The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-26
THE SANTA FEE FIGHT
ROUND WON by GENERAL
TRACY's sPRoTECTIvEs.D
Talk with n superintendent Regard
ing the Outlook for Railways
Central Traffic Affairs.

The fight for possession OF the Atchison.
Topeka &c Santa Fe road took a new turn
at Topeka yesterday. The "protectives."
headed by General Tracy. scored a point
by securing an injunction restraining the
stockholders from electing directors until
the courts should decide whether or not
the cumulative plan OF voting could be ex-
ercised. Judge Foster granted the order
conditionally. that is, he said the meeting
could proceed If the cumulative plan Of
voting were exercised. otherwise not. In
this event he would set the hearing on the
temporary restraining order for Monday,
Oct. %.
After half an hours session the stock
holders elected Thomas A Osborn chair
man and adjourned TO 10 o'clock Thursday,
Nov. l. Newman Erb introduced a resolu-
ton that the federal court be asked to APP
point a committee to investigate the COM
pany's affairs and report to the STOCKHOLM
ers within about thirty days. This resolu-
ton was shut out by the passing of a mo-
ton to adjourn made by Director Gleed.
The general committee is confident that
the restraining order gives the 'protec-
tives" nothing I'm the way of permanent ad-
vantage. They declare that they are sure
Of winning and carrying out the plan of Sc
lecting the present directors without the
'.protectives' having a single representa-
tive on the board. They declare that all the
ldik ABOUT the expiration OF the santa he
charter is simple in the extreme. and that
the company IS operating under a charter
granted In 1858. unlimited as to time. They
voting was brought up years ago and de-
clared to be inapplicable to the Santa FEES
voting system, that this decision was
reached by unanimous consent of the ablest
counsel in the Santa Fe's employ, and also
that the settled policy OF the company has
been fixed against the cumulative plan
Getting Down TO Hardpan.
Said a general superintendent yesterday:
"We are now coming 10 a place in business
with the railways where they can tell about
what they are doing In the way Of earn
ings- Everything is getting down to the
hardpan basis. While most roads are car
rying a larger tonnage than last year, and
freight earnings show an increase, still
most roads in this section show a decrease
in passenger earnings up to the present
time. but the tide will now turn with the
passenger department., as after the third
week in October the worlds fair business
did not cut a very important part in re-
ceipts from the passenger service. the bust
ness carried being mostly homeward bound
on the return part of the ticket. / look for
better things with the passenger depart
ment from this on, for the reason that for
weeks past the receipts from the passenger
business have compared favOrably with
1892. which was a better year for some
roads than was 1893. The most important
point in the situation Is that now COMPARE
sons are made with pay rolls of last year,
after the roads adopted and put in force
the retrenchment policy. The pay rolls
show one-third less men employed, but
about as much money paid out to the train
men; In fact. those who are at work are
making better wages than last year in Sep
TENDER or October, and likely will Tor some
time to come. This is due to the fact that
there are no extra crews to divide the
work. The weather has been so favorable
for Indianapolis roads this fall for handling
traffic to advantage that a train crew can
handle eight to ten more cars to the train
with the same power than when the wealth
er Is unfavorable. Taking all things to-
gether, the transportation departments are
in the best shape of any time in many
years. Coupled with this there nave been
few wrecks and no congestion of business
at central railroad points. Both through
and local business for the last sixty days
has been handled at % per cent. less cost
than heretofore. The power of most roads
Is in excellent condition, and IL reasonably
fair rates are obtained for hauling the bus
tness / am confident that both gross and
net earnings will soon be very satisfac-
tory"