Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-23
TRANSPORTATION NOTES.
The Burlington ,Ciil Fight.
[Chicago Tribune.I

Although the invitation to join the ALI
ance was also extended to the Burlington
it is not likely that this road will avail it
self of the invitation. 1t is generally IN
derstood that the agreement was princi-
palIy gotten up for the purpose of regu-
lating the Burlington and preventing it
from gaining too strong foothold in Ne
braska. Ever since the completion of the
Burlington's line to Denver great jealousy
has existed between it and tie Union Pa
chic. This feeling became more bitter
from day to day because the Burlington
kept on steadily building new lines in Ne
braska, tapping all important points.
Finally the Union Pacific came to the con-
clusion that it's only safety was in the for
nation of an agreement like that just
censummated, which would com
pei the Burlington either to en-
gage in fight or to agree
to pool its competitive business in Nebras-
ka and stop the building of additional
feeders. It easily gained the cooperation
of the Rock Island and st. Paul, which
roads have no extensions west of the Mis-
souri, river, and which also looked with
jealousy on the advantages the Burlington
enjoyed on account of its having SO large
a territory OF Its own west of the river, and
at the same time, under the Iowa pooling
agreement receiving an equal share with
the other lowe pool lines of the Union Pa
cite business at Council Bluffs. They took
1t for granted that the Northwestern, Wa
bash, and Missouri Pacific, whose interests
IN Nebraska are not very great, could uIti-
mately be induced to join them. The Burl
lngtou being thus left alone, they caloula
ted, would, rather than engage in fight,
accept their conditions and make peace
with them.
In these calculations, however, they have
no doubt been mistaken, as the Burlington
seems determined to take up the gauntlet
and fight the combination to the bitter
end. General Manager Potter states that
that the terms of the agreement have not
yet been submitted to the officers o. his
road, but he feels confident that they are
of such nature that his company cannot
accept them without sacrificing its best
interests and throwing away all it has
gained from the roads in Nebraska which
it has built at so great an expense. His
company, he says, is perfectly willing to
pool al Blu inesss hat is competitive, but
will not put i'll the pool such business as it
considers local, and 10 a share of which its
competitors have no right. His
company also would not con-
sent to give up the construction
of new lines in Nebraska. the building of
which it considers necessary to its future
welfare. The Burlington, he said, was in
q condition to make the issue with the new
alliance, and he had no fear OF the ulti
mate result. The Rio Grande would give
the Burlington Ell the aid at It's command,
and he e!so felt quite confident Of the
friendly CO operation Of the Atchison, To-
peka d Santa Fe.
President Perkins, of the Burlington, is
NOW in Boston holding daily conference
with the directors Of bis road ana consid-
ericg measures 10 carry on the impending
conflict. He Is expected to return TO the
city next Tuesday, when he will
meet the officials of his road ard out
line 70 them the policy to be pursued here
after
1t is not probable that another meeting
of the Iowa pool will be held to consider
the Milwaukee & 81. Paul's notice of with
drawal. All that remains to be done, SO
far rs the Iowa pool is concerned, is to
viad up its affairs and settle the balances
up TO January l, An attempt Will prcba-
bly, be made after the return of Mr.. Gable
and Mr.. Hughitt from New York to hold
meeting to consider the tripartite agree
ment and to see if an arrangement cannot
be made with the Burlington by which q
slaughter of the rates can be avoided. If
this effort fails war will commence in
earnest-a war which may involve all the
Western pools before it is ended.