New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-13
THE FIGHT OVER L. & n
WALL STREET BELIEVES CONTROL HAS
PASSED FROM BELMONT INTERESTS.
UNCERTAIN HOWEVER, WHETHER THE
SOUTHERN, THE ROCK ISLAND OR IL
LIMOS CENTRAL is TO HAVE IT

UNCERTAIN HOWEVER, WHETHER THE
SOUTHERN, THE ROCK ISLAND OR IL
LIMOS CENTRAL IS TO HAVE IT
There was substantial agreement of opinion
in Wall Street yesterday one point concern
ing the Louisville and Nashville situation, that
control of the road had passed from the Bel
mont interests AS TO what great railway sys-
TEN would take over that control there was wide
diversity of speculation. and the most careful
inquiry was unavailing to furnish an authorita-
tive answer to the question. Three views found
each many supporters-that the Southern Rail-
WAY would soon be found in control OF the
Louisville and Nashville, that the Rock Island
would acquire it and that control had been Sc
cured in the interest of the Illinois Central.
John W. Gates mad more than one. conference
Yesterday with members of The hrm OF D. T.
Morgan & Co. who control the Southern Rail-
way Company. but none of the parties to these
conferences would consent to say "ord re-
sarding Louisville and Nashville.
Mr.. Gates from time to time in his market op-
era lions is associated with various powerful m
terests. one of those groups being the so-called
Moore marty who now control the Rock Island
Nothing has vet positively developed, however.
to show whether or not it is the Moores VINO
are behind him in his apparently successiuI at
+aront 70 secure control of the Louisville and
Nashville But even If they are associated with
Mr. Gates in the present deal 1t IS argued III
the Street that fact would not necessarily hiH-
tate against the theory that it is the Southern
Railway which is to buy the LoulsNlhe anu
Nashville for Judge William H. Moore is an
Influential director Of the First National Bank,
tho relations between which and j. =. Morgan
e Co are very close. 1t was declared yester-
day on authority ordinarily good that the chahce
to acquire control of the road had been offered
to the Southern Railway Company ana that
that company would accept the olter- Inc
chance is said to have come partly by direct
offer made Yesterday to j. F. Morgan Co pE
MI Gates and partly by purchase In the open
market. It is recalled that the Southern want
ed the Louisville and Nashville some time ago.
but failed to secure it on the terms offered at
that time 1t is agreed in the Street that the
Southern would most, of the three ROADS al
ready referred to- benefit by the acquisition Oh
the Louisville system: and the futther point Is
made that with the Southern and the Louisville
virtually forming system, an opportunity
for extension Of the Rock Island into the South
ern field would also be afforded and an e1-
rIanation of the Moores' interest in the pending
transaction given. as the Choctaw' Oklahona
and Gulf which is about to be taken over by the
Rock Island. connects at Memphis with the
Louisville and Nashville
IT Is to be borne in mind, again, that Charles
H. Warren whose appointment as assistant to
the president of the Rock Island road was an
nounced recently. has gone to that road from
the Central Railroad of New-Jersey, controlled
by First National Bank interests and that the
offer of Speyer & Co, acting for the Rock
Island for the purchase of the controlling in
terest in the Choctaw, an offer which came IN
such form that it could not safely be rejected.
was made within the last week. according TO
large holder of the stock-that is, since the con-
test for control of the Louisville and Nash
villa The utility of the I4GUlSNllle SyS-
tenn to the Illinois Central is not readily per
ceived in Wall Street, but various brokerage
houses declared that important buying of LOUIS
vile and Nashville had come from Illinois Cen
trail interests.
tween ! Is and 1904. closing at ll9%i, net adj
vance for the day of Is per cent
Atlanta Ga. April 12-If the Louisville and
Nashville system has passed into the hands OF
the Southern Railway. it will leave only two
lines of railroads in the Southeastern States
the Southern and the aboard Air Line. AL
though it has not been officially announced. it
is believed here that the Atlantic Coast Line and
Plant system will soon come under the control
of the Southern. and that the elimination or
the deal will be community OF interest ' Inc
roads controlled by the Louisville and Nashville
are the Nashville. Chattanooga and st. Louis
the Western and Atlantic the Atlanta Knox
Vile and Northern, the Georgia Railroad. and
several smaller lines in Alabama. Including the
mileage of both their main lines and the re-
Gently acquired roads the number of miles in
cluded in the new merger under control or the
Southern aggregates 3l,.flo
Louisville April 12.-Nothing definite could be
learned here to-day of the deal whereby the
Southern Railway is reported to have obtained
control of the Louisville and Nashville road.
The officials of the latter line refused to say
anything on the subject. The first vice-presi-
dent, Walker Hines of the Louisville and Nash
Vile, when the statement sent out by The As
ISOLATED Press from New-fork was shown him.
81 ~