The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-07
RAILROAD news.
American Railroads VIII Go
After Oriental Trade.
Important Hartman Confer
ence in Progress at Chicago.
Is ALL VERY SECRET.
VIII Draw to This Country an
Enormous Trade.
sOO,OOO,OOO Consumers to Be
Served Across the Pacific.

Chicago, Sept. For the first time in
the history of continental commerce
the fun significance and immense value
of the trade of India. China. Australia,
Japan. the Philippines and the Ha-
waiian islands is beginning to be I'M
derstOod. From q feature and a side
issue of transcontinental business this
market that stretches out toward the
setting sun is to be looked on in the
future as the mainstay and prop of
the western roads. The men at the
head OF these enterprises are turning
away from the European trade mag
net, with zoe, coo 900 consumers, to
draw TO the United States the business
and custom of SOC, 600 900.
Since last Monday the working heads
of every road embraced in the Harri-
man syndicate have been holding secret
sessions in Chicago. and these meetings
are TO continue till the end of next
week J. c Stubs, general traffic di-
rector of the Union Pacific, Southern
Pacific and Central Pacific systems; E.
O. Mccormick, general passenger traf-
fic manager of the Southern Pacific; T.
L LOmax, general passenger agent OF
the Union Pacific; Ben Campbell, gen
eral traffic manager of the Oregon
Railway & Navigation company; A L
Craig, general passenger agent of the
same road, and D. F. Burley, general
passenger agent of the Oregon Short
Line met here Sunday night to map
out the business to be talked over at
these conferences, which have lasted
until late at night for the last five
days.
All of these officials brought with
them their stenographers and secre-
tar1es and are quartered at the Audi
forum annex. None OF them is reg
iStered and the greatest secrecy mas
been preserved concerning their move
ments. The meetings are being held in
the Southern Pacific offices on the sixth
floor of the Merchants Loan and Trust
building.
When it became known last night IN
railroad circles that these representa-
tives were holding sessions in Chicago.
having been called here from all over
the west with portions of their Office
stats for the purpose. only one con-
structiOn was placed on the fact It
was that a vigorous campaign is to be
started Immediately for the purpose of
bringing to the Pacific coast and from
there to Chicago and on to the eastern
eenters of commerce every dollars
worth of traffic that can be diverted to
this country from the Orient.
None Of the participants in the COLI
terence will discuss Its real character, /
except to state that schedules and de- 4
tails Of passenger traffic are being look /
ed into and equalized- It is known, how
ever, that one of the principal objects |
of the meetings, outside of the main and
all important item of Oriental trade ex- |
tension. is the settlement of the proper |
lions of traffic between the various lines
embraced by the combine.
Another question that is being dis 1
cussed is the character and extent Of /
the changes to be made among many
officials OF the different systems. In the 1
last three weeks several old employees /
Of the roads concerned have been drop /
ped or transferred.
Economy in the administration of the |
affairs Of the syndicate viii bring about |
the retirement of several other promi-
nent heads Of departments within the
next month as a result of the present /
and, according to the state
ment of a leading Southern Pacific Of /
fetal yesterday. there is to be a gen
eral and rather startling shake-up from /
one end of the system to the other.