The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-03-10
WHAT THE BIG FOUR WANTS
System Not Complete Until 1t Shall
Own Its Own Terminal Lines.
vnder the Careful Eye Of President NJ. Z.
Ingalls, II Has Spread Out Amazingly and Is
Important to the Vanderbilt System.

M. F. Ingalls,, president of the Big Four
lines. is quoted as saying that he would
not consider the Big Four system complete
until the company had its own line into
Chicago. Toledo and Louisville" Then the
company would have q system which in its
direct lines between terminal points would
outrank any other ST stem In America. To
do this several existing roads. now In OPP
GRAFTON. would be required, and the build
ing of one extension. that from North
Vernon to Louisville. Ky. Then the Big
four would have a direct line from Louis-
willie TO Benton Harbor; IN securing the To-
ledo. Columbus Il Cincinnati. which ex-
tends from Kcnton to Toledo. o., it would
have another almost airline and one but
three miles longer than the Cincinnati.
Hamilton * Dayton between Cincinnati
aud Toledo; then had the Big
Four the Chicago ~ Eastern Illinois,
it would have an airline road from CARO-
10 Chicago. q short line from st. Louis via
Shelbyvllle. Ill, 10 Chicago, and. best OF
ALL Its own entrance into Chicago for the
Chicago division via st. Anne. A study or
the map for a moment Will show the I'M
pOrtance of the Big Four system to the
Vanderbilt lines. it being the key TO the
situation in the entire Central Traffic As
ISOLATION territory. Mr.. Ingalls,, when
questioned as To the reason that he did not
secure these roads, said that so far as the
Chicago * Eastern Illinois IS concerned 1t
Is too heavily bonded for any prudent
financier TO take hold of IL. But In due
time. he intimated, he would have his
Louisville and Benton Harbor lines COM
plete. an entrance into Toledo and event
uslly into Chicago. The Big Four would
then have as terminals Toledo. Sandusky
and Cleveland on Lake Erie: Chicago and
St Louis, the most Important ilroad
centers in the West; Louisville and Cincin-
natl. the most important Southern and
Southeastern centers. with Indianapolis In
the heart of the system.
The L., y. A. & c. Annual Meeting.
The stockholders Of the L.. N. A. & c.,
who were represented largely by proxies.
held their annual meeting yesterday in
their Office in this city. The report of
Samuel Thomas, president. was read. the
chief points in which were published in
the Journal of yesterday. The meeting
then adjourned until the third Wednesday
IN Septemb Der, the old board of directors
holding over until that meeting. This
change is made that the annual report and
fiscal year may better conform to the re-
quirements of the interstate-commerce
law. In closing his report President
Thomas said: THE annual report. when
published. will give full statistical. tinan-
cial and physical particulars for lnforna-
ton of the stockholders. Meanwhile the
directors hope that the stockholders will
agree with them that the experience of the
half year herein summarized is full of
encouragement for the future. With
an income in excess OF expendi-
ture, with abundant cash In hand for
present capital requirements. with $1,000
40 stock in the treasury, with vouchers
and operating expenses promptly and regu-
larry discharged, with its physical cOndi-
tiOn fully maintained and improvements
well under way. your company Is In very
different state from that in which it was
committed to the charge of the present
management. and your directors trust they
may be excused for adverting TO the fact
with pardonable satisfaction"
Following this meeting, the stockholders
or the Bedford * Bloomfield and the West
Baden. Orleans * French Lick roads
elected the following as directors for the
ensuing year: John Greenough, Samuel
Thomas, l.. ID. Hawkins &. S. Brice. all of
New York; W. III. McDoel and G. h. shaw,
of Chicago. and III. Ii. Campbell. of Boston.
The Chicago Buffalo Rate War.
IL Is impossible as yet to see the end of
the passenger-rate trouble between Chica-
go and Buffalo. The development yester-
day was q communication from vice. Chair
man Donald. of the Central Traffic Asso-
citation. authorizing all the interested lines
TO meet the action of the Chicago 81 Erie
IN making a second-class rate of $3.50 in
both directions between the two points.
Neither the Michigan Central nor the Lake
Shore has thus far availed themselves of
this privilege, and will wait a reasonable
time before doing so. 20 give the board of
rulings an opportunity to bring about IN
adjustment of the difficulty. The Grand
Trunk and Wabash have dropped to the
$3.50 basis. and If the other roads reduce at
all, it will probably be to the same basis.
The Erie. however. reiterates its assertion
that il will meet all cuts. and IL the Nickel
plate insists on protecting the ditferentiai
10 has assumed. there Is every prospect of a
lively war with an almost certain break in
frst-class rates.