The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-22
STANDARD OIL To
CROSS THE NATION
Railroad Plan to Build Trunk
Line from Newport
News.
WILL REACH The PACIFIC
Ready in Two Years, It Is Said,
as Great Monopoly's
Bludgcon.
WILL REACH THE PACIFIC
Especial to The Times Dispatch.l


WASHINGTON, D. c.. juno 21.-The
Times tonight prints the following:
Two years hence the nrst true trans
continental railroad system will be
opened across the United States. II
Will extend from the Atlantic tide
water, at Newport News, Va, to Seattle
md Portland, by way of Chicago. Every
mile Of 1t will be controlled by the
Standard OH interest, and from the day
II opens 1t Will be the most potent
transportation influence on the contI-
nent.
OIL alonopoly'n New Weapon.
1t will give the oil monopoly a new
handle by which to control railroad
relations. 1t Will enable the Standard
group not only to make oil rates ia
vorable to their own interests. but
also will place In their hands power
over railroad rates In general, which
In connection with their dominating
interests In other railroad systems, will
make the Rockefeller cotcrlc as abso-
lutely dominant in the railroad hnan-
,cial quarters as they now are in the
oil. industry.
The new system will be composed of
the following roads. which Will &C
cording to statements recently made
In Washington on Gne highest author
ity. soon be welded together into a
transcont!nental system:
Links OF the Chain.
The Virginian Railway Commonly
known as the Tidewater and Deep
water), from Newport News. Va. into
West Virginia, and soon to be connect
cd with the Ohio River
The Detroit, Toledo and Ironton, ex-
tending from Ironton. Ohio. on the
Ohio River, north and west across
Ohio and Michigan.
The Chicago, Milwaukee and st.
Paul. from Chicago and Milwaukee
west to the Pacific coast.
Every road in the group is under
Rockefeller control to-day There is
one gap to be filled from Toledo or
Detroit to Chicago; and it is said, on
the authority Of recent declaration
of Henry II. Rogers, that this gap
Will shortly be filled by the purchase
OF minor line that will be added to
the system
From Ocean to Ocean.
The system. when completed. will
have q main line mileage of about 1900
miles from ocean to ocean. It Will be,
next to the Siberian Railroad tho
longest continuous main line system
in the world under single manage
mcnt. 1t will be assured from the
very outset. by reason Of Its affiliations
with immense business interests, all
the freight 1t can possibly handle.
Announcement may be made at any
time OF the assumption OF control by
the Rogers interests of the Detroit,
Toledo and Ironton. This road con-
trolls the Ann Arbor Railway. run
ming from Detroit to Toledo, north
west across the southern peninsula of
Michigan. The entire system of the
Detroit. 1ronton and Southern runs
from 1ronton. Ohio, on the Ohio River,
At the southcrnmost point of Ohio.
northward across Ohio, through
Springfield. Lima, Toledo, Detroit, Ann
Arbor, Durand, Alma, Cadillac, to
Frankfort Mich, on Lake Michigan.
The total mileage of the system is
about 725 miles.
From Lakes to Tidcwutcr.
This valuable piece of road has prac-
tically passed under the control OF the
Rogers group. whieh for several years
has been quietly constructing the Tide
water and DeepWater road across Vir-
Yinia and into tho richest coal fields
of West Virginia. The latter road is
now near the point of completion,
where connection can be made with
The Detroit, IOleQO ana 1TOHtON,r una
Il will not surprise insiders to have
the announcement made at any date
that the two are under ono mana Sc
mont, and that through service from
Detroit and Toledo. on the Lakes, to
iidewnter at Newport News is to be
established.
Henry II. Rogers number of years
ago became owner of about 100000
acres of coal lands in West Virginia
He increased his holdings, and inter-
ested other people, until his grour
possessed an immense tonnage Of un'
developed coal. Then Rogers took VI
che business Of building his own rail-.
road to tidewater In order to markel
this coal, and also because he saw
that there was certain always to he
big tonnage for a road through thf
region. From the first tho Chesapeakc
and Ohio and the Baltimore and ONO
fought him. but he has steadily worked
ahead. until his road H. now near the
point of completion from his mines e
the Atlantic coast. lie has invested
92O.000,000 In II, and has never issued
Q dollars Worth Of bonds, though Y
Ia announced q bond issue will SCOT
be made.
Merely nm AftcrthouEht.
Tho idea of q railroad to the Great