Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-12-01
A RAILROAD POOL.
The Presidents Of the Trunk
Lines Determine Upon
Forming a Pool.
Railroads VIII BE Benefited
and Shippers Will Profit
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 a 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 a useless challenge
of the interstate commerce law, but
the situation has become so desperate
that the presidents saw no other way
out of The mire. The seriousness of
the situation brought together an
usually large attendance.
The naming Of the worlds fair rates
was the ostensible object of this meet
ing, but that was designed to conceal
the real pursose of the mecting-name-
ly, the establishment of a pool. Presi-
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-called
weaker roads. If it was simplya mat
ter of the weaker companies getting
a certain amount of tonnage he was
ready to guarantee them a fixed
amount. President Depew of the
New York Central Te-echOed this
sentiment.
Mr.. Roberts said the terrOrs of the
law need not interfere with the plans.
''The benefits that will accure to all
the companies" he said, ''are mani
fest. We shall get a fair recOmpense
for hauling traffic and all antagOnism
can easily be removed"
A lengthy discussion ensued and the
outcome was that they decided tc
leave the percentages of west-bound
comparative tonnage to Commissioner
Goddard, who will use the average
that each had carried for the pasI
three years as a basis.
As suggested by Presidents Roberts
and Depew, the commissioner will
allow a slight advantage to thu
weaker lines, and each company shall
have a hearing before the commits
sioner before he fixes the percentages
A rtop tbn oI1ptnnnpt if apv ppmlnan,
is dissatisfied 1t may appeal to Mr.. A
+. Walker as as arbitrator, who's
decision, with Mr.. GOddard's concur
renee, will be final. Mr.. Walker j
chairman of the Western Traffic assO
citation and interstate commerce com
missioner. East bound freight trait
will be treated similarly to the ives
bound traffic later on.
There is already a plan for the dis
tribution of passenger traffic, but i
has been comparatively imperative
The presidents will give orders t
have it enforced to the letter. 1t
claimed that a passenger pool Is nc
Illegal. The conclusions about tn
worlds fair rates were in accOrdanC
with the new agreement. On a
regular trains scheduled at thirt!
> five hours or less between Chicag
. and New York the present rates wi
: be maintained. Onall trains schedu
; ed at more than thirty-flve hours
30 per cent reduction may Ice mad
: Several of the railroads require mol
r than thirty-hve hours for the tri
from New York 10 Chicago, and the
! will offer a reduced rate. 1t shoul
be said, however, that many chea
excursion trains will be run at rat,
: 10 be set by the commissioners.