Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-09-17

The Oregon Short Line, the
Union Pacific and South
@rn Pacific Are Virtually
One Read.

The Oregon Short Line. the Union
Pacific. the Southern Pacific and the
Oregon Washington Railway Z Navl-
cation company will hereafter operate
on the unit system. as the result Of the
recent trip OF Judge Robert 8. Lovetts
chairman Of the executive committee Of
the Hartman lines, over the Harri-
man system In Idaho and other states.
While in Idaho but two weeks ago
Judge LOvett not only carefully In
spccted the operating system Of the
Short Line but all OF its tributary feed
ers and was satisfied over the showing
made.
This unit system, by which each rail-
road Of the four mentioned now oper-
ates over every inch of its own mile-
age, was established as an experiment
last spring by the Hartman lines, and
their successful maintenance affords
grounds for the Hartman system to
disclaim any. merger agreement in the
event that tho pending appeal before
the United States supreme court in the
governments efforts to declare the
Union and Southern Pacific a combina-
ton in restraint Of trade. should result
in reversal OF, the circuit court OF APP
peals Judgment, which was in favor Of
the transportation system.
Territorial Basis Abolished.
The inspection Of the working of the
new operating units Of the four roads
was the main object Of Judge Lovett's
western trip. A year ago-up to few
days before the circuit court Of appeals
decision in the antitrust action was
four railroads were OPP
Grating on territorial basis, estab-
lished by the late Edward II. Hartman.
At that time the Short Line extended
from Huntington to Ogden and Salt
Lake. thence to Butte. The Southern
Pacific's territory from Sparks, New, to
Ogden was being operated by the Short
Line, as was the Union Pacific's mile-
age between Green River Wyo.. and
ogden. The Oregon Washington Rail-
road & Navigation company was oper-
ating the Southern Pacifics territory
from Ashland to Portland. AS result
the Southern Pacific system extended
north only as far as Ashland and east
as far as Sparks.
Decision IL ForestalIsd.
The governments suit to have the
CtuOu uSiuS anu SooutuCiH dSiiS W.
clarcd railroad trust on the ground
that the combination operated parallel
lines greatly to competitors disadvan-
tage. was then pending. and to forestall
n possible decision disadvantageous to
the lines Lovett organized a new unit
system by which the Southern Pacific
rcgained its Sparks Ogden and ASH
land Portland territory and the Union
vD<.., A. IA. ~ A-vu
thus depriving the Oregon Short Line
of considerable operating mileage. but
restoring to the company its individual
trackage. The step was taken primar-
lily with the intention of proving to the
government that the agreement be-
tween the four lines was purely one Ct
convenience and In no manner consti-
tuted merger. Then came the circuit
courts decision declaring the lines were
not merged. The government appealed.
but to be on the safe side Lovett de-
sired the new unit system Of operating
to be permanent.
| For that reason he came out here the
first part OF the week and received re-
ports from President Farrell Of the Ore
gon lines. President Mohler of the
Union Pacific, and President Sprouie OF
the Southern Pacific. They all favored
the new system. Should the appeal now
before the supreme court be against
the railroad and be sent back for an
other trial. the Hartman lines will Of
fer as new evidence tending to disprove
the alleged merger. the fact that the
roads are now operating their own
mileage. This fact, too. the Hartman
system intends to offer as proof that