The Wabash in Canada

Over a year ago arrangements were made between the Grand Trunk & Wabash Ry. Co.'s by which the latter used the former's tracks for passenger service between Windsor & Niagara Falls, by way of Glencoe Jct., Komoka, London, Woodstock, Paris, Hamilton & St. Catharines. Under a new arrangement which went into effect Mar. 1, the Wabash has secured facilities for a passenger & freight service from Windsor to Buffalo & Suspension Bridge, as explained in the following circular issued Feb. 23, signed by General Manager Hays, of the G.T., & Vice President & General Manager Ramsey, of the Wabash:

To all Officers, Agents & Employes of Southern Division: The G.T.R. having leased the Wabash Ry. Co. trackage rights over that portion of the G.T. extending from Windsor, Ont. to Black Rock Station (Buffalo), N.Y., via Glencoe Jct., St. Thomas, Welland Jct., & Ft. Erie, also from Welland, via Allanburg Jct., to Suspension Bridge, N.T., that line will hereafter be used jointly by the two companies, & will be designated as the Southern Division. Effective Mar. 1, 1898, G. C. Jones is appointed Joint Superintendent of the Southern Division, with headquarters at St. Thomas, Ont. He will have the appointment of, & full control over, all subordinate officers, agents and employes of the Southern Division, & of the operation, maintenance & care of the joint section, & will have control of all trainmen, enginemen & other employes of both the G.T. & the Wabash, while engaged in the handling of trains, cars, or engines thereon. Officers, agents & employes of the Southern Division will be governed by the G.T. for the guidance & conduct of its own employes, & such other special rules as may from time to time be issued by the Joint Superintendent. The Joint Superintendent, operators, despatchers, agents & all others employed upon the repairs & maintenance, & in the operation of the Southern Division, are in the joint employ of the G.T. & Wabash Co.'s, & shall render to each Co. such services as they may be called upon to render within the scope of their position or employment, & shall be subject to dismissal if they decline, neglect or refuse to render such assistance or service to either Co. as such employes are usually called upon to render.

The freight traffic under the new arrangement has already commenced, but the Wabash passenger trains are still running via London & Hamilton, & probably will for two or three months, until the track east of Glencoe Jct. is improved so as to fit it for fast service.

The expense of maintenance & operation of the Southern Division will be borne jointly be the 2 roads, each of which will use it on an independent basis, in so far as the securing of business is concerned. Each will have its freight & passenger agents in the field, as though they were rival roads side by side. The usual amount will be paid by the Wabash road for the use of the tracks, based on the number of cars hauled & the amount of traffic carried. Stories that earnings are to be pooled by the 2 roads are denied by Messrs. Hays & Ramsey.

The Wabash also has the right to use the Erie belt line from the International Bridge at Fort Erie, around the city to the local freight houses, yards & tracks of the Wabash in Buffalo. The Wabash also has full rights in the use of this property equally with the Grand Trunk, & with the Erie from Suspension Bridge to Buffalo. It can take passenger, freight, mail or express traffic, local or through. Interchanges with G.T. lines are to made at Black Rock, Suspension Bridge & Buffalo, instead of at Detroit. Canada transit freight will be in bond. The Wabash has an equal & joint right with the G.T. in the use of the 2 ferry transfer boats between Windsor & Detroit.

By this arrangement the Wabash parallels the Michigan Central from Windsor to Buffalo & Suspension Bridge. Its mileage is 226.6 miles from Detroit to Suspension Bridge, as against 227.4 via Michigan Central , & 230 via the G.T., by way of London & Hamilton. From Chicago to Buffalo it has a much shorter line than either the Michigan Central or the Lake Shore, the mileage of the direct lines being as follows: Wabash, via Fort Erie, 512; Michigan Central, via Fort Erie, 520; Nickel Plate, 523; Wabash, via Niagara Falls & Suspension Bridge, 523; Michigan Central, via Suspension Bridge & Niagara Falls, 535; Lake Shore, 540; Grand Trunk, via Suspension Bridge 541. From St. Louis to Buffalo the Wabash mileage, via Fort Erie, is 722; Wabash via Toledo & Lake Shore, 722; Big Four 731. The Wabash short line from Kansas City, via Hannibal & Decatur, to Buffalo is 949 miles, while the shortest line from Kansas City, via Chicago, is 981, & the shortest line, via St. Louis & the Big Four, is 1,008.

A prominent railway man in Detroit, speaking of the deal, said: It is certainly a profitable one for the G.T., which has 3 lines between Detroit & the Niagara River, & it certainly cannot make them all pay. My Hays' plan to induce the Wabash to take one was wise, & if he can dispose of the other in a similar manner he will do a great thing for his road. It is all right for the Wabash, too, for it can now get the long-looked-for outlet from the West & at the same time greatly assist the G.T. by turning freight over to it.

An official of the Wabash, said in an interview: "There will be a great change in the passenger arrangements between Chicago & Buffalo before long. The branch from Glencoe east has not been used very much lately, but it will now be greatly improved, & miles of old track will be replaced with 80-lb. rails. After the road is fully repaired there will be an opportunity for good time between Chicago & Buffalo, and even New York. Our line will be the shortest from Chicago to Buffalo, & as the Erie road is making better time than the Empire State Express, between New York & Buffalo, it will be possible to make a connection with that road that will clip a slice from the time now made between New York, Buffalo, Detroit & Chicago.

Mr. Jones, who up to the date his appointment as above, was Asst. Supt. Of the Middle Division of the G.T. London, is a former Wabash man. He took with him from London Chief Despatcher Wm. Armstrong to be Chief Despatcher of the new division, also despatchers A. B. Munson, G. Clarke & F. Arnum. S S. Russell, Secretary to Superintendent Fitzhugh, of the Middle Division, has gone as Mr. Jones' chief clerk. H. Ferguson, General Roadmaster of the Middle Division at London, & who also acts as General Roadmaster of the Southern Division, has appointed R. Bagnall Roadmaster between Windsor & St. Thomas, with office at Chatham; & W. G. Smith, Roadmaster between St. Thomas & Niagara Falls, & Welland Jct. & Black Rock, with office at St. Thomas.

G. R. Layher is appointed Local Freight Agent of the Wabash at Buffalo. He was formerly connected with that line at St. Louis, & for the past year has been agent for the G.T.R. at Buffalo & Black Rock.

T. J. Costello is appointed Trainmaster of the Wabash's Buffalo Division, office at Buffalo.

It is said the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg, Ontario Despatch, Lehigh & Wabash & Hoosac Tunnel freight lines will operate with the Wabash over the Southern Division. The Wabash will now send over the G.T. all freight that was hitherto turned over to the Nickel Plate, Lake Shore, B. & O. & M.C.R. Ten Wabash engines & 9 cabooses with the necessary tools were brought from Detroit to Windsor on Feb. 26, for the new line; the duty on them amounted to nearly $13,000.

The G.T.R. has been ferrying an average of 250 cars a day between Detroit & Windsor, & it is expected the 2 ferry boats will now have to carry a many or more for the Wabash.

Railways: G.T.Ry., Wab.Rd.

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