New-York tribune., 1921-09-29
Commerce Commission
Purposes TO Bolster Up
Weak Roads by Joining
Them to Stronger Ones
Ripley Report Is
Basis of Scheme
Competitive Features To
Be Retained if Owners
Agree TO Consolidation

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S.-A tenta-
Hive plan for consolidation of all major
American railroads into nineteen great
competing systems was announced to-
day by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission.
The proposed combination, author
he'd under the transportation act, is
designed to remove weaknesses in the
national railroad system shown by the
operation of the rate making power Of
the Commission, and to effect readjust-
ment Of terminal and other subsidiary
facilities with resultant economy in
operation and delivery of shipments.
Weak lines which have shown their
Inability to Give" under rate schedules
profitable to stronger roads, would, un-
der the plan, be attached to systems
more advantageously situated, but it
was announced that in every case the
effort was made to maintain the iden-
hty Of existing strong systems.
Hearings will be called for the pur-
pose of discussing the proposed con-
solidations. Since, under the law, no
plan can be adopted which has not been
given the approval OF the individual
lines affected as we'll as that of the
commission, it was expected that dis
eassion would be prolonged and that
notifications from the plan made pub
lie to-day would be suggested.
Without Prejudgment
"We have sought to minimize dis
nemberment OF existing lines and sys-
TENS" the Commissi. ms announcement
said
"This tentative plan is put forward
in order to elicit full record upon
which the plan ultimately adopted can
rest, and without prejudgment."
AZ announced to-day the proposed
sarsolidarions are:
No. New York Central, including
Tue Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago &
St Louis; Mohongahela; Boston &
Maine; Bangor & Aroostook, and
others.
No. Pennsylvania, including Toledo
Peoria & Western; Long Island; Mo-
nofgahela as an alternative to the in
elusion of that road in the New York
Central system, and others.
No. 3-Baltimore & Ohio; Reading;
New York, New Haven g. Hartford; f;
Lehigh & Hudson, and others.
No. 4 - Chicago & Erie; Delaware
Lackawanna & Western; Bessemer &
Lake Erie; Wabash lines east OF the
Missouri, and others
No. 8 Lehigh Valley: New York,
Chicago & st. Louis; Pittsburgh &
West Virginia, and others.
No. 6-Pere Marquette, Ann Arbor
sand others
New England Plans
No. p New York. New Haven &
Hartford; Boston & Maine; Bangor &
Aroostook, Lehigh & Hudson River, all
cf these being alternatively to be
taken into other systems.
The commission here proposed a
variation indicated as System No. IA,
Or New England-Great Lakes con-
solidation, which would include the
loads given in No. Z, the Delaware e.
Hudson; the Delaware, Lackawarna &
Western; the Buffalo, Rochester &
pittsburgh, and others.
No. 8-Chesapeake & Ohio; Hooking
Valley, and Virginian
No. 9-Norfolk 4 Western; Toledo
Ohio Central, and others.
No. 10 - Southern; New Orleans
Great Northern, and Alabama & Vicks-
burg.
NO. 11-Atlantic Coast Line, Norfolk
Southern, Florida, East Coast, Missis-
sipi Central, Carolina, Clinchfield &
ohio Louisville & Nashville and
others.
No. 12-Illinois Central, seaboard
az Line, Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio,
aEernatively, and others.
80. l3--Union Pacific lines, Chicago
northwestern, Wabash lines west of
she Missouri, and others.
Other Consultations
! No. 14-Chicago, Burlington &
quincy, Northern Pacific, Spokane
PORTLAND & Seattle and others.
No. 1b---Chicago, Milwaukee G. St.
saul, Great Northern and others.
No. I6--Atchison, Topeka & Santa
e, Colorado & Southern, Denver &
! e!hers,
No. 17--Southern Pacific Company,
Snlcago, Rock Island & Pacific, Ell Paso
Southwestern, Vicksburg, Shreveport
epacifc and others.
no. l8--St. Louis g. San Francisco, St.
SSeuis Southwestern, Chicago & Alton,
assouri, Kansas g. Texas, San An
0nso, Uvalde & Gulf and others.
u.No. 19--Chicago & Eastern Illinois,
sGlssouri Pacific; Texas g. Pacific, Gulf
esast Lines and others.
me commission noted that Canadian
snAroad subsidiaries, such as the Min
~spoiis, st. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie
Md the Cantra! Verrnonf had heen
SNminated from its consolidation and
aat water carriers, where controlled
railroads concerned, were included.
Follows Ripley Report
in the main, this plan follows the
e OF onsolidations worked out an
ss the direction of the Interstate COM
tce Commission by Professor Will
am q. Ripley, of Harvard College, but
sse sne changes were made and alterna-
IVES proposed.
ths ssrofessor Ripley's report, issued with
commission plan. suggested that
ss'., ~ con solidations, il decided upon,
ws s.a ne brought about without sale of
sssssospse.rtles, through the exchange of
NV; nsss;Ilsies between the corporations
CHIcAGo, Sept. 2s.-Railroad presi
- ssnss here declined to-day to comment
n;.ae me Interstate Commerce Com
aasion's proposed combination of the
ss3or railroads lines into nineteen
assms assems until they hare had time to
Mdy the plan further.
6Sersnsss ssst writing papers are WHITING
1 - @sts.---AdvA.