Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-23
The President of the Northern
Pacific Talks Freely.
BIG CROPS in THE WEST
Equipment InadeQuate--Big Business
Road is Making Money--Hay-
seed Legislation in Dakota.

New York, Aug. 22.-President Mellen,
or the Northern Pacific railway, in an in
terview published in the Wall Street
Topics, aid UNLESS frost intervenes
very soon the Manitoba wheat crop is
safe and it will be a very big one. The
crop in the Red Rive valley and in parts
OF Minnesota have been considerably
damaged by hail, rain and flood, but
Providence has been kind to the Northern
Pacific and has dealt very gently with
the crops along that line. Our crops are
on high and arid lands and while there
has been plenty of moisture there has
not, been too much of it and the crops
have prospered, although they will not
grade quite SO high as last year. This,
however. will not affect us. Though the
crops Will not be as large his year, there
VIII be Just as much wheat to move as
usual, because the farmers nave so much
IN reserve that the deficiency will be fully
made up This applies to both the east
ern and western end of the road.
The greatest difficulty which the
Northern Pacific will have to contend
with this year is a lack of eouipment to
carry the grain. Although we have mr.
chased all the cars available we have
Deen unable to secure enuogh to carry
the crops and l do not know what we are
going to do about it.. Our business the
last year has been larger than ever be-
1ofe. We never had as much passenger
traffic as during this summer. and our
freight receipts have broken all records,
ouf annual report, which will be
issued the latter part of September will
be quite as gratifying as that of last
year. 1t will show that the Northern
Pacific has been operated for AZ per cent
OF it's receipts. which is a very slight in
crease oven last year. The percentage of
operation last year was 1863 per cent. The
Northern Pacific can be operated any
year under SO per cent. Whether there
will be any change in dividends I cannot
say. The board of trustees will decide
that question probably next month.
THE Northern Pacific will complete it's
Manitoba extension this fall. 1t is only
% miles long. That is the only building
in immediate contemplation. Nothing
more will be done in the Clearwater terri
tory for some time. Our trouble with the
Oregon Railway and Navigation COM
pany is in such satisfactory shape that
we shall be at peace out there"
The action of the North Dakota board
OF equalization in railroad taxes in that
state does not please Mr.. Mellen. who ex-
pressed a good deal of Indignation in re-
gard to the matter. THE North Dakota
officials are simply acting from motives
of revenge" said Mr.. Mellen. They are
the same men who tried to compel us to
reduce our rates in that state last veal
and who were beaten in the courts be-
cause we proved that our North Dakota
business at our own rates did not pay op.
Grating expenses in that state. If they
cannot get more money from us in ONT
way they are bound to do SO in another
Such an increase of assessment as they
have fixed amounts to c~onfiscatiOn for II
reduces our earnings in that state by JUS
so much money. The only thing for Us
to do is to raise our rates to cover the
loss in operating expenses. which would
! suffer if we acquiesced in the assessment
If the people of North Dakota want u!