Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-22
AN IMPORTANT LINK
Baltimore and Ohio Threatened in a
Necessary Western Connection.
DEBT TO The CENTRAL Ohio
Receivers Certificates for Actual
Running Expenses.
A POSSIBLE MANDAMUs

The receivers of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company have, 1t Is said, within
the last day or two found themselves con-
fronted with the problem as to whether the
present favorable contract with the Central
Ohio Railroad Company, whose line is one
of the most important links in the Balti-
more and Ohio system, will not be mater
tally changed at the annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Central Ohio, which Is
to take place at Columbus, Ohio, Wednes-
day of next week.
A rumor which appears to be we'll found
ed has reached railroad and banking cir
cies in Baltimore that friends of the PENN
sylvania Railroad Company have been, for
some time past, especially since the pres
ent disasters to the Baltimore and Ohio,
engaged in a quiet movement to secure a
controlling interest in the Central Ohio
and that their efforts have met with much
success though TO what extent will not be
fully known until the meeting CT stock
holders
The Central Ohio road occupies a peculiar
relation IN the railroad world in that a
portion of it is the property, by building
ana lease, OF both the Baltimore and Ohio
and Pennsylvania systems. 1t extends
from Bellaire, on the vest bank of the
OElo river, to Columbus, a distance of 137
miles. From Bellaire to Newark Ohio 1O4
miles, 1t is a single-track line and is the
only way by which all Chicago trains of
tne baltimore and Ohio which do not run
wa fittsburg can get to the Baltimore and
ONO Chicago main line at Chicago juno
ton, about 100 miles north OF Newark
r rom Newark to Columbus, distance of
thlrty-three miles, the road Is double-track-
ed, and is owned jointly by the Baltimore
| anu ONO and the Pittsburg, Columbus,
cincinnati and st. Louis COMPANY which
IS itself the property of the Pennsylvania
Company, and is known as the Pan Handle
PlttSbIIrU no
west.
Acted a Bank.
during the administration of President
John w. Garrett, and by one of those mas
terly strokes of enterprise for which Mr.
Garrett was noted, the B. and O. secured a
lease of the Central Ohio until 1926. with
the privilege to the b. and o. of renewing
1t forever, upon a rental of 80 per cent of
the gross earnings, with a minimum guar
ahteCa OF Sl66,oVo The gross earnings of
the Central Ohio. according to the last an
nual report to the stockholders were 81 =
O9s,6l1, emitting the stockholders to S.S3 =
81, and the dividends on the common stock
cent yearly.
II Is now ascertained as the result of in
quirles conducted into b. and o. affairs
mat the latter company is indebted to the
CeHt ral ONO to the extent of fully s7oO,o0",
and that it has been the practice of the b.
ana " company to act as the banker Of the
central Ohio, at Baltimore, in, it is said a
manner somewhat similar to the course
heretofore pursued by the relief depart
ment Of the B. and o. toward those entitled
10 benefits from money paid to 1t as dues
IN the latter case, in the event of the death
OF an engineer, whose widow would for ex-
ample, De entitled to the payment of & 900
as insurance on account of payments by
her husband during his life time, the widow
upon presenting proofs of the death would
AFTER lot II red tape had been gone
through no hor IaI
the sum due her-but little blank hook
IN Whlcn was entered very neatly-Mrs
=. BY cash, 5000 She would also be
named another book, which was full of
very handsomely engraved blank checks
and politely informed that whenever she
wanted money she could draw a check for
it, eA LII
The present management have it is said
admitted that this big debt Of the B. and O.
TO the Central Ohio is a just one and will be
pald Dut many or those interested and who
are In large part among the most prominent
capitalists of Baltimore are said to he any
iously inquiring when the LIQUIDATION NJ
their claims is to take place. In this con-
nection 1T is worthy of note that the coI
pons OF the Central Ohio due March 1 were
defaulted by the company but that thew
are being purchased for banking house in
New York which is said to be the firm of
j. Pierpont Morgan & Co.
Important Link.
The value of the Central Ohio to the
Pennsylvania system can best be demon
strated by stating the fact that the trains
of the latter between Pittsburg and Column
bus, Cincinnati and st. Louis, are run viz
Steubenville and Newark, a route which re-
quires fully one hour more to reach either
of the last three cities named than would
be the case if the Pennsylvania had control
or even a favorable traffic Arrangement
with, the Central Ohio.
The Pennsylvania already has a line on
the west side of the Chic, from Pittsburg to
Beilafre, and on the east side Of the river
from Steubenville. Ohio to Benwood. w
Va, opposite Bellaire, Ohio. and which is
7-ffr,-ALz,AE,.5A1 J. J. ! l. l.