The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-28
PLAN PROPOSED
TO CONSOLIDATE
ALL U. S. ROADS
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Offers Grouping Scheme.
Puts Railways of Nation Into
Nineteen Great Systems.
Topeka GETS IN FOUR GROUPS
Proposals Provided for in
transportation Act.
Long Preliminary Discussion Of
Plan Is Expected.
Topeka GETS IN FOUR GROUPS


Washington, Sept 2S.-The inter-
state commerce commission today an
nounced tentative plans for consoli-
dating all the major railroads of the
United States into nineteen great sys-
TENS and gave notice that hearings
will be called upon it in the near
future.
The step was taken under provisions
of the ira ransportatiOn act which allows
the consolidation, If voluntary with
the railroad concerned. The proposals
now put forward by the commission
follow in the main a plan prepared
under its direction by Prof. w. u.
Ripley, of Harvard
Retain Competitive Plan.
The commiss' 'on's proposed nineteen
systems as outlined today provide for
retention of the competitive arrange
ment of transportation lines, giving
most sections of the country access to
two or more of the great routes de-
vised
The principle followed in making up
the consultations was that of hitch
ing weaker and less profitable roads
TO more prosperous competitors or con-
nections at the same time maintaining
the identity very largely of existing
great railroads
In some cases branch lines of exist-
ing roads are suggested for divorce
from present owners and attachment
10 other systems with re-arrangement
of terminal facilities. It is expected
the plan with alternative arrange
ments which the commission has sug-
gested, particularly with reference to
New England, will be under considera-
tion and argument for a prolonged
period since permission of the COM
mission and consent of the railroads is
required to every detail before it can
be put into operation.
The voluntary consolidation plan
was adopted by congress- as a possi-
BILE means of facilitating the operation
of the American traIs sportation system
under rate regulation. on the theory
that rates allowed by the interstate
commerce commission were being
found sufficient to give adequate earn
ings to strong lines while weaker
roads in the same territory could not
show sufficient earnings to continue
operations.
Provide Nineteen Systems.
The commission found that for the
purpose of the tentative plan that the
western railway properties may be
consolidated under the statute into
the following systems:
System No. u. Union Pacific-North-
western-Union Pacific; st. Joseph *
Grand Island; Oregon Short Lne: Oregon
Washington railroad & Navigation COM
pany. Los Angeles & Salt Lake; Chicago
* northwestern; Chicago, St Paul, Mime
Fpolis q Omaha; Lake Superior * Ishpem-
inl Wabash lines west of the Missouri
syst No Il, Burlington Northern Pa
Northern Pacific; Chicago Great Western ;
Minneapolis x st Louis; Spokane, Port
system No. Is, Milwaukee Great North
ern-Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul: Great
Northern; Chicagov Terre Haute & South
I'm a 1rnn rlITfl
Missabe and Northern; Greenbay & West
crn spokane Portland Il Seattle; Butte.
system No. Is. Santa Fe-Atchison. To-
peka X Santa Fe, Gulf, Colorado * Santa
Fe; Colorado & southern; Fort Worth &
ern Pacific Railway; Northwestern Pa
ciflc; Nevada Northern.
System No. II, Southern Pacific-Rock
Jsland-Southern Pacific company; Nevada
Northern; Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 4;
Chicago, Rock Island * Gulf; Arizona &
New Mexico: FL Paso e Southwestern San
Antonio * Aransas Pass; Trinity d Brazos
Valley; Nieksburg' Shreveport & Pacific !;
Chicago, Peoria " st. Louis.
System No. Is, Frisco Katy Cotton Belt
st Louis & San Francisco; St Louis
Southwestern; Louisiana Railway & Navi-
CATION company; Chicago q Alton; Mis-
souri,. Kansas x Texas; Trinity & Brazos
Valley; san Antonio, Uvalde x Gulf
system No. 10 Chicago-AfissOuri Pacific
chicago 4 Eastern Illinois: Missouri
Pacific; Kansas City southern; Kansas
city, Mexico and Orient; Kansas, Okla
* Western: Louisiana & Arkansas Gulf
Coast Lines International & Great North
ern
The Ripley plan would give Topeka
four railroads, the same number that
it has now. but the systems would be
more extensive. The Santa Fe would
have two lines to the Pacific coast
its present line and the Denver & Rio
Grande and Western Pacific lines.
1t also would have the Colorado
Southern. The Union Pacific system
would include the Wabash to the east
and the Chicago Northwestern to the
west The Rock Island system would
be hooked up with the Southern Pa
cific. and the Missouri Pacific sys-
tenn with the Chicago & Eastern Illi-
nois for an eastern connection. The
proposed plan is not for traffic ar
rangement merely. but a real consoIi-
dation, incorporating the several lines
Of a system into a single company.
A recent plan, proposed by John e
Oldham, a Boston banker. put the
Frisco into the Santa Fe system. and
threw the Rock Island and Missouri
Pacific together. Oldham and Ripley
are in agreement so far as the Union
Pacific system is concerned. Pro-
fessor Ripley is no kin to the late E.
p. Ripley of the Santa Fe. altho
President Ripley believed in the
theory of consolidation, and thought
1t would come in time
The Chamber of Commerce Of the