Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-07
MINNESOTA FILES
BILL OF COMPLAINT
In u. S. Supreme Court Against Northern
Securities Co. States Interest Pointed
Out Remedy Prayed For, Injunction.


lace y, Douglass Of Minnesota filed to-
day in the United states Supreme Court
the bin Of complaint in the case Of
the state Of Minnesota, complainant,
against the Northern Securities COM
pany defendant.
1t Is "a long document, about 10000
words covering 30 pages Of printed
matter The bin first points out the
direct interest the state has in the
proposed consolidation It sim owns
more than three million acres OF public
land, valued at more than $4,000, 900,
ana trayersed IN part by the lines Of the
Great Northern and Northern Pacific
railroads, If the merger is effected.
these roads win cease to build spurs
INTO these lands or compete for their
business, The value OF the lands VIII
not Increase as IL has under the SPUR
OF competition and the state viii lose
40 the taxable value OF It's property.
The lands viii not be opened for years
ana development will be arrested. IL
Us next set IN that the state eXpends
more than 100000 annually In the
operation and maintenance OF lts edu-
cational charitable and other public in
stituuons that this Is mostly raised
by direct taxation, that the amount
which can be raised and the successful
maintenance Of these institutions for
the benefit OF lbs citizens depend large
ly on the value OF the real and per-
f0nal property within the state, which
In turn depends largely on free railroad
competition II has been the settled
policy Of the state 10 encourage rail-
toal building by grants OF lands and
IN this way over l0,J000J0 acres have
been granted, nearly all Of which has
been granted 10 the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific, and their subsidiaries.
The complainant alleges that the rates
on the immense shipments of wheat
and other merchandise over the lines
Of the two companies have been lower
than they viii he under any arrange
ment which contemplates unity Of con-
troll.
CHARTERS RECtTED.
The bin then recites the charters and
interpretations under which the Great
Northern operates over 500 miles OF
road and cites the clause In It's charter
providing that it's affairs are TO be con-
Quoted by a board Of directors which
Is TO do all things necessary "and not
inconsistent with the constitution and
laws Of the United States or the laws OF
this territory or this act"
1t Is further alleged that James j.
Hill holds controlling interest In the
$l25 600 100000 of capital stock.
The history and character OF the
Northern Pacific arc similarly rected
special attention being paid to the
roads acquired and built within the
state. By filing It's articles Of incOrpor-
alton In Wisconsin with the Minnesota
authorities the Northern Pacific be-
came subject to all the laws, regula-
lions and provisions Of Minnesota The
facts as TO the present personnel Of the
directory, the insolvency Of the old
company and It's reorganization In 1898,
the purchase OF the st. Paul and Du-
luth road in 1899 are recited az length.
1t ia set up that the lines OF these two
systems ere not only competitive be-
tween points within Minnesota, but
that they furnish the only competitive
lines between Minnesota and Puget
Sound and have SO furnished for eleven
years They are also with an eNcep-
ton the only lines traversing northern
Minnesota,
A paragraph Is devoted TO the Bur
lngton and the facts as 70 the terms
on which It's control was obtained by
the two systems Jointly Charles Il.
Perkins IT'S former president and pres
cDt director. being director in the
Northern Securities company The
certificate Of Incorporation OF the lat.
ter filed in New Jersey November l3
1901, is quoted in full.
COMPANY's ORGANIZATION.
Taking an the Northern Securities
company II Is set forth that II was or
Panized by j. j. Hin W. p. Clough
j. Perpont Morgan and other assoc
ciates to the oratriX unknown who
at the time, were continually In con-
ference over means by which the laws
of Minnesota might be- successfully
tvaded or avoided, and that il was so
organized solely for the purpose OF ef-
fectlng consolidation Of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific The
owners OF large majority Of the stock
OF the two systems had agreed before
hand to transfer 90 the new company
Is per cent Of the stock Of the two sys-
tens ON terms which are set forth IN
fun and 10 retire the preferred stock OF
the Northern Pacific In further0nce
OF the plan TO eyade the laws 0t Min
nesota 40 was agreed that, pending the
delivery OF the stock 90 the Northern
Securities company 4 should an Dee
or be under his control The Northern
Securities company II IS charged. does
not intend 10 purchase this stock. bur
simply 20 issue its own stock IN cX-
change therefor For these unlawful
purposes the company is about to re-
cei,e. unless enioiued thercirom.- all
III chnlinl slock OF the Great NortheIn