Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-24

other trans-continental lines, and perhaps
| will make even a lower rate than they
have for homeseekers and settlers, and
the action of the American lines may
precipitate a rate war. There is a great
rivalry between the Canadian Pacific and
the American lines for emigrant business,
! and the Canadian will not be content to
take it's legitimate share, unless it has
changed its policy of late. The conditions
of the new rate leave a wide margin for
others than settlers and homeseekers to
take advantage of, and it is this abuse
which it is feared nay make trouble.
Willis Drummond, manager of the farm
department of the d. S. B. Johnston Land
company, who recently made a six weeks
trip through Iowa, where he arranged for
a series of free lectures on Northwestern
lands says that in his acquaintance Of
twenty-seven years with the Northwest,
there has never been such a prospect of
immigration. He declares that all
through northern Iowa there has been
awakened a deep interest in western Min
| nesota and eastern and North Dakota
along the lines of the Great Northern,
$780, and the Northern Pacific, and that
many people will seek homes in this new
territory this spring. They are princl-
pally renters, who I've been paying more
per acre per annum for the use or the
ground in Iowa than land can be pur-
CIldcC loi III " vi Dt
ia.
Il found said Mr.. Drummond, "a
popular prejudice against North Dakota
on account of its supposed dryness, but
when it was explained that that portion
of the state lying east of the James river
was the richest agricultural territory in
the United States, and that 1t had more
uniform rainfalls thar Iowa, had longer
hours of sunshine and more days of clear
| weather., every one became Immediately
interested, and cut of 1871 towns that |
visited, l never saw a man who had been
in North Dakota that was not thoroughly
enthusiastic in pralsing its capabilities. I
had assurances that not less than from g.
900 to 5000 of these renters will seek
homes in western Minnesota and North
Dakota during the coming spring. This
will mean to st. Paul the opening up Of
that many new farms, and as all of these
Iowa men are equipped with money and
machinery to add to their own and to the
prosperity of the northwest, it means
more than be easily reckoned. The in
quiries among the railroads, show that
the demand for tickets, for emierant
movable cars and generally
pertaining to the Northwest, are far in
excess of anything the Northwest has
known for a number Of years..
AMONG the various colonization
schemes under consideration are three or
four religious community organizations,
among them being the 'Amanna society,"
of Iowa. These people have selected
eleven sections of land in the so-called
Paradise Valley district of North Da-
kota, and are arranging to buy the con-
tiguous sections SO as to complete a solid
body of land. These people are celebrated
! for the manufacture of the finest fleece
fannels, canned goods and vegetables,
and if they establish their colony in
North Dakota, they will erect buildings
thai will be an ornament to any commu-
nifty"
The Wall Street News of New York
has revived the rumor of the purchase Of
the st. Paul & Duluth by the Milwaukee,,
and Vice President Plough of the st.
Paul & Duluth, admits that while the
sale had not been contaminated, it was
not an improbable deal and might go
through at any time. He said recently to
a st. Paul reporter:
II am sure that the Milwaukee would
be glad to AVE the property. The road
is in as good condition as their own line,
and would offer them the best connection
to the head of the lakes. A large part Of
the business of the st. Pau & Duluth is
done with the Milwaukee, although I
could not say whether a majority of the
freight turned over to us comes from
them or not.
1.-THE stockholders of the Dulut are
perfectly content with the property as
it now is run. 1t is a good paying invest
ment. The preferred stock is 105 or 106,
and the common about As. An independ-
ent line between so many longer systems
will, however, naturally find it to its ad-
vantage to join one of them sooner or
later.
The stock Of the st. Paul & Duluth is
said to be scattered among small hold
ers, and l do not know Of any movement
at the present time to turn the line over
to the Milwaukee or any other company.
The motive, however, of the Milwaukee
to acquire the Duluth extension is not
hard to find. 1t is one of the most inn
portant spring wheat roads, and the con-
troll of the Duluth, with it's splendid ter
minals at the head of the lakes, would
be a material advantage to them in COM
peting with the Northwestern & Omaha
system to the lakes
The Wall Street News says:
"The total capital stock of the ST. Paul
& Duluth is about $500, 900, of which $4,-
791, 900 is preferred and 81, $50, 600 common.
The preferred however, can be retired,
and is, in fact, being reduced from year
to year by special funds. The income Of
the land grant is applicable to the retire
ment of the preferred stock, and the
whole issue could be taken up in any
financial reorganization. This would leave
only the common to deal with, and would
make the acquisition of the road a simple
matter"