The Dickinson press., 1889-03-30
CHICAGO TO THE COAST.
Tic Northern Pacific will Lease
tic Wisconsin Central
Lines.
a Deal Which Will Add 700 Ililes to
the Northern Pacific and Give it
Chicago Outlet.
The Lease Will Be Formally Approved
Mt q Meeting Of the Directors
on Wednesday.

i'MILADEI rHIA, March GA reporter
of The Inquirer learned from Il WELL
known railroad man that the Northern
Pacific Railroad company had at last Sc
cured control of the Wisconsin Central
railroad. and through it entrance to Chi
caso. Tho directors of the company will
hold a special meeting in New York on
Wednesday to formally approve the
lease. but it will be purely q formal
matter, as the directors are a unit on the
question. and the company is already in
practical control of the Wisconsin Cen.
trails lines. The Inquirer will give the
following details OF the lease: &c. G..
W heeler. formerly general manager of
the .Atchisoil, Topeka and Santa Fe rail-
road. has spent thee months in an ex-
animation of the property, connections
and accounts Of the Wisconsin Cen
trail company. and has made AN
exhaustive report which will be
submitted to the Northern Pa
cilic directors Wednesday. In it he
recites the reasons why the acquisition
OF the Wisconsin Central road will he an
advantage to the Northern Pacific COM
rany. The Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy, the Northwestern and other
lines entering at Chicago. are
reaching out westward for traffic, and
will. in his opinion. ultimately reach tine
Pacific coast and become transconti-
mental lines. The Canadian Pacific has
a hicago outlet, and so have all the Pa
ciiic coast lines. If the Northern Pacific
is to maintain its position it must have
equal facilities. and MIR. W hceler sees no
other line but the Wisconsin Central
that can afford the Northern Pacific its
needed outlet. The road. he says, is in
first class condition. 1t possesses good
terminals. has Il growing local trade. and
is self-supporting.
The lease is for a comparatively short
time. either for thirty-three or ninety.
nine wears. The period has not been
determined yet. 1t is an operating lease
that is, the Northern Pacific is to oper.
ate the road and pay as rental 30 per
II Of the gross receipts. President
Cakes. after studying the detailed re-
ports presented by Mr.. " Wheeler, believes
the Northern Pacific can make a profit
on the lease independently of the adj
vantage accrulng to the company from
the possession of a through line. OF
course, all the Northern Pacltlcs
Chicago business will be thrown
upon the Wisconsin Central's
lines instead of being divided up between
all the roads running between Chicago
and st. Paul. The lease adds to the
Northern Pacific system 1H1 miles of
road, including 3i miles of the Wiscon
sin Central railroad, lSi miles of leased
lines and 23G Of affiliated roads. With
ii also comes the possession of extensive
terminal facilities at Chicago formerly
owned by the Chicago and Great Wes-
tern railroad. which are constantly in
creasing in value. as we'll as the very
valuable terminals at Milwaukee. The
.Nurlhern Pacific executive committee,
to which the lease was referred. has
studied most carefully Mr.. Wheeler's
ami the opinion of the other members
Of the board has already been expressed
in favor OF the measure"