, 1880-02-15
RAILROADS.
The Southwestern Association on
It's Last Legs.
Renewed Troubles In the Passenger
Business Rates Are Cut.

The East-Bound Business-What The Grand
Trunk Line Is Doing.
IT'S DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
For some time past the railroad officials
connected with the Southwestern Railway
Association have been acting in rather mys-
ferrous manner when asked for the latest
news regarding the condition of tile Associa-
tion. Beyond the fact that things were not
running as smoothly and evenly as desirable,
nothing could be learned. It looked rather
queer, too, that the Presidents of the various
roads in the Association, to whom the ques-
tion Of settling the troubles regarding the
business derived from points on the St. Joe&
| Western and Missouri River in Nebraska,
should not have met or made arrangements
for meeting to take into consideration the
matters referred to them.
! 4 TRIBUNE representative accidentally dis
covered the true cause of the mysterious
movements during the last few weeks. He
| met one of the managers connected with the
| Association and asked him what was being
done regarding the troubles of the South
western pool. "There is nothing beyond
the fact that one Of the roads has given
ninety days notice Of withdrawal" was his
answe er. The gentleman was Of the opinion
that TIE TRIBUNE man was aware of this
fact and when be saw that he had "let
the cat out of the bag" he quickly
added that this action did not
imply q dissolution of the pooling
| arrangement at the end Of the ninety days,
but simply meant that the present arrange
ment was to be ended and another one made
that'would prove more satisfactory TO all the
roads. He then closed up like an oyster and
refused to reveal the name of the road that
had given the notice Of withdrawal and what
caused it to take this step.
The reporter soon after tackled" the
manager Of another road and put him under
road had given notice of withdrawal from
the Association, lie replied that all the roads
had given. such notice at the last meeting. Of
the Association, for the purpose Of bringing
more. Tie reporter, however, felt confident
from what the first manager had said that it
was but one of the roads that had
signided its intention to, Withdraw,
ana eas Of 6s 9nd road hs pee pee Sn er the
fore the reporter did not relax in his efforts
to get at the true inwardness Of the af-
fair, and, coming across another manager
shortly afterwards, lie succeeded in eliciting
Chicago, Rock Island 4 Pacific. It is stated
that this road has for some time past been
dissatisfied with the workings of the pool be-
cause it did not receive the share Of the busi--
ness it believed itself entitled to; Nearly all
other lines controlled roads west Of the Mis-
souri, the business from which they refused to
allowto goin the pool, which placed the Rock
Island in bad POSITION. Besides it had be-
come known that the st. Louis lines. all Of
which are controlled BY Jay Gould had been
at cut-rates,- which forced mucll of
the business via st. Louis. The Rock Island
seems to have become convinced that this
action on the part Of the St. Louis roads sig
from the poofwhen they have perfected their
arrangements for leaving the Chicago roads
out in the cold: Therefore, the Rock Island
thought it the best policy to cease the dilly-
time and anticipate the. St. Louis roads by
giving ninety days notice of withdrawal, as
required BY the agreement. The days OF the
Southwestern Railway Association are num-
vail hereafter, it will be thing Of the past |
after the ninety days hare expired. An ef-
fort will, no doubt, be made to reorganize |
the poolon different basis, but this will not |
various roads have become so conflict
ing during the last four months that it almost |
seems impossible to get them to agree upon
satisfactory percentages: Before the ninety |
days nave expired, the WABASH Will nave Its |
line to this city completed and will ask q
create new dissensions. The affairs of the
Southwestern and Iowa pools have become
so interviewer with one another that it will |
hardly be possible to run the pool separately, |
The only way out Of the dilema seems to be
the establishment of a new pool that will
take in both the old ones and include the
business Of all the roads west of the Missouri
River as far as the Rocky Mountains Such
a pool might possibly be made to work salts
factorily, provided Jay Gould does not inter-
pose any obstacles and the various roads will
allow the question of percentages to be de-
ciden by arbitration, as it is hardly probable
that they will be able to agree among them
selves.