Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-08
STANDARD OIL ROAD
Rushing Work on the Great
Transcontinental Line.
is TO HAUL ITS OWN FREIGHT
Scheme to Beat the Anti-Rebate
Regulations.
TRUST WILL WIN OUT ANYHOW
Already Owns Many Railways and
Will Now Link Them Into
System.
TRUST WILL WIN OUT ANYHOW

BUTTE, Mont. August S.-There is dis
appointment in this state that the report to
the President OF Herbert Knox Smith. COM
missioner of corporations. on the Standa- I'd
Oil Company did not cover wider scope.
For what profiteth the people Of the coun-
try" paraphrased one man here today, Ito
reveal that Standard Oil was built up on
railroad discrimination and rebates. when
Standard Oil is at this very time covering
the country with railroad systems of its
own
1t Is probable that in no other state are
the operations of the Standard OIL Com
pany more widely diversified or better I'M
derstood than in Montana. Here that COM
pany is engu ged in mining, NUMBERING gen.
eral merchandising. railroading and so on.
through its various branches and subord.-
nate companies.
And here it is they say that to stop rail-
road reDdtlng TO the giant octopus at this
time, without also driving 1t out OF the
field OF railroad ownership. will be simply
water on the Standards wheels.
Rushing Work on Vast System.
Never before in the history of the coun-
try. and probably never before in the world,
has there been such another example of
expedition in railroad construction as that
being unfolded before the astonished
eyes OF the ives: by the Standard Oil
people.
So remarkable is the progress being made
that 1t is likely that within three years
from the time the railroad rate bill went
into effect the Standard OIL crowd will be
IN possession of a complete transcontinental
system. running from ocean to ocean, and
through its sida lines and collateral sys-
TENS VIII have access to the cream of the
eii-consuming portions of the United
States.
The Chicago. Milwaukee and st. Paul
railroad is declared here TO be the nucleus.
or central germ. OF the Standards railroad
operations. This system as everybody
knows, grdirons the best portions of the
central west being especially strong in
northern illinois, Wisconsin northern
Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and South Da-
kota.
A new line is being pushed across to the
Pacific. following the general course OF
the Northern Pacific and running for
many hundred miles within sight OF the
trains OF the latter road Grading for the
road is being hurried all along the route
Riding across the continent on the Northern
Pacific, the traveller sees continuous line
of camps. from which the Standard OF
grading crews are working in both direc-
tions. and so rapidly is the task being con-
summated that II is predicted with conf.
oence that by January l the roads crack
train the Pioneer limited, Will be running
INTO this city. Early in 1909 the road prom
tie
VIII Change Its Policy on Rebates.
But the octopus could hardly have made
such strides in building the road If 1t were
not Tor It's manifold interests, all capable
OF doing anything. being called upon.
Thus. In some portions Of tho west tbe
Standard Oil crowd is the leading sawmi,l
and lumber operator. and SO its mills wero
ordered to furnish the ties and bridge finn
bers and other wood material needed ~
bridge timbers for all the line. from its
eastern end TO Butte. have been provided
and as the mills have been compelled to fur.
nish I'VE cars of ties Cay for the last yea,
or more. II is likely that there will be nc
shortage In this material, either, when the
laying of rails begins.
As for .he rails, the steel trust has beer
laying by a supply :or so long that 1t 1,