The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-11-18
Railroads
Battle for
Big Merger
Representatives of Four Lines
Before Commission Seeking
to Fulfill Hills Empire
Dream Of Consolidation.
I.C. c. Plan Unfavorable
by GEORGE Y. AUTIilER
Washington Correspondent Tbs Omabs Bss

WhsHiHGfOu soffrsVohbrht ih7 VWs"H Dsss
Washington. Nov 17.--tspecial
Telegram. -Representailvcs ~ the
railroads which serve the northwest,
are battling before the Interstate Com.
merce commission 20 bring about un.
der the transportation act, the dream
OF consolidation entertained by the
empire builder. James J. Hi, under
the name OF the Northern Securities
company. Representatives " tho
Great Northern, the Northern Pa
cIfic, the Burlington and the Colo
rndO & Southern railroads appeared
before the commission today and an
nounced their desire 20 consolidate.
At the same time they denounced the
tentative plans adopted by the com
mission for divorclDg the Great North
ern and the Colorado h Southern
from the Burlington. The commits
sion's plan, followed the one sug-
gest by Prof Ripley of Harvard. pro-
poses 10 assign the Burlington 20 the
Chicago, Milwaukee Il ~. Paul and
the Colorado Il Southern 70 the
Santa Fe.
Hale Holden. president of the Bur
llngton, was the chief witness before
the commission today and is the pres
ontday advocate Of the policy Of con.
solldstion which James J. Hill nj.
tempted In earlier days. Mr.. Holden's
argument for the consolidation of these
Ia Ia. MI he aI "a
~ Mr.. Hill, when he was living, al
hough the empirc-builders position
Ses based on visions of the future,
which Mr.. Holden says are now real
zed.
Would Include Omaha.
The objection OF President Holden
10 the Commerce. commissions tenta-
tive plan 10 that tho commission
scheme liz based upon the assumption
that the general trend Of commerce is
EAST and west. According to the
Burlington president, the commerce
between north and south is develop
ing IN large proportions, az forcscen
BY MIR. Hill. He criticised the com
missions plan ON the ground. also,
that 1t based traffic on Chicago, tend.
ing. to destroy the gateways Of traf-
tic at Kansas City 1T. Louis and
Omaha.
The commissions plan In consoli-
dating tho roads is TO preserve, 40 Tar
IL possible, existing competitive Lines.
President Holden claimed the Bur-
lington and the Northwestern lines
are not competitive with the ~. Paul,
The 500 line. the Northwestern and
the Union Pacific systems.
Invested In Illinois.
The Burlington, Mr.. Holden said,
had invested largely in southern I'LL
nois in order to establish a low grade
road for the transportation Of coal TO
tho Twin Cities and points beyond,
while II had extended It's lines from
Billings, Mont, through the center
Of Wyoming to handle the growing in-
terchange of commerce and passen.
gers furnished by the Great Northern
and Northern Pacific at that point.
The Colorado & Southern line from
Nendover, Wyo., to Denver IL now
part Of the Burlington system be-
tween Denver and the northwest.
President Holden said that the turn
ing Of this line over 10 the Santa re
would not only destroy this through
line. but destroy the important north
and south route between Galveston
and other Texas points, Denver and
the great northwest. which the Bur
llueton. with the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific, have been inter
ested In building UP by the owner
ship Of the Colorado 4 Southern.
Ignore Traffic Trend.
Commenting upon tho development
II the north and south traffic when
had been the dream Of MIR. Hlll Pres
.dent Holden said the commerce com
missions tentative plan gave too 1T
lie attention to the great north and
,ou,a lanes OF traffic, lie said this
rond OF traffic had commenced IN
The east with the development OF the
Potomac gateway. lie added that IN
.efchange between the eastern lines
and lines IN the southwest, moving
sest to points like Cincinnati snd
igher Ohio river crossings, 10 ST.
louis, Kansas city and Omaha. open
Il up new world 81 freight trans
sarlatlcu. lie predicted that with
he increase IN population In the
western territory the Denver gate
say would increase In importance as
he center ~ another large flow ~
,erth snd south traffic whereby he
markets. for the products ~ the nof'h'
Aest principally lumber, would ~
resss Throughout the central aud
aalthw estern states snd the volume
4 t,siis. vegetables aud ether pro'i
i5is frou the south would ineFsass ln
sslams IN ths opposite direction lnso
- northwest