The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-30
Practically Joint Ownership of
New Orleans Traffic Agreed Up
on by Frisco and Goulds.
AGREEMENT FOR 100 YEARS.
Illinois Central in Compact and
Rock Island Enters Crescent
City Without Building
Mile of Road.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. May 2a.-In the hands OF the
chief executives of the principal railroads
entering New Orleans, with the exception
OF the Southern Pacific. are the terms Of an
agreement which. If adopted, will create a
new harmony of interest" in the Missis-
sippi Valley.
The arrangement centers about the new
plans of the Frisco for getting to New Or
leans. and involves the Gould system, the
Rock Island through the St. Louis and San
Francisco. the Illinois Central and the
Southern railroads
When B. F. Yoakum. president Of the
Frisco. announced his intention of getting
TO New Orleans by building a new line
down the east bank Of the Mississippi
River. George ]. Gould had under con-
struction and nearly completed those sec
tions of the Texas and Pacific Railroad
which. with new sections OF the Iron Noun
tain, were to complete direct line for the
Gould system from ST. Louis to New Or
leans
This same territory was already drained
by the YaZoo and Mississippi Valley Rail-
road. controlled by the Illinois Central. 1t
was Gulf port for his inland system.
however. that Mr.. Yoakum was looking for,
SO he set about obtaining the necessary
franchises and rights Of way. With the
ratification by the courts of the New Or
leans City Councils ordinance. recently. the
last drawback to the Frisco's Independent
line was removed
Arrangements had even been made for
floating a bond issue to pay for the con-
Structfon of the new line.
Before these plans had matured. however.
the executives of the other railroads that
tap the territory through which the pro
jected line of the Frisco would run realized
that If Mr.. Yoakum's intentions were act
ually carried out there would be a plathora
of railroads through that district.
1t was realization OF this situation that
which would give the Frisco fits much COW
eted New Orleans entrance with the con-
struction Of scarcely a mile Of railroad
the bulk of local traffic for the railroads al
ready constructed.
Negotiations were opened between Mr..
toward a trackage agreement, which would
permit the Frisco to use the Gould system
from Memphis to Baton Rouge. about 300
miles. simultaneously another trackage
agreement was negotiated with the Illinois
Central for the use Of the tracks Of the
Louisville. New Orleans and Texas Rail-
road from aBton Rouge to New Orleans.
about ninety miles.
Plans had already been agreed upon with
the Southern Railroad for joint use and
ownership of extensive New Orleans Ter
minals. which will cost in the neighborhood
Of 100000. This arrangement was cor>n-
gent upon the ordinance Of the City Coun-
it was announced that the Frisco and the
Southern had purchased $500 acres of land
near New Orleans for terminal yards.
The trackage agreement with the Gould
system is SO broad that It amounts to
virtually joint ownership of the line with
cut control oc the roads policy. 1t admits
Iron Mountain and the Texas and Pacific.
The life of the agreement is 100 years.
These arrangements. with the exception
Of the joint ownership of the terminals
have not yet been fully accepted by the
respective railroads. There Is scarcely an
iota of doubt. however. that they will be
ratified.
One of the officials most interested in the
deal said to-day that only some unforeseen
circumstance would interfere with the sue
cess Of the plan. The franchises granted
to the Frisco will be retained. and II any
thing should arise at any time to nullify
the trackage agreements the Frisco's origl-
nal plans will be followed, and another in
dependent line will be built down the east
bank OF the Mississippi.