The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-30
RAILROAD NEWS.
Ripley Denies Story of Santa Fee
Pennsylvania Alliance.
Says Combination Would BE
Disastrous to Both Roads.
ALL ROADS.
Santa Fe Could Receive Ship
ments From One Road Only.
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad World.

1t is rumored again that the Penn
sylvania railroad is attempting to take
over the Santa Fe. An alliance of these
lines would create a gigantic system.
extending from the Atlantic to the Pa
cifc and embracing 1000 miles of
trackage.
The statement that the Pennsylvania,
one of the greatest systems of the east,
is endeavoring to purchase the Santa
Fe. one of the greatest systems Of the
west, appeared first in San Francisco,
the Call publishing the reported pro-
gress of the former line in quietly Sc
curing stock of the latter. Within the
past day or two, reports of confirma-
ton and denials have come from varl-
Gus parts of the continent.
President E P. Ripley, of the Santa
Fe, has previously outlined his attitude
towards a merger. In October of 1908
he clearly and forcibly placed himself
on record against the forming of this
very alliance. Conditions, it is admit
ted, have not altered sufficiently since
that time to change his views. There
was then one coast-to-coaSt system,
the Hartman Lines, and another. the
Gould system, was in the midst of es-
tablishing its last link, the Western
Pacific, into San Francisco. In brief
Mr. Ripley believes that such an al
lance would be disastrous to both the
Santa Fe and the Pennsylvania.
In the Santa F,e Employees Magazine
President Ripley stated his, The
Future of the Atchison.' in which
he replies to the suggestion of
Franklin H. Spearman, whose article,
1.-The Atchison,' appearing first in
1904. published by Scribners', was
reproduced in the Santa Fe EN-
ployes' Magazine of September, 1908.
In part Mr.. Ripley, commenting on
this article. wrote:
THE other suggestion made by Mr.
Spearman-the purchase Of the Atch-
ison by the Pennsylvania-must also,
believe, fail of ever being realized
Should the Pennsylvania, or any other
New York-Chicago line, ever acquire
control of the Santa Fe, it would mean
that line and the Santa Fe against all
other railroads. Instead of receiving
freight and passenger business from
every eastern line as it is now doing,
the Santa Fe would receive at Chicago
business from but one road, for the
competitors of that road would take
great deal of pleasure in turning over
to the competitors of the Santa Fe all
the business possible, and likewise the
competitors of the Santa Fe who now
turn over business to all Chicago-NeW
York lines would see to it that the any
of the Santa Fe in the east received
only such business as could not be
turned over to some other roads. Ihere
would be such a rapid falling off of the
business received from connections as
to make a combination with a New
York Chicago line altogether undes1r-
able under existing conditions. L nave
little fear that the future of the Atch-
ison lies in a combination with any
other western road, in its absorbing by
an eastern company or in its DONNA
ton by any single interest"
The Calls story appeared Wednesday
morning. In part it is as follows
1.-The Pennsylvania railroad is head
ed for the Pacific coast The great
system that laces the eastern states
has San Francisco as it's objective. 1t
is preparing to make its way to Cali
fornia through the agency of the Santa
Fe. The plan is said to contemplate as
its ultimate end the union of the two
big lines For the present the Penn
syIvania has begun the purchase OF
Santa Fe stock on an extensive scale
1t proposes to dominate the affairs Of
the western road and thus acquire
through trackage from ocean to ocean.
This is the information that has