The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1902-09-03
MERGER SUIT ANSWER.
Minnesota vs.. Northern Secur-
tiles Company.

Northern and One For the Northern
Pacific--Deny That Competition Is
Lessened by Merger.
St. Paul, Sept. 2.-The answer of the
Northern Securities company and
President j. j. Hill, in the suit in the
United States court to prevent the
consolidation of the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern Railway company.
was filed in court in this city yester
day afternoon. 1t is a general denia.
of the complaint.
This is the suit brought by Attorney
General Douglas, in the name Of the
state of Minnesota. The principal an
swcrs are those of the Northern Sc
curities company and of President j. j.
Hill, but answers were also filed by
attorneys for the Northern Pacific and
the Great Northern Railway com
panies.
Defendants deny that the Northern
Securities company has ever conducted
any business in Minnesota or had any
place Of business or owred any prop
erty of the Eastern railway of Mime.
sofa, or operated by virtue of a lease
They also deny that James ]. Hill
was on Nov. 13, 1901, or that he has
ever been the owner of more than a
majority or more than a portion far
less than a majority, of the capital
stock of the Great Northern company
They deny that the Northern Pacific
Railway company ever became a cor
pOration Of or within the state ol
Minnesota, or that it ever became sub
ject to the laws thereof. They also
deny that the Northern Pacific com
pany's lines have since the organiza
tion Of the Securities company been
operated subject to the dictation OF
control Of the officers of that company
Deny Competition Is Lessened.
They admit that cities and towns
named in The bills are points on each
OF the two lines of railway, but deny
that the lines between these points
are parallel or that the lines competed
'Or freight or passenger traffic be
tween said points in any different
manner or by any greater extent priol
to the formation of the Securities com
pany than they have at all times done
since the formation of that company
and will continue to do so in the
future. They dery that the lines of the
defendant companies between the
state of Minnesota and Puget sound
were or are parallel, or have ever been
competing lines except at a few points.
at nearly all of which points they com,
peted and still compete with the lines
of other companies.
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 contin'
uously done since the formation of the
Securities company, and will continue
to do in the future.
They admit that the lines are the
only lines Of a single railway company
traversing east ami west all the north
ern tier of states west of the Missis
sippi river. They deny that these
lines are the only lines crossing the
state OF Minnesota and connecting the
Pacific ocean by rail with points OF
said state, or that they are the only
lines connecting the territory of the
northern tier of states or the territory
tributary thereto by rail with the Pa
cific ocean.
They admit that the large quantities
of swamp land were granted by the
United States to the state of Minneso
ia, but have no information as to what
quantity, if any, of said lands are now
owned by the state, nor as to the value
if any, of such lands or any of them
nor to what extent, If at all, the value
or saleabilty of said lands depends
upon competition Of any kind between
the defendant railway companies OF
upon the construction of railway lines
by both or either of the defendant
companies.
They deny that any of the matters
alleged in the bill have prevented OF
hindered or will prevent or hinder the
construction by the state or by anyone
authorized by the plaintiffs OF rail
roads that the state may deem nsces
sary or advantageous to bring its
swamp lands into market and secure
their settlement and occupation.
Admit the plaintiffs ownership and
maintenance Of certain institutions
named in the bin and admit that a
small portion Of the supplies of some
of these institutions requires to be and
is carried over the line of one or the
other of the defendant railway com
panes.
Grants Of Swamp Lands.
They say that except the grants OF
swamp lands mentioned the grants by
the state in aid Of railways in Mime
sofa were made by the territory and
state of Minnesota merely in eXecu
tion of trusts rsposed in them respec.
lively by acts Of congress granting
lands Of the United States to aid in
the construction Of such railways.
They admit making large shipments
of wheat and other products from and
to the places named in the bin. They
deny that competition between the de.
ferlant companies for traffic between
said places was. prior TO the organiza