The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-08


~ Record, Russell Sage is de-
4 N ploring the tendency to-
ward railroad consolidation
and giving as one of his reasons for
feeling as he does that the combina-
tions that are being made are likely
TO awaken increased public hostility
TO the railroads. Mr. Sage's pessi-
mism Increases interest in the ten
dency toward consolidation which
now prevails among railroads much
as it was recently manifested among
industrial concerns. The railroad
lines of the country are already
grouped in five principal combina-
ticns, which are detailed below:
Vanderbilt Group-Ncw York Central. Boston
and Albany. West Shore, Lake Shore and Michi.
gan, southern. Michigan Central, Lake Erie and
Western, Big -Four, Nickel Plate, Chicago aud
Northwestern. Delaware and Hudson, ontario and
Western, Union Pacific, southern Pacific and Chi.
cago. st. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha.
Pennsylvania Group-PcnnSylvania railroad Sys'
TEN, Chesapeake and Ohio Baltimore aud Ohio,
Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern Western New
York and Pennsylvania lines west of Pittshurg.
Morgan n-Rockcfeer.IIil Group--Eric, philadcl.
phia and Reading Jersey Central, Lchigh Valley,
Southern system, Monon, Great Northern North.
ern Pacific, Chicago, Milwaukee and 1t. Paul,
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Delaware, lackawan'
ma and Western. and Mobile and Ohio.
Hartman Group--llnoiS Central Chicago and
Alton, Kansas city aud Western, 1t. Louis
Peoria and Northern, and Chicago Terminal
Transfer.
Gould Group Missouri Pacific, st. Louis South.
western. Texas and Pacific, Wabash and lntcrna'
tonal and Great Northern.
In addition to the railroads EN-.
braced in the groups outlined in the
foregoing are a numbdr of lines
which up to the present time have not
been absorbed in any of the groups.
Most of these isolated lines have we'll
defined leanings toward one or the
other of the groups, and logically
will eventually be assimilated. II
seems quite likely that a new group
will be formed with the Santa Fe
as the nucleus. The detached roads
are the Santa Fe, the st. Louis and
San Francisco, the Louisville and
Nashville, the Minneapolis and st.
Louis, the Iowa Central, the Chicago
Great Western, the Rock Island, the
Wisconsin Central, the New York,
New Haven and Hartford, the Bos-
ton and Maine, the Seaboard Air Line
and the Plant system.
The likelihood that after the groups
are fully developed. they will in turn
begin to consolidate with one another
is one of the prospects that is indeed
startling, because of the magnitud
of the interests involved if for no
other reason. 1t does not follow, as
Mr. Sage would have it appear. that
the mere fact of railroad consolida-
tion will awaken public hostility to
the railroads. The feeling of the pub
lie toward the railroads is certain tG
he responsive to tho attitude of the
railroads toward the public.
In most instances the consultations
have resulted in improved service and
cheaper rates, and under these cir.
cumstances it is difficult to see what
grounds for dissa atisfaction will ap.
pear. Much of the talk regarding tho
evils Of combination in railroads il
all bosh. The managers of the grel'
lines of today realize that the publ,
is entitled to consideration and theS
aim to give the best service possible
If the combined railroads perform
their work better and without dis
criminatiOn between the big and III,
little shippers, the public will ap
plaud the policy of consolidation
Much moro than the industrial con
Germs which have consolidated tn
railroads will be able to reduc
charges because, while operating ex
penses may be materially reduced
there has been no great increase 0
capitalization as was the case in tn
industrial consultations. The attl
tude of the people toward the con
soldated railroads can be mad
friendly or resentful as the railroa'
managers elect.