The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-04
American Monarchs of Finance
Form an Alliance.
Rockefellers. Vanderbilts and
GOuldS United
IN THE ALTON DEAL.
Standard Oil People Own the
ssKaty" Line
And the Alton Connection Lets
Them Into Chicago.

New York, Jan. 4-The Tribune says:
An interesting story concerning the
Rockefellers and the Alton deal is cur
rent in Wall street. The RockefellerS
own a controlling interest in the Mis-
souri,. Kansas & Texas road and both
John D. and William Rockefeller are on
the board of directors. The line extends
from Galveston to st. Louis. It's earn
ings have not been of satisfactory size
and the best prospect of improving the
property in that respect seemed to its
controlling interest to lie in securing for
their railroad an outlet to Chicago. So
awhile ago the Rockefellers entered a
syndicate of which Henry Bulge, of
Hallgarten & Co., and Edward D.
Adams, were other members, to take
over the St. Louis, Peoria & Northern
road, which is already built from ST.
Louis to point beyond Peoria, I'LL, and
to construct from the point mentioned
to East Clinton, ILL.,, a distance of about
one hundred miles, a road to be known
as the st. Louis & North Shore Line. AT
East Clinton it would connect with the
Chicago, Milwaukee & ST. Paul and the
Chicago & Northwestern roads, over the
tracks of one of which the trains of
the Missouri, Kansas & Texas would
be carried to the outskirts of Chicago.
There connection would be made with
the tracks of the Chicago Terminal
Kansas & Texas cars direct entrance
into Chicago.
The syndicate organized also the
Laclede Construction company to build
1.-The st. Louis & North Shore line" but
no construction has yet been under
taken by it. BY the building of this
piece of road and by other arrange
mentS outlined above the ROckefellerS
would have been enabled to get their
cars all the way to Chicago, where
among other advantages the Missouri.
p OBJ
to carry grain to the gulf. and Mr..
Adams who is interested in the Chicago
Terminal company would have secured
a good customer for trackage and
terminal privileges from that company.
But. a few weeks ago the Chicago &
Alton road came into the market. The
Alton is a well equipped property and
the shortest line between Chicago and
Galveston, ], ,407 miles in length, is that
over the tracks of the Chicago & Alton
and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas and
roads affiliated with them. The Rookie
fellers entered the syndicate for the
purchase of the Alton, the amount of
their subscription is said to have been
$5,000,000. Having thus arranged for a
satisfactory and immediate extension of
their road from ST. Louis to Chicago,
they naturally were not so anxious as
they had been to promote the construc-
tion OF the line from Peoria northward;
and it is said that they have within the
last few days withdrawn from the
Adams Bulge syndicate-not. however,
WITHOUT d pTOI0SI on the part OF their
associates. A representative of Mr..
Adams said yesterday: I'VE do not
deny that the Missouri, Kansas & Texas
is the Chicago & Alton syndicate but
we do affirm that the Rockefellers are
still interested in the st. Louis and
North Shore line; and the construction
of that line will go on just the same"
The Chicago & Alton it is said will
after it's purchase is effected be man
aged by a joint board of directors rep
resenting the several interests particle
pating in it's acquisition. The syndicate
was formed, it is understood, by E. H.
Hartman, who has represented in the
negotiations with the Atoms owners
more especially the interests of the
Union Pacific and the Illinois Central
The Vanderbilts will be interested in
the Alton management through their
large holdings in the Union Pacific, if
not indeed, as it is reported through the
presence of the Michigan Central as one
of the controlling group of railways, the
Rockefe1lerS will have a share in the
conduct of the Alton through Missouri
Kansas & Texas and the Goulds will
have a corresponding interest through
their Missouri Pacific road. Tt is be-
lieved that the taking over of the Alton
marks the first occasion on which these
great financial interests-Vanderbllt
Rockefeller and Gould-have Joined
forces in railway direction.