The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-01

President c. s. Mellen, of the North
ern Pacific, returned from Winnipeg
yesterday. and to a reporter for The
GIL be he denied the report sent from
that city Sunday that he had told the
Winnipeg board of trade that in fu-
ture the Northern Pacific intended to
pursue a vigorous policy in Manitoba
and to extend its lines in that section,
and that the Northern Pacific hotel at
that place, which was recently destroy
ed by fire, would be rebuilt.
TT is true we have an architect at
work on estimates for the hotel" he
said. "but that is simply to get an idea
OF the expense. That is always usual
in such cases. Nothing has been de-
cided in regard to that matter.
LAS for the railroad building, I said
nothing that would even suggest to
anyone that the Northern Pacific in
tended to extend its lines. There is
simply nothing in the story that was
sent over the country"
The Winnipeg board of trade met Mr.
Mellen upon his arrival at Winnipeg
and entertained him at a meeting
which was held in the afternoon Of
Saturday. Mr.. Mellen's remarks were
reported as follows in the Manitoba
Morning Free Press Of Monday:
On being called upon, Mr.. Mellen was greet
ed with applause He said at the outset that
he would rather be called up to discuss any
other subject than the one In hand, as he
was railway not hotel man. He would
say, though that he did not know of any
more unfortunate financial venture entered
into by his company than the Manitoba hotel
1t represented an investment Of 0,000 and
until last year it had not even paid running
expenses. The recoverable insurance amount
ed to only $4,000, and therefore 1t would
be that to rebuild would mean large
outlay of money, even exclusive Of furnish
ings. He could say though, that there were
not 300 miles in the whole 5000 of the North
ern Pacific system that the company would
strain itself more to do everything possible
for than the 800 miles owned In Manitoba.
The people in this country were unanimously
in favor Of encouraging the road, and thia
good feeling displayed, more than anything
else, formed an inducement to the company
to do as much as possible for the country.
When in New York recently he had said to
the gentlemen associated with him that he
knew of no other place in the country through
which the company's road traversed where
property was so thoroughly safeguarded as in
Manitoba: and he could say, that though as
yet the financial returns from the Manitoba
branches had not realized expectations, it was
by improbable that considerable ex-
tensions to the company's branches would
be projected. Although he could make no
promises to whether the hotel would be
rebuilt. 1t might interest those present to
know that an architect was even now max
ing an estimate of what it would cost to
rebuild. and that architect was q Winnipeg
gentleman. The company would consider
whether even at a straight loss or large
sum of money it could rebuild the hotel. He
would like to be able to say more, but as It
was he thanked the board for its expressions
of sympathy and hopes for the success of
the company He hoped the Northern Pacific
would in the future do a larger business in
Manitoba, and though he had no desire to
attack their friends the Canadian Pacific rail-
way, he thought there was room for both.
Mr.. Mellen was heartily applauded on re-
Stunning his seat, and Mr. Drewry then stat
ed that though Mr. Mellen's remarks did not
reveal any large amount of the Silver lin
ing" the fact that an architect was at
work was in itself some consolation upon
which they could live for some days, at least.