The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-02
trunk line PROJECT
English Capitalists Seek to Revive an Old
Railway Charter.
Will TAP ANTHRACITE region

Barre, Sunbury and Wiiliamsport,
So It Is Said-Reduced Passenger
Rates and Coal Tolls Are Promised
by the New Company.
A dispatch from Rochester, N. Y.
sets forth the details Of projected
trunk line as follows: IAN English
syndicate, whose representative WAS in
Rochester last week in conference with
the agent of American principals from
New York, is planning, it is claimed,
to possess and control one of the most
important railroad grants ever given
in this country. A reporter came in
possession yesterday of the fact that an
influential and wealthy English syndi-
cate was negotiating to secure posses
sion of perpetual franchise or charter
granted some years ago by the legisla
ture Of Pennsylvania.
1T seems there was granted by the
legislature of that state by various acts
and amendments one OF the most lib
eral and comprehensive railroad char
ters ever given. It's posseSsors are EN-
powered to issue $685. 900 per mile of
stock aud an unlimited amount of
bonds, to be redeemed at such place
and time as the directors may agree,
while the power under the charter to
place mortgages is exceedingly liberal.
A REMARKABLY LIBERAL CHARTER.
"Unlimited authority is granted for
the purchasing OF lands in any county,
while wide discretion is given even in
the selection Of the terminus Of the
road. something very unusual in rail-
road charters In short, this old char
ter. which has never been used, but
whose rights and privileges have been
retained and kept alive by compliance
with all legal requirements, would
seem to give the owners almost unre-
stricted power TO run railroad in any
direction to and from any point the di-
reetors wished in the state named.
The negotiations on the part Of an
English syndicate for such a charter
with the apparent intention to put II to
immediate use by building a trunk
line east and west through the state OF
Pennsylyania threaten to open r very
serious competition with the existing
Pennsylvania systems IL the deal is
cousumma ated it will affect several OF
the roads running into Rochester from
the Pennsylvania cotl regions
The suggestion is made that uni
form passenger rate Of . cents mile
would be established and other com
petitive measures would be instituted
which would destroy some OF the pscul-
lar monopoies Of existing Penusylvs-
MIA roads IL 10 also Intended 20 con
slider largely the independent coal com.
panies OF Pennsylvania, which have so
lolg struggled against the superior ad-
vsntRges possessed by those concerns
controlled by the railroads Offering
them special rates and transportation
facilities.
THE ROUTE TO BE FOLLOWED.
"The promoters Of this enterprise
are prepared. II is said, to organize n
land survey Of the territory proposed TO
be traversed. as soon a. negotiations
with the New York owners OF the
chsrter Whose agent was iu Rochester,
for the purchase are contaminated II
indeed. this end has not already been
accomplished.
The route to be followed will. so the
reporter is informed, cover the line
from Erie to Philadelphia, taking IN
Williamsport, Sunbury. Wilkes-Barre
and Scranton, and traversing thence
all the important coal and iron re
cions throughout the state. with
| branches to Pittsb burg and other points
In short, the proposed route, charter
for which this English syndicate Ia ne
gotiating, will tap the most valuable
territory OF the roads which reach
| Rochester.
at Ia further proposed TO establish
feet Of vessels TO be owned and con.
trolled by the railroad company, TO
stimulate and facilitate the transpor-
tation Of grain from Duluth aud Chi
caCo. and to erect large elevators at
| Erie with view OF diverling a goodly
portion Of B1ffalos lake trade. Thus
1t would seem as II the syndicate were
capable Of and intended TO exercise all
Of the corporate functions with which
1t will be vested under the terms so
lOuE luolfIhtlfe.
PROMOTERS CONFIDENT or SUCCESS.
The charter is one which has for
some time been the object OF secret ne
eotiations both here and IN New York,
and il this English syndicate has not al
ready acquired IL. there seems little
doubt that 1t will soon do no.
There are certain international
complications and technicaities to be
observed in the development OF this en-
terprise, but there is said 10 be no
doubt of the promoters ability to carry
out the plan, of which only the brief
est and most unsatisfactory outline can
be given here 1t would seem, too. ne
If some Of the local representatives Of
railroads which might be seriously af-
fected II this charter were put in opera
tion had been caught mapping when
such negotiations could I've carried on
and practically consnmmated without
so much as single act of Interference
from the parties vitally interested.
"Since the West Shore parallelsd the
New York Central. or since Calvin
Brice forced William Ii. Vanderbilt to
buy the Nickel Plate at an exorbitant
price, no move has been made in this
part OF the country so potent with pos
sibilities and threatsnings 10 existing
railroads as the attempt of British
syndicate quietly 10 buy up this old
Pennsylvania charter and put 1t in act
i've operation.