Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-07
MERGER OF ROADS TO WASHINGTON
The Pennsylvania II. n. Co. May Unite
the p, w. and b. and II. and r.

The Pennsylvania n. r.. Co. May Unite
the p, w. and b. and II. and p.
From the Philadelphia Press.
1t is the intention of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company to give to the national
capital one of the finest railroad stations In
the United States. All the plans for the i'm
provements have been mapped out and the
engineers are now at work getting up the
details. Permission has been granted by
Congress to this company for the elevation
and depression of its tracks through Wash
ington as we'll as for the change of line. A
portion of the line now used will be vacated
and the new line will in a number of cases,
occupy ground on which now stands govern
ment property. All the details have been
arranged and soon as possible the work
on these improvements will be begun.
In line with these changes 1t is said that
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company con-
templates the consolidation Of the Philadel-
phia. Wilmington and Baltimore and the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad companies.
The latter road the company built 1t eX-
tends from Baltimore to Washington The
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
railroad runs from Philadelphia to Balt-
more, the Pennsylvania railroad has a con-
trolling interest in 1t and 1t is over these
two roads that a direct route into Wash
ington> from points in this city and further
east has been established. The merger Of
these two lines is in pursuance of the long
tain the lines between New York to Wash
fngton at the highest standard Of any rail-
road property in the world
y The report on the street is that the line be-
tween this city and Washington during the
next few years is to be greatly improved,
and in time 1t will be a four-track road.
From New York to Philadelphia the line is
already a four-track one, and it is thought
the day is not far distant when all the sys-
tenn east of Plttsburg will be equipped with
four tracks, Preparations have already
been made for the elimination Of grade
crossings on the Philadelphia, Wilmington
and Baltimore railroad at Wilmington, and
later, 1t is said. the grade crossings at Ches-
ter are also to be done away with At Will
mington there Is to be a fine new station
erected.
The consolidation of the Philadelphia, Will
mington and Baltimore and the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad companies Is in line
with the policy of the company adopted a
few years ago to unite auxiliary companies
AMI to have a number of the roads under
one head. These mergers not only simplify
the management of the roads, but reduce
the cost Of operating. The Pennsylvania
Railroad Company owns SO, 461 shares of
stock of the Baltimore and Potomac rail-
road and 217, S19 shares Of stock Of the Phil
adelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail-
road Company. 1t also owns 100000 of
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Com
pany consolidated mortgage per cent reg
istered coupon gold bonds, series A. The
Pennsylvania Railroad Company owns more
than half of the stock Of the Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Com
pony.
Little information relative to the merger
of these two roads could be secured yester-
day, as the officials and company are not
ready to talk on the subject That such a.
move is contemplated is, no doubt. true. AL
though all the necessary plans for the
change have not been prepared. To keep
this line up to the Pennsylvania standard
requires large amount of money, and it is
IF
to make 1t one of the leading lines in the
United States. The expenditure of money
on the improvements in Washington alone
VIII amount to $o,0OO0O0, and it is thought
considerably more than this sum wliII be
spent on other portions of the line between
Philadelphia and Washington.