Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-08
BIG RAILROAD MERGER
Standard Oil Gets Control of the
Santa Fe System and Will
Take Over Others
MEAN TO END COMPETITION
Plan on Foot by Which the Law
Against Combination of Competing
Lines Will be Evaded-ownership
of the Lines is the Means to be
Provided.

TI0Vl0CGs
New York, Feb STANDARD Oil in
terests to dominate and control the
transportation facilities of the whole
country?
That was the question discussed in
high financial circles today when il
became known that Standard Oil, to-
gether with the Hartman syndicate,
had succeeded in securing practical
control of the Atchison, Topeka d
Santa F'e railroad.
In the pursuit of their purpose to
obtain a grip on the country's trans
portation facilities the Standard Oil
magnates have decided to make Ed
ward H. Hartman, himself the head
of a railway system of over $4,000
miles. the sole managing head of all
Standard Oil railway properties. II
dawned upon the financial world today
that Hartman, backed by Standard
Oil is already the greatest railway
king Of history.
Control Made Certain.
All doubt of Rockefeller Hartman
control of Santa Fe was removed when
it became known today that spec
ial meeting of the Santa Fe board will
be held here tomorrow, with a view 10
giving two Standard OIL representa-
tives places on the board. 1t can be
stated with almost official certainty
that the Rockefeller representatives
will be William Rockefeller, and Hen
ry C. Prick. Mr.. Tricks selection,
however, has not been determined be-
yond recall 1t is understood that
Rockefeller and F'rick will displace Ed
ward D. Kenna, who resigned some
time ago from the board, and who yes
terday resigned as first vice presl-
| dent of the company, and also John &.
Mccullough, formerly governor OF
| Vermont.
| The announcement of the Atch1Son
| program, following, as it does. so soon
| after the news that Standard Oil has
secured substantial interest in the
Vanderbilt properties, leaves no doubt
as to the purpose of the Rockefeller
Hartman combination. Today Stand
ard Oil is by far the greatest single
power in American railroading, ana it
is a power that is being extended
with startling rapidity.
Have Power in West.
The Rockefellers, together with the
men they have taken into their fold,
now control the transportation indus
| try west of the Missouri river to the
Pacific coast, and from the Mexican
border on the south to the domain of
James J. Hill near the Canadian bor-
der on the north Should the Northern
Securities case be settled in favor of
Edward H. Hartman, the Standard Oil
control Of the transportation facilities
of the western world would be COM
plete.
About two years ago the Rockefel-
| lers formed an alliance with the Goulds
and gradually became interested in all
the Gould properties, their represen-
tatives being elected to the boards OF
the leading Gould roads. Then came
the alliance with Edward HI. Hartman
and Standard Oil acquisition of sub
stanial interests in the properties maxi
ing up the Hartman system, especially
the Southern Pacific and the Union
Pacific. Three Union Pacific directors
-Stillman, Hyde and Rogers = now
represent the Rockefellers in Union Pa
cific control
Dominate Vast Systems.
These two alliances gave the STAN
dard Oil control Of the South ern Pa
cific, Union Pacific, Missouri Pacific,
Wabash, Oregon Railroad and Naviga-
ton Company, Oregon Short Line, In
ternational and Great Northern and
other important western systems. 1t
only needed Santa Fe control to per-
NIT of the Standard Oil interests DOM
mating the railroad situation in the
| vest territory west Of the Missouri riV-
err.
Between Chicago and the Missouri
river the Standard Oil interests are
now sufficiently strong to exercise
SUPERVISION if not an actual DONNA
ton. They control the Northwestern
and the st. Paul roads, and are said
to be reaching out after other proper
| ties. East of Chicago their first at
tack was upon the stronghold of the
Vanderbilt family, hitherto sacred for
generations. So surprising was the
announcement that Standard Oil hao
loosened the Vanderbilt grip upon the
northern half of the eastern territory
that the financial and railroad worlds
at first refused to credit 1t. 1t was only
after known Standard Oil representa-
tiyes had been elected to the New
York Central board that the Rockefel-
Ter influence was no longer denied.
Dodqe Combine Probe n.
THE ACQUISITION of the Santa Fe by
the Standard Oil also demonstrates
| 10 49, 6popciaIi kings have decided