The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-04-03

49, ~ 0Voks0' Uo1!ovoo tnem. 1no Gto0n w.
tie ccmpiaint Of the rusty hinges Of the cellar
think that was satisfactorily explained; but the
dasA Of Butteraee into my arms was occasioned
by Hiss fanny, who very oleverly contrived to
fall over Joseph, and olutching Ut the great dsh
- save herself from falling sent it swinging
through the darkness right in the direction Of
nyself.
lhave been east and west many long mile
sirse then, and in many q far distant country
and have seen many sight, not only Of wonder,
bat at horror, too / have faced perils by land,
and perils by water, but can safely say that
none ever gave me such an awful turn az the
terrible apparition Of Butterflies Ghost
A Great stock-Jobbins Operation.
On the 18th Of February meeting of the Ad.
ans, American, and United States Express Com.
panies was appointed 10 be held in New York,
to consummate contract which has been made for
redistribution q territory. This became de-
sirable owing to the absorption by the American
Of the Merchants Union Company. The terms
OF this agreement had all been previously
arranged, and the signatures were all that we're
needed 10 complete it.
. aAs soon ~ it became known that the companies
had come 10 an agreement which virtually ended
competition and wiped out the Merchants Union,
which vas considered superfuous, express stocks
advanced largely, Adams going up from 4S to Il,
and United States from 40 to sc. As the csm.
pauies we're known to be in condition to resume
dividends, believed that still higher prices
vsuh Be reached, and heavy purchases were
msde for rise. ~ .
The 17th Of February came, and the appointed
meeting was held in New York, but one Of the
parties was absent under pretext of other engage
menta
The consequence was postponement Of the
meeting. Up to this issue the Erie clique had
not appparod on the surfsoa; but, a. it has since
been ascertained, they, with leading expressmen
Who have always been understood to be on terms
OF the closest business intimacy with them, were
large sellers Of express stocks. Three days be.
fore the meeting above referred to, when it was
supposed there was nothing to prevent the con-
summation OF the contract, and when the stocks
were "beoming," the inside cliques were unload
irg upon those who were not in the streets.
Upon the postponemept of the meeting the 70.
port was circulated Of ''trouble." This broke
Adams from II to 65, and United States from 81
toss.
AZ this point the Erie clique showed .hsms.lve.
onthe ground. The first step was nm order for
the United States to quit, accompanied by an
announcement that the Erie Company, ON and
after March l, would run the express over IT'D
up with an institution known in our city as the
Erie transportation Company, which had
ohsrtsr from the State Of Kentucky, under which
an express company could be rum The members
OF this company weee made to believe that they
were to step into the boots OF the United States
Express Company and Great Western Dispstch,
and ats officers were ordered to New York to
Gloss up the arrangement. At the same time an
,agent was dispatched from New York to Gin
ctnnah with circular, printed, probably on the
same press that ground out Erie Convertible
bonds.Y The circular reads about as follows: I
|lti a,sgss u .lssxtae9sr New YORK, Feb. 20. 4
g On and after March the Erie r. r. Go. viii
ran an express over its lines, in place of the u.
g. Express Co. Railroad agents will, until fur
thor orders, act for this express ]. GoULD.
This circular looked fshy. As Mr. Wade in.
nocsntly said Of the action OF the Senate. in re-
gard 70 counting the electoral vote OF Georgia,
IL might be said it was official il it made no diff.
ference, or it might be said it was not official ii
that made any difference. It did not look like
an official document; but il was carefully dis.
tributed, The agent arrived here, and proceed.
ed to look up quarters he proposed to rent the
building formerly occupied by the Merchants
Union Despatch but he was careful to make nc
offer he merely asked questions .dsap IS s,oa
But allathis looked like business Adams Elk.
press declined to IS, and United States TO Sea
|'big fAll Here was q large profit for the inside
cliques, who sold short at prices 20 per cent
above these figures. Now the ''shorts" began Il
''oover. = + The LIST Of March drew near. II fell
on, Monday On Saturday dispatches were re.
aseived, saying that the Erie Company had post.
poned their xPress one week to enable the Uni.
ted States Company time to gather up its clothes
and walk. ssS' SOS Ri'# s'aNte9 90 'i73lla 4
II now began to be strongly suspected that the
whole movement was q conspiracy, such "a are
common in New York stock circles, to make q
speculation, and the stocks began to advance
Tbs parties who were previously large sellers
were now heavy buyers. United States advanced
to $40. and Adams to 62ls.c. "hf 'io' sa3 4
On Saturday the cheat illuminated. Dispatch
% were received announcing that the United
States Express Company had closed twenty
year contract with the Erie Company, which
gave it not only the express business but also
the entire through freight business ON the lines
POI the company. f'elRaa 81 f'ass1 tsi.
Thus ended this great movement in express
stocks It was well planned and speedily exeou.
ted. The cliqucs made several millions by the
operation, and now they are ready for another
II might b. supposed that the Erie Transport.
stion Company, which the Eric clique used for
their purpose, had been left out in the cold, but
It's stOckholders have, we are informed, been
cared for in the United States Express Co.
Some ppople might suppose that there was a
swindle some where in this movement !" but then
IL 10 up TO- the New York standard of morals
and, having proved great success, 1t will add
new glory TO the fame Of the men who planned
and carried it out It will improve their credit
i An ha0k- alsvexo thar In aoCinl N{pNloa AID