St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-19
TRUNK LINE POOL.
The Inability OF the Presidents to Set
tie the Difficulty Occasions
Great Excitement.
The Pennsylvania Withdraws and the
Pool Virtually Dissolved-Commis-
sioner Fink to Resign.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. |

Especial Telegram to the Globe
CHICAGO, Jan. 1S.-The telegraphic an
nouncement yesterday OF the failure Of the
Trunk line presidents to settle the difficult
ties besetting the pool, and the report that
the Pennsylvania company had given notice
of withdrawal, occasioned great ex-
citement in railway circles in Chicago. The
general fear was that the pool was on the
verge Of dissolution and the fact that four
roads began at oLce to openly quote grain
and provision rates TO the seaboard at
cut Of three cents per 100 pounds below
the tariff, served TO strengthen the feeling
that the gravest fears were about To be real
lied. The Chicago agents Of the remaining
four trunk lines were in a sad dilemma.
They saw their com petitors securing the busi-
ness by openly cutting rates, while they were
unable to do anything. owing to the fact that
the disabled wires had cut off telegraphic
communications with the headquarters of their
roads. There is little doubt. however, that
all lines will be authorized 10 meet the low
est rate made by any competitors. There
were conflicting sentiments regarding the
reported withdrawal Of the Pennsylvania.
One well known official said that he
understood that the report had been
confirmed by private advices. This informa-
tion, however, had come to him indirectly
and could hardly be considered authentic
Other advices tend u coaarm the telegraphic
statement in the Times yesterday that the
Pennsylvania had introduced q resolution at
the presidents meeting to discontinue at
once and indefinitely all pool settlements.
This, if adopted, would have dissolved the
organization, but it was voted down This
is regarded as an indication that the Penn
sylvania people will make good their recent
threats by giving notice Of withdrawal, II
they have not already done So At the last
annual meeting Of the company President
Roberts in his address expressed tn
belief that the pool was detrimental
to the interests OF the company,
at least to a restoration OF rates in November
Mr.. Roberts said that his people would give
the pool one more trial, and II rates were
not maintained their patience would become
exhausted and they would withdraw. There
is good reason TO believe that he will be con-
sstent and give the requisite notice. The
predominant belief yesterday among mana
gers and other high officers was that the pool
As now constituted, would be dissolved A
brief war Of rates would probably follow, but
within a short time the pool would be re-es-
tabIished upon q moro comprehensive
and practicable basis. There was
hardly disscnter from the
belief that the present plan has
been conclusiyely proven to be failure.
There was no doubt it had been of value to
the railroads, but 1t had not accomplished
for its members what such an organization
should have done.
Commissioner Fink was regarded by all as
a man Of superior ability, but the conclusion
was only too apparent that the plan which he
had fathered Eve years ago and had been as
siduousy fostering ever since, had proved
impracticable. Said one official, who is rec
ogulzed as an authority in traffic economy:
The trunk line pool plan has al least two
radically wrong features. In the first place,
il should be money instead OF
tonnage pool It has been dem
onstrated invariably that the settlement
OF pool balances by diverting tonnage will
not work satisfactorily to either the railroads
or shippers. The trunk line pool should be
recognized upon a money statement basis,
such as the Southwestern Railroad associa-
tiou has successfully operated under for a
number OF years. The pool then should be
more com 1Tebcusive aud less complicated.
As now constituted it IS divided in the first
place into east aud west bound pools, and
these are subdivided into various pools
There Is the Chicago and east bound pool, the
St Louis pool. the Peoria and Indianapolis
pools. This arrangement is too complicated
to be successfully carried out But even IL
It could De, It does not include 4 great
deal Of business that must be controlled
by the pool IN order 20 make its operation
success. There is certain territory between
Chicago and St. Louis, for example, which is
a gateway for traffic between the east and
west, and which IS not amendable % either
the Chicago, s. Louis or Peoria pool Low
ratrs through that territory necessarily de-
moralize rates in the pool territory. CON-
plete inclosure OF the territory between the
north and south boundaries Of the pool mus:
be made II order to make perfect orgAniza-
uou -
lis very general belief that connls-
sioner Fink will resign. He has beea for
some time desirous Of being relieved, and
tasre seems 70 be little doub; that be viii
now retire.