The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-05-23
James j. Hill Sketches for the Journal the
transportation Problem of the Century
and It's Solution.
The Pacific Routes Against the Suez---S Strategic
Position of the Northern Roads and
the Burlington.

st. Louis and Kansas City, it covers the
richest and most diversified zone in the
world in the production Of grain and pro-
visions and fuel. Now, what do these
central prairies Of Illinois, Iowa, Mis-
souri, and Nebraska require in return?
They need lumber. From where Is the
lumber to come? From Washington and
British Columbia. That is the only re-
gion with heavy lumber surplus. Now
look at the volume of this traffic. The
great central belt between the Alleghenies
and the Rockies consumes something like
10, 900, 900 feet of lumber annually, and
produces perhaps half of that. Some of
this will come from the south, but the
bulk from the Puget Sound country.
'Thus, on the one hand, we have vast
surplus volume of grain, provisions and
fuel In the Mississippi and Missouri val
leys seeking eastern and western outlets,
and a similar large surplus product Of
lumber in the Puget sound country like
wise pushing for markets, and especially
for the treeless prairies of the Mississippi
and Missouri. Now, grain provisions,
fuel and lumber constitute the principal
heavy staples which govern traffic and
make traffic routes What, then, have we
reached? We have tremendous volume
of traffic across the northwest between
Puget sound and the Mississippi valley
The northern roads will carry westward
the meat and corn and coal, together
with the raw cotton originating within
Burlington territory at st. Louis, and will
place these products on the Pacific docks
for export to Asia, and for the return trip
the freight trains will bring back lumber
for the central west and the east. Nature
and her products govern transportation
routes and traffic; we railway men can
simply get In line or fall out by the way.
Now, these facts, which have gone into
farther than 1 intended, demonstrate the
future Of a great northwestern traffic, do
they not?"
BurIingtOn-NOrthern Pacific Status.
what is the status of the Burlington
deal, Mr.. Hill?" asked T b g ] Journ l
representative.
1.-The purchase of the Burlington by the
northern roads is accomplished. The con-
dition that two-thirds of the Burlington
shares be deposited for exchange for
Great Northern Northern Pacific bonds on
or before May 20, has been more than
met. In fact, So per cent of the shares
had been deposited with the directors on
May 18, when left New York;
How about the control Of the Northern
Pacific? Have the Union Pacific inter-
ests bought the road, as .claimed?"
"The Northern Pacific said Mr.. Hill,
with a smile, has not changed hands. 1t
is in the same control that it was, and
under the same traffic policy
docs the purchase of the Burlington
by the Northern roads, then imply that
the Burlington will handle Great North
ern and Northern Pacific freight east and
south Of the twin cities?"
"The Burlington, of course, along with
the other Chicago roads There are six
good Chicago roads, and they must always
Interchange their traffic.
But it is claimed, Mr.. Hill. that in
order to make good the guarantee of 8
per cent on the Burlington shares, which
the basis of exchange implies, the North
ern roads will have to give the Burling-
ton largely increased slice of their
traffic volume, for Burlington stock now is
earning only per cent"
Nature and the shipper Control.
at is too early now to talk of trans
portation economics and traffic manage
ment, and l do not propose to do SO simp-
ly to satisfy the critics. But let me ask
this: Who is the man who says by what
road certain lot Of freight shall be
hauled? The shipper has the say, not /.
How can / dictate to you what road shall
haul your goods? That is your affair. And
what will govern you in your choice of
road? Two things-the directness OF the
route and the rate. But these, again, are
governed by the fact as to which road is
built and run most closely in accord with
nature and commerce; in other words, is
the shortest cut between the sources of
supply and demand, possesses the easiest
grades, has the most economical and scien
tifc methods, has in its territory the
greatest volume of the staple articles Of
traffic, and has laid its rails along the nat
ural trade highways of present and future
generations.
after all is said, we railway managers
are largely automatons in the shuttle. We
must move as nature and commerce die
tate We succeed only as we obey the
great natural laws and the public interest.
AS between roads and magnates, it is
case of survival OF the 1ttest. Who is
the f1ttest; which road, what route? That
which geography, gravitation, climate,
production, population, commerce and
progress select, control and support. The
others must pass from view"