Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-21
ALL FORJ. P, MORGAN
A COMBINATION THAT THREATENS
THE COMMERCE OF TEN
STATES.
DOMINATED BY A SINGLE MAN.
Complaint Of the Kentucky Rai1way
Commissions Made Public.
a GIGANTIC RAILROAD Poo1.
with One Billion Capital and An
Operating Income of $4,000
900, 1t Controls $4,000 Miles Il
RaiIway-Places the Products oe
1e,ooo,ooo People In $4,000
Square Mile. Under One Man.
GIGANTIC RAILROAD POOL.
With one Billion Capital and An

WASHINGTON, D. c., October 0.-Tha
Interstate Commerce Commission to-day
made public the complaint of the Railway
Commission of Kentucky against the AT.
lantic-Coast Line Railway Company. the
Louisville and Nashville, the Southern
railway, the Southern railway In Ken.
lucky. the Southern railway IN Indiana
the Cincinnati. New Orleans and Texas
Pacific Railway Company. the Cincinnati
Southern Railway Company. and the Cht-
cago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway
Company. involving allegations Of unIaw.
full combination
Investigation Asked For.
The complaint asks for an investigation
of these roads by tho commission, ..l
examination of the contracts, agreements,
etc, the product on Of books. papers. tara
ifs. contracts, etc, the Issuance Of SUBJ
poenas for witnesses, an inquiry into the
management of tho business Of these
roads. an inquiry as to whether their con-
tracts, ETC.. constitute an unlawful combts
nation, and a conspiracy to pool tho
freights of the different and competing
roads and advance them to enable the
roads to divide the net proceeds so As to
equalizs the net earnings OF each OF thsnA
J. p. Morgan In Practical Control.
TIE complaint says these roads cover AZ
important railroad points and all railroa1
lines in their territory. aggregating 250Qo
miles Of railway. with an operating tn-
come of over s30.000.000 annually. and
charges that ]. P. Morgan and Company
have secured practical control and manl
asement Of the affairs Of all these lines.
The transportat tion facilities Of this ter
rtory. the complaint charges. pra callJ
will become one S, tenn. operated bA u few
individuals and will control the CONF
merce Of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississip-
pi. Alabama, Georgia. Florida. North Car.
olina, South Carolina. Virginia. and Mary
land.
A Billion Capital.
The capitalization of the defendant roads
Is stated to amount to at least a billion
dollars.
"One man, or firm, with a few asSo.
ciates. controlling the Southern railway
the complaint alleges. has now secured
control of the stock of the Louisville and
Nashville railroad. and later of the stock
of the Atlantic Coast Line Company. and
the Atlantic-Coast Line Railway Com
pany, and has secured an entrance into
ST. Louis and Chicago through lines by
which it would be able to force and COM
pei other lines out Of St Louis and CHI
cago into that territory to make rates
such as it should dictate. and to dictate
schedules. terms. and rates OF every kind
to all smaller roads"
Commerce OF Entire Section.
The complaint alleges ihat this pur.
chase means consolidation, and owNership
means the placing of the comm cree OF
that entire section under the control and
operation of very few men. dominated
by the firm of j. P. Morgan and Com-
pany.
Have Violated Law.
1t is alleged that the defendant com.
panies have not filed with the Interstate
Commerce Commission. as required by
law. copies OF the contracts. agreements,
etc 1t is charged that such arrange
ments. combination. purchase and salo
for the production of what is called a
Community Of interest,"" constitute SIM
ply al agreement or combinatio by which
all freights OF all roads named shall ba
pooled or controlled. or routed. so as
to prevent competition
To Destroy Competitions.
This consolida ton. joint ownership and
joint control. it is charged. are simply
to pool freights between these railroads
in such proportion as those controlling or
managing the combination shall desis-
nate. and so destroy competition.
Abuses That VIII Result.
The complaint alleges that, as a result.
fac yv{1 no advanced cOpNnnnffioA
Disseminated against, and freight will bo
routed over one or another OF these lines
to maintain increased earnings and create
fictitious earnings to give ffctious values
by this control and operation says
the complaint, the commerce OF these
States will become subject to the dictation
of a few individuals and by the tremeu-
dous combination OF powers thus secured
legislation may be had. traffic impeded,
and business destroyed in part OF this
territory
Dominated by One Man.
"The object" the complaint continues.
SIS to place all the railroads under tho
control OF a single firm or few indi-
yiduals, to control the railroad traffic
In all this territory. to produce enormous
profits, etc. and to place all the business
and products of over 100000 people in
4Z2,VOo square niles c1 telIilofJ oAdeA tho
control and domination Of a single tndt-
vidua1."
In Letter and Spirit.
The combination. the commission charges,
is in violation OF both the letter and
spirit OF the laws of the United States
and Of the several States involved
The Interstate Commerce Commission
will Immediately notify all concerned OF
the complaint and probably will arrange
for a hearing not earlier than December.