The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-16
Among the Railroads

The Wall Street Journal deVotes col
umns to an explanation of the signi-
canoe of the changes in Louisville and
Nashville. 1t calls attention to the pur-
chase of the control of the. Rock Island
system by the Moore Pros. the acqulsl-
tion of the Choctaw. Oklahoma and
Gulf and the pushing on of this system
toward the Pacific Coast AMI conJectures
that John w. Gates and others friendly
to Rock Island have secured control OF
the Louisville and Nashville as the east
ern outlet of Rock Island. h go
Viewing the deal from another stand
point. it says:
The Southern Railway, the Monon ana
Louisville and Nashville are moving
sympathetically in the stock market.
One of the best posted railroad men in
the country says that the plan is TO
combine all these North and South
roads thereby eliminating all rate dis
sensions from that field. If the Louis
VILE and Nashville makes the con1bina-
ticn to Chicago it is planning and then
combines with the Southern Railway
the entire railroad combination North
and South from the Lakes to the Gulf
is fixed as securely as in the present
East and West combination between
the Lakes and the seaboard."
The recent consultations have left
"two systems, each divided into two
parts, as making the North and South
railroad lines through the heart of the
Countrywide Louisville and Nashville,
with it's Chicago connection, the Chi
Southern railway. with the MonoI for
its Chicago connection.
Now, if these four roads making two
units are united through ownership
control the railroad rate system of this
country is settled, not only East and
West, but North ard South. or is in
way to be settled, because just six per-
sons and no more hold all railway ave-
nues of communication. Or they may
be described as six interests. some of
them already overlapping and tying up
by personal and financial relations the
several parts into unity of control for
the whole country. In the East is the
Morgan Vanderbilt trunk line and coal
combination working with perfect un-
derstanding with the Pennsylvania At
in the East is the Morgan Southern
Railway combination. The three inter
ests West are the Morgan Hill inter-
ests of the North the Hartman Rookie
Teller interests in the West and South
west and the Gould Missouri Pacic-
Wabash interests, which stretch from
the Southwest 10 Pittshurg.
''NoW the problem arises. have the
Moore brothers, with the millions they
made out of the formation Of the Uni
TED States Steel Corporation. stepped
into the railroad arena and crossed all
the transcontinental systems with the
Rock Island and the extensions they
have made therefrom and Deen embold-
ened to grab the Louisville and Nash
Vile system, thereby crossing all the
railroad systems east of Chicago?
Brains are more mighty than mil
lions, and have these brainy giants from
the West, with an investment of less
tran $20,000,000 of cash, twice crossed
the country or laid two lines in Il posi-
tion to dominate in the railroad situa-
ticn from the Lakes to the Gulf and to
the Pacific?
"In the Louisville and Nashville is
the key to the whole railroad and finan-
cial situation at the present day.
"The control of the Louisville and
Nashville has passed from the East to
the West-the question Isl How far
West? If to Chicago, there Is clearly
another Richmond in the field and a
seventh interest must be reckoned with.
If the Moore Brothers only represent
the existing powers dominant in the
other systems. the railroad conlbina-
ton of the United States is with The
purchase of the Louisville and Nash
vile substantially complete.
Three Pacifics-the Northern Pacific,
the Union Pacific and the Missouri
Pacific--dominate in the West. and three
interests in the East-the New York