Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-17
THE RAILROADS.
The End Of Scandalous Chapter in
Western Railroad History.
A Few Facts Connect d with the Sale of the
Burlington and Nor rn-1he Katy
and the Denver-General Notes.

The sale Of the Burlington and North
ern to the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy, winds up a srandalous chapter
in Western railroad history. The road
WAS built by the Forbes party in the
20" directory to be sold TO anyone who
would buy. II was built against the ad-
vice and influence of Sidney Bartlett, a
power in the CO." who has always been
able TO prevent its ABSORPTION by the
go, - but be is now dead and the Forbes
party are in full control.
Thos. J. Potter protested against Its
construction and resigned from the "Q'
because his wishes were disregarded. He
said its construction would bring endless
complications and financial disaster on
the co. and that it could not be made
TO pay, as the field was already too well
filled by other systems.
Potter's predictions are verified, for
the official statement from the opening
of the road to December 81, 1888, shows
deficit of over $500, 900.
Operating ex penses reached the abnor-
NAL sum of y per cent. OF the gross re-
ceipts. The Forbes party have made
the road a rate cutter of the first water
in order to make its action so obnoxious
to its competitors that they would open a
fight on the "Q'' and compel it to buy
the Burlington and Northern IN self-pro-
lection.
a few weeks ago President Miller of
the Milwaukee and ST. Paul, whose line
was the chief sufferer by the Burlington
nh
mined TO open a fight on the ''Q' sys-
tenn, which he declared would be waged
until the Burlington and Northern
wheeled into line as peaceful and law
abiding road. In pursuance of this de-
cision, President Miller placed rates on
all his lines which competed with the
"Q' system on the same basis as the
cut rates prevailing on the Burlington
and Northern. The blow struck home,
and in the general rate war
which followed the ''Q'' has been
the chief sufferer. The Chicago,
burlington and Quincy realized
that peace was only TO be secured when
it became the avowed sponsor for the
Burlington and Northern IS action, or
when the Milwaukee and St. Paul
reached bankruptcy. Sidney Bartlett
died several months ago, and the OPP
position to the scheme of the Forbes
party TO sell the road to the ''Q' was
lady broken up by the loss Of his
leadership. With failing earnings and
no dividends staring the ''Q' in the
face as a result of a prolonged fight,
it has been decided to be cheaper to
buy the Burlington and Northern than
to fight. The price at which the Chi
cagO, Burlington and Quincy bought the
Chicago, Burlington and Northern
stock is $40 share, of which the par
value is 500. This calls 70 mind the
fact that when the Burlington and
Northern was built it issued a mortgage
bond of $500 which was sold TO subscrib-
ers at $3.50, the ''Q'' officials and
stockholders being given preference.
This bond carried with it three shares of
stock. The bond was by the alliance
with the CO., given q market value of
sos, while owing to the same relation to
the holders of the stock were enabled TO
bull it over $50 share, or within $50 of
the par value, ut which point they IN
loaded. Several large fortunes were
made the mRnlpulations.
Now that the co. becomes the open
sponsor for its progeny it is believed
that the war started by the Burlington
and Northern will be wound up immedi-
ately. The Burlington and Northern
owes over S22 ZOO, 900.