New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-03
Northwest Sees
Advantages in
R. R. Uni6cation
Government Operation Realizes
Some of James ]. Hills
Visions

Especial Correspondence OF The T,lbune)
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 12.--If the late
James J. Hill or the late Edward II.
Hartman, whose ideas always ran
ahead Of the times by at least a decade.
could come back on earth to-day and
visit the Northwest states they would
be very much surprised. They would
find a most remarkable condition. In
North Dakota, South Dakota or Mon
tana to-day one may see on sidetracks
or in trains of moving cars rolling
stock OF the Mobile & Ohio, Boston &
Maine, Pennsylvania, Eric, Baltimore &
ONO, Southern Railway, Atlantic Coast
Line and other roads that are far re-
moved from this part of the country.
This is the result of the car inter
change plan that is now operating I'M
der government direction.
Both Mr.. Hill and Mr.. Hartman had
big ideas about how best to handle the
ever increasing business Of the coun-
try. Mr.. Hartman was a combiner,
one who took many small things and
made them into one large, efficient
thing. He was always running up
against the government and the Sher-
man law, and many of his big plans, no
doubt, never were worked out because
Of these restrictions. Mr.. Hill In his
later years talked forcefully and many
times about the need for larger termi-
e,otn kA&A
nous congestion Of freight at the At
lantic seaboard shortly after the United
States entered the war was an illustra-
ton Of what Mr.. Hill had said would
come about eventually in the normal
course of the increasing business, al
though the war brought it about not
by gradual increase, but with jump.
Big Grain Crop
What would these men say to-day
to find in operation a plan by which
shipper anywhere may load any kind
Of freight into any empty car that is
available and send it anywhere?
Tho grain crop of the four North
west entertainments, North Dakota,
South Dakota and Montana-is big
one. Moreover Ii is a high priced
crop. There has been some slight
delay in getting it on the market, be-
cause heavy rains swept over these
states when the farmers were just
ready to thresh, but later fine weather
started 1t moving.
Shippers in this part Of the country,
whether they are men who load grain
st the country stations, or city mer-
chants and manufacturers whose bust
,ess often was badly affected by car
shortages, are delighted over the
present condition. 1t looks from the
way the thing has started as if the
grain crop is going to be handled in
manner satisfactory to everybody.
This will mean a huge inflow Of money
for 81 wheat on the farm and 81 fax
seed, and all other farm produce at
high prices.
The Political Aspect
The fact that Mr.. McAdoo's name
appears on every pay check that is
handed out to every railroad en-
ploye in the Northwest Gas presum-
ably everywhere in the country does
not especially interest the shipper
Nor does the fact that when Mr.. Nc
Adoo went through Minneapolis and
st. Paul recently he got out Of his
private car in the terminals and shook
hands with the switchmen. brakemen,
yardmen, roundhousemen, conductors,
engineers. hremen and sectionmen
that were anywhere about, called them
his boys" and said he never could
run the railroads without their help
Whatever may be the political aspect
of the situation, looking ahead to the
next Presidential election, it is a cold,
hard fact that the business of the
Northwest is being handled by the