Title: Dakota Northwestern Railway Company Records
Dates: 1916
Collection Number: MSS 11053
Quantity: .25 feet
Abstract: Consists of a certificate of incorporation of the Dakota Northwestern Railway Company, a leaflet about the project, two lists of subscribers and amounts pledged, correspondence about the project, legal documents and agreements, and two reports about the projects by Charles A. Palmer, Consulting Engineer, and W. C. Laughery.
Provenance: The records were removed from the Burke County Clerk of Court, Civil Case Files (Series 41299). The collection was processed and the finding aid created by Emily J. Ergen in December 2009.
Property Rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights: Copyrights to this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs. Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U.S. Code or an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
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AGENCY HISTORY
The Dakota Northwestern Railway Company was behind a projected steam railroad which was to run approximately 375 miles from Estevan, Canada, through Crosby and Williston, ND, to Havre, MT. The Railway Company was incorporated April 13, 1916, and had its principal office in Stady, ND. C. O. Borstad served as President and Chairman, and M. R. Lancaster was Secretary. Committees were set up in Squires County, Bonetraill, Gladys, Rudser, Stady and Plummer. Frank W. Henderson, St. Paul, MN, was the financier of the operation until the contract was cancelled in June. W. W. Umbenhauer and Company, Philadelphia, PA, became the second financier, with W. C. Laughery as the consulting civil engineer.
However, a complaint filed with the Police Magistrate of the City of Crosby accuses Laughery of not being an engineer. The complaint also accuses both Laughery and Henderson with not fulfilling their part of the contract, and calls for their arrest, having been paid $4,000.00 which was raised by Borstad and Lancaster and the residents of Divide and Williams counties.
BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY
Box 1:
1 Correspondence, March- June, 1916
2 Certificate of incorporation, leaflet about the project, subscription lists with amount donated, 1916
3 Legal Documents and agreements, January-November, 1916
4 Report on the Dakota Northwestern Railroad Company from Crosby, North Dakota to the vicinity of Williston, North Dakota, by Charles W. Palmer, Consulting Engineer, Perry Building, Philadelphia, PA, 1916
5 Report on the Dakota Northwestern Railroad Company from Crosby, North Dakota to the vicinity of Williston, North Dakota, by W. C. Laugherty, Financial Reports, Wahpeton, ND, 1916
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