The weekly tribune., 1894-02-16
PRESIDENT J. J. HILL
Is interviewed at New York Regard
ing the New Agreement Be
tween Pacific Lines.
Gives His Views on the Industries
and Business in the Various
Pacific States.

The following is taken from the Inde-
pendent of Feb. IL, 1894.
President James j. Hill, OF the Great
Northern road, in New York few days
ago said that the new agreement re-
Gently concluded between the four
northern transcontinental railroads, and
which is to be put in operation at once,
is likely to be permanent. President
Hills views are expressed in the follow
ing interview "Under this agreement the
Union Pacific, Northern Pacific, Great
Northern and Canadian Pacific roads
will make the same rates from Chicago,
St. Paul and Omaha to Portland and
North Pacific points. Each road will
carry business to it's terminal for the
other roads. Differentials have been
settled on for the roads which have to
send business by water from their Pacific
coast terminus to San Francisco. The
new rates should be permanent. They
are on o fairer basis than ever before.
ANY causes for friction in the past are
now removed. Suitable notice is re-
quired from line which may desire to
withdraw from the agreement. This
agreement takes in the passenger bust
pess. On the freight business there has
been no disagreement as between the
northern lines. There has been moth
ing further than a contest between the
Southern Pacific and the Atchison on
one side and the steamships on the
other, which may be a little difference
hotuoap tho rpals themselves
II look for very little railway building
this year. There is no large area Of new
country to open up. In fact the country
is well provided with railroads for long
time TO come. So far as the Great North
ern is concerned, there has been some
falling off in earnings in certain sections,
but small gain is beginning to show in
others, which, with the general reduct-
ion in expenses, make net results salts
factory. / look for an important new
DEVELOPMENT on the Pacific coast very
soon. The Puget sound country con-
taius large deposits of fine iron ore and
good cokiug coal which are beginning to
attract attention. The actual conditions
are such that the best qualities OF iron
and steel can be made there as cheaply
AS anywhere in the world. it will be
but a short time before the Pacific coast
is supplied from that source.
The lumber business Of the Northern
Pacific has been depressed on account OF
.ne falling ot@s in TIE export trade by
ocean to South America, Australia and
other places. 1t is being replaced by rail
shipments to the east. The single item
Of shipments of cedar shingles amounts
to 100 carloads day The only question
is the furnishing Of cars The agricul
tural business of the Palouse country
has suffered because of the heavy rains
during the harvest, which injured the
quality Of the wheat.
"The mining business is even now
picking up. In Washington and Idaho
the greater attention to gold is resulting
in the opening of new gold fields. The
same thing prevails to an even greater
extent in Montana Montana merchants
are suite generally paying cash for par
chases. The money CONES largely from
the mines
There is a movement from the cities
to the new lands west of Lake Superior.
People who have been engaged in indus
trial pursuits are leaving the manufact-
airing centers and taking up homes
where the soil is new and the resources
are not exhausted This section of the
country will recover from hard times
more quickly than the section east of
Chicago. because it has fewer manufact-
urere IT produces things the people
must have for food and shelter and for
paying their way agricultural products,
lumber and precious ores. What is not
Used here will be exported. Prices are
low enough for breadstufls. Nobody
should go hungry on account of the cost
Of the necessaries In the large manu-
featuring districts east of Chicago peo-
pie will have to go slow. The disorgan-
lied conditions must wait for natural
forces to readjust them.