The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-07

ceptance has not got beyond the inner
offices Of the companies concerned. But.
like the treaty OF Samoa, IL was too good
to last, and some member OF the bunch"
had to make trouble. At least SO the
surface appearances indicated when dur.
ing last winter tho Northern Pacific let
it's contracts and began actual road lay
ing on the Lewiston-P alouse shortcut.
Again. as In the case Of Samoa. the press
had TO have some deus ex machina for
this action. and with splendid mental fer
tility discovered stupendous financial
rivalry between President James ]. Hill
and his supporters and J. Pierpont Nor
gan and his associates. who are In con-
troll OF the Northern Pacific. 1t was stat
ed that these two sets OF money managers
were out for a finish fight for the control
Of the Oregon Railway and Navigation:
that to forestail the Northern Paciacs
move the Great Northern would at once
parallel the Livingston cutoff and X
wors. came 10 worst. build on into Port
land.
The theory was plausible, but Mr.. Hill
who has a habit OF going against public
rumors and beliefs, spoiled /, all late In
December by announcing that his road
would construct no supernuous lines for
the mere sake Of competition however in
toxica,ing might be the delights OF that
Mr.. Hill usually accept his word when he
tells what he does not intend 10 do They
never expect him to do much talking
about what he does intend TO do The
fact that the Great Northern would not
build and that the Northern Pacific had
actually commenced TO build was followed
by another press story 10 the effect that
there was a contention between the HIN
and the Morgan people thus signifying A
ke~a hi ~ ~
risy OF the Oregon Railway and Naviga-
ton territory. Yet this news was quick
ly followed by a abatement that the I'm
and Morgan forces were not inimicai
but were In fact friendly.
And there the matter lay. The North
ern Pacific had determined 10 get into the
Oregon Railway and Navigation ,astur
age by an additional route: the Great
Northern apaea rvd not 20 care The Nm
and Morgan interests Notwithstanding
were At arrassy. and no one could reason
ably surmsse the status OF the Oregon
Railway ard Navigation Moreover At
ss.oas this time the Union Pacific acquired
control cacN more OF the Oregon Short
Line, and a common hei.er IL that the sha-,
Lane controls the majority Of the stock
u the Oregon Railway ard Navigation
Whether this IL true ar not 10 not Ascer-
fatnahie. I; - sufficiently possible how
she coast terminals, look az II the Union
Pacific had won the aRht FOR the direct
route 20 the mouth Of the Columbia rive.
that TIRE Northern Pacific had determined
to get another Hne through the Western
Washington wheat belt IN order 70 en-
large Its source Of supplies TOR II. OFT
entail line - steamers at Tacoma ard
that the Grea, Northern had determined
10 remain Within its present territory. sr
that It's rc~ourv.faI president has some
trick stu an hts sleeve
Mere than q year ago the papers wer.
fall ~ rgrsors % a gigantic consolidation
- all the Vanderbilt ROAD interests 50
as 20 complete a trsuscontinsnfai lire
The consolidation ~ tae New YORK Cen
txaf ana TIRE Lake Saors was leukad usssss.
As ths beginning 81 th.s movement Eu
FTor had Il tHat tar Chicago And North
western woald bs aided te the combine
ans iAs7 ~ connection stth .he tnton
F4essc, The Oregon Shars Line ana ,hs
Oregon Railroad ara Navfsasicn coma
parry. TIE through tire 10 tire Pacific
would - Accomplished Csaso~ VAS given
e. ths crvsge4isiy az this repor. hv the
f&es taat Il ~As reproduced ~ ere .. ~.
! FssSsS sossssgvattSs - tNs Sex vrsk
s4stlaez, TIE Western journals. In thssr
anxiety 10 eseli-se sssnrs Of thss ksne
rssns saem prc-nsscucasiy Aad sasn lcek