The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-30
DECLARES IHE SALE VOID
RAILROAD AND WAREHOUSE CON-
MISSION so NOTIFIES DULUTH
AND NORTHERN PACIFIC
COURTS MUST YET DECIDE
Whether or Not the TranscOnti-
mental Road Legally Holds the
Line From the Twins
to Duluth.

Officials of the Northern Pacific and of
the former st. Paul & Duluth roads were
served yesterday with copies of the find
lngs and conclusions of the railroad COM
mission in the matter of the consolida-
ton of the two properties. The commits
sion holds that under the laws of this
state the transfer of the Duluth to the
Northern Pacific was illegal, and that the
act is therefore void. After copies of the
decision, which carries the force of a no.
tiftcation of a pending legal battle, had
been sent to the two railroads involved.
the matter was made public. The report
of the commission, prepared with the as
sistance of Gen. Childs. their attorney, is
as follows:
OF the st. Paul & Duluth Railroad COM
pany to the Northern Pacific Railway
company, having been fully investigated
pY the board of railroad and warehouse
commissioners OF the state, and the said
board having duly informed itself in re-
Spect to such sale and transfer, the said
board does hereby report the following
as It's hndlngs of fact duly made therein:
l. That the Northern Pacific Railway
company is corporation organized under
the laws of the state of Wisconsin, and
did on and prior to the 18th day OF June,
1900. own, control and operate a. inc of
railroad within this state, connecting the
cities of st. Faul ard minneapolis with
the city of Duluth, and was at and prior
to said date engaged in the transportation
of passengers. freight and merchandise
from the said city of Duluth to the cities
Of st, Paul and Minneapolis, and from
the said cities OF st, Paul and Minneapolis
to the city OF Duluth, and from the said
city of Duluth to the village Of Carlton,
and from the said village of Carlton to
the said cities Of st. Paul and Minneapo-
lis
q That the said St Paul & Duluth
Railroad company is corporation or
ganlzed and existing under the laws OF
the state of Minnesota, and did on and
prior to the said 18th day of June, 1900,
own, control and operate within this state
line of railroad connecting the said city
of Duluth with the above named cities
and was prior to that date engaged in
the transportation of passengers, freight
and merchandise from the said city of
Duluth to the said cities of ST. Paul and
Minneapolis, and from the latter cities
the said village of Carlton to the said
cities OF st. Paul and Minneapolis.
). That on and prior to the said 18th
day of June, the said lines of railway
were competing lines of railway in ard
for the transportation of freight, ner-
chandise and passengers from the city Of
Duluth to the cities of st. Paul and Min
neapolis, and from the latter named
cities to the city of Duluth, and from the
said city of Duluth to the village of Carl
ton, and from the said village of Carl
ton to the said cities Of ST. Paul and Min
neapOlis.
4. That the said lines of railway are
substantially parallel with and to each
other, as the same extend FROM the city
of Duluth to the said cities of st. Paul
and Minneapolis.
.. That the said companies were, prior
to the 18th day of June, competing rail
road companies in and for the transpOr-
tatton of passengers, freight and mer-
chandise from the said city of Duluth to
the cities of st. Paul and Minneapolis,
and from the latter named cities to the
said city of Duluth. and from the city Of
- Will nf
from the village of Carlton to the cities
of st. Paul and Minneapolis.
g. That en- the said 18th day of juno,
1900, the said st. Paul &; Duluth Railroad
company sold TO the said Northern Pa
cific Railroad company, and conveyed in
form, all of its railroad, yards, depots
side tracks, terminals, stations, rolling
stock and all cf its other properties Of
whatever nature, whether real or per-
sonal, and whether then acquired or
thereafter to be acquired, in consideration
T. of the sum of $2,795 S24.51 and other valu-
able considerations, purported to have
been paid to it by the said Northern Pa
citic railway.
WhereupCn, the said board of railroad
commissioners have concluded, deter
mined and found that the said sale and
transfer We're in all respects in violation
of the laws Of said state and void.
The matter is enc which must receive
the attention of the lagal department of
the Northern Pacific before officials Of
that road will feel themselves in a posi-
ton to talk. The findings of the commits
sion settle all doubt as to the probability
of a legal battle over the legality of the
consolidation.
No steps towards action in the courts
have yet been taken, except that the COM
mission has thoroughly investigated the
conditions of the consolidation and found
what it deems good legal grounds to sus-
tain ifs