Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-04


able outlet or tributary to the southwest
merely. and not as a coast extension. then
II viii ind It a profitable adjunct, but be-
yond this I don't see why Il should make a
desperate effort to get the Yoakum road,
for II Affords no adeQuatc outlet to the coast.
The Rock Island might as well begin now
and build a through lire Of its own to Cali
fornia and hot bother with the Frisco. For
this reason I don't believe the Rock Island
has contaminated any purchase Of the
Frico.
Question Of Mileage.
what counts today IN getting from ocean
70 ocean or from this middle west to the
Pacific coast Is short mileage. Mileage Is
what every road wants to cut down. I'm
less q new road to the coast can shorten
the distance and time Of travel II might rs
well keep out OF the business, for a cir
cuitoua route would never win. And who
can say that the Rock Island could improve
upon the situation BY acquiring the Frisco
for this purpose7 II the Rock Island would
come north a little ways and try to span
the continent by q more direct route, It
strikes me that il would be pursuing a more
practical policy"
To w. H.. Moore Is attributed a statement
in effect as follows Our acceptance Of
the terms offered by the Frisco is coBtln-
gent upon our ability to utilizs the Frisco
to better advantage In reaching the coast
than by embracing one or two other propo-
sitious."
The conclusion has been drawn that the
two propositions referred to BY Mr.. Moore
were the construction Of 9 new line from II
Paso through country traversed by no other
road and the forming OF a merger with the
Santa Fe. But up to the present no con-
hrmation Of this inference OF superstition,
whichever It may be, has been obtained
from any source.
If It Is a fact that the Rock Island has
taken over the Frisco or viii take It over
another element OF considerable interest.
especially to the present stan OF ohicials
and employees OF the Frisco. viii present
itself, namely, the fate Of these men. As a
matter Of fact the roads viii be run under
the one management and this is taken, Of
course. to mean that the men Of the Frisco
will have to look for other positions. To
what extent the ~decapitation process would
extend is not known. Of course. but in the
high and low ranks Of the '~Frisco's service
there would be. Of necessity, some lively
failing OF heads. This is a matter probably
as pertinent to the Frisco employees as any
other that possibly could be thought Of at
his time.
Knnsss City Is Proud.
Already Kansas City is claiming that the
New dock Island company would be q Kan
sas City institution and that Il would have
its general headquarters in the city BY the
Kaw. The argument Is made that Chicago
would be too remote a location for the CEN
trail ofices, as the company's interests.
which would lie chiefly in the southwest,
could not be successfully managed from
that distance.
The Chicago, Rock Island q Pacific ays-
tenn will increase its mileage from 5000 to
over 1900 II the purchase OF the st. Louis
6 san Francisco is contaminated. 1t win
not only accomplish this, but 1t will have
secured practical control Of the southwest
ern territory and. with It's projected extern
sion to the Pacific coast, enter the arena
Of railroad competition as a formidable rival
Of the Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Missouri Pa
cinc and Burlington. It win divert an Inn
mense traflc from the Atlantic seaboard TO
the gulf with the acquisltion Of the Mallory
steamship line. and the projection Of the
Mobile. Kansas City 4 Jackson railroad to
Memphis. Already its potency as a rival IN
the field Of competition between Chicago
and the Mississippi river is assured by its
recent acquisition Of the Burlington Cedar
Rapids a Northern.
Another element Of strength to be consid-
cred. assuming that the Rock Island will. or
has. secured control of the Frisco, is that
1t will have acquired possession Of the Chi
cago q Eastern Illinois railroad. whose sale
to the Frisco is conceded in Wall street
and by other sources Of authority. This will
afford a degree Of prestige east Of the Mis-
sissippi Of no insignincapce. The Chicago.
& Eastern Illinois does not touch the Frisco
at any juncture. the nearest point Of COM
munieation being several hundred miles,
but the two lines. It Is said, could very
easily be probably united. which, Of course.
would be done If the pending transactions
go through. The Chicago q Eastern Ill-
nois extends south ~ far as Thebes, Ill.
and Evansville. Ind.
EaA~EnN ~ 10 mir aARalnnaN