The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-12-16
BY IN.
TRUST LINES
Two More Ohio Railroads Gathered IN
by the Big Eastern
Systems.
AFFECTS THE COAL CARRYING TRADE

Cleveland, Dec. 1.-THE Pennsyl-
vania railroad Is to purchase the
Hooking Valley railway, and the Lake
Shore company is to get the Ohio Ceu-
trail. =,
This further carries out the appor-
tioning among these big interests OF
railroad property east of Chicago and
st. Louis, and also effectually puts an
end to the movement, having for its
aim the combination of all of the soft
coal carrying railroads in Ohio.
This information was obtained yes
terday from reliable source. In fact
the ABSORPTION of the two small rail-
roads is expected shortly early rext
year.
-Four years ago the Hooking Valley
railroad was reorganized, having been
lifted out of the hands of receiver
by ]. P. Morgan. At that time provi-
sion was made In the issue of stock
for the purchase of certain pro-
tions of the stock of the Ohio Central
and the Columbus, Sandusky C Hook
ing railways. The latter road was
sold first, but by one of those revolu-
tions for which that little property
was famous in its early history. 1t
was thrown back into the hands of th9
court Later it was dissented, and
part of 1t given to the Hooking Val
ley and the other portion to the Penn
sylvania lines.
The Ohio Central, however, ANAL
gamated with the Hooking Valley, and
they became practically one system.
The intention then was to reach out
and take in the Wheeling & Lake
Erie, the Cleveland, Lorain G Wheel
ing, the Cleveland Terminal G Valley,
and the Ohio Southern. The road last
mentioned went to interests connect
cd with the Seaboard Air Line, and
the Goulds succeeded in grabbing the
Wheeling & Lake Erie out of the
hands Of the Pennsylvania. The Val
ley and the c., l.. C w. railroads.
however, went to the Baltimore C
Ohio. which really means into the
Pennsylvania family.
Now the Hooking Valley is to pass
into the control of the Pennsylvania.
| which gives that company, all told.
the Hooking Valley, the Short Line.
and the Cleveland, Lorain C Wheel
| ing, and the Cleveland Terminal &
Valley. This means half of the sof.
coal carrying capacity under tho
Pennsylvania head instead of all of II.
as at first proposed.
This leaves outside of the consolida-
! ton the old Ohio Southern, or the De-
troit Southern. as 1t has come to be,
and the Wheeling & Lake Erie, to-
gethcr with an interesting new factor.
the Lake Erie. Alliance G. Wheeling.
which Is owned by the Morris-Garfield
syndicate. The Detroit Southern here
after will make a through line from
the lakes to the southeastern Atlantic
coast, In connection with the Sea.
board Air Line, and will be long,
unsupported railroad. traversing \
hostile country which Is inhabited by
the trust lines almost alone. Running
in the opposite direction will be tho
Gould lines represented by the Wheel
ing G. Lake Erie, also an independent
railroad in the midst of hostile con-
nections and neighbors. The coal
trade of the Ohio. West Virginia, and
Pittsburg districts. and the steel busi-
ness in and around sPittsburg ss::ive
been. the lodestone which has drawn
all of them. Incidentally 1t has been
the case of the great financial war
which is now raging between these
large interests.
The possession Of the Hooking Va
ley and the Ohio Central strengthens
the trust in its fight, and draws the
lines more closely than ever around
the hostile railroads which are trying
to maintain an honorable and inde-
pendent existence. The full weight of
the traffic oppression which these
trust roads will be able to bring to
bear upon the smaller strugglers is
better understood by the railroad men
than by the average layman.2 rail-
road without a friendly connection or
a friendly ally means a railroad de-
prived of go per cent OF its possibili-
ties or more. While the Hooking
Valley perhaps never helped the De-
troit Southern much still the closing
of the ranks by this sort of purchase
allows the railroad trust to grasp the
situation In Ohio more firmly, and
WELD this immense volume of traffic
to the complete crushing of all of the
ambitious rivals of the big systems
which are now being collected or
which shall hereafter be devised.