The new North-west., 1888-09-28
NORTHERN PACIFIC STOCKHOLDERS
MEETING,
Willard Holds Control and Oakes Elected
President.
The Company in Prosperous Condition.

uo AuuuSt ucot!uS VI tho OtOCAuoAu0tS
and Directors of the Northern Pacific Rail-
road Company was held in New York last
Thursday. The annual reports showed q
very satisfactory condition of affairs.
When it came to the election of officers,
it was found 697, ,233 were represented of
which Mr.. Willard cast 361 ,14O, being 1884
more than required to elect. The result was,
therefore, in his own hands. The old Board
of Directors were reelected except Mr. Au-
gust Belmont was retired and Mr.. Built, of
Philadelphia, elected in his stead.
The directors met Immediately after their
election to select officers. Mr.. Willard was
nominated for President, but positively de-
clined and named Thos. F. Oakes for the
position. The election resulted:
President, Thos. F. Oakes, headquarters
at St. Paul; Chairman of the Board of Di-
rectors, Robert Harris, headquarters At New
York; First Vice President, James B. Will
liams, headquarters at New York; second
Vice President, G. II. Prescott, headquarters
At Pacific Coast; Secretary, Samuel Wilkeson;
Treasurer, George s. Baxter; General Audi
tor, James A. Barker; Assistant Secretary,
George 81. Earle.
Thomas Fletcher Oakes, was born in Bos-
ton July Is, 1843. He began railroad SER
vice June l, 1868, connecting himself with
tbs Kansas Pacific. where he remained until
April 1870, being successfully Secretary to
contractors, Purchasing agent, Assistant
Treasurer, General Freight Agent, Vice
President and General Superintendent. For
q year thereafter he was General Superin-
tendent of the Fort Scott & Gulf and Kan
sas City, Lawrence & Southern. From May,
1880, till May, 1881, he was Vice President
and General Manager of the Oregon Rail-
way and Navigation, and in the latter month
he became Vice President of the Northern
Pacific, and since November, 1888, has been
in addition, General Manager of the road.
He has been the vital energy of the road
during all the years since 1884, when the
foreign stockholders went back on the enter
prize aud Mr.. Willard was temporarily over
whelmed with embarrassment; but he has
always been loyal to Wizards interests, and
when the latter, with wonderful recuper.
alton, came into control again, he cid not
forget his faithful lieutenant. The N. p,
has had a very successful year and $751;
is now applicable to dividends on the prefer
red stock. The report presented shows the
gross earnings for the year ended June 80, to
be SIS, SAC, 1927, an increase over the preced-
ing year of $3,056, ,s79; operating expenses,
1866. 1884; increase, s2,o9s, ,s85; net earnings,
,443; increase, $963,015. There were
several important changes in the executives
of the road, James B. Williams, the present
Third Vice President, was elected First Vice
President, with headquarters in New York.
c. H. Prescott, formerly manager of the
Oregon Railway and Navigation Company,
was elected Second Vice President, with
at Tacoma. The Office of the
Third Vice President was left vacant, but
may be filled later on. George S. Baxter,
who succeeded Mr.. Belknap as Treasurer
some months ago, was elected to fill that
Office, and Samuel Wilkeson, the Secretary,
was given an assistant, Mr.. George Fl. Earle.