Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-21
THOSE WESTERN RAILWAYS.
The Attempt to Combine on Rates Seel
. Hopeless Task.

The Attempt to Combine on Rates Seems
Hopeless Task.
CHICAGO Feb. 21.-The negotiations among
the western 'ailroad presidents for the forma-
ton OF an interstate association, to include
all important lines west of Chicago, resulted
in a most complete fiasco yesterday The
presidents met in the Grand Pacific hotel at
the appointed hour, and when the committees
appointed on the day previous to secure the
signatures of the five outstanding roads made
their reports it was found that the Illinois
Central was the only road that had even
deigned to reply to the urgent solicitations for
for their signatures. There was nothing equiv
ocal about the reply of the Illinois Central 1t
absolutely and peremptorily refused to sign
the agreement. The report of the committee
showed that the following roads would have
nothing to do with the proposed agreement
Illinois Central, Wisconsin Central, Kansas
City, Fort Scott & Gulf, Missouri, Kansas &c
Texas, and Chicago, Burlington and Northern
A motion was then made and received the
affirmative vote Of fourteen out Of the neces-
sary twenty-five roads, eight roads being at
sent, declaring it to be the sense of those
present th.t the roads which had signed the
agreement for an Interstate railway associa-
ton should proceed to perfect the agreement
and organize that association without wait
ing fer the assent of any additional com
panies thereto. The agreement was then re-
ferred to committee consisting of Messrs
Hughitt, Truesdale, Newman, McMullin,
Stone and Howe to consider what changes
might be expedient in view OF the failure to
obtain the assent Of certain roads This com
mittee was instructed to report to general
meeting at II o'clock this morning.
The committee met at once after the ad-
journment of the general meeting and was in
session for nearly two hours but was unable
to reach any conclusion. The situation was
discussed at length, and 1t was made appar-
ent that instead OF the proposed strong com
bination the new association, which expects
to ignore five of the most important roads iD
the west, would be in reality weaker than
any Of the existing freight traffic associa-
lions. Moreover, none of the roads which
voted to form the new association regardless
of the roads refusing to sign the agreement
are bound in any way 10y their vote, as it was
understood that the agreement az modified
by the committee to which it was finally re-
ferred would come up again for adoption and
signature.
In addition to the five roads which refuse
to sign the agreement the people who pro-
pose to form an association any way are
likely to find opposition from an unexpected
quarter. 1t was stated on excellent authority
Tuesday night that the st Paul & Kansas
City road would not join the association as
the Wisconsin Central and Burlington &
Northern remained out, and in the south
west it is uncertain if the ST. Louis & San
Francisco will join while the Kansas City,
Fort Scott & Gulf stays out Altogether
the outlook seems TO be that the proposed in
ter-state railway scheme will he dropped en-
trely, or if attempted to be carried out, that
it will be too weak to afford adequate protec-
ton to its members
1t was stated also that Commissioner
Walker would not care to surrender his place
on the interstate commerce commission to
accept the Craftsmanship of a chaotic associa-
ton of railroads with the prospect of failure
close at hand