Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-12-01
A RAILROAD POOL.
The Presidents Of the Trunk
Lines Determine Upon
Forming n Pool.
Railroads Will BE Benefited
and Shippers Will Profit
BY the Scheme.

l.
by the Scheme.
The presidents of the trunk lines
have entered into an agreement
which, if carried out, will end most
of the warfare between companies.
They have agreed that pool pure
and simple is the only solution of the
railroad question, and have outlined
all the details of the new compact.
The establishment Of a pool has always
been regarded as u useless challenge
of the interstate commerce law, but
the situation has become so desperate
that the presidents saw no other way
out of the miro. The seriousness OF
the situation brought together an
usually large attendance.
The naming Of the worlds fairratc
was the ostcnsiblc object Of this meet
ing, but that was designed to conceal
the real pursosc Of the mccting-namc-
~, the establishment of pool. Prcsi-
dent Roberts, chairman Of the board
of presidents. said that it was clear
that the time had come for all trunk
lines to act in harmony. He was
sure that the strong lines were ready
to make any reasonable concessions
| that would satisfy the so-callcd
weaker roads. Ii it was simp.ya mat
ter of the weaker companies getting
a certain amount of tonnage he WIS
ready TO guarantee them Il fixed
amount. President Dcpcw of the
| New York Central re-cchocd this
| sentiment.
Mr.. Roberts said the .crlorS of the
/ law need not interfere with the plans.
The benefits that will accu!e To all
the companies" he said. care mani
fest. We shah get a fair rccompenSc
for hauling traffic and all antagonsm
can easily be removed
A lengthy discussion cnSucd ana the
1 outcome was that they decided To
leave the percentages of wcst-bound
comparativctonH to Commissioner
Goddard. who will Use the average
shat each had carried for the pas,
three years as q basis.
As suggested by Presidents Roberts
and Depcw, the commissioner will
allow q slight advantage To the
weaker lines. and each company shall
have hearing before the commits
Siunei hctorc he fixes the percentages
After the allotment, if any company
: is dissatisfied il may appeal to Mir. a
f. Walker Us as arbitrator, whose
decision. witt! Nh. Goddard'> concur
renee. will be final. Mr.. Walker is
. chairman of the Western rTraiiic aSso
citation and Interstate commerce. com
missioner. lia>, bound freight traffic
will be tlea1ed similarly to She Yves
!, bound traffic later on.
: There IS already Il plan for the dis
: tributioF q! passenger traffic but j
has beer comparatively imperative
The presidents will give orders t,
nave ii enforced TO the letter. 1t i
claimed tiiat Il passenger pool is no
Illegal. The conclusions about TIL
worlds fair rates "erc in accordance
, with the new agreement. On al
regular trains scheduled ~ thirty
five hours or less between S'hicag
!. and Ne% York .he present r"aes vii
! be maintained. Onall trai!is->chcdul
: ed III more than lhirty-llvc Aours
!. Several of The railroads require NOR
(, than thi;5y-iiFe hours for tic tri
{ from New York 10 Chicago. and the
will offer a reduced rate. IL Shout
he said, howcver. that many chca
= excursion trains will be run 81 Iatc
a to be set by the commissioners