The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-16
yANDERBrLr.s COUP D,ErAr.
Hcsecnrcs Line TO Philadelphia and
baltimore nj Last, it Is Claimed.

The New York Times prints the follow
ing story concerning Mr.. Yanderbilfs
scheme in Pennsylvania, rumors OF which
have already appeared in these columns:
For years the Pennsylvania and the
Baltimore and Ohio railroads have been
like thorns in the side Of Mr.. VIM. H.
Vanderbilt. He has had no lines to Phil.
adelphia and Baltimore, while the Penn.
sylyania by its own line, and the Baltimore
and Ohio by traffic arrangement have both
reached New York. The consequence has
been that the Vanderbilt interests have
suffered by reason OF his inability to de.
fend the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad and its connecting lines
from the attacks Of his opponents.
For some time it has been reported that
AIr. Vanderbilt has been buying New Jer.
sey Central stock. 1t has been said by
those familiar with the schemes in hand,
that he was doing that to make sure OF the
New Jersey Central as he could not de.
pend on some holders OF stock 10 stand
with him. 1t has also been said that he
has been increasing his holdings oi Read.
ing, and that his power over both roads in
test would be found to be absolute. But
the Reading lines, in the shape that they
were when Mr.. Gowen was put in the Pres.
idency, did not reach Mr.. Vanderbilt's
line. BY building short strip Of road,
called the Pine Creek, from Antrim to
Williamsport, lateral line controlled
by Mr.. Vanderbilt, connecting with
the New York Central at Lyons,
was extended down to the Reading
line, and thus circuitous road was secur.
ed to the latter's extensive coal fields. This
was looked upon as great help to Mr..
Vanderbilt, who was practically without
coal fields Of his own. In return he was TO
give the Reading his business to Philadel-
phia. and Baltimore, which he did not
reach. But Mr.. Vanderbilt saw possibili.
ties in the Reading that others did not.
He saw in it not only way to the coal
fields, but way to the strongholds OF his
old competitors, the Pennsylvania, and the
Baltimore & Ohio, to Philadelphia and
Baltimore, by lines quite as direct rs the
others. The Reading ran into Philadel.
phia by its own main line, and byutilizing
the Western Maryland railroad he saw his
way clear into Baltimore, il he desired to
tap that seaport.
All that remained to complete the route
to Cleveland, Chicago and the great points
in the West was a link between Harrisburg
and Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh & Lake
Erie, in which Mr.. Vanderbilt exercised a
controlling influence, extended 10 Youngs.
town, Ohio, down to which ran branch OF
the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern,
the Western mainstay Of the railway mag
nate, The line from Harrisburgh 10 Pitts
burgh is best known us the Reading extern
sion. Operations on it have begun, and it
is said two years will see it completed. The
President, as required by the law Of the
State, is q resident Of Pennsylvania, II. K.
Sheldon, OF Philadelphia. Mr.. Vanderbilt
provided the money for the enterprise. 1t
is claimed for the line which the extension
will complete, that it will be very much
shorter than the Pennsylvania, and with
much easier grades. The extension will be
in the form OF an easy curve. Not only
will the Reading be given direct outlet to
all parts OF the West for its coal, but it will
receive traffic in the shape Of merchandise
and passengers that it never received be-
fore.