The daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-19??, 1902-10-21
HILL TALKS
OF THE MERGER.
President of the Great North
ern Outlines the Policy Of
the Road
HOLDERS NOT COERCED.
Adjourned Hearing of the Gov
eminent Suit Opened
at St. Paul, Mime
sofa.

ST. PAUL, Oct. 21.-The adjourned
hearing Of the government suit against
the Sc called railway merger was called
to order by Special Examiner Ingersoll
at the circuit court in this city. and the
entire day was given to the direct testi-
mony of James j. Hill for the defend-
ants, the cross examination having just
begun when the hearing adjourned Tor
the day.
Mr.. Hill went over much Of the ground
previously covered by him in his testi-
mony before the interstate commerce
commission and in other suits similar
to this. but he brought out more fully
the fact that the exchange Of Great
Northern stock for that of the Northern
Securities company was the individual
act Of the individual shareholders and
dwelt at length Oh his statement that
the whole purpose of the organization
of the Northern Securities company
was for the protection of great com.
merce with the orient which the north
cln lines had sought TO develop in COM
petition with the transportation com.
panieS of The world.
The circular of The Northern Securi-
ties company TO shareholders offering
TO expand stock had heretofore been
placed in evidence, but the lawyers.
through Mr.. Hill, introduced personal
circular letter sent by him 10 numerous
Great Northern shareholders in answer
to inquiries, telling them that any ac-
ton of theirs in exchanging their stock
must be their own individual action
and not be Influenced by him.
The examination Of Mr.. Hill, con.
Quoted by George B. Young, at first
covered his official connection with the
Great Northern railway and the pre-
vious companies of Which it was the
outgroWth. lie told of his first con-
ncction with the old st. Paul and Pa.
citic and st. Paul, Minneapolis and
Manitoba railways, explaining that, the
directors of those companies being
nearly all nonresident, the policy and
methods Of the Old Manitoba company
were left almost entirely with him
and the responsibility was sometimes
heavy.
The line to the coast was projected
in 1887. Work was commenced in the
fall Of 1850 and completed in 1893. The
line WAS built by the Manitoba COM
pany and later leased to the Great
Northern, rs one ownership of the
whole line was considered advisable by
the Manitoba stockholders Over $780,
600 was spent in minute surveys before
any actual work was begun in con-
structOn in order to be sure Of finding
the best location possible.
He told of the traffic that could be
depended on along the line of road, es-
pecialy the lumber from the Pacific
coast, the rate on which Had previously,
been pr0hihitory but was reduced from
% cents to 70 cents Il hundred after his
line was completed. This lumber Is
now carried throughout the entire
country north and west of the OHIO.
EnsthOund it saved the expense of re-
turning empty ears and consequently
reduced the rate on westb0und traffic.
The witness told in detail of the
growth of trade for Pacific coast lun-
Der and of the development Of the ORR
entail trade. 1t soon became evident
that greater pprmancnce in rates TO the
orient was necessary, and some control
Of the rate was necessary in order 10
make Il profit possible. --!