The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-01-03
STRONG Play
FOR SUPPORT
HOW CHICAGO REGARDS NEW
FREIGHT SCHEDULE.
A MOVE TO GAIN FAVOR
Hill Wants Sentiment Of People on
His Side in Coming
Fight.

On several occasions it has been in
timated in The Gazette that despite
the assertions of Hill to the contrary,
the announced forthcoming reduction
in freight rates is regarded in many
quarters as a mere move on the part
of the merger king to allay public
feeling, which has been hostile to the
project ever since it became known
that the Great Northern magnate en-
tertained an ambition to consolidate
the three principal railroads of the
northwest under one head. Other, and
probably better informed newspapers
are of the same opinion, notably the
Chicago Record-Herald, which has the
reputation of usually knowing what
is going on in the railroad world of
the western country and Of under
standing the meaning of the moves
on the transportation checker board.
In it's issue of last Saturday that pa
per says:
James J.. Hill is apparently going
to make the fight Of his life to swing
public sentiment in the northwest in
favor Of the Burlington combination
and the Northern Securities company.
I'm pursuance of this plan it was
announced yesterday that the North
ern Pacific and the Great Northern
would soon make public a revision of
their principal freight tariffs covering
all territory between st. Paul and the
Pacific coast. It also asserted that tho
new tariffs will make material reduc-
ton over those in effect at present
and will therefore cause considerable
furry among transcontinental sys-
tens.
ut is undoubtedly the belief of Mr.,
Hill that radical reductions in freight
rates will turn sentiment in favor of
his big combination or will at least
make the public apathetic regarding
the coming attack of Governor Van
SAINT. If great combinations Of rail
road capital bring reductions in car
rying charges it is to be presumed
that the residents of the great north
west will declare that the more there
are of such combinations the better
it will be for the northwest.
Will Build Up Territory.
MR. Hills purpose is also further
reaching than this. It has been, his
dream to build up the territory
through which the Great Northern
runs and to make Duluth the greatest
grain-shipping center in the United
States. Still further he realizes that
the far northwest has many products
which the middle west and east will
need and are needing today. But until
the markets of the east can be brought
within reach of the products of the
far northwest by suitable transporta.
ton rates these products will have to
be satisfied with home markets.
I'm order to build up traffic and
thereby make greatly increased reve-
nues MI. Hill has been spending large
sums on his railroad property in or.
der to increase the ton miles capac.
ity. With a road able to accommodate
enormous trains and with rates which
will permit of the products Of the
northwest being marketed in the east
Mr.. Hill sees phenomenal opportun-
tiles.
ct will be interesting to see how
other great interests in the western
railroad world will view tariff reduc-
lions hat may be made in further
ance' of the Hill scheme. 1t is we'll
known that rates are so delicate that
the slightest change often causes in
a short time a big rate wave to sweep
over the country. Mr.. Hills effort
inNfavor of Duluth as against Chicago
may also stir up trouble. However
this may be, rate clerks on the North
ern Pacific and the Great Northern
are busy, on new tariffs which will re-
move the determinations and will ad-
just many long-standing complaints
of shippers"
A Prominent Chicago Woman Speaks.
Prof. Roxa Tyler of Chicago, vice
president Illinois Woman's Alliance,
in speaking of Chamberlain's Cough
Remedy. says: II suffered with a Sc
we're cold this winter which threatened
to run into pneumonia. l tried differ
ent remedies. but I seemed to grow
worse and the medicine upset my