Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-23
THE BIG FOUR ON TOP.
A Big Railroad Deal Behind the CAL
umet River Project.
THE OLD STOCKYARDS SHUT OUT.
Armour's Control of the Belt Line gives
Him the Whip Hand.
IN A POSITION TO DICTATE RATES

CHICAGO, November 22.-Gradually
light is breaking through the clouds that
have hung over the great stock yards deal
on the part of the "Big Four" packers,
Armour, Swift, Morris and Libby, who re-
Gently purchased eight sections of land, on
the Calumet river and Lake Michigan, in
Indiana, about so miles southeast OF Chi
cago, where it was announced they were
about to erect immense slaughtering and
packing establishments, deSerting their
present quarters at the Union Stock Yards.
The holders of Stock Yards securities
have had occasion to do some sharp think
ing since the packers announced their in
tention of leaving them high and dry with
out any business and with only piece of
real estate worth but a small part of their
total capitalization to represent their recent
outlay. They nave decided on a coup
which promises live competition for the
migrating packers.
WILL GO INTO COMPETITION.
1t is stated that they will raise something
like $40, 600, 900, erect great establishments
on the land already owned by the Stock
Yards Company and become gigantic and
active competitors of Messrs. Armour
Swift, Morris and Libby, if the latter un-
dertake 10 carry out their Indiana scheme
The Big 4" on the other hand, an evening
paper announces, have made coordination
with Drexel, Morgan s. Co., who own the
Chicago Outer Belt, or the EIgin and East
ern Railway, which begins at Waukegan
and runs through Elgin and Joliet in
semi-circle, about % miles from Chicago on
line intending to reach Michigan City,
whereby they are to control that line.
President Spencer entered into a proyi-
sonal contract with the Armour-Swift-
Morris-Libby syndicate for access TO Lake
Michigan through its land, and. by means
of its Outer Belt Line Company, will estab-
Hsh an immense depot, stock yards and
transfer system there. Drexel. Morgan &
Co. have taken time by the forelock and al
ready the three Joliet roads have made an
alliance with the Outer Belt Line system.
GIVES ARMOUR THE WHIP HAND.
These are the Chicago, Alton and ST.
Louis, the Rock Island and the Santa Fe.
all cattle-carrylng roads. Naturally the
Baltimore and Ohio, the Lake Shore Mich
igan Central and Ft. Wayne would oppose
the big -Four" belt system, but they could
not suffer the loss that would result from
such opposition while the three cattle
carrying roads patronized it. and so it hap
pens that Armour has got the whip hand in
the whole deal.
He is in a position to make rates to-day to
and from Chicago, Waukegan, Elgin, Au-
rora, Joliet, McCool and intervening points.
Hence 1t is that the new deal commands the
whole Chicago railway system. and prom
lses not only to see great system of pack
ing houses and stock yards, but elevators, at
the place selected.
1t is expected that when this deal is fully
realized at the Union Stock Yards it will
put damper on the scheme just launched
10 erect new packing and slaughter house
establishments there. A well-known rail
way man said TODAY:
Armour has managed this thing well. The
railway system that he will control in con-
neetion with the Outer belt line will afford