The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-26
RAILROAD SYSTEMS
RENEW OLD STRIFE
Hill and Hartman Lines
Again at War After Ten
Years of Peace.
Special 70 The Tribune.

Special 20 The Tribune
OMAHA Sept. 25.-Tho old rivalry be-
tween the Hi and Hartman railroad
systems between the Missouri river and
the Pacific coast has broken out airesh.
and Harriman's Southern Pacific has
dealt Ellis Burlington line a staggering
blow by cutting the latter line OF from,
all San Francisco and California traffic
Conditions are such that neither the in
terstate commerce commission nor the
federal courts can interfere in the 1gh,
and from appearances the rival lines VIII
be permitted 10 settle the AFFAIR In their
own WAY. And this time the fignt Is
being waged on the rails, not In the stock
market the entire trans Mississippi
country is the battlefield instead OF the
streets.
Despite the fact that this is the most
titanic struggle the western railroad
world has known for tweuty-fvc years.
PUBLIC is scarcely aware that the big
rirals are no longer standing together
and working harmoniously as they have
done In the past decade. The cause OF
s2.oO on each ticket sold by the eastern
hnes 10 the Pacific coast. but the effect
produced Is tremendous. And still great
er effects are promised by the generals
In command Of the campaign.
Inc situation is complicated by the
fact that Hill. In the figh', has the as
sistance OF the big Rock Island railroad
which is in position similar TO the Bur
lnston. while the Western Pacific. the
new Gould road 10 the Pacific. Is aiding
the Southern Pacific. The Union Pacific,
main trunk OF the Hartman system. is.
In the present fracas. only locker on
and bystander. and Is taking no part
In the struggle. However. the latter
road Is reaping golden harvest while
me other lines scrap among them
selves.
In fact. because Of the big fight. Union
Pacific today is the only railroad oper-
ating through trains between Chicago and
st. Louis and San Francisco which tra-
verse the central portion Of the country.
The trouble began brc wing year ago
when the interstate commerce commits
sion ordered the Southern Pacific and
den TO the Pacific coast from $50 To S25.
but did not order A reduction OF the
through fare from Missouri river point s
to the coast. AZ that time and for ten
years previous thereto. through cars haG
been operated over the Burlington and
Rock Island lines as far rs Denver.
thence over the Rio Grande 10 Ogden
where they were turned over To the
coast. Al that time the roads east and
west OF ogden simply cut the rate In
two parts each taking an equal portion.
When the interstate commerce commits
sion's new rate was ordered. the Southern
Pacific demanded that the eastern lines
continue to accept the same proportion
as formerly accepted. but both the Bur
lington and Rock Island lines refused and
demanded higher percentage Of the
cost OF the ticket.
For almost twelve months the traffic
officials Of the different systems involved
have been seeking an adjustment but
last week n crisis was reached and the
Southern Pacific notified both the Bur
linetop and Rock Island systems that the
cars formerly operated over those ronds
would no longer be accepted by them,
and that in future all this traffic would
he handed over to the Union Pacific,
which had made no demands for an In
creased percentage OF the receipts.
Accordingly, both the Burlington and
Rock Island have been forced TO dlscon-
tinuc all through cars 10 California via
Denver and salt Lake, and tho great
traffic once enjoyed by these roads tx
now being hauled by the Union Pacinc