The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-26
R. R. POWER
IN THE WEST
Tt Is Fast Becoming Centralized in
the Hands of Very
Few.
Five Men Are Now Practically Mas
ters of the Situation West of
the Mississippi.
This Means There Will Be No More
Rate Wars rs-Trend of
Things.
Speoial to The Journal.


New York Dec. 26.-Within the
past two weeks there have been two
significant signs of the times with re-
gard to the situation in the railroad
world west of the Mississippi IneE
point Enthusiastically to the fact that
all railroad power in that territory IS
fast becoming centralized in the hands /
of a very few men, who, acting IN
concert will most certainly ultl-
mately control the great traffic routes
from the northern border to the Gulf
of Mexico and from the great lakes
and the river to the Pacific coast.
The two events are, first, the re-
onenins Of negotiations between the
Ioulds and the Rock Island after a
short DISAGREEMENT with regard to
Joint gulf route; and, second, the
official announcement in New foIk
that il e. H. Hartman wants a flght
of way for Union Pacific into Seattle
over Northern Pacific tracks, he has
but to ask for it and get 1t, without
opposition from J. j. Hill.
These two events, either of which
would have been the sensation OF the
year had it occurred between 1883
and 1898, have passed without much
comment Yet they epitomize the
tendency Of the day west of the Mis-.
sisippi. That tendency is toward CEN.
tralization of power. Whatever may
be the decision in the Northern Sc
curities case, 1t will not check that
tendency even for movent. NO SIN
gle case, or no dozen cases, even tho
decided fatty and unequlvocally
against the principle of the merger
can stop the tendency.
Past Consultations.
For a general idea q glance at the
railroad map of this territory in 1888
and in 1903 is quite enough to con-
vince any one, even the most skep-
tical. That glance will show that
there are but seven great systems
west of the river to-day. Two OF them
are merely great local railroads. The
rest are consultations. They group
AS follows: s.
First-Northern Securities lines
Great Northern, Northern Pacific,
Burlington-each of which, in it's
turn. was originally composed OF from
four to ten small independent lines.
Second-Harriman lines-Southern
and Union Pacific, Oregon Short Line,
Oregon Railroad & Navigation, Kan
sas City Southern, Alton and ILLINOIS
Central. The number of small roads
combined to make up this system is
over fifty.
Third-Gould em---M issourie Pa
cific, st. Louis southwestern, Wabash,
Texas Pacific International 4 Great
Northern The roads consolidated to
make this system originally owned
were used.
Fourth-Rock Island-Rock Island
road. Frisco Choctaw, Burlington,
Cedar Rapids & Northern, and hall
Il dozen local lines all over the west.
The total number Of roads that have
lost their, independence to this sys-
tern within the past four years is
over twenty, and the number of char
ters gathered under one name is said
to be over sixty.
Fifth-Atchison-n a consOllda-
ton Of big roads, but comprising in
it's mileage more than ten small roads,
taken in at different times. Gulf, Col
orado & Santa Fe is probably the pig
gest of these.
Sixth-Chicago, Milwaukee & ST
Paula powerful local system, being
originally a consolidation Of about
ten roads, and having since brought
in about ten more local INES. 49,
observation-disclosures - in the
words of the Chronicle-Organized 1r
1859, and has since absorbed many
other roads-among them the Oma-
ha. Fremont & Elkhorn, Milwaukee
Lake Shore & Western, etc.
Waiting to Be Swallowed.
There are no other trunk lines ir
the west. There are, of course, doz'
ems of local lines, and it may be
broadly stated that it is the pet am
these local lines to be some day sWal
lowed up by one of the seven line!
enumerated above. Such roads arr
the Great Western, Wisconsin Cen
trail, the HaWley lines etc Not {
month passes but one of the big line
buys or leases another little railroad
: even in this dark year, when money i
not easy to get Witness the purchase
of five California lines and the Cam
Belt by the Atchison within the pas
month, and the guaranteeing OF thu
Columbia & Southern bonds by tn
Union Pacific within the past tel
days.
Under the names of the seven sys
y TENS above there are grouped owe
p 200 railroads that once operated, TO
a shorter or a longer time under thei
own charters. exercised their oW
charter rights and privileges an
fought strenuously among themselve
for busness-at any kind Of rates
The grouping of these several warrin
elements into seven great harmOn1Ou
systems was not called "communit
Of interests" 1t was the age of con
= solidation, pure ana simple. 1t IS SUI
going on. Within the past mont
there have been at least ten purchase
of new mileage by one or other G
these systems. 1t is known that q
present negotiations are under wa
for the purchase of at least thre
more.
Greater Community of Interests
The real meaning of the term 'con
= rnunity of interest is the inter-rela
ton Of these great systems. SEVERAL
they control all the avenues OF CON
merce west of the Mississippi, Seattl
Tacoma Portland are in the hanc
| of Hill and Hartman. San F'ranc1sc'
Los Angeles, are in the hands {
| Hartman, and the Atchison, Ne
Orleans & Galveston are dependei
upon the Rock Island, Gould an
p Hartman. The river valley and tn
west-o -the-lakes territory are divide
between Gould, Hill, Rock Island an
Atchison, with Hartman lightly intel
ested. If the systems were at wa
L there would be more than an .oppol
tunty for losing money. There is III
/ one of the great arteries of trade tn;
4 is in the single control of any one il
II terest.
II Closing Episode of Competition.
II Within the past four years the:
;,,fo I, y