Minnesota Transfer Railway Company.

The Minnesota Transfer Railway Company, was incorporated in 1883 under the impetus of James J. Hill, who felt a need for a centralized terminal and transfer network to serve the nine major railway lines entering Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

The company was authorized to operate railway lines in Ramsey, Hennepin, and Anoka counties, and to provide terminal and transfer service to its nine owner lines: the Great Northern Railway Company; Northern Pacific Railway Company; Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company; Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha Railway Company; Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway Company; Chicago Great Western Railroad Company; Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company; Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Sault Ste. Marie Railway Company; and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway Company. In 1898 it purchased the New Brighton stockyards and thereby acquired the Minnesota Belt Line Railway and Transfer Company.

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