The Portland daily press., 1883-05-15
THE CONSOLIDATION
Secretary Chandler Favors Postpone
ment for Two Years.

The Journal correspondent at Concord, n.
H., says that the movement inaugurated by
II on. VIM E. Chandler and his friends to post
pone all projects for railroad consolidation two
years, to the Legislature of 1885, is matter Of
significance and is causing considerable discus
sion in railway ci relies. Mr. Chandler will, OF
course, carry with him the Concord Monitor
and independent Statesman. of which he owns
a controlling interest. 1t is reported that sew
eral other papers will advocate his views, In
terested parties freely admit that the railway
situation is becoming daily more complicated
and uncertain. The roads centring In Concord
in their effort to secure consolidation, will be
opposed by the Boston and Lowell and possibly
some other corporations. The Boston and
Lowell opposition can be overcome only by the
Concord leasing it or by taking il into the con
solidat;on plans. The Lowell has fears as to
the safety of Its own interest in case a combi-
nation with capital of some $4,000, 600
should be formed by uniting roads from Nash
ua nortbward, and the old project Of extending
the Wilton branch from Greenfield to the Con
nectiout river, for the purpose of obtaining an
exclusive Canada connection, is again under
discussion. All the roads radiating from Con-
cord, together with the lines which they re-
speotively control, will oppose general rail-
road law, while the Boston and Lowell, and
possibly the Boston and Maine and the East
ern viii advocate such measure
These statements show plainly the magni-
tude OF the railroad fight which as things now
look is likely to be inaugursted in the coming
Legislature. IL is understood that IL the Mer-
rimack Valley lines are consolidated they will
not oppose charter for the Lake Shore Road.
1t is also no secret that many OF the large stock
holders OF the Eastern railroad who voted fer
consolidation with the Boston and Maine, are
now strongly against it and some of them
have stated that they shall oppose the project
II presented TO the coming Legislature. While
il might be possible to enact some general rail-
road law it would hardly be probable with the
opposition OF all the large roads in New Hamp-
shire that tho Eastern and Boston and Maine
would secure consolidation through any pre-
visioo of such o statute. Railroad men saw
that the bringing of the Phillips Equity in-
junction against the Eastern railroad will
make IL impossible for that road and the Bos-
ton and Maine to secure consolidation through
deavor TO get such legislation by general rail-
road law. A basis for ithe proposed union of
the Concord, the Northern, the Boston, Con-
ccrd and Montreal, and the Manches-
ter and Lawrence has been Llocked out but
has been officially accepted by only one of the
corporations concerned, and is liable to many
notifications before it is finally put into shane
for presentation to the stockholders. There is
rumor that Mr., Chandler has a large follow
ing in the position he has taken than is gener-
ally supposed and that 1t will not be surprising
II all the railroads now desiring legislative ac-
ton should mutually agree to postpone every
thing until 1885.