The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-25
Well Informed Railroad People
See It In the s. & I.
is he BEHIND THE SCHEME :?
Hilrs Great Northern Road Seriously
Affected In This state by .sSndes,"
hut the Seattle & International
Hns But Little Trorble-Centrai
Washington Another Good Prep
cry for Great Northern Magnate.

There Is no. 4 railroad Office n Seattis
whore the subject OF Seattle & Interna-
iioaal affairs Is rot a matter 81 daily con-
ye-satlon. and since the publication in The
Post-fnteliigencer OF the recent news OF
outside influence In the Seattle & Tnterna-
gs8nai affairs the future OF that valuable
railway property has become matter OF
serious conjecture. The connection that
IS established between the sudden upward
tendencies OF Seattle & International Sc
cGrlties the sale OF the Central Washing
ton and the Northern Pacific interest In the
purchase. Is established by the conspicuous
position in the deal held by Messrs. Moore
& Schley. OF New York. who enjoy the
credit OF removing the operation OF the
Washington road by the Canadian Pacific,
ana the additional Importance that Mr..
Moore is a Northern Pacific director The
Central Washington was bought up for the
stockholders By Thomas A. Shepard, Of
the firm OF Eurke. Shepard and MeGliyra.
upon instructions from New York. and
there 81 snail reason 10 doubt that North
ern Pacific influence made Itself felt in the
a controlling interest in the Seattle * In
tsrna tional.
Now the theory is advanced. and with
showing Of reason. that the dictatorship
OF President James ]. HID. of the Great
Northern. is behind IL ALL Whatever Mr..
TTilrs interest in the Northern Pacific may
be. 1t is not to he doubted that the Central
Washington. which Is a logical feeder 10
the Northern Pacific by which IL gains its
only entrance 10 Spokane. could best be
operated by that company and that a mar
ket for the wheat. which Is the chief prod
net OF the soil along the line OF the Central
Washington. could be more easily reached
by the Northern Pacific than any other
way. The other interest In the Seattle K
International which IS charged as being
that OF Mr. Hi. IL the tlse of the Seattle &
International for entrance to Seattle from
Snohomish. which would be an abandon
ment Of the coast line for winter traffic at
least This theory sets helter<kelter all
others In relation 10 a possible building OF
a line from some Great Northern connec-
ton Into Seattle over new route. The
Seattle * international tracks 10 this city
and the completion of the Cascade tunnel
would mean that the western end of the
Great Northern would be comparatively
free from the annoyancss that are annu-
ally It's share, due 20 mud and snowslldes.
High water and slides have caused but
brief interference with the operation OF the
SEATTLE & International. while the same
causes have affected the Great Northern
for weeks al a time. The theories advance
ed are to all appearances upon sensible
lines. and the influence Of Mr.. Hill in
Northern Pacific matters could not be
more clearly shown than by his occupancy
Of the Seattle & International by the Great
Northern. The same influence would mark
the operations of the Central washington
by the Northern.
Speculation does not end at this point as
TO future Seattle railroad interests. and the
story comes out from the East that presi-
dent Hill l. after the Wisconsin Central.
The purchase OF this line by the Great
Northern's president would give contin-
uous line under Il single operation from
Seattle 10 Chicago. This would prove one
OF the stupandous railway deals OF the
day. as there is but one other railroad in
the United States that operates a contin-
nous line from the Pacific coast 10 CHI
cago. that being the Atchfson. Topeka &
| Santa Fe from Los Angeles to the town
on Lake Michigan. When President Hi
was out here n year ago he denied that
he was after any ST. Paul-Chieago line and
stated that when he wanted road 10 Chi
cago he would build one. Ii was said hy
papers of s. Paul and Minneapolis at the
time that Mr. Hin was too much OF dip
lomat 10 tell his real intentions. and no
importance was attached to his statement
That he did not want 10 go 10 'n1cdSo viii
his road. At the same time railroad men.
arguing from the standpoint assumed by
Mr.. Hill said that while the Great North
crn could only hope 70 DO Chicago busi-
ness over one line. where 1t now does bust
ness with half 4 dozen. the increase in its
trade duo TO a continuous haul through 10
the Coast would more than make mp the
difference.
The whole situation is one that Is init
mately associated with the railroad future
Of tha Coast and is one that Seattle is vi
tally interested in.