The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-20
INVESTIGATION WILL COMMENCE Att0rney-General Wickersham to Probe New Haven
 Grand Trunk Deal
MAY INVOKE SHERMAN LAW
Contention of Road is That Agreement Does Not
 Legally Exist

Washington Nov. 2o-Vigorous in- vestigation by the federal government of the reported traffic arrangement5 between the Grand Trunk railway of Canada and the New York, New Ha- ven & Hartford railroad. which New England State officials fear will de- stroy railway competition in that sec dion, has been promised by Attorney General Wickersham to representatives of the Governors of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
 Members of the Massachusetts rail- road commission and the Rhode Is- land utilities comInission, speaking for the Governors of those States, appeal ed to President Taft yesterday for federal intervention under the Sher- legged deal and prevent any possible monopoization of the railroad fac1li- ties of New England. It was alleged that the Grand Trunk has apandoned it's proposed extensions in southern New England in consideration or trackage privileges from the New Ha- ven. President Taft turned over the delegation to Attorney General Wick ershan1, who, bonabarded by numerous protests from New England, already had instituted an inquiry to ascertain
 Jesse C. Adkins, assistant attorney general; who has immediate charge of the governments fnvestigation. a1- tended the conference. Much valuable 
 said to have been laid before the at- torney general by the New Ensiand- CTS. The details were not made pub lfc officials declaring that the Suptecf was still in the status Of invest1g1- ton and it would be improper to make any statement before eIi1 the facts nad been aScertafned.
 situation entirely from the standpoint of the Sherman law If move is made by the government t vii pc c&za f1rfo nd state commerce act. It has not yet been decided whether the government would institute criminal pros ecution or a civil suit seeking ln1unct1ons against the reported agreement.
 Tha New England officisls will con- fer further with the department Of jus tice officials today. The oeaega4uo16 s4 o6 and George w. Bishop of the MAssa- chusetts Railroad Commission, ana Chairman William C. Bliss. Samuel E. Hudson and Robert F. Rodman Of the Rhode Island utilities commission
 It is. understood that Attorney Gen eral, Wickershaha has asked the New York. New Haven & Hartford Rail road Co. for details of the negotiations relating to the proposed traffic agree ment with the Grand Trunk. This IS atep of the attorney general, prelimin- ary. to determining whether to bring suit under the Sherman act to prevent the agreement
 F Should the suit be brought it will be the second job of Attorney General WicFersham against the New Haven under the federal statutes, the first being that of some years ago to pre- vent the New Hayen.s control of the Boston & Maine. The latter suit was withdrawn after the Massachusetts Legislature had aSsented to New FIa- ven control through, the Boston Hold ing Co.
 The contention of the New Haven Company as against any successful suit is that the proposed Grand Trunk agreement does not in fact exist 1s- galIy, as it has not been signed by the two contracting parties. that the com teTnplated agreement, even if carried through would enlarge railroad facili- ties and traffic in New England in stead of restricting them, and that the question of stoppage of work on the Southern New England is one entirely in the hands of the Grand Trunk Com pany, and has not been referred to in the proposed agreement.
 It is ascertained here that the nego- tiations of the two companies are prac- tically suspended, pending action of the federal government in the mat 4