The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-14
ALLIANCE OF ROADS.
HOW WILL TT AFFECT GROWTH
OF SOUND CITIEss
No Actual Joint Operation of Great
Northern and Northern Pacific to
BE Expecfed-Joint Representa-
tSon Through Commercial Ag~n-
cfes Looked For-Seattle's Trade
with the Orient VIII He Devei-
RosIyn TO Points I'm Washington.
Oregon, Montana and Idaho
Railroad and Industrial News.

How will the approaching alliance Of the
Northern Pacific and the Great Northern
affect the state of Washington and the
Puget sound country
This lis a question over which many OBJ
serving business men and railroaders have
been worrying ever since the resignation
of President Winter. OF the Northern Pa
cffic. settled beyond question that Prssi-
dent James j. Hill of the Great Northern,
has acquired such an interest In the
Northern Pacific as viii make him the
dominant power in It's affairs.
In none OF the Eastern papers. which
have printed columns about the alliance
Of bondhoIders and sympathetic man
agement which II TO follow has there been
q suggestion as to the effect the arrange
menf will have on the far West. and par
ficulariy upon the cities NJ Seattle and
Tacoma and the entire Sound country. II
should he willingly conceded that the fu-
fure of the state. and especially OF the
Sound cities, Ia closely allied with the
manas cement and operation OF both lines.
The consensus OF opinion among we'll
Informed railroad men Is that there will
be no immediate change In the physical
management at the termini OF the two
roads on Puget sound. Tacoma people
who imagine that the Great Northern
trains viii soon be running through the
Stampede tunnel. and that the Nippon
Yusen Kaisha steamers will take their
Oriental cargoes 10 be dumped on the
wharves OF the City of Destiny. will be
greatly disappointed. Said a weIi-known
railroad man yesterday: "Coneeding that
Mr.. Hill II today the power in the North
ern Pacific. nothing approaching Joint
operation of the two roads. such as some
people imagine. Is 10 be expected. No. the
Great Northern will continue TO build up
Seattle and It's Oriental traffic. and the
Northern Pacific will not abandon It's ex-
pensive terminal improvements at Tacoma
TO move over 10 Seattle.
ITO my mind. both towns are too i'm
portant 10 risk offending either by slight
Ing n. Seattle haE everything to gain and
nothing 10 lose BY the amalgamatlon Of in
ferest between the security holders of the
two roads. At the same time. the North
eru Pacific has spent too much money In
Tacoma to Justify radical change in its
methods Of handling the through business
that comes to that city
The average railroad man one meets
believes that the effect of President Hills
interest in the Northern Pacific will be
seen soon after June /. when the first
year under the voting trust expires. II
IL believed that one commercial agency
will be Organized where two exist now.
and that the operating expenses of the
Northern Pacific will be placed on an
equality with the Great Northern
Freight. east and west hound will be so
routed as Will be 70 the best advantage TO
both properties. while an absence OF Sc
we're competition at terminal points is 10
be expected. Wherever possible. joint Of
fees will be established, and by some au-
thorities IA IL believed that union depots
will he established at important points
Among railroad men In the west great
weight Is given to the positive assertion
made by President Winter that influences.
other than those which controlled when
he assumed the head of the Northern Pa
CHIC. now dominate thar company. Mr.
Winters characteristic conservatism and
reticenee To the mind of many railroad
men. make his utterances. even in the
face OF the deniaIs from President Hin
that he has purchased an Interest i'm the
Northern Pacific. entitled TO credence