▁had ▁been ▁laid ▁across ▁Minnesota ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁but ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁cross ▁Pope ▁County ▁and ▁settlement ▁remained ▁low . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁local ▁entrepr ene urs ▁incorpor ated ▁the ▁Little ▁F alls ▁and ▁Dak ota ▁Rail road ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁new ▁east - west ▁branch ▁line ▁from ▁Little ▁F alls , ▁Minnesota , ▁to ▁the ▁Dak ota ▁border . ▁ ▁The ▁Northern ▁Pacific ▁Railway ▁and ▁Great ▁Northern ▁Railway , ▁locked ▁in ▁a ▁rival ry ▁for ▁national ▁domin ance , ▁each ▁took ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁region ▁and ▁the ▁luc r ative ▁land ▁rights ▁that ▁would ▁come ▁with ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁Great ▁Northern ▁hurried ly ▁built ▁tracks ▁for ▁the ▁St . ▁Cloud ▁and ▁Lake ▁Tra verse ▁Railway ▁from ▁Brow ns ▁Valley ▁J unction , ▁about ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁Morris , ▁Minnesota , ▁and ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Little ▁F alls ▁and ▁Dak ota ▁Line ; ▁building ▁the ▁line ▁east ▁towards ▁Star bu ck . ▁ ▁However ▁the ▁Little ▁F alls ▁and ▁Dak ota , ▁secret ly ▁back ed ▁by ▁Northern ▁Pacific , ▁reached ▁Star bu ck ▁first , ▁se cur ing ▁the ▁critical ▁mail ▁franch ise ▁for ▁the ▁town , ▁and ▁then ▁continu ing ▁on ▁to ▁Morris . ▁ ▁Great ▁Northern ▁traffic ▁was ▁light ▁so ▁the ▁Morris - to - Star bu ck ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Cloud ▁and ▁Lake ▁Tra verse ▁was ▁abandoned ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁completed . ▁Upon ▁completion ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2