The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-02-06
N THE VERGE OF RUIN.
he Joint Traffic Trust On the Point
of Collapse.
IsECEED BY BETRAYAL OF ITS PARENT.
h. Interstate Commerce Commission
Likely to Find Itself With a Big
lob on Hand in Dealing with
Violators Of the Law.
Feb. 4.-The Inter Ocean

On the verge of ruin, tottering steadi-
70 its fall, beyon the control OF its
lard of managers, stands America s
yreatest combination of aggrandized
initial, the world-famous joint traffic
krnst of railways between Chicago and
IN Atlantic seaboard, representing
are capitalization than tho govern
bent debt. 1t is wrecked by betrayal
n its parent and physical competition
nd ruinous rates of the lines leading
n the gulf ports, of which the Illinois
central has been the most aggressive.
Founded, January /, 1896, by NJ, L.
ingalls,, president of the Big Four sys-
nm. it is now disowned by its parent,
~ho may shortly find himself before
lbe interstate commerce commission
In violation of the interstate act In
ks endeavor to pool and control all
ahmpetitive business between the
Mississippi river and the Atlantic sea-
board the joint traffic octopus had
hied. Unable to live on the percent
40 allotted to it, the Big Four system
siolated the agreement first, then
same the Michigan Central, and the
boston & Albany, following the Big
Eours lead, while the Big Four's route
II Newport News has been scandal
h the eastern railroad world in its
Manipulation of export rates.
Not the least of the joint traffic
rust difficulties has been the aggres-
I've attitude Of the Baltimore s. Ohio
'ompany, which, demanding its rights,
based on its facilities, and what it was
Before it WAS wrecked, has, by clean,
aggressive competition, conducted by
|he most brilliant management since
be days of Fisk and Gould, forced the
association to twice allot it increased
Percentages in the east bound pool
The Pennsylvania line has demon.
rated its inability to carry the per
entage allotted to it by the managers,
|nd, finding itself more than $500, 900
|ehind in the game, as compared with
Is allotment, has broken loose in
effort to assert its rights,
egardless of the Joint Tariff associa-
ion management, its obligations to
is associates, or of the restraining in
uence of the interstate law.
1t is an open secret that from a cut
I three cents from the Missouri river
n provisions, first made by the Big
our system, and met by the Michigan
entral, the generalization in grain,
rovisions and dressed beef traffic
as now reached ten to fifteen
er cent of the rate, with the Penn
Tlvania SO aggressive that for five
ays 1t has secured the cream of the |
-afic offered on the Chicago board of |
'ade and through the west. Its per-
.ntage has consequently bounded up |
} abnormal figures.
Since the joint traffic trust went into |
fleet January /, 1896, this is the first
pen, hagrant disregard of all the as
'ciation's authority, and how serious
is may be imagined from the fact
lat General Manager Charles NJ. Hays
the Grand Trunk system arrived in
licago yesterday to personally as
me charge of the Crank Trunks
campaign.
Milton Knight, of the board of man
ters of the Joint Traffic association,
no has represented the Wabash road
the council of administration, has
nounced to his Wabash hackers that
e trust is failure. and that he will
turn to his position as traffic mana
r of the Wabash on March Is.
1t is stated on good authority that
'orge Gould has ordered President
'hley to withdraw the Wabash road
om the joint traffic trust, effective
the same date as the withdrawal of
lton knight from the board of man
ers.
1t was openly charged yesterday on
e board of trade that the Lake Shore
ad and its fast freight Red line
ents were freely offering rebates,
only on through business, but to
lnts in indiana, Ohio, and the Pitts
rgh district. Notwithstanding that y
is an open violation of the Joint
afnc agreement there is no secret
out the facts that rates on export
VISIONS are cut five cents per 100
lnds from Chicago, and that Missouri
or points, in open violation of the
er'state commerce law, are enjoy
rebates of nearly 100 per cent.
re than are dealt out to Chicago
ppers, and that over rs per cent. of
traffic is being booked by Pennsyl-
ia agents. 1t is openly admitted
u every eastern line from Chicago
'ept the Erie is now forced to
rates to protect its inter
s. and is freely admitted that un-
the Joint Traffic trust can pull
III together this week the
n withdrawal of not less than
ee big systems, notably, the Penn ,
Vania, may be expected, AS regards !
actual condition of rates it is fact !
I yesterday rates were cut from
eago to every competitive point
OF this city for which car load
ghts was offered.
ne serious barrier to a restoration
larmony is the competition of gulf 7
U.s. especially on the part of
Illinois Central, which alb
ltely refuses to include ex- /
traffic via New Orleans t
my agreement of any kind on any c
is This Frank Thompson, who is r
the responsible head of the Penn t
'ania system, considers to be equiv t
Il to rendering the Joint Traffic l
u agreement of no value to any J
nber of the trust. /
Kansas City the eastern fast 4
ght lines, notably the Star Union. C
White line, are offering eight '
. 2 hundred weight rebate 10 the 9