New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-26
RAILROAD INTERESTS.
PRESSING FOR A COMPROMISE.

strenuous efforts to bring the warning rail-
roads OF the Northwest together made yesterday
While there were In reality no formal confer
encee In this city, 1t is understood that
the dispatches exchanged with West
frequent A meeting OF the Executive Committee
OF the Northwestern Railway Company was
held In the afternoon, but the vice
president said afterward that the only business which
had been done the declaration Of the usual divi-
dends He said that the had not been even alluded
to. At the time persons who directors OF the
Northwestern, the Rock Island and the Omaha com
panies were In close consultation 1t is understood that
persons prominently interested in other West
ern roads were using their influence in every
possible direction bring about settlement OF the
quarrel 1t was generally believed In Wall Street that
settlement Of the dispute at hand and rumors
to tn's effect circulated freely.
Ihere Ia nothing to show that the is near its
END. Toe recently published statement that the
st. Paul Company had offered to submit the questions
IN dispute to arbitration accepted indication
that the company was still willing to make compro-
mise officers Of the other companies said that they had
never received Offers to arbitrate from the ST.
Paul, aud President Porter, OF the Omaha road
SAID mat he would like to know the meaning Of the word
"arbration" before he accepted it.
The principal officers OF the Omaha Company, who
are supposed to be backed in this contest by the
Northwestern and the Rock Island Companies said
yesterday that before any conference could be held
1t would be necessary TO know what questions to
be discussed. They declared that any pooling arrange
nents at particular points not settlement Of The
questions ut issue. division Of the
territory OF the Northwest between the
existing lines and the complete neutrality
of terri ory yet touched we're the only subjects
which they would meet discuss bur that these
points they were willing to confer and to leave
any matters upon which the companies could
not agree to impartial arbitration. They said
that they would not consent even to talk
about anything less than complete redstricng OF
the territory Extensions into neutral country accord
ing to their opinions to be made only with the
sent OF the other parties to the agreement.
One OF the directors Of the Omaha Company, who
formerly its ylcepresident, showed last night the
following letter written nearly two years ago he said
thatit disposed at of any charges of stocobbery
which had been made against the officers of the Omhaa
road:
OFFICE G., ST. p, NJ. AND or
Benjamin Brecster. Vice President 50 Broadray
DEAR SIR: The activity OF the Milwaukee aud St. Paul
Railroad and their determination TO build railroads
everywhere and IN competition with everybody in its
ultimate RESULTS is goin be very disturbing if not
alarming. have doubt when they get through they
will land where others know OF done before but
so long as they can raise the money they will go on Last
year t1ey bult from Benton "a point on their Hastings
Minneapolis. Last week resolution Of their board
from New York nstrucng Mr. Merrill to go aud bu
from Benton TO MankaLo on tue west side of the Mime
W,ptota ~ ~ crnccSion , win ~ th,'r ,res1nt road9 mn
there This makes a connection between their istng3
and Dakota and southern Minnesota lnes and puts line
just west OF as all the from ST. Pauand Minneapolis
10 MankatO, which VIII b. extremely disastrous 10 our
line from Merriam Junction TO MankatO, wnere we have
some nice towns nov giyng Us large grain AMI other
business. W, nave got to OOk squarcy the face this
cOnaiuOh Ol The Milwaukee and II. Paul, and it Is a
question for our road the Northw stern aud the Rock
island to consider, they making similar move
mens Ia eacn OF their territories In my Judgment
uniform one that each should carry out.
to protect it. against Is. the st. Pau Gompa9y
20 them the result will be disastrous 10 each of our
We are urged to commence at Henderson aud build a
line west between the Hastings and Dakota anu the
Wnona and ot. Peter dislike to 90 II, ou IL may DC
necessary to get out there to eaten the business west OF
their line without this 10y their parallel line 10 ours
no idonbt from what / hear mat the Milwaukee
and ST Paul are also preparing to bIli
from ne Iowa division We not strong enough our
selves to do much toward checking them, but think
general pan. If the Northwestern will undertake as
thoroughly do 1t in theirs and the Rock Island as
the milwaukee and st. Paul and tue readiness OF CAPT
tasts to invest in securues we are not stout enough
to do much. don't ike the outlook at all. lt IL
easy for any OodY TO build railroad anywhere.
The St. Paul company are A so preparing TO build rail-
road from Wablshaw Eau Claire, and northwest
from Eau Claire to secure the land grant OF the superior
City line, whicn Crosses our Bayfield, line In about the
centre. am trying to defeat this Ia the Wisconsin
Legislature, even TO the extent OF our building that
pay to build but don't feel like building any more
ROAD than Is absolutely necessary. ~ my
policies toward the ST. Pau Company ~ Active az
gress on (2 defensive (Which never works.; 3) keep
ing eutrely stll-nakng road so good IN its physt-
cal condition operate cheap the cneap.
uOng our business satisfactorily at low rates II
necessary AS to make the public pleased with US ana
keeping ourselves compact until the break comes, whoh
II is sure 10 do, when We can branch out u.s
Yesterday MIR. Merrill came here and called a
meeting and in IL demanded that they nave
larger share of the business between St. Paul and
Chicago tban they now get it being pooled hall and nall
gross or that the pool should break, w1en ne cold
get emphaticaly declined this and told him that
rather lhan LEI nm nave any more imam nan MS pre-
ferrcd lie sAou1 break the pool don't know whether
lie will do it not, nut fear he Will II they make
fight 1t will be a severe aud lasting one and cannot put
prove Injurious 10 ALL Dut they seem 10 cOurG IL
Tor reason. They are bold, determined, and,
think Reckless. and such fight must be made very ds
10 them II IL comes his we cannot make IL
must the punishment ike men, simply projecting
H. il. PORTER President.
CHICAGO, Nov 25-The attention of r. X. Cable. pres
ident OF the Minneapolis st. Louis Railroad. having
been called To the statement OF President MITCHELL Of
the Milwaukee and ST. Paul road, that the latter CON-
pany nad proposed to its rivals an arbitration OF the
differences which caused the existing war, Mr.. Gable
said: 1.-THE differences TO when, | suppose, Mr..
Mitchell aludes related to division OF southbouud bus
mess from Minneapolis and ST. Paul between the Mil
waukee and st. Paul line and the Chicago and North
western line, ana Omaha line and the Minneapolis and
st. Louis Burlington. Cedar Rapids and Northern. and
Rock Island lines. The last named line demanded one
third OF the freight business from Minneapolis and
twenty per cent from ST. Paul The other lines have
steadily refused THIS demand No proposition to arbi
trate has made by the other lines 10 the Mmneapo
s and st. Louis to the lines Of which 1t forms part
They have not my knowledge even made the propor
ton on which they willing the business should be
divided"
The managers Of the Rock Island road deny positively
the assertions made from Toledo yesterday regarding
ticket sales. Tney say order tickets or order
bOOks their issue sale at Toledo or any point
east Chicago challenge proof Of It, Fac road WILL
tIey say. honor orders accompanied by cash at tu
rates Otherwise tickets point and give
credit for such business but 1t Issues neither ORDERS
order books.
The rate now made Cedar Rapids by the Rock |
Island and ST. Paul roads being fifty cents, IL enables
passengers to Reach Ouaha from Chicago Dy pay ing only
nddifinnal nrn RapIa U OmAha-Hs %;