Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-02
P1eadings on Behalf Of Railways
and President Hill.
ILLEGAL COMBINATION DENIED.
No Para11e1ing of Lines-No stihins
of Competition-oDject of Com
pany Only What is Set Forth In
It's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Like
That Said to BE Proposed for the.
~ Soufh

ST. PAUL, MINI, September 1.-The
defendants in the merger suit brought by
the State of Minnesota filed their answer
this afternoon in the office of the clerk of
the United States Circuit Court. The suit
was brought by the State against the
Northern Securities Company, James J.
Hill. as president of that company; James
]. Hill as an individual; the Great North
ern railway, ana the Northern Pacific rail-
way.
There is one answer for the Securities
Company and Mr.. Hill in his character
as president and individuality; one for the
Great Northern, and one for the Northern
Pacific.
The answer Of President Hill. in its
pleadings, simply follows the Securities
Conlpany's answer, with such changes of
phraseology as are required. The main
answer, that of the Securities Company,
is more than usually direct and plain for
a legal pleading.
General Denial.
Defendants deny that the Northern Sc
curities Company has ever conducted any
business in Minnesota, or had any place
of business or owned any property in the
State, and say the railways, the pro-
erty of the Eastern Railway Company
of Minnesota, are operated by virtue OF
a lease to the Great Northern Railway
Company; they also deny that James j.
Hill was, on November 13, 1901, or that he
had ever been, the owner of. or in the
possession, or in the control of. on said
day, or at any time, subject to his direc-
ton or disposition, of more than a ma
jority, or more than a portion far less
than majority, of the capital stock of
the Great Northern Company They deny
that the Northern Pacific Company ever
became corporation of or within the
State of Minnesota, or that 1t ever became
subject to the laws thereof, except by
filing copy of its articles with the Sec
retary of State, and complying with the
statutes relating to the admission to the
State of railway companies organized
under the laws Of other States: they also
deny that the Northern Pacific Company's
lines have since the organiZatian of the
Securities Company been operated sub
ject to the dictation or control of the
officers of that company.
No ParnIlellinS.
They admit that cities and towns named
in the bill are points each of the two
lines of railway, but deny that the lines
between these points are parallel, or that
the lines competed for freight or pasSen-
ger traffic between said points in any diff
5ferent manner or by any greater extent
previous to the formation of the Securi-s
ties Company than they have at all times
done since the formation of that COM
pany, and will continue to do in the fu-
ture. They deny that the defendant COM
panies have competed with each other for
passenger or freight traffic in any other
or different manner, or to any greater
extent than they have continuously done
since the format ton Of the Securities Com
pary, and will continue to do in the fu-
ture. They admit that the lines are the
only lines of single railway company
traversing east and west all the northern
tier of States west Of the Mississippi riv-
er. They deny that these lines are
only lines crossing the State of Mil
sofa, and connecting the Pacific Oce
by rail with points Of said State, or ths
they are the only lines connecting the
territory therein by rail with the Pacific
Ocean.