St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-02
ST. PAUL NEWS.
TRANSPORTATION NOTES.
Arrival of Mr.. Harris, President of
the Northern Pacific.
An Advance Agreed ON in Colorado Rates
Other Rail Notes.
.4rriral of ur. Harris.

Yesterday morning Mr.4Harris, president
of the Northern Pacific road, reached st.
Paul on his way east from Portland and the
Pacific coast generally. From what has
been said in the papers for several weeks it
has been well known that his trip to the Pa
cific coast was for the purpose of furthering
the object the Northern Pacific has in view
in securing lease of the Oregon Railway
and Navigation company. This proposed
leasing of the Oregon and Navi
cation company by the North
ern Pacific is interesting as indicating
an unchanged policy on the part of the new
management of the latter property; that is, it
indicates purpose to preserve in its en-
tirety the original idea of the enterprise,
which was, to have a complete transconti-
mental line under single management and
under one control. The charter of the
Northern Pacific provided for railroad from
Lake Superior all the way to the Northern
Pacific ocean, and although Mr.. Willard evil
IDENTITY did not mean to have the Northern
Pacific build a line itself for the whole dis
lance, he was careful not to depart from the
intentions of the incorporates, and so pro-
vided for unity of control over system,
made up of different and distinct pieces, but
having identical interests. 1t will be re-
membered that that was Mr.. Vii
lard's purpose in organizing the Oregon
Trans-Continental company. The Ore
gon Railway Il Navigation was al
ready in existence, and was doing profit
able business. 1t was mainly water line
just then, but yielding to the necessities of
the situation, which required greater expe-
dtion than the water route afforded, il was
building rail line along the Colum bia river
from Portland to the eastern extremity of
Oregon at Walla Walla and Wallula. The
Northern Pacific was at the same time bull
ding west, and would also have to construct
a line along the same river to Portland. To
protect the Navigation company's business,
by guarding against the introduction of all
competition, and to provide the Northern
Pacific with the needed outlet to Portland,
Mr.. Willard turned a controlling interest in
both companies into a third company-the
Oregon Trans Continental the object
OF permanently lodging control therein, and
thus in effect placing the whole line from
the lakes to the Pacific coast under one man
a@cmcnt. This is precisely what Mr. Harris
on behalf of the Northern Pacific has been
west, endeavorihg to accomplish. As Mr..
Harris expressed it yesterday ''the Northern
Pacific will deal straight from the waters of
Superior to Puget Sound"
Mr.. Harris was found yesterday aftern Don
in the vice presidents office in the
Northern Pacific headquarters bull
ding, apparently in very
pleasant frame of mind. He was not dis
posed TO talk much about the matter of the
lease, simply because it was not an accom-
plished fact. He did, however make several
statements upon the subject which cover the
whole matter. Whether putting the inter
view in the form of question and answer,
what he said may be stated in substance as
follows:
He admitted that the object of all these in
tcrvews between the managers of the Nor
them Pacific and the Oregon Railway and
Navigation company has for their object the
lease Of the latter by the former: that the
terms Of the lease are the payment of fixed
charges; per cent, interest the first year
z per cent. the second, and per cent
thereafter; that the terms have not beer
fully agreed upon and settled yet
th6Hgh it is well enough understood that thu
oterms above mentioned will be accepted anC
adopted soon after he gets back to New York
On being asked when he thought il would b,
settled, he said that it would not be before
the middle of August, when the formal trans
fer would be made. AS the arrangement i.
for lease for ninety-nine years, it is almos
equivalent TO transfer Of the whole prop
ery. There is no doubt the Cascade division
will be built.