The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-17
ADAMS PARTY HERE
NORTHERN PACIFIC MAGNATE
REACHED SIT. PAUL LAST EVEN
ING FROM THE WEST.
SELECTION OF Mr.. MELLEN,
HE SAYS, IS SATISFACTORY TO ALL
THE ELEMENTS OF THE
ROAD.
DAN LAMONT MAY STAY EAST,
Although 1t Is Mr.. Adams Opinion
That the Colonel Likes
This Section.
SELECTION OF Mr.. MELLEN
DAN LAMONT MAY STAY EAST

The special train bearing Chairman
Edward D. Adams, of the Northern
Pacific directorate, and his party, from
the Pacific coast, pulled in over the
Great Northern last night shortly be-
fore II o'clock. The party consists of
Mr.. and Mrs. Adams, Miss Ruth Ad-
ans, Ernest K. Adams, Mr.. and Mrs.
George F. Baker, he being the presi-
dent of the First National Bank Of
New York and a director of the Jersey
Central road; Miss Baker, George F.
Baker Jr., Assistant Secretary w. H.
Gemmel, of the Northern Pacific, and
several governesses, maids, etc. The
start home was made from Vancouver
Tuesday morning via the Canadian
Pacific, a stop of two or three days
was made at Banff.
The party repaired directly to the
Aberdeen. Notwithstanding the hour,
Mr. Adams received the representa-
tives of the press and good naturally
permitted himself to be quizzed con-
corning matters about the road in which
st. Paul people are interested
Mr.. Adams explained that the NAM
ing of Mr. Mellen president was, SO
far as he knew, quite satisfactory.
combined familiarity with the success
full operation of a transcontinental line
with thorough knowledge of the man
agement of roads which traversed
thickly populated sections of country as
the New York, New Haven and Hart
ford does in New England The road
he was leaving, and which had done
so well under his direction, was, bar
4
Pennsylvania lines, in the highest state
of railway transportation, both as to
passenger and freight operation.
The selection of Mr. Mellen and Col.
Lamont would, Mr.. Adams stated, in
sure the absolutely Independent opera
ton of the Northern Pacific, and in
this connection he pointed out that
the control of the property is vested in
the voting trustees for five years, be-
ginning last September, and that all
trust certificates issued at all are of
necessity issued by them, and that in
the event a vacancy it is filled by
the remaining four, the property being
absolutely in their control Mr.. Adams
believes that a better understanding of
this would dissipate the apprehension
regarding the possibility of consolida-
ton with the Great Northern or any
other line.
The election of Messrs. Mellen and
Lamont takes effect midnight Aug. 81,
when the resignation of Mr.. Winter
becomes effective also.
Mr.. Mellen will be here at that time,
as before stated, but Mr.. Adams was
unable to state whether it was Mr.
Lamont's intention to remain in New
York or come to St. Paul, although
he inferred from Mr.. Lamont's accept
ing the Morgan appointment to the
Northern Pacific in preference to an
other, that he favored the Northwest.
Asked definitely regarding J. j.
HilIs strength in the newly organized
company, Mr. Adams stated that the
interest Mr.. Hill represented was an
important one, but he had not known
it to be stated at any time that it was
in any sense controlling one.
The elections had been approved by
those interests, but, whether or not
Mr.. Hill personally and formally had
approved them, he could not state
Concerning the physical condition Of
the property, Mr.. Adams said: After
the first receivership in 1898, President
Rouse, after a careful examination,
pointed out what was needed to put the
Northern Pacific in shape to compete
with other lines. These improvements
called for an expenditure of something
like $10,000,000. The improvements con-
templated the laying of some 1000
miles of heavier steel, increase in the
power of the locomotives and the car
rying capacity of cars, substituting
steel for wooden bridges, filing tres
ties, reducing grades improving curves,
etc.
That material progress has been
made in this direction is shown in in
creased loads per train. Important
progress is shown in the operating
statistics, which have been submitted
by President Winter during the past
year"
Mr.. Adams, who has made three
trips over the line in a year, finds a
great Improvement in the commercial
tone of the territory, especially on the
coast from Portland to the internation-
al line. He finds a marked change
since last July. With the exception of
certain mining districts in Montana af-
fected by the decrease in the price Of
silver, the spirit of enterprise is man
ifested on every hand.
The coast is, he says, suffering from
an aggravated attack of Klondicitis
from which it is not soon to get over
for he believes the section will grow
more and more popular. He argues that,
with the growing of the interests, the
population will get nearer and nearer
the gold country, and that gradually
the perilous pass will give way to a
passable corduroy road or something
of the sort. The Adams party will re-
main in st. Paul for two or three days