The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-14

mendous movement in Canadian lands be-
fore July l, 1903. Canadian crop pros
poets are as encouraging as the outlook
on the American side of the line. Both
are essential to the success of big devel-
Opment plans for western Canada. A good
crop in the western provinces this year
will clinch the belief Of many American
farmers that western Canada Is a good
place in which to settle and invest. Good
crops in the American northwest will pro-
vide thousands of farmers with extra cash
to invest in Canadian soil. In the mean
time land companies are being formed to
acquire soil which has never yet been
tramped by a settler. The province of
Assiniboia is being carefully inspected
and investments have already been made
In Saskatchewan which but two or three
years ago. in the minds of most people
On this side of the line. was like planting
money within the confines of the Arctic
circle
Opinions on Canada have changed Won
derfully within the past year. Manitoba's
big crop Of 1901 was the most potent edu-
Gator. Another good crop this year will
start the invasion Of western Canada by
the American landseeker and homeseeker.
If the elements are kind to the crops of
Canada during the next two months
American land companies will do the rest
In this connection there IS much inter-
est in the plans of the Canadian Pacific
Iodu lOl ulSpOSiuS VI ltS lduu nOluluSS III
western Canada 1t now owns % 900
acres Of land on which it has placed an
average valuation of 81 per acre. 1t, pro-
poses to form new company to take over
and dispose of these holdings, on the
theory that a company separate from the
railway corporation can do the work to
better advantage and realize a better
profit. AS far as the details Of the plan
have been made known it appears that the
new land company will issue the same
amount of stock as the entire outstand-
Ing issue Of the railroad company. The
Canadian Pacific would then declare a
dividend to it's stockholders OF land stock
In the amount of their holdings of Cana
dian Pacific stock. This is of much int er-
est to many northwestern people, as many
have made purchases of Canadian Pacific
stock within the past few months and in
most cases this buying has been for per-
manent investment. Many northwestern
buyers of Canadian Pacific railway stock
nave been attracted to 1t not only from
the fact that it is a reliable dividend pay
er, but because the immense land holdings
coupled with the steady development of
western Canada. = promise a steady in
crease in value. With the present designs
or American land men on western Canada
soil. always in case hat crop results are
favorable. it would appear that the cake
Is getting warm.
LiGnite Combine Hinted.
North Dakota is agitated by the report
that a combine in Ignite coal is being
formed. Within the past few years de-
Felopment OF Ignite coal properties in
that state has shown greater results than
during the previous twenty years. Sew
eral of the larger mines have built up a
remunerative trade within North Dakota
and the northern section of South Da-
kota. Three big companies are now op-
\ Grating and another is forming. While
prof1ts have not been extremely large
they have been satisfactory. There is
little prospect of consolidation of these
properties but an agreement among the
big companies as to territory and price
would not be impossible This does net
mean that a combination to raise the
price would be formed but rather one to
insure against selling Ignite at loss.
While Ignite in western North Dakota
Is as plentiful as clay soil in the Red
River valley, the fact remains that the
most improved facilities for mining and
handling the product will tell as powerful
story in that a. in anything else. The
small operator may mine Ignite in a
small way and furnish a certain amount
OF competition but his methods are ex-
pensive compared with those of the bigger
concern with such a plant as is possessed
by the Washburn company at Wilton or
the new ~Kenmare company en- the north
ern division of the 500. There is diff
ference in Ignite as we'll as in any other
fuel, and it is reasonable to suppose that
men who have lately invested thousands of
dollars ir Ignite coal properties have
been careful to select the best veins they
can find. The largest operators now in
the business are advantageously situated
for distributing the fuel to Ignite buyers
in the northwest. Taking it all around,
in spite of,the fact that Ignite is plen-
tiful the big operator has an advantage.
The big Increase in population in the Da-
kotas has created new opportunities for
tits Industry, and it is within the range
of possibilities that the Ignite operate
in some of the Ignite districts at least
may endeavor to reach an understanding
whereby in the race for business they will
not be making the industry urprofitable
A combine in any commodity is obnoxious
to the consumer, but the western coal
miner has found it decidedly efficient in
eliminating the more disagreeable feat
ures Of competition.
Futile Rate Conference.
1t is announced that the recent confer
ence of western traffic men in Chicago
ended without definite result. One of the
rrin 80 +1o ~