Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-10
COLONIST TRAVEL IS HEAVY
Railroads Making Unprecedented Effort to
Bring Settlers West.
MILLIONS OF ACRES ARE AVAILABLE
Traffic Official Says Railroads Are
building Up Small and Substan-
tiaI Communities Through
out Unsettled West.

The railroads running west from Chicago
and their western connections are making
an EFFORT to increase the volume of their
business by the settlement of millions CT
acres Of land along their western main
lines and branches. Homeseekers' and col
onists' rates have been given each year IN
the past, but the scope of country that
the rates cover this year and the length CT
time that the rates are in effect has been
almost doubled.
The first step in this direction was the
extension of the time limit during which
colonists' rates would be given to the
north Pacific coast, the northwest and Cali
fornia. Following this there came a per-
feet food of homeseekers' rates to Mis-
souri,, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Indian Terri
tory, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The
Rock Island, in conjunction with the Next
can Central, gave a homeseekers' late to
Mexico. This was an innovation.
The Western Passenger association has
now given notice that homesoekers' tickets
will be sold to points in Utah, Wyoming,
Idaho and Montana on the first and third
Tuesdays of each month beginning March
II and including June 16.
Points in the Northwest.
Meanwhile the Burlington system, the
GIeaI NOIlneTu ana the northern B9Cltc
have given notice to the Transcontinental
Passenger bureau and the Western Pas
senger association of their intention to in
augurate similar homeseekers' rates to
points In the northwest from March IT to
jun IS.
Travel to the south, southwest, west and
northwest will be very heavy during the
next three months with this widespread
cut in rates. Many Of those who take adj
vantage OF the opportunity to reach points
in this territory will go only as tourists,
but the railroads expect to carry a large
number of people who will settle there
eventually.
The colonist travel has been heavy this
year." a prominent passenger official said.
"and in connection with those who take ad-
vantage Of the homeseekers' rates there
will be a noticeable increase in the farm
ing classes along the lines of all of the
western roads where land is good and vet
cheap to buy. A good many thousands OF
acres of uncultivated land will be broken
for the first time next spring and the rail-
roads will derive a great deal of benefit
from the operation of these rates. The
rates are simply building up small and
substantial communities throughout the
unsettled west and adding TO the smaller
Of the communities that have already been
made possible by the same kin OF WORK
by the railroads in previous years"
Engineers and FIremen Here.
Another committee of Union Pacific EN-.
ployes arrived yesterday and took ar
its headquarters at the Dellone hotel. II Is
a joint committee OF the brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers and the Brother.
hood Of Locomotive Firemen. The commit,
tee represents the second and third dis.
triets of the Union Pacific.
1t will meet with the officials Of the roat
to adjust certain differences in the wage
schedule and also to discuss the changinl
Of the division points.
The members of the committee are: Fire.
men-C. E.. Engoe. Ellis. Kan, genera
chairman; U. G. Apologize. Cheyenne, vice
chairman; II. s. Crockett. North Platte; A
B. Yates. North Platte; Andrew Liddell
North Platte. Engineers-George w. Vro.
man. North Platte. general chairman; vii