The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-30
THOUSANDS Of PEOPLE
WISCONSIN AND GREAT
NORTHERN
LARGE ARMY OF COLONIsTs
FOrty-Eight Coaches Filled to Their
Capacity Make a Sight Never
Before Seen In This
City.

Two thousand immigrants handled yes
terd2y alternately by the Wisconsin Cen
trail and the Great Northern, constituted
the heaviest single movement of its kind
which has ever passed through st. Paul
for the West. The colonists We're a part
OF the tremendous army which has been
moving West for three months and more
particularly during the present week.
They were brought in yesterday morning
and were sent out on special trains over
the Great Northern for North Dakota
points during the forenoon.
The movement was under the personal
supervision OF Max Bass. general immi-
grant agent Of the Great Northern; Gen
eral Passenger Agent Pond, of the Wis
consin Central, who were assisted in the
movement of the colonists through the
cities by Herman Brown, local agent of
the Central Narney Russell, the Mime
apohs agent, and other officials. With
the specials leaving yesterday forenoon
We're General Passenger Agent Whitney,
of the Great Northern, and Assistant
General Passenger Agent T. B. Lynch
The Northern Pacific handled 800 people
during the day from Kansas City. in
charge of G. l.. Dougherty, southwestern
agent.
The first two specials from Chicago ar
rived at the transfer shortly after mid
night. Five other trains, sections of the
first, arrived in rapid succession, thirty
TO fory-tVe minutes apart, and shortly
after daylight the trains moved into the
union station yards to make ready for
the departure for the Northwest Forty
eight coaches filed to their capacity with
colonists made q sight which will not be
witnessed again for years as they stood
in the yards.
The first special left the union station
at $40 and others followed as rapidly as
they could be made up. Max Bass and
his assistants accompanied the first. and
General Passenger Agent Whitney and r
b. Lynch followed on others. The col
onists will settle in the counties in North
Dakota to which the preceding move
ment was taken. Yesterdays business
very nearly clears up the present move
ment West, and no other parties of con-
siderable size will follow for several
weeks. The Great Northern has q party
of 900 in sight, bound for the same local.
ties as the others, but after movements of
from LOCO TO 5000 people, the smaller
party has become an insignificant mat
ter Land Commissioner Babcock. of the
Great Northern, gave several interesting
facts yesterday concerning the rush this
spring, --. ,i
Inc Great Northern railway" said he
owns but a comparatively small land
grant The greater part Of our North
Dakota land has been disposed of and
what remains is Insignificant in COMPARE
son with the land grant of the Northern
Pacific in that and other states. Yet dur
ing the months since the first of the
fiscal year, July l, this department has
disposed of nearly 100000 worth of lands.
Last months sales will approach 800. 900,
and February sales were more than $40, :
600, exceedingly good when the size of the
tracts which we have left to offer and
the season are considered.
THE present movement is practically
the cream of the earth. These settlers
are substantial men, more than half prob
ably which have bought land Of us having
paid spot cash. or paid In full In a few
months. This is something remarkable,
when one considers that these men go to
wild lands with no improvements what
ever. have never seen anything like
the present movement. 1t Is wonderful,
and yet 1t seems to be solid and business
like, rather than the result Of land fever
and excitement"