Evening star., 1901-06-20
Former Vice President Southern Pa
ci6c Given Important Place.
TRAFFIC DIRECTOR OF ALLIED ROADS
Position Created by the Exigencies
of Combinations.
T H E PLAN LAIN ED

SAN FRANCISCO, June POI c. Stubbs,
vice president of the Southern Pacific,
whose appointment as traffic manager Of
the vast system of railroads controlled by
the Hartman interests. as announced from
Chicago, has arrived in this city. In speak
Ing OF the innovation to be introduced in
railroad methods by the creation of the
position to which he has just been appoint
ed, Mr.. Stubbs explained the matter by
saying that Mr.. Hartman had been con-
sidering for some time the feasibility and
practicability Of divorcing the traffic Of the
line he is interested in from the other at
fairs Of the roads. He has talked over the
scheme with gentlemen who helped to
frame the policy and direct the fortune of
the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, and
has evolved a plan which. in Harriman's
opinion, ought to accomplish the heretofore
impossible task of harmonizing the inter-
ests of the several Hartman roads. AS
Mr.. Stubbs puts it, 1t is a plan to bring
about unification of interests with a re-
ductton of friction and the elimination of
unnecessary competition without consoli-
dating the properties under one manage
ment. Under this plan one man is to have
entire charge of the traffic of the several
corporations, and in order effectualy to
divorce the traffic of the other affairs of
the road, this official will report directly
to the board The plan is an absolutely
new one in railroading. Mr.. Stubbs does
not even know what title will be bestowed
upon him.
Will BE Called Traffic Director.
Il suppose" said he, that 1t will be
traffic director or director Of traffic That
is matter of detail that has not been con-
sidered as yet.
I'm a word" Mr.. Stubbs went on to say,
Il am to be placed in entire charge Of
the traffic Of the Southern Pacific, the
Union Pacific, the Oregon Railroad and
Navigation Company and the Oregon Short
Line, and l will report to the board Of
directors OF the several companies. That
means that I am to report direct to Mr.
Hartman. The organization is simply this:
Each company has it's board of directors
and each board of directors has an eXecu-
tive committee. presided over by a chair
man. When the board of directors is in
session it is supreme, and when the board
is not in session and the executive commit
tee Is holding a meeting, the executive
committee is supreme. When the execu-
tive committee is not in session, the chair
man OF the committee runs things. Mr..
Hartman is chairman of the executive
committee of the four roads.
The other Hartman roads, such as the
Illinois Central and the Chicago and Alton,
are not included in this arrangement. Ny
responsibilities will be confined to the lines
west of the river. This is the territory
within which all the traffic troubles have
existed There have been pools and gen
failed to solve the problem. Now, Mr.. Har-
riman purposes to try this experiment of
handling the traffic Of the lines over which
he presides.
1t is an Experiment.
II am relied upon to show Mr.. Hartman
and his assistants that a systematic read
1ustment of the tracfh methods of the sew
eral roads in harmonious lines and an
economic administration OF the affairs Of
fha Syof f3o<
greater profit. Mr.. Hartman has such an
idea, and l am to demonstrate it to him in
practice.
ut Is all new and experimental. The
pathway Is unblazed. Whether the result
will justify the experiment remains to be
seen. l have no idea whether or not the
arrangement will be permanent. Because
OF the novelty Of my new position, and be-
cause L Will live henceforth in Chicago in
stead Of San Francisco, 1 am not as happy
over the change as 1 might be-
Mr. Stubbs said that the new arrange
ment respecting himself was a complete
surprise to the presidents of the Southern
Pacific and Union Pascifc as it was to
railroad men in the country who were not
prepared to see such a revolution in the
methods Of conservative railroad corpo-
rations
Mr. Stubbs was asked If his promotion
would be attended by any other changes in
the general officers of the Southern Pacific
or in the traffic departments of the other
railroads with which he will henceforth be
Identified. He said he saw no reason for
any changes and believed that all the pres
ent officials would hold their positions
Mr.. Stubbs said that when he left Chi
cago plan was being perfected to place
the traffic of the Northern Pacific. the
Great Northern and the Burlington in the
hands of Darius Miller. at present second
vice president of the Great Northern, and
that there would in all probability be
brought about Capitalization of manage
ment of the Gould lines, including the Mis-
souri, Pacific, Texas and Rio Grande lines.
Mr.. Stubbs will leave here early in July
for Chicago to enter upon the duties of
his new position.