New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-16
4 TALK WITH MR.. Vanderbilt
HIS INTENTIONS REGARDING ROCK IsLAND-A 40

| HIS INTENTIONS REGARDING ROCK IsLAND--A N0N-
sENsICAL REPORT ABOUT WEST SHORE.
Mr. Vanderbilt when asked yesterday In refer
ence to the action of Mr.. Kennedy concerning the
Rock Island books said e. The first knew of the
matter was when read the account this morning.
No, Mr.. Kennedy is not acting for me. have not
seen him for month. But approve of his action,
and | will not say that would not have done the
same thing myself. In fact, intend to have list
of the stockholders Of the Rock Island road. IL
can't get it any other way III advertise in the
newspapers. To secure their proxies for the annual
meetingf No, not necessarily. Yes I want to talk
with them. There are some things they ought TO
know. Now. Pm the largest individual stockholder
in the company. l have IL. 900 shares and think
Pm entitled to know something of what's going on.
I've got some letters over there pointing to his
desk in the cOrner The stockholders had better look
around and find out what is being done in the coal and
lumber trade They had better get some informa-
ton as to who's interested in the coal and other
branches of business along the Rock Island road.
/ don't know myself but Pm going to try and find
ont. The directors do not represent the majority
interest of the stockholders. have nothing against
Mr. Cable personally. don't know him. But
do object to road being run IN the
interest of Wall Street. They've no right to go
around the country running down railway property.
Omaha road was taken away from them-well, some,
parties know who were short and who were long
of the stock.
II see another report in morning paper that
am trying to get control or have got control OF the
| West Shore road. That's nonsense / don't want
| IL. We've got good deal better road running
| right through the State. 1 have not bought any
West Shore bonds and don't intend to at the pres
! ent prices. I'm not philanthropist and the
sooner that's understood the better But nothing
that said is personal have nothing at all against
| General Winslow. don't know him. Those who
do say they like him. But I've said from the start
that there was no demand for the road, and think
| 1t will come out Just as / said-and you mind It
you mind it. | talked the same way about the
Nickel PlateS No, l never said anything of the
kind. The purchase of the Nickel Plate was due TO
combination OF circumstances and was effected so
quickly that hardly knew Of it before it was over.
competitiong Don't the Erie and the Lacka-
wanna and the other roads make competition
enough. 1t makes me laugh to hear all this talk
about competition These fellows that cry anti
monopoly are the very ones that take all they can
get.
How can confidence in American securities be
restored in Londoni There's plenty of confidence.
Englishmen don't invest in home securities. They
send their money over here. There are forty-two
millions of stock held there. No, they don't all
a story worth two of that. After sold my big
block of Central was In London one day and man
said to me: Here, Mr. Vanderbilt why don't you
hold your stock upf bought some Central at 155
and here it is at 1857 Well, SIR / replied, did
you buy for speculation or ipyestmentf II for in
and would not know or care what the quotation
was. Whom did you buy it Off Yes; WELL sold
the stock to him for 12O. You paid 155. Why
don't you ask him why he dosent hold tae stock up
for you? II You expect me to pay, 135 for stoo&
that sold at 120, you've got hold of the wrong
monjV