Rockford
via Leeds it is 80 miles, or a differi
ence of 440 miles on the round trip.
Removal of Capital Will Be
Great Saving to Taxpayers
fm
PEOPI-t
trip, which represents an expense of
$7.75. Thousands of people go annual
ly from this territory to Bismarck
where the expanse for each person
at a minimum, would be $20.00 more
than if they were coming to New
Rockford.
From Fargo to Bismarck the di
stance is 195 miles. From Fargo to
New Rockford the distance is 124
miles. This means a saving of 142
miles on the round trip, which would,
be $3.55.
The distance from Jame3town to
Bismarck is' I0i miles. From James
town to New Rockford, 60 miles—
a saving of 82 miles on the round
trip, or $2.05 railroad fare.
19
f.
Thij represents $12.00 railroad fare.
When we sneak of going to Bismarck
from Devils Lake via Casselton, we
wish to call your attention to the
fact that more than ninety per cent
of the people who make this tripi go
via Fargo, which would add 40 miles
more, or $2.00 more to railroad fare.
Nearly 80 per cent of the total
railroad mileage of this state is near
er New Rockford, than Bismarck,
and in these figures we are not put
ting in any mileage for the line from
New Rockford west to Lewistown or
the line from New Rockford east to
Larimore. We have not included in
these figures the Great
Northern Line from Forbes
and Ellendale through Han
kinson to Wahpeton and
.carries a through sleeper
from Fargo to Aberdeen.
This line picks up nearly all
the business coming to Far
go and, west of Bismarck for
the reason that a person
saves time in doing so, and
would make the additional
saving for the people in the
southern part of the rtate
of at least one or two days'
time in going to the State
Capital in favor of New Rockford
over Bismarck.
between the mileage and hotel bills
is a very conservative figure, and we Soo Line
do r.ot believe that any .one will Northern Pacific Railway
HEW ROCK
NORTH
DAKOTA
During sixty days every two
years, a very conservative estimate
given by the people who know states
that not less than 100 persons go to
Bismarck every day while the legis
lature is in session for the reason
that they wi to be there at that
time on business connected with
pending legislation. We can very
conrervatively say that c0 people a
day go to Bismarck to see some of
the state officials every day of the
year. This means over 20,000 peo
ple a year going to the capital ci'ty
on business connected in some man
ner with the state government. At
$10 a day caved t? each individual
this would mean $200,000 per an
num. We believe you will agree with
us, from reading the above figures
of railroad mileage, that $10 saved
disagree with us on the number of -C. M. & St. Paul Railway 100
people who annually go to the state Midland Continental Railway 70
capital on state business only. To
be sure, the state has not had the 4,006
AMENDMENT. Article 19, Section 215, of the Constitution of
State of North Dakota is hereby amended to read as follows:
Article 19, Section 815. The followinf„,publlc Institutions of the State
are permanently located at the place hereinafter named, leach to have the
lands specifically granted to it by the United States, In the Act of Congress,
approved February 22, 1889, to be disposed of and used In such manner
as the Legislative Assembly may prescribe, subject to the limitations provid
ed in the article on school and public lands contained in thifl constitution:
First. The seat of Government at the city of Bismarck, in the county ot
Burleigh until July 1st, 1922, and at the city of New Rockford, in the county
of Eddy on and after that date.
Second. The State University and School of Mines at the city of Grand
Forks, in the county of Grand Forks.
Third. The Agricultural College at the city of Fargo in the county of Cass.
Fourth. A State Normal school at the city of Valley City, in the County
of Barnes and the legislative assembly in apportioning the grant of eighty
thousand acres of land for normal schools made in the Act of Congress re
ferred to shall grant the said normal school at Valley City as aforementioned,
fifty thousand (60,000) acres, and said lands are hereby appropriated to bald
institution for that purpose*
Fifth. The school for the deaf and dumb ot North Dakota, at the city
of Devils Lake, in the County of Ramsey.
Sixth. A State Reform School at the city of Mandan, In the county of
Morton.
Seventh. A State Normal School at the city of Mayville, in the county
of Traill and the legislative assembly in apportioning the grant of lands
made by congress, in the act aforesaid for state normal schools, shall as
sign thirty thousand (30,000) acres to the Institution hereby located at May
ville, and the said lands are hereby appropriated for said purpose.
Eighth. A state hospital for the insane at the city of Jamestown, In
the county of Stutsman. And the legislative assembly shall appropriate twen
ty thousand acres of the grant of lands made by the act of congress afore
said for "other educational and charitable institutions", to the benefit and for
the endowment of said institution, and there shall be located at or near
the city of Grafton, in the county of Walsh, an institution for the feeble mint
ed, on the grounds purchased by the secretary of the Interior tor a penltsar
tiary building.
And that such proposed amendment be published and placed upon the
ballot to. be voted upon by the people at die next general election for ap»
NINE
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population in the past which it has
now, but we have the same popular
tion for thirty years past which we
have now, and the same condition
existing with the railroads which
exists now, in that people who tra
vel pay for their railroad fare, a
change in the location would mean
a saving to the people of this state,
of $6,000,000. Who is it that pays
the taxes but you and all other vot
ers of the state? Who is that pays
these expenses but you and your
friends? Allowing that the state
increases in the future one-half as
fast as it has in the past, then in
the next thirty years the location of
the capital at New Rockford instead
of Bismarck would mean a saving of
more than $10,000,000. Don't for
get, all this time, that you are the
fellow that pays this unnecessary
money.
Railroads Nearer New Rockford
The railroad mileage of the state
is nearly 3000 miles closer to New
Rockford than to Bismarck, which
the following statement shows:
Mileage Closer to Bismarck
Mileage
Northern Pacific Railway 578
C. M. & St. Paul Railway 245
Soo Line 335
1,158
Rlileage Closer to New Rockford
Mileage
Great Northern Railway 1,982
951
903
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