Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-05
A BIG Rate WAR
SAID TO BE BREWING BETWEEN THE B. &
O. AND PENNSYLVANIA.
This is offered as the Explanation Of the Whole
sale Reductions in Force on the First Named
Lins-0ther Railroad News.

peated mention OF Which has OS0" ~"
ia the REGISTER, is that big railroad
war Is eminent between the company
named and the Pennsylvania, and
some other competing lines, and that
the B. & o. is getting expenses down
to minimum preparatory to going lnto
the fight. This may or may not be the
proper explanation OF the wholesale
discharges, but the story has be-
come generally current, and hnds
numerous believers. The Baltimore 81
Ohio took the lead by discharges at
Mount Clare shops, and followed up
this lead for time 1T many other points.
Then the Pennsylvania made great
saving of expense by announcing that
hereafter no free passes would be given
any except actual employees OF the road
therefore throwing thousands OF dollars
into its Golfers. The reason assigned
for these cuts in expense and reduction
In earnings is alleged by the officials OF
the roads to be the immense expense
involved in the rapid change from the
old TO the new automatic couplers, as
required by law. The expense Will I'M
doubtedly amount to several millions OF
dollars, and the state of affairs would
amply warrant any saving on the part
of the roads, but that is not the cause.
A prominent Baltimore ~ Ohio Official
is reported as saying: ut Is
pretty we'll accepted among
railroaders now that rate war is ineV-
liable. It's effect will be most disas-
trous to all who enter into ii, but 1t
can't be helped. There always will be
the strongest rivalry between roads
leading to any great or even small oo-
iectiye point, and the Worlds Fair at
Chicago has, of course, greatly intensi-
fed this. 1t was earnestly hoped that
rate war could be prevented by
thorough cooperation Of all the lines
leading 10 that city, and undoubtedly
this would be the case were such CO.
operation possible, but each road,
wrongly, perhaps, Is in constant dread
that the opposition line may steal
march on il in some unexpected direc-
ton, and is constantly making prepare
tions of defensive nature" A war at
at this time would, by the condition OF
affairs, be of far greater magnitude
than that in which the single fare TO
Chicago was reduced to little less
than half the ordinary rate, some years
ago.
Thirty-two OF the one hundred loco
motives which were.ordered by the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Company from
the Baldwin Locomotive Works, about
the first of this year, have been de-
livered to DIR. Blagden Hazlehurst,
Superintendent OF Motive Power, at Mt,
Clare. From this time two locomotives
will be received every day until the en-
tire hundred are delivered. Practically
little work is being done at Mt. Clare.
Mr.. HaZlehurst has dropped several
clerks in his department and further
reduction will probably be made soon.
The force Of 1000 men that was at
work daily last summer and fall has
been greatly reduced, and at present
the shops are only working four days In
the week. Mr.. Hazlehnrst says the
present condition will continue until
July, and perhaps longer. He says dis
satisfaction naturally evists among the
men out of work or on half time, but 1t
cannot be helped. When business is
dull and profits have fallen of there is
nothing to be done but reduce expenses.
The case Of Hiram Howell's estate VS..
the Norfolk and Western, at Wayne, who
was killed In a switch disaster near &C.
redo during the construction of the
road, has been compromised by the road
paying $500.
John w. Moore. with corps OF as
sistants, has surveyed the final route OF
the Dry Fork road from Bretz, on the
West Virginia Central and Pittsburg,
along Cheat river to the mouth OF Dry
Fork and along Dry Fork to the Green
brier Divide, something over 20 miles.
The company will condemn the land for
the right OF way through Tucker coun-
ty, so far as the survey has been made.
r. +. WhItmer, of Philadelphia, Is
President. The road will develop q
tract OF 20, 900 acres Of fine timber and
coal, which is owned by members OF the
company.
A freight car standing on the Ohio
River railroad track, at Huntington,
was broken into Tuesday night and a
lot OF chairs and other articles carried
away. George Porter, painter, who
resides in the vicinity of where the car
was standing, was suspected, and a
search Of his house resulted In finding
the stolen goods. Porter was arrested
and taken before Squire Taylor, who
held him in the sum of $500 TO await
action of the next grand jury. Porter
he will
likely go over the road for his offense.
Sam Hovater. brakeman on the Graft
on and Greenbrier railroad got pretty
badly used up by one OF the passengers
on the excursion last Tuesday after
noon. The young blood was pulling
the bell cord and annoying the trainmen
generally, when Mr.. Hovater asked him
TO stop; without reply he struck the
brakeman on the head with steel knuck-
les two or three times, cutting ugly
gashes. He was finally overcome, the
train stopped and he was left on the
roadside to sober up and await the ac-
ton of grand jury.
Saturday evening when Engineer
Tom Franklin, of the Norfolk and
Western, was on his engine near Stu
arts Draft, he had his shoulder dislo-
Gated by fall while reversing his en-
CINE. DR.. Hodge set the dislocation,
and the engineer mounted his engine
and ran it to Roanoke as if nothing had
happened.
On Saturday last the brlcklayers COM
pleted the work Of arching Big Bend
tunnel, in Summers coCnty. This work
was commenced about twelve years ago,
and large force of men have been al
most constantly engaged at 1t ever
since. The railroad company, as we'll
as the men engaged ON IL. are to be con-