St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-26
The Managers of the Northwestern Traffic
Association Fail to Come to
Terms,
And, After a Deal of Futile Wrangling,
Conclude to Terminate its
Career.
Other Associations Expected TO be
Affected and General Rate
Slashing Result.
General Freight Agents of Iowa, Da-
kota and Minnesota TO Meet1n
ST. Paul Monday.
Gone 20 Smash.

Special 10 the Globe.
CHICAGO, March 25.-The managers of
the Northwestern Traffic association lines
met in adjourned session this morning.
The proceedings were brief. emphatic and
decisive. \ resolution was offered to the
effect that the business by the Washbum
route should be excluded from the pool,
which was lost. the St. Paul opposing it.
Another resolution that grain and its pro-
duets should be considered outside of the
jurisdiction of the association, and should
not be reported during the season
of lake navigation met with similar
tate. There being no disposition
to agree nor possibility of an arrangement
being arrived at TO continue the association,
4 motion to adjourn sine die prevailed and
the meeting was over. On March 81 the
association will cease to exist, and there
Will be a fair field and no favor among the
railroads throughout the territory 10 the
northwest OF Chicago. To just what lengths
competition will be carried and how much
rates will suffer is matter OF speculation.
1t is absurd 10 believe Or predict that rates
will be maintained, and the officials have
no expectations that
PEACE WILL CONTINUE
to reign. The interests are too diverse, the
rivalrieS tOOvigorous and the feeling between
the competing lines too strained for any
such hope 10 be INDUCED in. The only
question is whether the contest for the buSi-
ness will be sufficiently sharp and aggres
SiYe to at once force rates down TO war
footing or whether the process of disin-
tegration will be a slow and gradual one.
The former is more probable. Whichever
il may be, the period of disturbance will be
prolonged until it becomes intolerable, and
then the managers will come together and
form pool, taking in the lines now out
side and those in process of construction.
The through traffic. and business to com
pcting points will naturally suffer- and all
of the roads fear loss Of revenue suffi-
GENTLY large in gross to seriously affect
their earnings. The wisdom of letting the
association go by the board may be ques-
toned, but the differences and disputes
were too radical in their character to
allow the lines to find common ground to
stand on.
BRISK FIGHT
may make the managers more placable and
more cOncilatOry in their methods. In or
der TO not let rates go TO pieces without
some check, Commissioner Carmen has
called a special meeting of the general
freight agents of the lines in Iowa, Dakota
and Minnesota, 10 be held at st. Paul on
Monday next. AT this meeting the officials
will take into consideration the situation,
and if possible devise measures to hold up
the rates. Although the association ceases
to exist Wednesday next it will take at least
six weeks or two months to arrange the
February and March reports and wind up
the affairs of the pool. The pool
accounts are to be closed up,
balances struck and settlements
made. This done there is probability of
the Office being Iominally kept up and re-
ports made the same as was the case with
the joint agency of the Chicago pool, which
was continued during a period of ten
months, Notwithstanding that the pool was
hung up during that time. 1t is the gen.
eral impression of all concerned that the
dissolution of the Northwestern WILL carry
with it the Western Freight association.
The latter has been in a comatoSe state for
some months, an apparently
IRRECoNCILABLE DISPUTE
having disarranged its affairs. No settle
mentS have been made, nor balances az
ranged, for causes that have been fully
explained in these columns on several Oc-
casions. At the last meeting adjournment
was had under resolution that the COM
missioner should not again call the
managers together until the st. Paul
company had paid the drafts due
under the pool rulings. AS it has not
done this. and has no disposition to do it,
and as matters now stand meeting must
come by the suggestion Of the managers
themselves. There is but little hope Of a
settlement of the dispute, and the natural
result will be a break up to be followed by
q reorganization, sooner or later. All of
of this involves other associations
the Western Trunk line, the Cen
trail Iowa, the Clinton & Lyons, the
Rock Island and Moline. in fact all of the
pools north of the Southwestern Railway
association. In fact, even the latter has its
internal disturbances that have seriously
threatened its integrity, averted for the
time. but to be renewed later, when its ter
ritory will be invaded by new lines. There
is to be period of unrest. and possibly
vigorous war, followed by reimbursement
20 the new conditions.