The Bozeman courier., 1926-11-26

The most important railroad merger
in the western half Of the United States
embracing the "Hin rOads"-the Great
Northern, Northern Pacific and Chicago
Burlington Quincy-whOse combined
capital is more than I,5OO, 900 600, is
underway, according to the New York
Herald-TribUne.
Arthur Curtiss James, director Of the
| Great Northern and the largest individual
holder of railroad securities in the country.
/ indicated this in dispatches which were re-
ceived in the New York financial district
He was quoted as saying that the eventual
extension of the Northwest lines in Cali
fOrnia was James J. Hills dream, and that
! the great railroad builders vision gener-
ally came true.
$4,000 Miles of Road
! The three carriers total more than
$4,000 miles Of lines which tap one Of the
richest sections Of the United States, and
Mr.: James in his announcement has veri-
ned reports current for some time that
plans for consolidating these important
railroads were receiving the attention of
some Of the best railroad minds
In St Paul, where he went to attend
the recent meeting of the Great Northern
board Of directors, Mr.. James, replying to
the question whether or not his recent
purchase of large holdings in the Western
| Pacific indicated that through merger the
Burlington would eventually run into San
Francisco, made the following reply to a
representative Of Dow, Jones & Co:
THE Burlington has been using the
Denver & Rio Grande and the Western
Pacific for years to make connections with
San Francisco. There is no need for any
more extension in that direction. But
look to see eventually the extension of the
James J. Hills dream when he built the
Great Northern, and his visions generally
come true"
James Calls Merger Logical
MIR. James was quoted as expressing the
opinion that 1t is only a question of time
until the two northern roads and the Bur
lington will be merged. and saying such
J a merger is "the most logical thing to do
since it will leave the Northwest with two
great tranS-cOntinental systems-the con-
solidated Northerns and the st. Paul"
In spite of his assertion that further
extension in the direction of San francisco
is unnecessary at this time, the fact that
Mr.. James owns the working control" OF
the Western Pacific, in addition to being
one Of the heaviest stockholders in the
Northern Pacific, Great Northern anC
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, is con
sidered, and the possibility of an ultimate
consolidation OF all Of those lines is mo-
passed by without reluctance by students
Of the various plans which have been pu
forward for the unificatiOn of the trans
pOrtatiOn lines of the country.
Greatest System in the Making
In referring to the entrance into Cali
fOrnia Of the northwest roads, the Grea
Northern aud Northern Pacific, Mr.. jane
may have been referring to the use o
lines which have been built by the South
terested, and which the interstate com
merce commission authorized with the pro
visO that a subsidiary of the two northern
lines should have the right to send traffi
over them.
From the viewpoint of mileage alone, tn
consolidation of these three impOrtan
railroads will make for the largest systeI
in the country. The Burlington operate
more than $500 miles, the Northern Pacifi
about the same, and the Great NOrther
about $500 miles, although this cover
with few exceptions only the main line
and does not embrace the spurs, sidingS
second and other tracks which are part G
every great railroad. Should the Wester
Pacific finally be included in the unifica
tiOn plan of the managers Of these prop
critics, the total would be increased b
more than 1000 miles.
That Mr.. James is convihs ID Of th
future of the northwest IS shown n tn
n following quotation:
NJ Northwest Prosperous
~ 1.-THE northwest is the most ettractiv
~ section Of the United States tOcey. T's e
g. sources are unbOunded, and raA 81
= nothing but prosperity ahead 30 tot
Z, railroads and business. Conditions CT y
>; dustry and agriculture are becOluAlE s1al
:. ilized. I have faith in the nOrthyfeeS e.
=; Ibelieve in it."
i0 The corporate history of the three gre,
y railroads which eventually are to be 5One
y, together goes back, in the case OF Il
ss Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, to 1S4
- when it was called the Aurora BranC
sn railroad. In 1852 the name Of the road wi
VI changed to the Chicago & Aurora, and Il
a nresent name was adOpted in 1855. IL
80 Great Northern had its beginning In 1S'