The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-08
THE NEW RAILROAD WAR.
Drawn Swords and Big Fight In Prospect-A
Regular Railroad Rumpus-EverythinR Fixed
In s'Erie" for Ten Years. siege.

Drawn swords and Big Fight In Prospect-A
Regular Railroad Rumpus-Everything Fixed
In ''Erie" for n Ten Y ears' Siege.
The announcement in the morning papers of
yesterday that q renewal of hostilities had re-
suited between the railroad magnates, Fisk and
Gould, representing Erie, on the one hand, and
Cornelius Vanderbilt on the other, created much
comment on the "street," Z. e., Wall street. and
much interest was manifested to learn the pre-
else nature and extent of the issue. The effect
however, of these reports on the stock repre-
sented by the contending factions was insignifi
cant, and many profess to believe that the con-
test will be of brief duration, as there is no
question of the fact that each of the respective
Clubs" can ''stand on its own bottom"
With view, however, to learning the exact
facts in the case a reporter paid
VISIT TO COMMODORE VANDERBILT
to ascertain his version of the causes which led
to the present conflict and the proposed course
to be pursued by the New York Central. He
was politely received by the Commodore, who
said that he did not wish to enter into anynews-
paper controversy, and in the course of some
what general conversation stated his position
substantially as follows
The New York Central, Pennsylvania Central,
and Erie Railways had entered into an arrange
ment seven years ago, establishing similar rates
of passenger and freight charges, which had
been strictly adhered to by the New York Cen
trail, but had been repeatedly deviated from by
the other roads. 1t had been found utterly
useless TO make any compact or arrangement
with the controllers of the Erie, for the reason
that they would violate any and every such COM
pact within twenty-four hours after making it.
The only course now open for the Central to
pursue was to reduce rates to such point that
it would be impossible for the competing lines
to underbid them. This he proposed to do. He
said that the New York Central, running
through the best section of country in the
United States, was worth every cent of the par
value of its stock, and the directors proposed to
pay their stockholders. The Central would
hereafter be run simply on its own merits as an
independent and competing line and he thought
1t was able to cope with any and all possible
combinations. II it could not he would vacate.
his position as president. This was the simple
business-like position of the road, and the talk
of ''war" and the sensational articles appear
ing from day to day in the newspapers looked
very like an attempt to 'bear" the market. If
that was the object he would only say that he
| had all the stock he wanted and no more; he
neither wanted to buy or sell, and what he had
he was able to carry. In regard to the parties
who were running the Erie Road-Mr. Gould
and Mr.. Fisk-he did not think he could gain
any honor by noticing them in any way or
| encouraging an idea in the minds of the I'M
initiated that they were engaged in war with
| him.
THE ERIE SIDE OF THE STORY.
Subsequently a reporter called on Messrs.
| Fisk and Gould, and upon stating the cause of
his visit, and asking Mr.. Fisk what course he
intended to pursue, he replied in character
istic manner, "Why sir, we intend to fight.
Vanderbilt has begun this thing, and we intend
to come up squarely to the scratch and take
care of our road to the best of our ability. He
is disappointed at the defeat of his English
| agents to get control of the Erie, and this is
one of his ways of trying to get revenge.
There is meeting of directors now going on,
and will leave you to the care of Jay Gould,
who will tell you all about the matter as well
| or better than can"
Mr.. Gould, although deeply engaged, politely
gave what information was desired and said:-
did not know of this contemplated fight of Mr..
Vanderbilt until day or so ago. The first init
nation we had of it was on receiving the fol
lowing
LETTER FROM VANDERBILT.
NEW YORK CENTRAL AND HUDSON RIVER
r. II. Co., PRESIDENTS OFFICE,
NEW YORK, June /, lsIO.J
JAY GOULD, Esq, President Erie Railway Company
Dear Sir-The understanding In regard to passen
ger fares excursion tickets and live stock, between
Chicago Buffalo, Pittsburg, and New York, having
been entirely disregarded by the Pennsylvania and
Erie Railroads for the past two or three weeks, with
out consultation with the lines l represent, an
obliged to give you notice that from this date al
WILLIAM H. VINDERBnT, vice-President.
THE CAUSE OF THE QUARREL
was probably partly owing to our running the
fast trains on our road. These lightning ex
presses enabled us to control large share o
the passenger travel west, and probably thii
was not relished by the managers OF the com
peting road.
With regard to the arrangement with the
everything is so far satisfactory. 1 telegraphed
to Mr.. Scott, the Vice-PTesident of the road, th'
substance of the notice received from Wander
bilt, to which he sent the following reply
s. PHILADELPHIA, June 3, 1870
JAY GoULD:-I have similar notice. Don't un
derstand what the gentleman means exactly, thougl
l am perfectly content TO abide his award.
| THOMAS A. SCOTT, Vice-President
then telegraphed to him whether we coult
depend upon being accommodated by his road
and the answer that came back was as follows:-
| PHILADELPHIA June 3, 1870.
JAY GoULD:-Yes, sir; we will treat you right a
Mansfield on the basis stated by Mccullough an
myself when we saw you in New York.
THOMAS A. SCOTT, .
.+ ce-PTesident Pennsylvania Central.
From the above statement it will be seen tina
we are in a good position TO fight in To
threatened war: We are crowded with freight
but il must be borne in mind that we hay
thirty-six steamers running on the lake froI
our freight West.
In case this fight becomes too hot we inten
to inquire into the question as TO whether th
! other side have not forfeited their charters b
violation of them by taking money in thei
palace cars. Every fare they take in thes
drawing-room cars is violation of their chal
ter. They are limited to a charge of two cent
mile. In conclusion we say that we have DC
inaugura ed this war; but as We are in we inten
to fight 1t out if it lasts Tor ten years.-N. ,
Herald to-day.
The International Chess Congress at Bader
: July 10, will bring together nearly all the mos