Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-12-04
A uOVEIN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
The Northern Pacific Railroad Lands
10 he Sold al $3.50 per Acre.

The following resolution. recently pass
ed by the Board of Directors of the North
ern Pacific Railroad. and accompanying
definition Of TIE same by President Bill
llngs. are seif-eXplanatory. and will no
doubt be received with general satisfaction.
as a move in the right direction. by all set
Hers and those contemplating settling on
agricultural lands along the line of the
road:
New York. Nov. M.-rhe Board passed.
Yesterday. the following resolution:
R>sofr>d. That the agricultural lands of
The company west Of the Missouri river to
Puget Sound. shall be offered tor sale to
actual settlers at the government price oi
$50 cab per acre. with an addition there
10 OF I'D cents per acre, 10 be paid to the
company to reimburse it for he cost of
selecting. surveying and conveying said
lands.
ms resolution does not apply to coal or
iron lands. nor 10 lands chiefly valuable for /
timber. nor TO lands required for town sites
or suitable to manufacturing sites: nor. in
regions where water is scarce. to lands con-
tanning springs or other natural supplies.
Tiers at large that sucl, water privileges
shall not he exclusively held or controlled
by any individual: nor TO lands required
Tor the ,>e- Of the company in connection
with the operation of the road.
FREDERICK BILLINGS,
President n p. X. X. Co,
We are not among those who look with
suspicion on every movement of the North ,
ern Pacific Railroad Company hence we
are willing TO concede that the foregoing ,
resolution, under certain restrictions set /;
forth by the president OF the company. is
made in good faith and means all that III !.
says. We could have wished, of course. q
that the resolution had been accompanied ,
by fewer exceptions. SO as to have placed !
the company's lands, as they earned them. :
on the same footing as government lands |,
to cash purchasers within the belt of the !.
land grant, still. we regard the action as !.
inagnan;Inous and. in point of fairness and ;,
lIberalty. without Il precedent in the his
tory OF subsidized railroads. There are. in
our opinion. very few localities or portions
OF country along the contemplated or prob
able route OF the road through Montana n
which the restrictions will seriously affect. II
Water is comparatively abundant on or ad. Il
lacent to nearly all lands in the Territory 81
recognized AS suitable for agricultural pur- Il
poses True, the matter of deciding what
shall he considered Glands chiefly valuable "
for timber. town sites, nlanufactory sites, pl
or to such Lands as may be required for the b
use of the company in connection with the fe
operation Of the road" is reserved 10 tbs. "
company, but we take ii, the policy of the &C
company is intended 10 he a liberal one re
toward actual settlers on agricultural lands NJ
II least, and that no siuall or avaricious III
measures will Ike recognized, ina,lgulated hi
Or carried out in dealing with class of m
settlers on whom the future business and WI
prosperity OF the road must SO largely de- &c
pend. We incline to the opinion that the TEL
'ction OF the Board means that, settlers on
agricultural railroad lands in Montana NAV be
est assured that they will not be charged rel
'xorbitant prices for them, and we shall tn
rot be surprised If circular letter from sci
resident Billings shall be soon published. ioI
living assurance to all that $3.50 will be h0
he maximum price that will he ci,arged tn
Or all agricultural lands which may accrue on
the railroad in passing through our Ter CO.
itory. 4, F.,,.. OIL