The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-10

George Gould Refuses to Discuss the
Alliance.

Eastern railroad gossips have settled
it that overtures have been made be-
whereby the Milwaukee & ST. Paul be-
comes affiliated with the Missouri Pa
cific and other western Gould lines, thus
making it competitor with the Santa
Fe and Rock Island. 1t is expected that
when George J. Gould completed his
tour of inspection through Colorado and
the southwest that he would be ready
to give some expression that would JUS
tify this assumption backed by strong
probability. He arrived in Kansas City
Tuesday evening and spent the night
there, but refused to say anything fur
Their in that relation.
We are friendly to the St Paul They
are a good connection of ours" said Mr.
Gould when asked of the rumored mer-
ger, and he refused to discuss it fur
Their. He declined to discuss any of the
various Wall street rumors which were
supposed TO account in a measure for
the strength of the Gould securities.
These include reports that the Missouri
Pacific will absorb the Wabash, and
that the Rockefeller-Gou alIiance-is to
be carried further. to the absorption of
the Katy as well as the ST Paul by
the Goulds- Mr.. Gould advanced only
the theory of the country's prosperity
to account for the strength of stocks.
L look Tor very prosperous times, ne
said The outlook is very good. We
are going to have great corn crop.
The wheat was a little short. but think
tndl IS more imam maze up Dy the corn.
Mr.. Gould believes the isthmian canal
would be of great benefit to Kansas City
and the whole of the country drained by
the Mississippi valley. I'VE are cutting
our grades down and ballasting our
track and when we are through we hope
to have a line from here to New Orleans
with nothing more than 35 feet to the
mile. and that we will be able to take
immense quantities of Kansas grain
down to that port The Gulf ports are
going to grow. The building of the
isthmian canal will add very much to
the wealth of not only the Gulf cities
but of the interior cities as we'll 1t will
enable the people to ship right from
Kansas City to China and Japan with
out crossing a range of mountains. They
just follow down the river valley and
don't have to lift their freight over the
Rocky Mountains of the Sierra Nevadas
at a great expense.
We are pushing the ballaSting of oul
tracks, putting down heavy rails, get
/ ting very heavy engines and trying to
get everything in shape where we can
accommodate the public and give them
better service"
| No doubt is entertained in Chicago
railroad circles OF the correctness of the
report of contemplated close alliance
| between the Gould and Rockefeller in
terests- 1t all along has been the opin-
/ ion that it was not the intention of the
| Rockefellers to permanently operate the
| Chicago. Milwaukee & St Paul and
/ Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroads
and that sooner or later they would
! affiliate them either with the Could OF
| the Hartman systems, the Rockefellers
/ being friendly to both interests.
| It is generally admitted that an aft
iation of the Rockefeller lines with the
/ Gould lines is the wisest course thai
could be pursued.
| The Chicago, Milwaukee & ST. Pau
has needed for years an indeoenden
outlet west of the Missouri river to en-.
| able it to hold its own against the Santa
| Fe, Rock Island and Burlington. TIL:
! it obtains by close affilia ton with tn.
| Missouri Pacific. The latter has been il
/, need of a direct outlet from Kansas
City to Chica go and the north and
| northwest, and this is furnished by tht
| Milwaukee & ST. Paul
| George Gould's late visit to Chicago
it is said. was in connection with tn,
alleged new deal He is known to hav,
investigated the Milwaukee & St Paul.
| affairs while in this city.