San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-30

International-G Great Northern il
acquired by the Gulf Coast
System. will be but subordinate line
or feeder to the Gulf Coast System
which. with its present northern con-
nection, would be the long indirect
route from the Texas border to Mem
phis and st. Louis.
Would Destroy Passenger Service.
The International-Great Northern
was originally constructed for the
purpose of forming and maintaining
in connection with the Texas X Pa
cific and the st. Louis, Iron Noun
tain & Southern Railways, a contin-
uous, uninterrupted line of railroad
from the city of st. Louis TO the cities
Of LOngview, Palestine, Houston and
Laredo, in competition with other
southwestern lines of railroad, and
the acquisition of this line by the Gulf
Coast System would interrupt and dis
turb the purpose and use for which
the International-Great Northern and
its present connection were con-
structed.
One of the best. through, passenger
trains between st. Louis and the
Mexican border is the Sunshine Spc-
cial," which is operated by the Inter
national Great Northern and its con-
nections over this short line from
Texas points to st. Louis, and, il the
line is acquired by the Gulf Coast
System, this good passenger service
between gulf ports and other south
western territory and the city of st.
Louis, and the through freight service
now obtaining upon those lines of
road, would be destroyed, in violation
of Paragraph 4, Section 3 Of the Inter
state Commerce Act.
FavOrs Combined Fight.
1t is the duty of the State Commits
sion and the Interstate Commerce
Commission to preserve, and not de-
stroy, existing routes and channels of
trade and commerce, and, il the Inter
national-Great Northern is acquired
by the Gulf Coast System, and the
business naturally tributary TO this
road and its other connections is d.
verted to the Gulf Coast Line and its
present northern connections. it would
be in direct contravention Of Section
of the Interstate Commerce Act, as
the International-Great Northern and
its connections from San Antonio to
st. Louis are 100 miles shorter. and
over 200 miles shorter from the city
Of Houston TO the city of st. Louis,
than the traffic. freight and passenger
would be moving over the Gulf Coast
Line and its connections.
view Of maintaining. and not de-
stroying, this short. through route and
existing channel of trade. that the In
terstnte Commerce Commission in its
grouping of railroads. in pursuance to
the recommendation Of DR.. Ripley, the
expert appointed by the Commission
in the matter of the consolidation of
the railway properties of the United
States into a limited number OF sys-
tens. recommended the grouping of
the International Great Northern with
its present connections.
So. ] say. as the Austin States
man. has already said editorially,
when 10 serve the public's interests
| the consolidation OF the International
Greet Northern with its present con-
nections has been recommended by the
Interstate Commerce Commission. and
in view Of the fact that the PROMISED
consolidation with the Gulf Coast
line would be in violation Of the set
tied legislative policy and organic law
Of our state. every civic organization
of this city, and all the cities tribu