Show SPREADING OUT HAVE OBTAINED CONTROL OF THE READING RAILROAD new york april 4 the times says control of the reading railroad has been acquired by the Vander bilts not only is the vast mileage with the extraordinary tra coal land holdings of the reading company taken over by the but two other important railroads are incidentally absorbed the lehigh valley and the erie systems are to be merged into the reading and the reading with these acquisitions becomes the property of the vander bilts this assures the settlement of anthracite th coal troubles the unification ot anthracite coal mining and transportation por tation interests on this account alone the deal has tremendous consequences quen ces in it however are other and even greater elements by this transaction practically every disturbing factor is removed from the anthracite situation not only are competitive corporations po rations drought into harmony but financial interests recently antagonistic dangerously close to open war tare arc harmonized william K vanderbilt himself has directed this absorption deal in some very high financial circles the theory prevails that his purpose has been to acquire the reading lehigh and erie in combination tor the purpose of directly annexing them to the new york central mr vanderbilt does not have immediately to turn over to the new york central all of the properties acquired by the interests he represents but what can DO relied upon is that in the new big comprehensive system of eastern railroads which mr vanderbilt mr cassat and mr morgan are planning is the certainty mat the lesser roads the non dividend paying properties are to be brought directly into contact with and helped by relations with the new york central and the pennsylvania and thus it can be counted upon as sure that in acquiring the reading and through it absorbing the erie and lehigh valley mr vanderbilt has kept well in view what will be beneficial to the higher and stronger properties through reorganization reading and erie and through opinions lehigh valley have been virtually under the direction of J P morgan what in wall street is counted of importance is that wm K vanderbilt and J P morgan are expected to meet in london today or tomorrow tor a personal business conference mr morgan did not sail for europe until every detail of anis reading deal was completed mr vanderbilt bad given him carte blanche |