St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-14
THE N. P. AND WILLARD.
An Interview With Ex-President Bill
lings at Glendive, Montana.
The Railway Prosperous-Mr Billings Con-
fidence in it-Villard's Mistakes.
Especial Correspondence of the Globe |


GLEND1vE, Mont, Aug, 11.-Your cor
respondent had to-day very pleasant half
hour chat with Mr.. Frederick Billings, former
president of the Northern Pacific road, and
and at present managing director. Mr. Bill
lings is chairman of the finance committee
of the board of directors add his views are
therefore peculiarly valuable. The party,
consisting of Mr. Billinge the lady member
of his family and his nephew Mr.. Chas. Bill
lings, reached this point at noon to-day, in
their special car and remained just long
enough to inspect the town thoroughly, when
they continued their trip to Portland. He is
making daylight trip OF inspection, thus
necessitating the special ear, mode of tray
cling distasteful to Mr.. Billings, as he is
singularly unostentatious preparatory to sub
hitting full report to the directors. While
in Glendive he visited the extensive shops
of the road under the escort Of Agent Tin
! ling, and expressed himself as well pleased.
Mr.. Billings submitted himself very grace
fully to reportorial inQusitiveness and ex-
pressed his views freely and frankly. In re-
gard to the actual condition of the road-bed
and working force, he said:
~ am travelling over the road by day light
with the especial purpose of examining into
that fact and am entirely satisfied. We met
with little material damage during the past
winter and our expenses for repairs and con-
struction have been light"
''What is the present outlook east for your
road."
at is good and improving. Our business
this season has been aud will continue large.
The harvest in Dakota, owing to the timely
rains, will be something unprecedented, but
our rolling stock will be taxed to its utmost
capacity to move the grain. Elevator capac-
ity is entirely insufficient
DO you expect good business from the
west9'
"Undoubtedly; we have just finished
shipping young cattle in TO go on the Mon
tana ranges, and for this purpose have en-
ployed all our stock cars since early in April
We have shipped in something like $4,000
cattle, and now the stock cars are moving
the other way with fat cattle. We ex-
pect to carry this season $4,000 head OF
beeves from Dawson county, Montana
alone. These are from the large herds
which have been working up from Nebrasks
and Wyoming, and these are billed through
to Chicago Besides these will be large ship
ments from the more western part of the
territory"
''You are one of the oldest friends of this
great enterprise, are you nots"
eyes, am one of the first who joined in
the project and assisted in its re-organiza-
| ton"
Notwithstanding the recent newspaper
stories your are still largely interested in
| Northern Pacific are you not.'
"Well, presume am the largest individ-
ual holder, 10th of stocks and bonds. Nv
faith in the success of the enterprise has
always been very great and the best way
could prove it is by the fact that have al
ways held, my interest"
1.-The road cost considerably more than
anticipated, didn't itl'
| Yes, owing in great part to bad manage
ment and unnecessary extravaganza.
'Would you object to giving your opinion:
OF Mr.. Wizards management
',Well, Mr.. Willard is a clever mans
very clever man-but he made some costly
mistakes. lido not think him INSCRIPTIONS al
all, but he perhaps Involuntary
misled u.s. He was hardly experienced
| enough in practical business methods to sue
eessfullv handle an enterprise of such mag
nitude."
SIN what particular were you misled, may
l asks"
''oh, more particularly in his statement
of the Indebtedness of the Oregon Transcon-
| tineutal company, in which was interested.
| l found our debt To be three times greater
than it was stated to be. ! sold out at big
| loss, telling him would not remain in the
company under such management
'sBut from the favorable condition of the
Northern Pacific railroad at present, and
its bright prospects, would imagine you
had confidence in the ultimate success of the
road rs dividend paying investment"
II surely have when have laid away my
/ entire interest both in stocks aud bonds for
the benefit of my children, and have in
serted mandatory clause in my will that
those interests shall not be disposed of in any
manner The country along the line of the
Northern Pacific is filing up rapidly with an
excellent class Of settlers, and villages are
springing up like mushrooms. Every family
assists in increasing the business of the road.
Viewed from all sides. can come to no other
conclusion than that the Northern Pacific has
| q very bright future. Well, wish to look al
the shops aud other property of the company
here, and must therefore bid the GLOBE good
DAY." TIA.