St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-25
Giving the Latter a Through
Line From the Garden
City to the Coast.
Fte Wisconsin Central to Re-
eeive 35 Per Cent Of It's
Gross Receipts.
Over 700 Miles of Track
Added to the Northern
Pacific System.

PHILADELPHIA, March PA re-
porter of the Inquirer to-day learned
from well-knOwn railroad man that the
Northern Pacific Railroad company had
at last secured control of the Wisconsin
Central railroad, and through it an en-
trance to Chicago. The directors of the
company will hold special meeting in
New York on Wednesday to formally
approve the lease, but it will be purely
a formal matter, as the directors are
unit on the question, and the company
is already i'll practical control of the
Wisconsin Central'S lines. The Inquirer
will give the following details of the
lease: &c. c. Wheeler, formerly gen.
eral manager of the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe railroad, has spent three
months in an examination of the prop
erty, connections and accounts of the
Wisconsin Central company. He went
over every mile of the main line and its
allied branches, inquired into its re-
sources and traffic connections, and
finally made detailed inventory of the
property, even down to the number of
gallons of oil in the supply shop. The
result of his investigation has been
compiled in an exhaustive report, which
will be submitted to the board Wednes-
day. In it he 1ecites
THE REASONS
why the acquisition of the Wisconsin
Central road will be an advantage to the
Northern Pacific company. The Chi
cagO, Burlington & Quincy, the North
western. Milwaukee and other lines en-
tering at Chicago are reaching out west
ward Tor traffic, and win, in his opinion,
ultimately reach the Pacific coast and
become transcontinental lines. The
Canadian Pacific has a Chicago outlet,
and so have all the Pacific coast lines.
If the Northern Pacific is to maintain
Its position it must have equal facilities,
and Mr.. Wheeler 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 term
inals, has a growing local trade. and is
self-Supporting. With the influence of
the interstate commerce law to steady
rates he believes the road will be a pro-
titable one.
THE LEASE
is for comparatively short time, either
for thirty-three or ninety-nine years.
The period has not been determined
yet. 1t is an operating lease-that is,
the Northern Pacific is to operate the
road and pay as rental 35 per cent of the
gross receipts. President Oakes, after
studying the detailed reports presented
by Mr.. Wheeler of the amount
and Erection of traffic, and of
the operating expenses, has come
to the conclusion that the
Northern Pacific can operate the road
for 60 per cent, and at the outside for
62. He believes the Northern Pacific
can make profit on the lease independ-
emily of the advantage accruing to the
company from the possession of a
through line. Of course, all the North
ern Pacific's 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 Northern
Pacific makes no guarantee as to inter
est upon the Wisconsin Central com
pany's obligations, and, in fact, guar
antees nothing at all except the prompt
payment of the rental. The lease adds
to the Northern Pacific system 767 miles
of road, including 344 miles of the Wis
consin Central railroad, 1877 miles Of
leased lines and 236 of affiliated roads
With it also comes the possession OF
extensive terminal facilities at Chicago
formerly owned by the Chicago & Great
Western railroad, which are constantly
increasing in value, as well as the very
valuable terminals at Milwaukee. The
Northern Pacific executive committee
to which the lease was referred, has
studied most carefully Mr.. Wheeler's
report, and will report upon it favora
bly,, and the opinion of the other mem
berS of the board has already been ex
raraccaH in fov Of ha