The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-13
sLEErI. gear POSSIBILITIES.
Consolidation Not Likely to Increase
Charges.

The Pullman and Wagner consolidation
is a matter of interest not only as great
merger of capital but 10 about eight mill
lions of people who annually use sleeping
cars In this country. II practically places
the business of caring for that part of the
travelling public who make long Journeys
and travel at night in the hands OF tina
Pullman company, ip which the Wander
bits will have a large ownership. Organ.
lied in 1861, this company. under the mas
terly management OF George III. Pullman,
developed the means by which travelling in
this country was made comfortable and
even luxurious. Mr.. Pullman did not make
the first sleeping car. but he improved Mr..
Woodruff's invention, and not only con.
ferred a great boon on travellers and tour
lists. but made a fortune and created a
SIC. 900 coo last year and which has paid reg
ular dividends of per cent. without break
extra dividends. one Of which was $50 per
share in cash. When he died he controlled
the sleeping car business of this country.
except that done by the Wagner company.
the Chicago. Milwaukee & ST. Paul and the
New York. New Haven & Hartford. which
railroads have their own sleeping cars. The
operations OF the Pullman company cover
III eco miles of railroad, and IL has nearly
900 cars in use.
The acquisition of the Wagner sleeping
car company by the Pullman gives IL full
control of this peculiarly American method
of transportation. The Wagner company
was owned by the vanderbits and their as
Vanderbilt railroads The company owns
some six hundred or seven hundred cars.
ard n Is close family corporation OF some
competition between the Wagner and the
Pullman. The Wagner's tenure of the bus
mess of the Vanderbilt roads was fixed, and
that company has not been able TO make
serious inroads on the Pullmans territory.
1t has been supposed that the consolida-
ton may be prejudicial TO the interests OF
the public, inasmuch as IL gives the Pull
man Company full control of the sleeping
car service on nearly every important line
in the country. 1t must be remembered,
however. that this control is a matter OF
arrangement with progressive American
railroad lines, contracts being made for
comparatively short term OF years. The
great companies will naturally see that
there Is Improvement in the service rather
than a falling off. and the experience the
public has had with the Pullman Company
warrants the belief that that corporation
will go ahead rather than fall behind. For
a generation 1t has spent large sums OF
money in improving cars and making new
comforts for travellers. giving the name OF
Pullman a worldwide repute, and IL has
wider field is likely to continue the policy
which has been successful since IL created
its business. Under no circumstances is II
likely that the charges for service will be
increased.
The consolidation will naturally afford OPP
portunties for economies. and In two or
three ways 1t may be made advantageous
TO the travelling public. Ii will be possible
to run cars a longer distance without
change in many parts of the country than
heretofore. though the service in Tits respect
has been thought very complete. Under the
old regime 1t was often necessary i'm making
long journeys by certain routes to change
cars, especially where connection with the
Wagner service was made. These breaks OF
journey will not be necessary when the new
company completes its plans IL will also
be possible to bring together a larger num-
Der of cars on the occasions of the assem-
bling of large numbers of people from dis
tant points. Every one who has attended a
presidential inauguration for instance. wifi
recognize at once that this will relieve a
Inal IF ina o-fo and n fnrf
which IL has been a physical impossibility TO
avoid.
II will be to the Pullman Company's in
terest more than ever before to improve its
facilities and please the public. not only in
order to increase its business and profits.
but because of its peculiar relations with
the railroad companies over which Its cars
run, and IL will apparently have greater OPP
portunities than ever before to promote that
luxury and convenience in travel which
have so long been the boast of the United
States