Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-25
WHEN THE WABASH IS SOLD
What May Happen II the Calamity Branch
Falls Into Certain Hands.
Q. M. & P. COULD USE THE LINE HANDlly
II Would Easily Make n Link ana
an outlet for the Great II. 81.
.. System in
section.

There has been a good deal Of speculation
in railway circles since the announcement in
The Bee a few days ago that the sale of the
Omaha & st. Louis railroad. which is better
known as The wabash, would occur under the
direction of the federal court on Monday
next. The road Is to be sold under a decree
Of foreclosure, and who the bidders VIII be
is the subject of a great deal OF interesting
conjecture. In railroad circles yesterday
there was som undertone talk OF selecting
several important eastern companies as prop
able bidders, and connecting at least one OF
them with the Terminal Company and through
II with Mr.. Paul's Indian creek scheme. NO
one could be found who would undertake the
responsibility of saying in so many words
that such a probability existed, but there
were several willing to admit its probability.
Only two bidders have been prominently
mentioned. One Of them is the Burlington
and the other is the Quincy, Missouri d Pa
cifc. Considerable doubt Is expressed about
the probability of the Burlington being an
actual bidder, unless the property was liable
to be sold at such a sacrifice that IL wouiu
make a good investment for any road having
eastern and southeastern lines. But TO the
Quincy, Missouri & Pacific company 1t would
be a valuable acquisition. This company Is
backed up and the stock largely owned by
the Drexel, Morgan G Co. syndicate, and this
syndicate is also heavily interested in the
Terminal company, and the new Interstate
bridge, which has stood for two years an
idle monument to some big enterprise that
people were beginning to believe had died
a-borning. 1t would only require the con-
s~truction of a short link, not more than forty
miles in length, to connect the Quincy, Mis-
souri, & Pacific line with the Omaha & st.
Louis. This then would give them a through
line from st. Louis to Council Bluffs, and
via the new bridge directly into Omaha, and
a line also connecting the twin cities with
Quincy.
In this connection railway men also call
attention to another important link in the
long chain of eastern connections that this
scheme of reorganization may open up. The
Quincy road is closely related to the Balti-
more G. Ohio Southwestern, and this latter
Is a part of the great Baltimore 4 ONO sys-
TEN. Should Drexel interests be represented
among the successful bidders, the probability
seems to be great that Council Bluffs and
Omaha will have a new and direct line TO
the great eastern markets and the Atlantic
seaboard.
How Mr.. Paul's Indian. creek scheme fig
ures in with this aspect OF the deal Is not
very clear, neitheryois tthe anxiety of the
Terminal company sto secure and hold its
franchise on Union. avenue up to the point
where it would only be necessary to cross
Broadway to connect with the Iowa Improve
ment company's line down the creek bed.
In any event the prospect seems to be good
that there will be some lively bidding Tor
the Omaha G. st. Louis line at the receivers
sale on Monday.