Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-01-22

Thirty thousand employees of the NeST
York Central railroad will receive in
creases in pay.
President Hill of the Great Northern
has announced definitely his purpose to
retire from active business on July i,
1907.
Western lines met and refused to ex-
tend the selling dates of homeseekers' ex-
cursions to include the first and third
Wednesdays in the month.
The Attorney General of the United
States has issued an opinion that it is
illegal for railroads to issue reduced
transportation to men employed in the
government work of reclamation.
Only one other big road has so far
adopted the pension system. The Illinois
Central has had such a plan in operation
for more than five years and has found
that it worked in every way for the bet
terment of the service.
An agreement fixing SoO,O0O,OO0 as the
price to be paid for the properties of the
Union Traction and Chicago City Rail-
way companies, in case the city decides
to purchase them, has been reached be-
tween the companies and the councils
traction committee. The committee will
recommend an ordinance for said pur-
chase, and Mayor Dunno expressed his
approval.
f. II. Hartman, who is just now
much in the limelight because of his
financial coup in gaining control of the
Illinois Central and thus becoming mas
ter of 10000 miles of railroads across the
continent. representing valuation of
s.. COO, 10000 gave to Chicago reporter
quite remarkable interview. On being
asked if he was ambitious to become a
financial king. he said: Il would give it
ali up tomorrow if l could Contrary
to the opinion recently expressed by j.
]. Hill. Mr.. Hartman said he thought we
had enough railroads and what we want
ed was the development of the territory
through which the railroads ran and i'm
proving the lines to the highest point of
efficiency.
Former President Fish of the Illinois
Central. writing for the New York Jour
nal of Commerce, predicted great indus
trial crisis, and declared that Wall street
was now the plaything of cliques and
pools.
The Illinois traction system has an
nounced it, intention to compete with
the Pullman Sleeping Car Company, and
has already placed in service on the line
between Bloomington and st. Louis. via
| Decatur and Springfield. two trolley
sleeping cars. There are twenty berths.
ten on each side. and four chairs in the
smoking room.
Eleven hundred millions of dollars a
year for the next five years must be spent
BIZ the railroads in providing additional
trackagc properly 10 care for the bust
ness now in sight. without taking into ac-
| count the natural increase. said President
James ]. Hill of the Great Northern,
/ in letter TO Gov. Johnson of Minnesota
| Capitalists are not going TO spend this
vast sum, the railway magnate continues
as long as there is so much popular agi-
tarion against the railroads that the flu
ture is made uncertain. Consequently
there is likely TO be congestion of bust.
ness that will make the present ''car
shortage seem Insignificant.
Eastern and western traffic men held
a conference with view to righting the
| grain situation. 1t is stated that at nc
| far distant date the railroads will equal.
lie the rates through Chicago and all
other gateways by making one rate to the
cateways and one rate ont of them to the
East.
| On all the more important commodities
the railroad managers of the United
| States are planning considerable ad
| vance in freight rates. the additional rev.
| enue needed to make up for increase in
| wages and cost of construction. Thus i,
| is hoped TO throw the burden of higher
rates upon the prosperous manufacturing
| industries so far as possible.