The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-10
RAILROAD RUMORS.

lating on the situation here between the
Illinois Central company and Gould's Wa
bash system, will prove of interest to the
readers of THE BULLETIN: II has become
an accepted tact in railroad circles here
that the accession of the Hannibal and st.
Joe to the Wabash system will be followed
by raid on the Mobile and Ohio and its
ultimate consolidation with the old Cairo
and Vincennes now known as the Cairo
and Danyille division of the Wabash. This
will give Gould competing line on the
east bank of the Mississippi from New Or
leans to Cairo, direct route to the east by
conjunction with the Ohio and Mississippi
at VinCcnnes, by way Of indianapolis, and
a whack at Chicago business, now con
troled by the Illinois Central, through the
Chicago and eastern Illinois by way of
Danvlle. The coming winter will develop
avigorous fight between those two roads.
1t will be novelty to the people of this
section Of the Mississippi Valley, who, for
over a quarter Of century have been ac-
customcd TO look upon the Illinois Central
as one of the most gigantic monopolies OF
the west. Its recent agreement with the
Texas and St. Louis narrow guage, by
which that road becomes a feeder for
large portion Of trade that is now COM
PEELED to seek the Iron Mountain and the
entire business of some of the most produc-
tive and Furnishing sections of Arkansas
and Texas, and especially the great cotton
producing districts of these two states.
was direct assault upon the Gould in
forests. The consummation of this scheme
was effected so rapidly and so completely
that IL was looked upon as veritabl
coup d'etat in railroad circles here. 1t WAS
an unexpected explosion of the ORIGINAL
idea that the Texas and st. Louis was
seeking connection here with the Cairo and
St. Louis narrow guage, which was to be-
come part of the great narrow guage sys =
TEN between the south and the east. Para.
more had already submitted his proposition
to the Cairo and ST. Louis narrow guage
| people and was about exhausted awaiting
| an answer, when hasty summons brought
down the Illinois Central crowd from Chica-
90; a conference was held between them
and the Short Line managers on one
side and Paramore on the other; bargain
was struck; The Short Line IS to
get the st. Louis business by way Of Du
Quon and the Central all that belongs to
Chicago. In return the Narrow Gauge is
to get all the Arkansas and Texas business
it can handle. This agreement is pledged
in lease Of forty years. In view OF this
arrangement narrow gauge inclines are now
in course of construction on both sides of
the river Narrow gauge tracks have been
LAID in 2ll the Illinois Central yards. The
Narrow Gauge Office is in the Illinois Cen
trail building and there is o constant and
general determination of the officers of the
two roads
The Wabash managers regard the exc
| cutlon of this scheme as an act Of usurpa-
ton. In retaliation it is proposed to get
control of the Mobile and Ohio and oper-
ate il in connection with the Cairo and
Danville division of the Wabash, with con-
venient outlets at Vincennes north and east {;
| to g0bble up the Cairo and st. Louis Mar
row Gauge as a.cut-off to the Short Line for
the st. Louis business. Every indication
points to this as the programme. When it
Is carried out there will be war. The Cen.
trail is preparing for the fight. 1t is forth
flying its position by a liberal expenditure
OF its vast resources, building up its road
bed, laying steel rails the whole length of
its line from Chicago to New Orleans, sc.
curing its bridges ana tresles, improving
its rolling stock and increasing wherever
1t can its facilities for handling the winter
traffic and taking care of its interest against
all possibilities.
The Wabash, not satisfied with the pres
ent route to Chicago, by the way Of the
Chicago and Eastern Illinois, through Dam
vile, are about to construct line from
Ettingham, the southern terminus of their
Chicago division, to intersect the Cairo d.
vision at Stoueport, ffty-fve miles from
here. 1t will be an air line IN every sense
OF the word, passing through some of the
best sections of the State. The operation
OF such line with Mobile and Ohio con
nection at this point to compete with the
Chicago, ST. Louis and New Orleans east
OF the Mississippi, and with the Iron Noun
tain for feeder on the west, will give the
Gould faction what they have been eagerly
seeking, full sweep at the Illinois Central
business from New Orleans to Chicago and
the East There's music in the air."