The herald., 1897-03-26
GREAT RAILROAD RATE WAR
Is LIKELY TO BE AMONG THE
RESULTS
The Santa Ee-southern Pacific Trade
Goes - A Deal Regarding
Oriental Freight
Press spscial Wire.

daclasang the Tyansmissouri Freight as
soniation and similar railway organiza-
sions violation of the antitrust law OF
1890. and aboMshing the same has ere
ated a sensation in railroad circles ir
this city.
The opinion prevails among railway
officials that the decision will precipita'e
a railroad rate war in the near future
All agree that the prospects for organ
ixed action in the matter of rates are
very unsatisfactory.
The various lines in the east which
belong to the many railway associa-
tions are Withdrawing therefrom, ana
their disruption is threatened.
The decision which is the cause OF all
This trouble grew out of proceeding
in which only the transmissouri freight
rate committee was interested, but the
traffic officials of most of the big trans
continental and eastern railroad sys-
TENS agreed yesterday, acting on legal
advice. that the decision applies 10 ali
associations of a like nature. These as
sociations are now going into rapid ols-
sntegration through the Withdrawal cl
tha lines that constitute their member
Y
chin. and from present indications there
will be no freight or passenger associa-
s,ons or committees in the country be-
fore many days have elapsed without
an association to adjust the multitudin-
ans questions and grievances that are
continually arising between compeu-
tive as we'll as connecting lines, IL Is
easy to figure that the railroad interests
IN the country cannot maintain har-
monious relations indefinitely.
ALL AT SEA.
DENVER. Col, March 25.-Receivers
frederick r. Coudest, E. Ellery Ander-
son and oliver w. Mink, General Man
arer Edward Dickinson and other oni-
cials of the Union Pacific road, arrived
IN Denver today on their annual tour oi
,,snection. The original intention OF the
nartv was to go as far as Salt Lake, but
that has been abandoned, as Receiver
Clark is i'll in st. Louis.
.J can hardly say" said Mr.. Mink
today. "what will be the effect OF the
eunreme court decision in the transmis-
.ouri case. The Union Pacific has not
"a cted as vet, and l cannot forecast wnat
we will do. Much depends upon the
6evelopments of the next few days
..The breaking up of the frelght anu
Messenger associations" SAID General
Manager Dickinson, means genera
Generalization Of rates and eventually
q most disastrous war. When the war
comes II will be the survival OF the nj
test The big roads are able TO take
advantage of this to crush out our rivals.
hardly believe that any of the ROADS
ara looking for trouble, but trouble Will
come. now that each line is on an IN
dependent basis.
"The relations between the Union Pa
cific and the Oregon Short Line remain
undisturbed anG no change in traffic
agreements seems likely.
RAILROAD business is gradually i'm
proving. Busines is better now on the
Union Pacific than it was year ago"
NO PLANS AGREED ON.
CHICAGO. March 25.-The Chicago
and Northwestern, the Missouri Pacific
and ST. Louis and San Francisco roads
f3led notices of Withdrawal today from
all the traffic associations of which they
were members. The Louisville and st.
Louis Airline also withdrew from the
Southern States association. of which 1t
was a member. A meeting OF executive
officers of western roads was held today
at the office of the third vice president
of the Santa Fe to talk over the situa-
ton.
At the close of the meeting, however,
It was announced that no concerted ac-
tion had been decided upon, and none
was likely to be. The more the decis-
ion ofthe supreme court is considered the
more clearly does it appear that not a
vestige of ground is left the traffic as
sociations as they have heretofore been
conducted on which to stand. All that
now remains for the roads to do is to
direct their energies to securing legis-
lation that will open some way for them
TO conserve their interests and prevent
their revenues from being dissipaetd
by made competition. None of the as
pociatons attempted to do anything to-
day. No circulars were isued by any
one OF them, and no attempts were made
to enforce the observance of agreements.
As yet no rate cutting has been resort
ed TO ia a result of the collapse of the
association. The roads are simply at
tending to routine business and seem
to be afraid to take aggressive action
Of any kind.
A mass meeting of passenger men
representing the Western Transconti-
mental Ohio river and southern lines
was held here today. 1t was of an en-
tirely informal character, no resolutions
belrg adopted or concerted action of
any kind agreed TO.
The transportation committee OF the
Chicago board of trade is reported to be
engaged at present in formulating
charges Of rate cutting against certain
favored shippers. These are to be pre-
eented 10 the interstate commerce COM
misSaion and by 1t prosecuted in the fed
eral courts. ii is said that half a dozen
favored firms have been given such re-
auctions on grain that their competit-
ors on the board have been effectively
crowded out Of the market and found
themselves unable to ship pound of
grain. A lot of evidence has been COL
lected--suf1cient K IS said, to secure
conviction In q number Of cases, and.