New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-08
NEW HAVEN GETS LINE?
pROVIDENCE BOTTLED UP.
Purchase of Merchants and Miners
announced at Boston.
lBy Telegraph to The Tribune

By Telegraph The Tribunel
Providence. March Through the acquisition
- ,be control OF the Merchants and Miners
TRANSFORMATION Company, announcement of
hitch was made to-day. the New York, New
ryaven & Hartford Railroad Company completes
che link in its chain Of wharf properties in this
citv which enables it to shut out practically all
competition from this port by the direct own
srsbp or control Of all remaining deep water
wharfage.
The pier Of the Merchants and Miners Com
many which operates steamship lines 10 Nor
folk and Baltimore, completes a string of
,rlarves on the east side Of the Providence
River extending for more than half mile in
nearly a semi-circle those on either side being
already in the railroad company's control With
us string Of wharves and its steam ana cleo
iric lines running down both sides OF the river
and Narragansett Bay, the New Haven road
has practically bottled up the port of Providence.
Only two lines of steamers are run ostensibly
in competition, and report has long coupled New
Haven management with the affairs Of the JOY
and Enterprise Steamship companies. An I'M
verified report here to-day says that the road
has also absorbed the Old Dominion Line which
runs from New York TO Virginia ports
Boston March The New York New Haven
& Hartford Railroad has acquired control of the
Merchants and Miners Transportation Company.
which operates lines of steamers between At
lantic coast points from Boston to Savannah.
cording a statement made to-day by Mayor
John r. Fitzgerald Of Boston. Mayor Fitzgerald
said that this information came out at the con-
ference held here yesterday between the Mayor
and Charles S Melen. president Of the New
York, New Haven q Hartford Railroad Com
pany. concerning the transaction said to be pend
ing between the New Haven road and Charles
@E,. Of sF,a
Sound lines controlled by the railroad.
The Merchants and Miners company has
feet of eighteen steamers plying between Balti-
more, Newport News, Norfolk and Providence
Another line runs 10 Boston, while a third runs
from Baltimore and Savannah 10 Philadelphia
The steamship company is capitalized at
100000. Of which 100000 in stock has been
issued II has 100000 bonds outstanding. The
company is a close corporation with head offices
in Baltimore. It is one Of the oldest steamship
lines on the coast having been incorporated in
1852.
Details Of the situation could not be obtained
in this city to-day inquiries at the New Haven
roads Office being referred TO New Haven AMI
at the transportation company's place of bust
ness. 10 Baltimore. II is understood, however
that the railroad prompted in acquiring
control OF the steamship lines by the consider
alton that in case il should wish 10 accept
good offer for its Sound lines, it would be in
position to offer competition for Sound traffic.
New Haven. March president Neen of the
New York New Haven & Hartford Railroad is
away and will return 10 his offices until
next week. and in his absence the purchase OF
the Merchants and Miners Transportation Com
pany cannot be confirmed. 1t is known. however.
that President Mellen recently outlined as the
policy Of his company the acquisition OF a con-
Guiding possibly lire 10 Baltimore. in addition
10 the Windsor Line. which has already been
definitely acquired. This has been not merely
in pursuance Of a policy which he has hereto
fore outlined Of protecting Boston terminal
~ his railroad system, but also the breaking
up OF the Morse plan Of securing complete con-
troll OF the coastwise steamship traffic. As
sketched in broader features the large plan
Of President AIelIen looks to control coast steam
ship lines connected with direct routes 10 the
West as a partial protection. at least. for his
railroad system IN obtaining its share OF through
rates When President Mellen acquired the
Ontario &, Western road about two years ago
The same motive Of protecting the rates Of his
system was made public. the New Haven road
being at the time il was alleged, threatened
by the trunk line corporations.
An interest closely identified with the New
Haven management denied Boston dispatch
quoting President Mellen declaring that the
New Haven would sell the New England Navi-
cation Company TO the Morse interests. He
said:
Unlike many steamship corporations the NaYi-
CATION company is integral part Of the New
Haven. and the railroad companys board has
gone on record unequivOcally opposed TO any
sale Of the Navigation company. Thus the ques-
ton Of what action the next Congress may take
tending toward the segregation Of railroad and
steamship lines does not enter into the affair
II was announced that the New York. New
Haven & Hartford paid S3O0000O in Provi-
dence Terminal Company per cent bonds for
the stock Of the Boston and Philadelphia Steam
shin Cornpanv. which the New Haven took over
few weeks ago.