Evening star., 1897-06-04
THE 8. AND O. MANAGEMENT
Receivers Cowen and Murray Before Joint
Traffic Association.
The Increase In the COmpany's TrafHc
shown to He Lcgitimate-Better
Feeling Established.

The rumors which have been in the air
to the effect that although the business Of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
has increased to an almost phenomenal de-
gree during the past few months, these. re-
suits were the outcome of systematic rate
cutting on the part OF the receivers, were
discussed at a meeting of the board Of con-
troll of the Joint Traffic Association in New
York this week. ~ -44e - .
At the hearing the Baltimore and Ohio
Company was represented by, Receivers
Cowen and Murray, while President Depew
of the New York Central and President
Thomson of the Pennsylvania represented
their own roads, respectively, and also
other roads, from which the Baltimore and
Ohio has been able, ii Is said, to draw
traffic.
While the result of the hearing has. not
been officially made known, 1t is under
stood from good authority that Messrs
Coven and Murray succeeded in convincing
the board of control that the increase in
the volume of business over the Baltimore
and Ohio lines was due, not to underhand
methods of any sort, but to the fact that
the improvements which have been made
and equipment have put the Baltimore and
Ohio in the position of being able to handle
all the business offered. something it had
not been able to do hitherto. -
Convinced the Board.
It is understood that Messrs. Cowen and
Murray assured the board that there was
no occasion for alarm at the future policy
of the Baltimore and Ohio relative to rate
cutting, nor for apprehension that 1t will
endeavor to secure larger share of busi
ness than it can properly handle.
One of the principal grounds of complaint
against the Baltimore and Ohio investi-
gated by the board was as. to the manner
in which the company had managed to
increase its New York business. Efforts
have been made in many quarters to in
duce the board to use its influence to get
the Baltimore and Ohio to accept its old
pro rata of IA per cent allotment.
In reference to this, the receivers of the
company explained that it has been their
aim ito secure all the business that the
extensive improvements recently intro
duced would enable the road to handle
with facility" This percentage allotment
they considered unfair, as 1t was estab-
lished at time when the condition of the
Ioad prohibited 1t from taking it's proper
share of the competitive business out Of
New York. 1t was further explained that
owing to inferior terminals and lack of
cars and motive power, during the heavy
tonnage movement which made 1895 ban
ner year for railroads, considerable traffic
was alienated from the Baltimore and Ohio
because 1t was unable to take care of it.
Suggestion.
Some members OF the. board of control
suggested at the meeting that the receivers
OF the Baltimore and Ohio ought to wait
Until the improvements to the road, now in
progress. shall be completed before asking
for increased percentage Of allotment; but
the suggestion was declined as imprac-
tce BILE, the idea of the receivers being that
good business Judgment demanded that
every effort should be made to increase the
earning power of the property as the i'm
provementS are made.
1t is the impression aE;ong those interest
ed that there will be a better feeling among
the trunk lines toward the Baltimore and
ohio in the future as the position of the
latter on rate and carrying matters are
heretofore NA