Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-12
PEACEFUL TRADE CONQUEST
Such is View Of Hartman Gould Rail.
road Alliance.
MUTUAL BENEFIT MAIN ELEMENT
Gould in Need OF Help Finds Ready
Response in old Enemy, who
PROFITS by the Com
s~oIidRtion.

Etu0entS Oh the EdllIOhu hdp
country maintain they do not see an at
tempt nj consolidation in the recent advent
Of e. II. Hartman into the Gould coun-
ellis. but rather an alliance of the huge
systems whereby warfare between the
two will be stopped. a great expense cut
off and a division Of the territory ami
cably arranged.
For some time these two giants In the
railroad world have not been on the most
friendly terms and when George Gould
started to build his Western Pacific from
Salt Lake to the Pacific coast Hartman
threw every possible obstacle In his way.
Hartman wanted a transcontinental line
from coast to coast and he did not want
any interference in his plans. Sfe secured
this and there Is no doubt the Gould
interests suffered considerably when Har-
riman secured a foothold in the east
When Gould returned from Europe 1t was
evident he had not secured the aid he had
expected and was open for negotiations
which were not slow in materializing.
While the hard times were on 1t was
almost impossible for the magnates to
raise the money for the resumption OF
work in the west or any part of the coun-
try for that matter. The fact that the
builders of these new western roads were
at swords points did not help any in put
ting confidence of the people In the lines.
Now with the word gone forth that peace
once more reigns in the railroad centers
IL is hoped by the magnates the people
will loosen up and buy some of the rail-
roads stocks and bonds which are offered
for sale. The Union Pacific recently is
sued $50, 900, 900 in bonds and the Denver
and Rio Grande $3.50, 600, 600.
Denver Has Ambitions.
The building Of the Mnffaft line is eve
pected by the Denver people to make that
city the center of the new Gould-Harri-
man combination. Construction work on
this line has now reached a point which
threatens to make that line an important
factor in transcontinental business. AS
soon as 1t is built a short distance fur
ther both the Union Pacific and the Dem
yer & Rio Grande may be connected with
It by short spurs in such a way as would
save the big lines a haul Of several hum
dred miles. The completion Of this line,
the Denver papers claim, would put Den
yer on a tra-nscontinental line from Omaha
to San Francisco.
When the Western Pacific, a Gould line,
is completed between Salt Lake City and
San Francisco the Rio Grande will become
an important link in the Gould transcon-
t%inental system of railroads and anything
"AN' N1D NO"h NAO iiAiAta6S WIN bt Va
inestiInable value. The Western Pacific
is scheduled to be completed In about ten
months with the lowest gradient of any
of the western roads, which, with its few
curves and snow sheds will make 1t a most
formidable competitor OF the Hartman
lines. In view of these things Denver
is looking for great things because of the
Harriman-Gould merger. II both the Union
Pacific and the Gould lines decide thew
want the Moffatt road 1t is likely they can
arrange to use the line at least and thus
shorten their running distance.
New Competitor of Hill.
Another keen competition will soon be
inaugurated In the northwest, for the new
Milwaukee line is nearing completion to
combat for the Pacific northwest business
with the Hill lines. the Northern Pacific
and the Great Northern.
Present estimate are that the new Mil
waukee extension, which is expected tc
be completed about the first of the year
will cost about $77,0OO,OOO. This Is about
100000 more than the original estimate
though sufficient funds are said to be In
sight for the completion of the road. Tho
extension is 1850 miles long and runs from,
the former terminus of the Milwaukee ir
South Dakota to Seattle on the Pacific
coast. The work was started about tive
years ago and when completed the road
will be one OF the most important additions
to modern railroads. 1t will open up new
and rich countries and will also furnish
competition OF the Hin lines. which hav,
I had practically their own way on tn,
business through the northern tier o.
I states.