The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-04
ROCK ISLAND RY,
PLANS BIG THINGS
SEEKS CONTROL OF WABASH
AND LEHIGH VALLEY ROADS
FOREIGN CAPITAL IN DEAL.

New York, Aug. 3.--In the event o
the Rock Island railway interests get
ting control of the Wabash & lie
3 high Valley roads, as is now consid
cred probable in Wall street and by
many railway authorities, new
transcontinental factor will be built
up and undoubtedly will give other
such routes much troublesome compe
tition. especially if the spirit of indie,
pendence heretofore shown by tne
Rock Island traffic matters is to be
maintained.
1t is now believed that the trans
action is likely to be accomplished
through the aid Of English and Cana.
dian capitalists that have recently be.
/ come identified with the Rock island
system, and who have been working
out their plans for several months.
At present it is understood that
the Rock Island itself is not moving
i'm the matter but that the Rock
Island crowd Daniel G. Reid and W.
II. Moore. together with the English
capitalists are handling the deal, but
no one here doubts the eventual turn
ing over of the property to the pres
ent system in the event of pur-
chase
Mr. Reid and W II. Moore early in
the year signifed their strong posi-
tion in the Lehigh Valley by becomlns
directors
While the statement repeatedly has
been made of late that the combiua-
tion depends upon the sort of a re.
port made by engineers who have
been ENGAGED in making a physical
examination of the Lehigh Valley and
the Wabash. information received
some time ago from a source enltleL
to the highest credibility, when there
was so much activity in the Lehigh
Valley stock, was the basis of the an.
nouncement that an English broker
had quietly visited this country and
securely sewed up the deal for the
PearSons and their associates to cor
raj both the Valley and the Gould
road, and silently departed.
The only evidence then that some.
thing was being done that concerned
the Lehigh Valley was the movement
in its stock, but efforts to learn the
identity Of the interest were of no
avail
In all probability, it is said, the
situation at that time justified the
declaration of those directly connect
ed with the management of the Lee
high that they had no knowledge of
pending change of ownership and
knew nothing more about the matter
than was being assumed by interest
ed observers Of the movement of the
stock. Since that time II. H. Howard, .
maintenance of way engineer of the
Chicago & Eastern Illinois. one Of
the former Rock Island properties,
faS been in Fort Wayne, Ind, making
a careful inventory of the Wabash
shops at that place. The object of
the inventory was said to be prelim-
mary to negotiations for the sale of
the road to the Rock Island interests
Mr.. Howard also was expected to
make similar inventory of the Wa
bash shops at Toledo, Montpelier and
Tilton.
With the deal finally consummated
in all its details. one of the greatest
systems in the country will have been
and there will be a tend.
ency to economic by abolishing agen- I
ries. There will be no necessity in s
the expense entailed in the mainten.
lnCe OF separate organizations. 9
The new system will equal that Of {
he New York Central lines. the Penn. t
,ylyania. the Grand Trunk or the Can !
ldian Pacific. 1t viii reach from the r
\tlantic to Denver. and from ST. Paul a
md Minneapolis to Galveston on the L
,ulf of Mexico practically all the larg- {
~ commercial centers between New {
FORK and the west '
The Rock Island owns and oper. {
ties S.02S miles of road and has been
living its eastbound business to the {
AXE Shore at Chicago; the Wabash f
as 2,157 miles of line and Inter o
hanges traffic with several eastern c
nd western lines: the I.ehigh Valley
as 1893 miles. {