The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-10
NEWS OF RAILROADS
PRESIDENT HILL EXPLAINS THE
NECESSITY FOR SHIPS ON
PACIFIC
WESTERN c0UNTRY's NEEDS
People VIII Some Day Get Tired of
Lawmakers to Do Something for
Their Countrywide Great North
ern Officials Speak Kindly of the
Washington and Idaho SOlOns.

President James J. Hill, Of the Great
Northern, yesterday returned from the
coast. where he went with the chiefs
of the several departments of his road
on an inspection trip.
The business outlook in the West"
said Mr.. Hill to a reporter for The
G b e, lis excellent the great trouble
being that there are not enough ships
on the Pacific coast to transport quar-
ter Of the produce of the country. The
navigation laws of this country are
such that American vessels cannot OPP
crate under them to advantage, and the
consequence is they are not built ex-
cept when absolutely necessary Three
quarters of the products of the West
ern farms that should be~sent to Asia
and Europe are unable to ind mar
ket; mills are closed and there is a
general stagnation of business on the
coast because our legislators at Wash
ington cannot appreciate the impor-
lance of favorable navigation laws to
this country. Some day the people Will
get tired of this kind of business and
will compel the lawmakers to do some
thing for the benefit of the country.
What arrangements are you making
to eSta bliSh a steamship line from
Puget sound to Asia?" asked the re-
porter.
Il do not know anything about such
line" said Mr.. Hill. Il know 1 shall
not establish one myself. Under the
present laws of this country there is no
inducement to run a steamship under
the American flag, and a company OPP
Grating under any other flag would
have to be organized in a foreign
country
: when are you going the Europe?"
asked the reporter.
81 do not expect to go this year."
1T is understood that the Spokane
Falls &, Northern railroad is to be
operated as a branch line instead Of
an independent read" said the re-
porter.
TT does not matter how that line
is operated" said Mr. Hill. The Great
Northern owns it,
~ What truth is there in the report
that the Great Northern will extend its
line from Seattle down the coast to
Portland?"
LAS long as the Great Northern and
the o. r. & NJ remain on friendly
terms the Great Northern will not
build to Portland. We operate over the
o. r. & N. tracks. and the o. r. & N.
enjoys the right Of transportation over
ours, and even though the Union Pa
ciflc may eventually own the o. r. &
N, 1t is doubtful If 1T would want the
Great Northern to build a competing
line in its territory. For that reason
among others, I think the present re-
lations between the two companies will
be maintained"
Mr.. Hill spoke few pleasant words
for the Washington and Idaho legis-
latures.
I'm Washington" he said, ''the peo-
pie seem to appreciate the fact that
the Great Northern is inclined to treat
them literally, and the legislature this
winter proved to be d most reasonable
body. It has not tried to hamper the
road, but appears to be actuated by a
most liberal spirit in dealing with rail-
road matters. The tide Of inimigra-
ton is flowing toward Washington, and
the state is becoming populated with a
very intelligent and desirable class Of
citizens, who realize that the interests
of themselves and the railroads are
Identical, and who act from motives
of reciprocity in dealing with them.
IT can say the same Of the Idaho
legislature. The Great Northern has
no complaint to make In either state"
Mr.. Hill said that the reports that
the Great Northern would build line
to Republic were nonsense.
1.-THE Republic ore is free milling and
does not have to be transported. 1t is
treated on the spot. and there is moth
ing in it for the railroads. The mine
is a great one, but one swallow does
not make summer"