Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-11
RAILROAD RUMORS.
Hints of Gigantic Combinations to Grasp
the Southern Systems.
Cincinnati Gazette.

CNstCttftAtt 6UIFLLe.
The air is fairly black with ruuHsrs OF en-.
teiprises OF great pith and moment in the
railway world hereabouts. Seemingly the
greater the system OF roads the greater the
necessity for reaching out for still other
lines. The old east and west and north and
south lines have been crossed and psralleled
so often that their very existence compels
them either to absorb or combine with their
competitors. The natural course of trade
in the United States a few years ago was
east and west; little later a norths and
south movement began, and still later lines
between the northeast and southwest, and
the northwest and southeast were con-
s'ructed, which have, as their
freight tonnage and passenger
traffic show, completely snnihilated
the old theory that because the ipmigrstiC n,
is from east to west, transportation lines
must be construct d in the same direction,
and because this theory has been exploded
has railway combination and consolidation
become necessary. The laws of trade, of
commerce, and of competition are as bind
ing and exacting upon railways as upon
other lines of business, and self preserva-
tion being the essence OF commercial law,
combinations against competition are en-
tirelV consistent with what is called "faIr
dealing" Hence, when a railroad corpora
tion absorbs all the adVantageousy located,
as well as the conflicting lines of
transportation within it's reach, 1t
does no more nor less than a
merchant or manufacturer would were his
interests ieopsrdized by rival concerns. The
building up of great systems of transporta-
ton lines by the consolidation of many
snort and possibly weak roads, is altogether
right from every point of view. 1t reduces
the cost OF service, VIII ch is a gain to the
producer and consumer, by removing the
distractions of distance and time, which
through car service under one management
always secures. A railway one thousand
miles long can move its traffic at a very
much less rate per ton per mile than road
with mileage Of one hundred miles can.
Tolls are always in inverse ration to dis
tance.
But, Notwithstanding these indisputable
facts, there are, unfortunately, very many
bitter opponents to all railway organizations
whose mileage exceeds about two hundred
miles, and they think they see, or expect to
see, the whole nation consolidated" and
merged" under the thumb of great rail-
way monopoly. Cincinnati gives shelter to
several OF these alarmists. Just nov they
are particularly anxious, and very much
distressed Withal, over a rum0r which is to
the effect that Jay Gould is laying pipe for
the capture Of the Louisville and Nashville.
1t Is to be hoped that it Is not rumor
merely, but solid and indisputable fact.
Ir certainly is a consummation de-
voutlY to be wished. II Gould
Is contemplating a move of that
kind, and it is altogether likely that he is,
for where there is so much smoke there is
sure to be at least little fire, it is safe to
say that G. P. Huntington is in the scheme
too. In fact, 1t is openly asserted that at
least three Of the new board of directors OF
the Louisville and Nashville are pledged to
resign In favor of Gould, Huntington and
sage, whenever those gentlemen indicate
their readiness to take an active part In the
management OF the property. But when
they do 60 In the board, more than three OF
the old members will go out. In fact, all
but Gould's friends will step aside. Some
OF Gould's most intimate friends saw that he
will be in full possession of the road
before next spring, and that his purpose
Is to enter into a combination with
Huntington's Chesapeake and Ohio system
on the one hand, and the Missouri Pacific
system on the other, thus making the Louis
Vile and Nashville the connecting link be-
tween these two great rail line com binations,
and all working in perfect harmony Surely
no great harm can come to Cincinnati by
combination which gives her through lines,
virtually under one management, to all
points in Texas and on the line of the
Southern Pacific to San Francisco; to all
points in Missouri and Eastern Kansas, and
to Omaha For the good of the industrial
interests OF this city 1t is to be hoped that
not only Gould, but every other RAILWAY
magnate or manipulation will find it necessa-
ry to come to Cincinnati either by purchas-
ing existing lines or by constructing new
roads. Cincinnati can stand good deal Of
That KIND OF railway monopoly"