Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-04-14
ABSORBING A RAILROAD.
TIL. e., NJ. & st. + Takes In short Line
In Northern Iilln"is and Has to Fight
Chicago Timcs, March sI.

forit.
Chicago Tines, March 81.
A small sized railroad war has broken
out. 1t not, as most railroad wars have
been, tight for freight, or for apy other
Kind OF traffic. but sort Of hand .to-hanil
engagement, the possession Of O short
line OF railway being involved in the
struggle. It was the topic of talk IN the
railroad Offices on yesterday.
~, AZ u o'clock on yesterday forenoon the
Chicago, Milwaukee aud St, Paul com.
pany took possession, under an operative
contract, Of tho Chicago, Rockford and
Northern railroad, which runs from Rock.
ford southwark twenty-four miles to RI.
chelle. The operative contract vas madA
with the directors of the Chicago. Rock.
ford and Northern, and covers n ner;nd
oftwo years. The st. Paul company. r
appears, has quietly bought OF tic sfocl
and bonds of the Rockford road. nnl now
owns niDe-tenths Of the former and n ma.
lority Of the latter. The Chicago and
Iowa railroad company subscribed S5l-
OOO ts the stock of the Chicago, Rockford
and Northern, but the subscription il en-.
Joined by two courts for invalidity. on
the ground that the company had no au.
thorlty to take the subscription, and. he.
sides. has never paid anything on It. The
remainder OF the stock is $4,000. of
which amount $45.0OO is now owned by
the Chicago. Milwaukee and ST, Pani
company. Hitherto, the Chicago and
Iowa company, by virtue of this stock.
has controlled the board OF directors. and
has operated the road. part of the time
with, and part Of the time without, a re-
ceiver, since 1875; but it is claimed that
the company has never accounted to the
Chicago, Rockford and Northern for the
earnings Of the property. The Chicago
and Iowa lost control OF the board at tho
election in March, 1880. Prior to that
time Judge Drummond had appointed a
receiver for the road in suit OF Campbell
against the company, which was brought
Tor the foreclosure Of the second mort
gage bonds. This bill, as has been chron-
lcied III the Times, was dismissed on
tuesday, and the receiver discharged.
January last. the trustees of the first
mortgage bondholders filed their bill for
foreclosure in tho Wlnnebago county
circuit court, and, on Feb. l2, the court
appointed @. q. Jones receiver. After
the discharge Of Glover, who had been
appointed by Judge Drummond, the
board of directors put the road into the
possession Of the Chicago, Milv aukee
and st. Paul company, which. under the
conditions of the operative contract, is
to account to the receiver, Mr.. Jones, for
oil 1.-THE net earnings Of the road not less
than $4,000 per year. This arrangement
was consummated on Tuesday, afte the
discharged of the receiver.
When the Chicago, Milwaukee and st,
Paul company ran its engines and cars
upon the Chicago, Rockford and North.
ern tracks, yesterday, w. H. Holcomb,
the receiver appointed in the interest OF
tho Chicago and Iowa company, was
discovered occupying war-like
attitude at Davis Junction, which is the
point of intersection of the two roads
It was reported that the Holcomb party
was preparing to resist the movement ol
trains at that point, and that large force
of men had been concentrated there fol
the purpose. Mr.. Atkins, division super
intendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul, with force Of employees
had possession of the road, Offices, and
freight depots at Rockford, and be had
orders to run his train TO Rockford last
night via tho Chicago and Pacific division
and the Rockford and Northern. Hol
comb, it was supposed, was endeavorint
to force his way across the Chicago ant
Pacific Mt Davis junction.
This affair eliminated in an assault
upon the railroad depot hy the forces o
the Milwaukee company and its capture
For two or three days the Rockford mol
held possession of the depot with th
doors barricaded and . force benin,
them. Bridges were being destroys
and track torn up. Manager Merrill
stood this as long us railroad potential
could be expected to stand anything
Then he whispered few words in til
ear of John Mcdonald, Of Sioux City
who is on the detective force OF the Mil
waukee company. John boarded til
train for Chicago, where hundred an
forty men were awaiting him. This fore
proceeded by special train to Rockfor
and the next day the depot was stormei
the doors chopped down, the crow
within driven out and the depot take
possession of in the name of the Chics
go, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroa