The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-10
Railroads
FRIENDS OR FOES?
Ostensibly Hill and Hartman Are
Bucking Each Other. for All
They're Worth.
Certain Traffic Arrangements, How.
ever Raise Doubt Regarding Sin
certify of Their Enmity.

tonSluelape speculation has existed
among Minneapolis railroad authorities as
TO the exact feeling between the Harr-
man and Hill forces. According to the
general accepted theory one would imagine
4 there We're very little. if any, friendly feel
anss between the traffic departments of
4 the Great Northern and of the Union Pa
clf1c and the various connections of these
roads.
4 There is onsklerable speculation with
: regard to the recently shown unity of
!. purpose between Hartman and Clark
forces and as to the exact nature of the
exchange of concessions which was con-
sldercd and which actually took place
between these two financial giants. by
T virtue of which the Clark people. in ex-
f tending their line from Salt Lake to and
Z through California, have been granted i'm
( munity from a Hartman line parallel to
their own in portion Of their western
territory.
A short time since j. J. Hill was widely
Z quoted In his Chicago interview as pre-
( sentlng rather dubious view OF the finan-
: cial condition that might prevail in 1908
Inc points made in this interview were
widely speculated upon and the general
tnvesting public wondered whether Mr.
Hills mind had suddenly taken a chart
table turn, and # he were considerably
cautioning the general public that they
might suffer less through downward
turn In stocks; and again the general pub
JIG was inclined to feel that perhaps Mr..
Hill had deeper purpose and that per-
haps he was more inclined to stay the
upward turn in certain stocks and instead
to induce such a downward turn as would
move their control toward interests with
which he personally was Identified.
1t might have been significant that the
Chicago interview should appear shortly
after the Chicago Milwaukee &; st. Paul
railway had announced it's willingness to
establish direct coast connection by
completing its line from the Black Hills
through to some northern Pacific coast
port. There can be no question but such
move on the part of the Milwaukee
would inure greatly to the benefit Of the
atHe and there be no question also
but that the Milwaukee contemplated
gone such move. The Investigating pub
DC has not quite satisfactorily OWNED
why a S20.0O0,O00 stock issue should be
considered for some indefinite purpose
1t is fact notorious to shippers that
fhe Minneapolis Chicago lines are dis
criminated against in favor of the Burr
sngton route in the distribution of Pacific
coast business coming east by the Gerar
Northern or Northern Pacific. With this
in mind some such strong system as the
milwaukee would undoubtedly seek TO
protect it's business by having direct
coast connection. provided such protection
were necessary. For a long time past
shippers Of Pacific coast lumber and
shingles have been reaching points in
Fitory. Missouri and other southwestern
and central southwestern states by the
Northern Pacific to Billings and thence by
the Burlington through to the various de-
iivering lines of which the Burlington is
q direct connection. After the merger be-
. tween the Great Northern. Northern Pa
ciic and Chicago. Burlington & Quincy
systems was accomplished. shippers of
Pacific coast lumber and shingles along
Great Northern tracks In the state Of
hi,
points were north Of Seattle or at Seattle)
were given the privilege Of forwarding
their product upon the basis of through
rates available by the Northern Pacific
direct. by routing over the Great Northern
to Spokane in care of the Northern Pa
cffc and thence to Billings, for delivery
to the Burlington route.
In view of the fact that the Burlington
route has heretofore to a large extent
been favored by shippers In deliveries to
southwestern points. a. recent traffic ar
rangement entered into between the Great
Northern and Union Pacific systems is of
particular moment. Effective Dec. t.
1902, Great Northern tariff No. 1900 was
ISSUED showing joint rates between the
Hartman and Hill systems on Pacific
coast lumber and shinge products routed
by the Great Northern to Spokane In care
of the 0. R. e. NJ, thence for the Oregon
Short Line for delivery to the Union Pa
clflc to stations within the states of Ne
braSka. MISSOURI Kansas. Colorado. Ar
kansas. Oklahoma territory. Indian terri
tory, Texas, Louisiana. and New Mexico,
and in all cases the through rates quoted
: within this tariff we're upon the same
basis that heretofore and still avail
able by the Burlington route from Bill
ings.
With the widely advertised friction sup
posed to exist between the Hartman and
Hill forces. it has struck some observers
as homogeneous that the traffic depart
nents of the two lines should be per
Lifted to enter into such an arrangement
would require the Great Northern to
divide with the Union Pacific earnings on
a large amount Of business that the Great
Northern could control, Through the mer-
gerl, by its own lines. 1t is perhaps the
case that the Union Pacific may have
conceded something in return for this
privilege but to the ordinary layman it
1s very hard to figure out what inter-
change Of business the Union Pacific could
support with the Great Northern that
would make a concession advisable.
The intimate traffic arrangement be-
tween the Union Pacific and the Great
Northern has been construed in some
quarters intended to block any coast
extension Of the Chicago, Milwaukee e.
ST. Paul or kindred line. Also, direct
system to the north coast from the Union
Pacific territory would tend to shut off
competitive Hartman line into the ter
ritory now controlled by the merger But
nobody who knows Hartman supposes
, for a minute that he has consented to any
one-sided arrangement.