Evening star., 1896-07-30
OUTLOOK is cLoUDED
Not Pleasant Prospect 1Or B. and o. Share
holders.
The Enforced Truce in the South heru
Rate Warfare-NOtes From the
Different Railroads.

tee Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company have determined to postpone for
an indefinite period tho announcement to
the public Of the result Of Expert Little's
examination Of the books Of that corpora
tion, which. as is known to the readers of
The Star has been in progress for a num-
Der Of months past.
1t has, however, been divulged that the
showing made by Mr.. Little is quite un-
favorable for the management which pre-
csded the present regime, and there seems
to be no doubt that the result will be a
heavier assessment on the stockholders
than was expected II the road is to be kept
from foreclosure and sale.
The B. and o. Is doing splendid and
constantly increasing business under the
energetic management and modern ideas
OF Receivers Cowen and Murray. and the
receipts are greater than ever before in the
history Of the road but. paradoxical as it
may seem, the outlook for the stockholders
was never more discouraging than now. as
1t Is feared that the assessment for reor-
ganizauon purposes will be greater than
WAS expected.
The Rate War.
There is a lull In the war between the
Seaboard Air Line and the Southern Rail
way Company, or. more properly speaking,
the Southern States Freight Association,
and Vice President st. John of the former
line Is keeping very quiet at present, at
least 30 fer as outside appearances go, and
1t Is said that he is still doing all in his
power to run sleepers between New York
and Atlanta, using the Pennsylvania be-
tween Washington and New York for this
end of the routs.
1t Is reported. however. that the Southern
has intmated to the Pennsylvania that If
the request Of the Seaboard Is granted the
Southern will divert its north-bound busi-
ness at Washington to the Baltimore and
Ohio The Atlanta and West Point road is
also, 1t Is said, held in check by the South
ern by threats to send its through passen-
ger trains between Washington and New
Orleans by way of Birmingham, Ala, and
Meridian, Miss, If the Atlanta and West
Point. via which they are now sent. ex-
tends through car service to the Seaboard
Air Line. The Southern people claim. 1t is
sa.d perfect right to do this, and that it
is simply a protection to its interests by
legitimate arrangements with other con-
Meeting lines.
About Coal.
The st; tement was made some weeks
ago by certain railroad officials that on
account Of the reduction Of the tariff on
COAL as provided for in the law now in
force, various New England railroad COM
parties, which for many years had OBJ
Maryland and West Virginia, had placed
large orders with Nova Scotia operators,
believing that 1t was % their financial in
tere est to do so, although the effect was
highly detrimental to hundreds of miners
in their own country.
Be that as 1t may, the railroad companies
which do the carrying of the interdicted
coal to the various eastern markets have
roads must either pay the prices demanded
by the Maryland and West Virginia coal
mine owners for their product they will
have to patronize the Canadian miners.
The Baltimore and Ohio. PENNSYLVANIA
Norfolk and Western. Chesapeake and
Ohio and several other railroad companies
were represented by some of their highest
officials at conference held in Philadel-
reached to bury all the difficulties and. diff
fere- 'ces of opinion which have existed be-
tween the companies named In reference
to coal matters for some time past. and
to bring order out of the chaos which has
heretofore existed.
The btuminous trade, 1T Is stated. has
teen in lad condition for some time past
but notwithstanding the fact that there
for some time, the operators have main
tanned prices, and very little cutting has
been indulged in. The coal operators in
the early part Of this year formed an as
SoCidlion tHelT own DrOteCtlOn, and 1t
included all the operators in Maryland,
West Virginia and Pennsylvania and Vir-
giEia.
When this association was completed
time every thing was very harmonious
Early in the spring the usual custom of
n aking cSntracts for the ensuing year
vas begun.
The railroad companies Of the New Eng
land states. which had heretofore been
large purchasers, refused when they re-
ceived the bids Of the operators Of this
section on the ground that they could buy
at much better rates in Nova Scotia. and
threatened to buy coal there If the prices
were not reduced.
This action of the New England COM
Pc MES created considerable agitation
among coal men generally. and for a time
it looked as though there would be break
In prices. but the matter was taken in
hard by the stronger members Of the as
sociation. and the bids were not changed.
The eastern roads have likewise continued
firm In the position assumed by Them and
up to the present time have bought only
in such quantities as was absolutely neces-
sary. the consequence of this Is that
there Is an immense quantity of soft coal
stored at the yards of the various COM
panieS.
President. Roberts of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company mas issued orders to
the officers of the Pennsylvania railroad
system consisting Of the Pennsylvania
lines east and west of Pittsburg the Grand
Rapids and Indiana Railroad COMPANY the
Vandalia lines and the Toledo Peoria and
Western railway, that they must not here
after transmit or permit to be transmit
ted by railway service letters or packages,
except such as strictly relate to the bust
ness of the companies forming the Penn
sylvania system.
report was current last evening that
Vice President and General Manager s.:
John Of the Selboard Air Line had be-
come 50 much chagrined at the sudden
interference of Judge Simonton with his
plans for rate cutting that he had resigned
his office.
To a reporter who interviewed him at
Portsmouth, Mr.. St. John, however, said
that there was nothing in the rumor, and
he Is quoted as saying that while the
Seaboard will obey the law, the difficulties
between the Seaboard and Its rivals can
only be permanently settled after a des-
perate fight on the lines heretofore laid
Down by MIN.
Lumber prices falling lower and lower.
F. Libbey & Co.. 9th & N. Y. ave.-Adyt.
The Burial Story.
John Gardner -von,no oolo,o1