Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-06
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COM.
MISSION HAS NO EVIDENCE OF
EASTERN RAILROAD TRUST
SIG GNIFICANT FACTS
The Commission Points Out the Fact
That the Railways Mentioned in the
Resolution Passed by the House Are
Not As Keen Competitors As For
merly.

Washington, D. c., Feb. 5. - Presi-
dent Roosevelt today transmitted to
the house the report submitted to him
by the interstate commerce commits
sion in response to the resolution re-
garding the alleged combination of the
Pennsylvania Railroad company and
certain other roads named therein, in
violation of the antitrust law. The re-
port says:
"The only definite facts known to
the commission-believed toEhave any
bearing on the subject matter are
these appearing in the annual reports
filed by the companies named in COM
pliance with the act to regulate COM
merce. From these reports toi the COM
mission 1t Is shown that the Pennsyl-
vania system includes the Pennsyl-
vania railroad company, Pennsyl-
vania company, the Philadelphia, Bal
timore & Washington and Northern
Central, but does not include the Bal
timore and Ohio, the Norfolk & Wes-
tern or the Chesapeake & Ohio rail-
road companies. 1t Is shown however
that the companies constituting the
PENNSYLVANIA system control consider
able stock in the three lastA named
companies, but in no instanceAdo they
control or own afnpai iority of the out
standing stock." 1@-Zs5S '----4---.--
Competition Nlrnost Disappears.
In conclusion the report says:
From general knowledge and, the in
formation Of the commission the fur
sther statsIR sntsis warranted thst since
the acquisition by the Pennsylvania
railroad and the companies controlled
by 1T of the stock of the Baltimore &
Ohio, the Norfolk & Western and the
Chesapeake & Ohio the published
I rates of the several railroads named
fhave been better maintained and in
some instances advanced, and that
There appears to be less competition
in rates between these lines than was
general in other parts of the country
Commission Is PowerIess,
"As to whether the facts hereinbe.
fore stated show or tend to show a
violation of the act of congress refer.
red to in the resolution, the commits.
| sion expresses no opinion as it is
! charged with no duty in connection
with that enactment and has no au.
thority to determine question aris.
| ing Hereunder"
Story Of Great Merger.
Chicago, Feb. 5.-The greatest rail
road merger in the nations history Is
believed to have been consummated
Following meager reports from New
York that the Union Pacific railroad
has obtained control of the Illinois
| Central line and that Edward H. Har
riman, the dictator in the former cor
poration had conducted the negotia
tions, additional color was lent to the
story in Chicago yesterday. Illinois
Central officials admitted that the
merger had been talked Of for months
though they were noncommfttal on
the most recent details.
| 1t was recalled in this connection
that Mr.. Hartman had personally or
ganized the Railroad Securities com
pany, which is a holding concern fol
| Illinois Central shares, but local off
cials were unable to reveal the
amount, Of stock gained by the arail
road wizard" through this source. II
was declared on good authority, how
ever, that as high as 100000 shares
at a par value of SIG, 100000, were Sc
CufGu lulmeuldC0ly dlL6F Iu6 uOlQlQS
company was chartered in New Jer
sey.
Later Move Reported.
| A later move is reported to have
| been the taking over Of these and 9th
er shares by the Union Pacific. The
records now show that the western
line controlled by Mr.. Hartman has
clinched at least 100000 shares, valued
at par at $24,O00,000.
/ Enough friendly aid is believed t,
/ have been promised to Mr.. Hartman
/ to make him supreme in Illinois Cen
trail as well as in Union Pacific. Hi.
railroad holdings, therefore compris,
the following lines, with mileage IA
! greater than any other single grou]
of railroads in the United States:
Road: Mileage
i Union Pacific railroad i. 700,
i Southern Pacific .... -. 9.Q1,
] Illinois Central J. -. -. ..... 4,50'
j Chicago & Alton ). -. $500. 92
Kansas City Southern "a,
! Total mileage :. ~. ....22,27,
! The Vanderbilt roads have an az
4 gregate mileage of something over 20
ra, al,