The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-12-31
RAILROAD MATTERS.

There can now be no doubt that the
transfer of the Lake Shore il Western to
the Chicago L Northwestern is only a
part of a big deal to secure permanent
through line to the Atlantic seaboard by
way of Manitowoc. The following are
extracts from letter written by a gentle
man who is in position to be well IL
formed, but who does not want his ident-
ity known.
I'VE were aware OF the sale for some
time before it become known to the gen.
eral public. At the same time we knew
what you do not appear to have heard of
yet, that the T. Il P. N. road has been
sold and is now part of the Vanderbilt
system. The latter sale took place re-
Gently. The former sale took place last
August, but knowledge of it was with
held, from the public until the latter deal
could be completed. 1t seems to me that
instead of being detrimental to Manito-
voc, these changes are going to be high
" beneficial. Manltowoc is now placed
upon the great Vanderbilt system, and
upon one OF its principal arteries, where
1t seems to me in the nature of things,
there must be an immense flow of traffic
from west to east. The Kewaunee, Green
Bay & Western felt the blow very severe
ly when its officers were notified some
time ago that no more freight would be
received by the F. Il p. NJ. or any other
road under the control of the Vanderbilt
system which did not pass over the Van
derbilt tracks on the west side of the
Kewaunee to Ludinglon were blasted
and it seemed for while that the road
was not going to be of any great benefit
But it seems now that eventually the re-
cent transfers will prove beneficial to
Kewaunee and its road as the Lackawan-
ma will be compelled to builu to Manistee.
1t has some lines running to within l4O
miles of that place which were formerly
regarded as of very little value and they
the Vanderbilts a few days ago. Had
not tho Vanderbilt deal on that side of
the lake been prematurely exposed these
lines would have been sold and the Lack
awanna would be shut off from it's pro-
posed through line. AS it was, however,
the Lackawanna people being forwarned,
the Vanderbilt officers were told these
lines were not for sale at any price; that
they have future.
The results of the combination which
the Vanderbilts have made will be this:
The G. B. w. & st. p. and the Kewaunee
line will be open to traffic to all lines
competing with the North Western, so
that it will be the field against the Van
derbilts. Arrangements have been made
to ship from Kewaunee to Manistee, us
ing IN the meantime a short line owned
by a iumberman to connect with an in
dependent line which reaches to within
30 miles of Nanistee. Manitowoc's hopes
for the d. L. & w. propeller line will not
now be realized, but it appears to have
'cinch" on the T. & p. NJ. boats across
the lake. There is plenty of traffic west
of Lake Michigan to keep the ports of
Manitowoc and Kewaunee both busy.
Matters having shaped themselves as
they are now, with such q close combin-
alton as the Vanderbilt system using
Manitowoc as its gateway, with free-for-
all port for other lines at Kewaunee, it
seems to me that both places have pros
pect of doing fairly well, so far as rail-
road matters are concerned"
The sale of the F. & P. nj. puts new
phase on the matter and really makes a
line through Kewaunee a source OF gain
to Manitowoc as its competition will have
the effect of stimulating the Vanderbilt
system to increased activity. We may
now look with complacence on the auto
ipated consolidation of the Northern
Pacific and the Del. & Lackawanna as
this movement would have the effect of
inducing the Vanderbilt system to make
combinations to meet this increased COM
petition.
While the people of the city may look
hopefully upon changes which have
promise of future benefit, it is not we'll
to cease effort for local improvement.
There is tide in the affairs of men
which taken at its food leads on to for
tune. Omitted, all the current of their
lives are bound in shadows and in
misnries"