Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-05-11
PRIVATE CAR LINES
TO CUT ICE CHARGE
Armours, 1T is Said, Are Much
Alarmed and Will Take
the Lead.
ROADS TO ENTER TRAFFIC
Many Have Ordered Refriserators Al
ready. ard Others Prepare to Do
So-can't Afford to Allow
MONOPOLY to Continue.

Chicago. May 1o--The Armour people
are getting ready to make radi-
cal reduction in their charges for
icing refrigerator cars It also is re-
ported that they have decided TO cancel
all contracts they have with railroads for
the exclusive us" of Armour refrigerator
cars. The revelations made at hearings of
the interstate commission in the private
car line cases and the Michigan fruit cases
which showed the Armour company pracu-
cally has a monopoly of the fruit business
from Michigan. not only has scared the
Armour people. but the railroad people as
we'll
a number of railroad companies already
have determined hereafter to conduct their
own refrigerator cur business. The Michi-
gan Central, Lake Shore, New York Cen
trail and other Vanderbilt lines lately have
ordered hundreds of refrigerator cars.
which will be put in service as soon as
completed. The Baltimore and Ohio also
has placed an order with the American Car
and Foundry company at Chicago for the
construction of 80 refrigerator cars.
High Prices Halt Car Building.
Other railroads would have given orders
for the construction of refrigerator cars
before now if they were not handicapped
by the large advance IN the cost of steel
cars. Last November, when the present
boom in the price of steel began. ordinary
steel freight cars were being made tor
81 100 and 81 200 each. Today the same cars
are being sold for 81 400 and $3.50 each.
The entire membership of the interstate
commerce commission will be here tomor-
row to begin the investigation of private
car lines 1t is understood that this in
vestigation will be the most thorough
ever undertaken by the commission and
that it will not only include the private
lines owned by the Armour company.
hut also the International Harvester com
pany. the refrigeration for the transporta-
ton of fruits ana vegetables terminal
charges and granting of rebates in connec-
tion with private car lines.
Union Pacific Men Not Talking.
Officials of the Union Pacific decline to
discuss the new SlD.0Oo.oo0 stock issue
other than TO say that no announcement
regards the purposes of the issue is
likely to be made for some time.
1t is not believed that the company has
any intention of disposing of the new
stock until something is to he done in the
future to check the aggressive movements
of George j. Gould. 1t is not unlikely that
in case MIR Gould carries out the Western
Pacific scheme and thereby practically
parallels the Southern Pacific between Og
den and San Francisco, MIR. Hartman will
strike back by parallcling some of the
more important eastern lines controlled by
Mr. Could.
The Chicago and Northwestern is figir
ing upon steam intcrurban competitive
service between Frccport and Rockford.
All of the steam roads of Illinois are UP
in arms against the trolley competitors
and are striving to weaken the effect OF
the rival lines upon tbr passenger bust
ness. The intcrurban between Freeport
and Rockford is doing an enormous bust
ness. both in passenger and freight and