Daily globe., 1882-10-05
A War Between the Railroads Comnet.
ing for st. Paul Business.
HOSTILITIES BEGUN YESTERDAY
The Rock Island Insists Upon One.
Third Interest in the Pool,
BUT THE OTHER ROADS OBJECT
A SenseleSs Canard About the Northern
Pacific in Minneapolis.
Report of the President. Increase of
Stock Election of Officers.
Cutting Rates.

OUOChss L1cCUlOu VI VNctTSs
Cutting Rates.
The war between the roads to and from
Chicago and st. Paul has broken out
afresh and promises to be interesting be-
yond anything we have had heretofore.
Yesterday there was an influx of railroad
magnates into st. Paul, ..Messrs. Merrill,
Cary, Swan, Meyers, Clark and Prior of
the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
road and Mr.. Cable, vice-pres-
ident and manager of the Rock
Island, and the president of the Minneap-
oils & st. Louis road, were among the ar
rivals at the Metropolitan. This conse-
quence was that the knowing ones sus-
pected storm, and newspaper men began
to prick up their ears to learn what was
going on. The Chicago, st. Paul & Omaha
officers were all here too, so
that the three great roads were all
held in private and railroad matters were
talked over, and as far as possible what
was done was kept very quiet.
Late in the afternoon rumors were flying
around thick and fast on the streets to the
effect that rates were being cut all around,
right and left. Of course the railroad men
were interviewed. The Chicago. Milwau-
kee & st. Paul and the Chicago, st. Paul &
Omaha road people knew nothing about
the matter, and no satisfaction could be
obtained from them whatever.
At last Mr.. Gable was found and inter
viewed, and without let or hindrance let
the whole matter out. He was captured
late last evening at the Metropolitan by a
GLOBE representative, and Questioned upon
the cutting business with the following re-
suits:
Reporter-Mr. Cable, I understand the
pool is ''busted," and that cutting is going
on pretty freely between st. Paul and Chi
cago. Is this so?
Mr.. Cable-Well, sir, if you want to
know anything about that you will have to
inquire of Mr.. Kimball, our local agent
here in St. Paul. If there is anything of
that kind OF our road he is the one to go
to. I have just arrived.
This kind of an iceburg answer was not
very encouraging, but being set down on
by railroad officials has come to be so COM
mon to newspaper men that the operation
is rather encouraging than otherwise, and
SO the reporter approached the railroad
magnate again, when the latter warmed
up little and said: We have come here
to do business. That was our object in
coming. We propose to take our share of
it, which will be one-third.
Reporter-Then you do not deny that
there has been cutting of rates?
Mr.. Cable-I have not said anything
about that, but there has undoubtedly been
cutting.
Reporter-Well, this is pretty quick
work. It was only few days ago that the
agreement was made in Chicago by which
it was settled that there should be none
of this work.
Mr.. Cable-O, that applied only to west
bound business. This cutting refer to
is on east bound business, and it has been
going on pretty lively too, 1 assure
you, especially this afternoon. As I re-
marked, we have come here to st. Paul to
Il
do business, and are going to do our share
of it sure. s
Reporter -How'is the cutting done?
Mr.. Cable-In the Old fashioned way. The
same way we used to do when was boy,
by commissions. Tickets are sold to
Chicago on commission and the commits
sion divided.
Reporter far will this cutting be
continued?
Mr.. Cable-Asfar as is necessary the
business must be divided, and our read
m must have its share.
Seeing Mr.. Prior, of the Chicago, Mil
waukee & st. Paul road, and other railroad
officials in another part OF the hall the re-
porter left the president of the st. Paul,
Minneapolis & st. Louis road and went for
them. The information obtained was very
slight. Mr. Prior did not know about any
cutting and so he was left to his cigar. It
may be confidently stated. however, that
the war has but just begun, and that there
will be music soon.