Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-22
A RAILROAD KIEGsHIP

We have seen il stated some years
ago that the ultimate endot JAVGoULus
life and ambition has been to posses
such a control over the railroad lines
across the continent as would give him
a power and influence that would hc
felt and acknowledged from one end Of
the country 10 the other. lie c0ncciycs
i'm such a scheme a more complete king
ship than has vet been attained 10y any
American. and 20 it's attainment the
best energies of his life seem % have
been directed.
Ills recent purchase Of the Missouri
Pacific road has excited and puzzled the
u.ap.. of ST.. Louis onjother points, not
aIrtIr. since they have discovered that
This ACQUISITION gives him absolute con-
troll of three parallel lines across the
State of Missouri. 0r i'm other words, he
has possession of the entire system OF
lines connecting with II. Louis from the
West. which will prevent any further
cutting Of rates by the parable, Missouri
lines.
Eut this is not all that is being UNI
,arthed in regard to Mr.. GoULD's rail-
road possessions in the West. IL Is
discovered that i'm Kansas and Nebraska
De- has been no less active in c0uc,u-
trr.r, railroads within his own mani
a,cuent. Those under sprcseut con-
troll are the Kansas Pacific and branches,
OH miles. the Mon Pacific, Loss miles,
the =. Joseph and Denver, constructed
from ~. Joseph 20 Hastings, Nebraska,
22-mUps. amt his latest purchase the
central branch Of thc Union Pacific, %
line which extends westward from
Atrhi-ou. through Northern Kansas to
Phillips county, ami. with it's branches,
makes e mroi27l miles. Asa feeder
10 the Missouri lines, Mr.. GOULD has
tho Central Iowa. ar0ad bisCctmc Iowa
ina uorthluj south direction, about2UO
miles i'm length. and connecting with Il
branch 90 tlr s. Louis, Kansas City
and Northern.
This magu,IceD. network OF roads,
having an aggregate length Of 4,l4l
miles, have for their eastern outlet the
Toledo, Wabash anil Western, which,
since 10 has passed under Mr.. GOULD $
control, has been consolidated with the
st. Louis, Kansas City and Northern,
and the new line designated the Wa
bash, 81 Louis and Pacific. This gives
% cuutiuuous line under one manage
myut from Toledo, Ohio, 70 Ogden,
Utah Territory, and the entire length
ltrack i'm the system is q little over
1000 miles.
ID this showing Toes not disclose quite
diouuilablc k.u-sh.r, it is certainly
substantial basis Cor an immense one
man power. 50 great IS it that it already
becomes a question Of the first import
ance not only.to the sections trayersed
by These roads. bat o. che entire COun-
try, Is % how Mr.. GOULD will use his
great possessions. As yet the public
rcIu only vaguely conjecture concerning
his future policy and designs. If his
. sole object Is mOney-aaEing, he will
not find it difficult, pehaps, to put his
possession in the mari,t at time and
under circumstances Tat viii give him
a fortune above that ye, acquired by an
individual American. II ne desires to
connect fame and influence with money
getting he will probably hold his pos
sessions and continue % increase them.
In any event, we look upon the situO-
ton as likely TO resub in making JAY
GOULD ono of the MIST conspicuous
figures IN American history.