The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-24
MORE GIGANTIc COMBINATIONS.

.
The day Of Independent action among
transportation lines has passed 1t mat
ters not whether the Morgan Hill COM
bination of the Hartman Rockefeller in
terests are found to be in control OF the
Northern Pacific and the Burlington at
the next annual meeting of the Northern
Pacific. The community of interests
programme will be carried out, not only
among these three great systems, but
among all others. The alleged object OF
j p. Morgan and James J. Hill to secure
a combination of railroads and steamship
lines which would enable them to con-
troll the freight Of the Northwest and
direct its course to the uttermost parts
of the earth is being emulated by other
and equally as strong combinations.
The men who preside over the great
lines Of transportation, both on the land
and on the sea. are just awakening to
the wonderful possibilities of the Orien-
tai trade While Mr.. Hill with his new
fleet almost ready for the Pacific trade
originating in the Sound district, and
Mr. Morgan providing for the export of
the products of the United States Steel
corporation by purchase of the LeyIand
steamship line are attracting the attention
of the world there are other schemes
in progress no less important. The great
Hamburg-American steamship line, with
its 100 ships. is negotiating for the pur-
chase of the A, T. & S. F. railroad The
plan is to purchase the Atlas line and
add new steamers to ply between San
Francisco and Honolulu, Yokohoma,
Hongkong and Shanghai. 1t does not
appear as yet what railroad line or lines
will cooperate with the Hamburg mori-
can combination from Chicago, the East
ern terminus of the A, T. & S. F., to
the Atlantic. 1t will be necessary to
have in this new community a trunk
line with terminals either at Boston, New
York or Baltimore One of the directors
is quoted to have said that the enter
prise would girdle the globe.
But this is not the only roc's egg
that is Matching. It is stated, on what
seems to be good authority that a syndi-
cate with abundant backing proposes to
establish another and somewhat unusual
route to the Orient. In this deal are
the St Louis & San Francisco and the
Mexican Central as main lines. The
Frisco" will be extended to the Rio
Grande at Eel Paso, where it will connect
with the Mexican Central The Eastern
connections will be made by the way of
st. Louis, Memphis, Birmingham & Sa-
vannah. The combination is purely a
Southern one. The great advantage
claimed is the shortening of the distance
to Oriental points by 1870 miles, over the
route via San Francisco. The Pacific
terminus viii be at Manzanillo on the
southwest coast of Mexico.
There are a number of features in this
tale which give it the appearance OF
FEASIBILITY The completion of the
Mexican Central to the coast and the Sc
curing Of direct connection with the
heart of the United States as well as
with Pacific steamship line reaching the
Orient would be of incalcuable benefit
to Mexico as a nation The reduction Of
the distance by land from st. Louis to
Hongkong by 1000 miles will give that
route an advantage over either that via
the sound or San Francisco. And when
we add to this, the fact that the roads
mentioned, as well as the A. T. & 8. F.,
are as yet Independent lines, lines not
controlled by the great fnanciers now
occupying the stage and interested with
Southern, Union and Northern Pacific
deals. the proposition seems not only
feasible hut in the nature of things prob
able. With this Southern route estab-
lished and with the Hamburg American
company in control of a trans-continental
system. the nightmare of community of
interests" which is depressing the public
win vanish into thin air.