The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-18

General Passenger Agent r. I. Whit
ney, of the Great Northern, yesterday
announced that that company would
make a special rate from st. Paul to
points on that system as far as the
coast for homeseekers and settlers,
the rate being one fare plus 81 for the
round trip, or one-half rate plus 81
for one-way tickets, these rates being.
good on the first and third TUESDAYS
in each month. Said Mr.. Whitney yes
terday to a reporter for The G O b e.
in the explanation of the new move:
In soliciting immigration to the territory
tributary to our line in Montana Idaho and
washington, we have found our principal OBJ
stacle to be the cheap rates in effect for that
class of business into other territory and the
almost proh1bitive rates into the country ad-
Jacent to our lines. Prospective settlers look
ing around for new homes are controlled
largely by their financial condition and com
double tariff of a trip to Montana, Idaho or
Washington for the purpose of investigating
the advantages of those states as future
homes, with the additional expense at rates
hitherto in effect necessary to move their
families and belongings to the new country.
This state of affairs has been a barrier
over which but comparatively few of the ag-
ricultural classes could climb into the
north Pacific country, whereas into other sec
lions of the South and West the home seekers
excursions have been an institution of many
years standing, and at the present time
virtually half rates are being made semi
monthly into nineteen states west of the
Mississippi river and into nine Southern
states for the purpose of encouraging immi-
grafton and securing settlers, but no induce
ment is offered to invite home-seekers and
intending settlers to prospect the country
tributary to our lines in Montana Idaho and
Washington, Notwithstanding that the dis
lance from the center of population is com
paratively greater than to any other section
or the United States
tae
Minneapolis, Duluth and the Superiors
to all points on the Great Northern in
Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana.
Idaho. Washington and to points on the
oregon Railroad and Navigation com
pany's lines, the Spokane Falls &
Northern and other roads connecting
with the Great Northern.
The Northern Pacific will make SINH
lar rates to points on it's system and
Its connections throughout the North
west.
1t is probably that the 500 and the
Canadian Pacific will follow the other
roads and perhaps will make even a.
lower rate than they for homeseekers
and settlers, and that the action of the
American lines may precipitate a rate
war. There is 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 in policy of late. The condi-
lions OF the new rate leave a wide mar
gin for others than settlers and home
seekers to take advantage of, and it is
this abuse which 1t is feared NAV make
trouble
Willis Drummond manager of the farm de-
partment of the D. S. B. Johnston Land com
pany, has just returned from q six weeks
Trip through Iowa, where he has been ar
81 of
western lands. Mr. Dru1nmond says that in
MS acquaintance of twenty-seven years with
tne Northwest, there has never been such a
prospect of immigration. He declares that
all through Northern Iowa there has been
awakened deep interest in Western Minne-
sofa sso and Eastern and North Dakota along the
Northern Pacific, and that MANY peonIe will
seek homes in this new territory this spring.
Ihey are principally renters, who have been
pa psy Ing more per acre per annum for the use
oi the ground In Iowa than land can be pur-
chased for in Minnesota or North Dakota.
1ound, said Mr.. Drummond "a popu-
iar prejudice against North Dakota on ac-
count of its supposed dryness, but when it
was explained that that portion of the state
lying east or the James river was the richest
agricultural territory in the United States,
ana tnaI II mad more uniform ranfalIs than
iowa, had longer hours of sunshine and more
days OF clear weather. every one became i'm
Ineolateiy interested, and out of 157 towns
that | visited, | never found a man wbo I'D
been in North Dakota that was NOT thoroueh-
~ enthusiastic in praising its capabilities.
nao assurances that not less than from 3 900
70 B, 0G0 OF these renters will seek homes in
Western Minnesota and North Dakota during
Ihe coming spring. This will mean to St
Paul the opening up Of that many new farms
ana as all of these Iowa men are equipped
with money and machinery to add to their
own ana to the prosperity of the Northwest
It means more than be easily reckoned
Inc inquiries among the railroads, show that
the demand for tickets, for iemigrant movable
cars and information generally pertaining to
the Northwest, are far. in excess of anything
years. VI
Among the various colonization schemes
under consideration are three or four reIi-
gious 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 Dakota, and are arranging to buy the
contiguous sections so 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 es-
tablish their colony in North Dakota, they
Will erect buildings that will be an ornament