The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-04-20
How the Railroad War Ended.
Tho Baltimore d Ohio and Pennsyluanta
IN Amity-HiItory Of tie Difficulty
Terms of lie AdjuStnent.

Z Terms 0f Hte AdjuStnlent.
(Reportcd for the Baltimore sun.)
As was briefly indicated in the Sun o
wednesday, the war which has beer
waging between the Pennsylvania ant
Baltimore q Ohio Railroad Companies fol
. lour months past Is now ended, the terml
l Of adjustment, which have been amicably
Q agreed upon, 60 into effect on Monday
, next. The history Of the causes which
led to the very serious quarrel between
these great companies, and the bass upon
which 1t was finally settled, are interest.
, ing. Upon the opening Of the Baltimore
) Il Potomac road, In July last, the Penn.
sylvania Company, controlling the line
, between New York and Washington, via
York, Pa, opened that route for through
travel, ignoring the Philadelphia, VIII.
mington q Baltimore and Baltimore &
Ohio roads. This line was much longer
} than that via Philadelphia, and 1t was un
derstood was resorted TO only with the
view Of obtaining favorable terms through
the Union tunnel, (passing through Bali.
more) and efecllng satisfactory arrange
ments with the Philadelphia, Wilmington
. Baltimore Company for connection at
bayview, on the eastern border OF this
city. Upon accomplishing these results
the Pennsylvania Company abandoned
the York route, and then began It's efforts
to divert to the new route via Bayview
and Union and Potomac tunnels the en-
tire passenger business between New
York, Philadelphia and Washington.
This scheme was temporarily interrupted
BY the freshet In August, which did great
damage to the Baltimore s. Potomac
road, but did not injure materially the old
and substantial road Of the Baltimore &
Ohio between this city and Washington.
In September, however, the Pennsylva.
mia Company controlling the New York
end Of the route, (the road through New
Jersey,) by persistent efforts managed to
get into their care nearly all the passen-
gers South bound, and carried them
through by the Baltimore and Potomac
line. From Washington, however, where
the old established route was better
know, passengers preferred the double
track road Of the Baltimore s. Ohio Com.
pany, and the singular feature was pre-
sented Of almost the entire South bound
business going via the Baltimore and Po-
tomac, and that North bound via the Bal.
timore d Ohio route, obliSing the roads
between Baltimore and New York TO
haul in reverse directions many passen-
gers cars almost empty. This continued
during the autumn, with numerous en-
barrassments to the passengers seeking
the Baltimore u Ohio road, such as re-
quiring them to change cars at points
upon the route, sending baggage to the
wrong depot in Washington; but still II
seemed impossible, so long as the cars Of
the Baltimore s. Ohio Company were
permitted 10 run on the New Jersey road,
for the Pennsylvania Company to secure
the absolute control OF the coveted busi-
ness between New York and Washing.
ton. In view Of this the Pennsylvania
Company adopted summary plan, and
inflicted blow upon Its rival which it
was hoped would settle the difficulty.
The Baltimore s. Ohio Company was &C.
cordingly notified that from and after the
Jollo,oing day the cars Of that road would
not be run upon the New Jersey roads,
and few days subsequently this notice
was followed by the issue Of circular to
railroad companies throughout the United
States that the tickets Of the Baltimore s.
Ohio Company would not be recognized
nor baggage by that road checked over
the line between New York and Phila.
delphia.
The war was then begun In earnest.
The Baltimore and Ohio Company no.
titled the Pennsylvania Company that
unless these Objectionable orders were
withdrawn and arrangements substituted
by which the Baltimore s. Ohio Company
could obtain fair share oil the travel, and
the contract be respected which required
six months notice before through arrange.
ments could be abrogated or retaliatOry
measures would be adopted. This threat
not having the desired effect the Balti-
more q Ohio Company, In December
last, reduced the rates on western through
travel about one half, the theory being
that as this route did comparatively little
through passenger business, and the
Pennsylvania Company four times as
much as the Baltimore & Ohio, as war
measure the result would be to cripple
the former and attract 10 the route oil the
latter company large number of passen.
gers from the Pennsylvania route, who
could be carried at very small addition.
al cost. The travelling public, always
anxious for low rates Of transportation,
seemed to have taken sides with the Bal
timore s. Ohio Company. The officers
oE that company claim that the result ex-
ceeded their expectations-the through
travel having doubled-and the really
excellent facilities Of flue cars and first
class hotels were availed OF by many pas.
sengers who otherwise would not have
travelled over the line, and the road be-
came all the better and more iavorably
known for through travel.l
The effect upon the Pennsylvania Com.
pany can only be conjectured, but as that
company very soon began TO make efforts
to settle the controversy, 1t would appear
to have been serious. Shortly after the
commencement ot hostilities Vice Presi-
dent Pratt, Of the Philadelphia, Whining.
ton and Baltimore Company, Mr.. 8. NJ
FELTON,, and other friends Of both compan.
les endeavored 10 bring about settle.
ment, and with that object had an inter-
view with the officers Of the Baltimore
and Ohio Company. At this meeting 1t
was proposed that q correct basis would
be an equitable division oil the passenger
business, which could only be satisiactor.
lily effected by arranging that trains be-
tween New York and Philadelphia and
Washington, be run alternately over the
Baltimore and Potomac and Baltimore
and Ohio routes, thus preventing any
confusion with travellers, and securing TO
each Of the rival lines about an equal
amount Of business. This plan was
promptly acceded to by the Baltimoreand
Ohio Company, but declined BY President
Thompson Of the Pennsylvania Company.
Upon this failure the war went on with
renewed vigor, and negotiations were
suspended until the recent visit Of
Vice President Scott and Roberts
Of the Pennsylvania, and Mr..
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