The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-09-02
FIGHT FIR MAIL
SUPREMACY
HILL AND HARTMAN LINES IN
MIGHTY STRUGGLE FOR
FEDERAL CONTRACT.
TO Be ALLOTTED BEFpRE WINTER
Milwaukee Seeks 100000 Plum for
chicago-seattle Mail Delvery-G.
N. Train Would Split Records
Mill City Only Sop.

Minneapolis, Mimi. - Starting de-
velopments in the gigantic sSuggle
for supremacy being waged between
the powerful Hartman and Hilhrail-
road interests may give MINNEAPOLIS
another through train to the cost,
a mail train operated by the Grat
Northern road. which will leave tie
present Oriental Limited" far in TIN
rear.
Twelve million dollars Is at stake
and Great Northern officials are said
to be lying awake nights in anxious
anticipation of the postmaster gener-
ais authorization.
Three mail cars and two express
cars, will constitute the outfit, which
is destined to break all records for
quick service between Chicago and
Seattle. 1t will leave the Windy City
at 1920 D. m, arrive in Minneapolis
at s:15 the next morning. pick up
car of Twin City mail and rush out
again, arriving at Seattle before noon
the third day This will be a cut
of eight hours in the present sche-
dule.
No passengers will be carried. No
stops will be made, except in Mime
apols and to refill water tanks en-
route. St Paul is passed by, as are
North Dakota and Montana points.
Milwaukee Enters Field.
Harriman's Milwaukee road is the
primary cause of all the uproar and
disturbance. The Milwaukee at pres
ent carries all Eastern mail from Chi
cago to the Twin Cities. It's annual
receipts from this source alone
amount to s1,OOO,00o in round figures
The Great Northern heretofore has
always carried this Eastern mail on
from Minneapolis to Seattle. Its re-
ceipts from the same source have
been about 100000 annually. The
Milwaukee has just completed its line
from the Twin Cities to the coast and
is bidder for the through service
from Chicago to the coast.
But there is another reason for all
the haste and excitement in transpor-
tation, say railroad officials. This rea-
son grows out Of the fact that mail
weighing on the Western contract sec.
ton begins next February. Follow
ing four-month investigation the
government will make contract for
four years, covering through mail
from Minneapolis to Seattle. At
| 1000, 900 a year the contract will fig
ure up to the total Of $S,0o0,00O.
Would Break Harriman's Grip.
AS the Milwaukee carries all fast
mail from Chicago to the Twin Cities
| it gets 81 900 900 toll for fast service.
But that is not the primary object Of
new Great Northern flyer. To get the
whole prize is the question uppermost
in the minds of Hills lieutenants. w.
| s.. Baskerville, general mail agent for
| the Great Northern, believes they can
land the melon. At any rate there is
| 81, 00O, 900 in it. The next two or three
weeks will tell the story, for official
authorization is expected from Wash
| ington almost any time.
| If the. Great Northern wins. 1t will
be another hard blow to the Hartman
road which has been the connecting
| link between the Eastern states and
the Pacific Northwest
The mail weighing feature has i'm
portant Significance TO the success of
the entire scheme. The United States
is divided into four contract sections.
Minnesota is in the third The fourth
| includes all states west of the line run
along Minnesota's western border to
the gulf Mail is weighed and con-
tracted for in one section each year.
Thus il gets around the string once
every four years. The fourth district
is next in line.
Competition This Year Unexpected.
The Great Northern. 1t is said, had
not expected serious. competition from
| the Milwaukee this year. Harriman's
| line TO Tacoma was completed only a
few days ago. The roadbed Is still
very uneven. say railroad engineers,
and with winter coming, the Great
Northern is said not to have enter
tanned any thoughts Of losing its
| $2.000.000 plum. The real struggle
| with the Milwaukee was expected four
years from February when the cycle
/ comes around again.
But another factor entered into the
fight at this juncture. 1t is said that
| leakage" from the Chicago offices of
the Milwaukee conveyed the startling
intelligence that Hartman had card
| up his sleeve.