The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-01
NEWS OF THE RAILROADS
NORTHERN PACIFIC DISPOSES
OF SOME OF ITS LANDS

ID. 8. ID. Johnston Company Acquires
an Immense Tract of the Property
Omaha Trainmen Committee
Has a Long Conference With the
superintendent of the ROad-The
Question of Wages Is Up.
The Northern Pacific Railway COM
pany has just closed one of the largest
land deals in the history of the North
west. 1t has sold to the D. 8. 3. John
ston Land Mortgage company, Of this
city, nearly 500, 900 acres Of land in Min
nesota and North Dakota These lands
are among the choicest in the states
named and are located principally in
the Red and James river valleys.
While the details of the transaction
are not made public, it is understood
that a good price was paid for the
lands, and that the Johnston company
will endeaVor as far as possible to car
ry out the policy of the Northern Pa
cif1c company by making sales only to
persons who will become actual set
tiers.
The Johnston company is one Of the
Oldest and best known land companies
in the Northwest. It was established in
1874 and has long been actively engag-
ed In buying and selling lands in the
Northwest, particularly in North Da-
kota, where it already possessed large
holdings before making this latest &C
QUESTION. With its machinery and
we'll known and approved methods of
doing business, it is believed that 1t
Will become even more important fac
tor than 1t has been in the develop
ment and peOpling of the section in
which 1T operates
F. w. Wilsey, Eastern land agent
for the Northern Pacific company,
when seen yesterday, confirmed the
rumor of the sale and when asked
whether transaction Of such large
proportions would not neceSsitate a
change in past methods, replied:
Not at all. The policy Of the COM
pany has always been to settle and de-
velop the country adjacent to the line
OF the road, whether the lands affected
thereby were owned by the company
or by private parties 1t has kept the
prices low and offered most favorable
terms to encourage actual settlement,
and the result is that in the agricul-
tural districts through which the road
runs perfect panorama Of farms is
presented. This could not have been
accomplished had the lands been held
by spectators.
'"The sale to the Johnston company is
OC44CNNd ~ NC VI COuSlU6TaDIG 9uVan-
tage in the settlement of the country,
for the reason that 1t bought the lands
for no other purpose than to resell. 1t
has been that cOmpany's policy to sell
to actual settlers, and it will lend it's
efforts to those being continually made
by this company. Like this company,
the Johnston company will keep its
prices low and extend most favorable
terms to those desiring to secure homes
in the territory embraced in it's opera
lions. In fact, I understand it intends
to maintain the prices already placed
upon the lands by this company and
offer not only the same, but more lib
eral terms than we have been giving
to actual settlers.
"On the whole I look upon the sale
as advantageous not only to this COM
pany but to the country generally in
which the lands are situated, for, as
l stated, the machinery and efforts Of
the Johnston company will be added to
those Of the Northern Pacific company
in pOpulating the Northwest with a
thrifty and progressive class of farm
erS"
The Johnston company has secured
the services of Willis Drummond, who
Tor the past two years has held an
important position in Mr.. Wilsey's Of
flee, and he will today enter upon his
new duties as manager Of sales Mr.
Drummond has devoted over twenty
five years to the land business in the
Northwest, and is we'll qualified for
the important position to which he has
been appointed.