St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-13
READY TO SELL OUT.
The Minnesota & Northwestern Road tc
be Sold to the Illinois Central
Railway Company.
Report of the Proposed Sale Credited by
Those Acquainted with Mr..
Stickney'S Plans.
TO ST. Paul TO be Commenced
Immediately.
A New Company Formed to Build n
Line TO Chicago for the Wis
consin Central.
minnesota & Northwestern.

Minnesota Il Northwestern.
There was a rumor in railroad circles
yesterday that A. b. Stickney, president of
the Minnesota & Northwestern road. had
nearly completed arrangements for the dis
pOSal Of his road 10 the Illinois Central
Railway company. The rumor originated
in Chicago, and a certain railroad official in
st. Paul late yesterday afternoon received
private dispatch from Chicago stating
that there was a report there, which was
generally credited, that the Illinois Central
would become the controller and owner of
the Minnesota Il Northwestern road within
few months, the time not Yet being def
nitely known. The contents of this dispatch
were confided TO only a few. and. though il
caused good deal of speculation. il was
the general belief that the rumor. if il was
only such, was not far wrong. 1t was fur
Their alleged that Mr.. Sticlmey's recent visit
to New York was for the purpose of seeing
number of the stockholders in regard To
this matter and arrange things satisfactorily
with them. William Lewis Boyle of Win
nipeg. director of the company and largely
interested in ii financially. made some
remarks, it is claimed. when he was in
81. Paul some time ago that gave an inn
preston TO certain parties that a certain
price was asked for the property, and if
that was given the road would be sold.
None of the local directors know anything
of the actions Of Mr.. Stickney. as whatever
he does the directors consider well done.
II Is claimed that at the annual election of
directors on June there was tacit under
standing among them that if a sufficiently
good offer was made for the road by any
other company it would be disposed of.
Flnaf
piece OF property to speculate on, and
bought stock with that understanding.
President Stickney is now ut Dubuque with
eX-PreSident AckeTman of the Illinois Cen
tral, and this strengthens the idea that
A SALE Is To BE MADE.
Local officials of the line knew nothing
about Mr.. Stickney and the reason of this
trip TO Dubuque, more than that he was
down there, and, they believed. looking
after his interests in building the Dubuque
IL Northwestern road. While the report
that all arrangements for The disposal OF the
Minnesota IL Northwestern may be prema-
ture, it is likely that it will be sold. Some
believe that by Jan. l, 1856. the Minnesota
N Northwestern Will be a part of the
Illinois Central and operated Is such.
The Illinois Central is now a large syS-
TEN, and well-backed financially. and. with
the other large systems. must in time have
its own line 10 the Northwest and become
direct competitor for the wheat and mill
ing traffic. BY securing this road it would
have a splendid line. one which would give
it direct connection TO all Southern points.
what it has been waiting for some time
past. Mr.. Stickney's policy is well Known
to railroad men. OF the many railroads he
has built. not one OF them did he build with
the intention of operating them as independ-
ent lines, but built them for speculation.
and he has made money by doing so. He
has all along claimed, however, that the
Minnesota Il Northwestern would be oper-
ated entirely by the Minnesota IL North
western Railroad company. and that no
other corporation would have control of the
line after it was in condition to be operated
y certain gentleman well acquainted with
4. b. Stickney's affairs regards the rtImOr
given above as highly probable, and when
asked his opinion as 10 Mr.. StickneyS
course after dispOSing of the road. said he
believed he would continue scheming.
and inside of year or two
would have new line planned.
Mr.. Stickney's actions are very difficult 10
understand. If he had intended selling out.
ii Is rather a queer thing that he would
have contracted 10 build and equip the
Dubuque a Northwestern. Ii was his in
tcntion TO push the work on that line and
have it completed this season. but in a
recent conversation with a GLOBE reporter
he stated that he would not build more
than eight miles Of the line this season. 1t
might be that he is doing this TO get the
work in such condition that ne will have
TO pursue IL To completion. and took this
contract knowing that by next season he
would have nothing else To engage his at
tention.
1t is regarded by well-posted railroad
men as a property worth upwards oft
s., 500. 600. The line 50 far has cost abou
s.. 800. 600, or little over $50. 600 per
mile, and when trains run into ST. Paul Il
Will have cost about $4,000. 600. The
rnnor has led TO much speculation. and de-
velOpments are awaited with interest.