The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-09
HAS IT BEEN SOLD?'
Rumofed Transfer o. the Lake
Shore Road.
JIM HIlL ROAD The PURCHASER.


Several Odicials Of the Seattle. Lake
Shore 4 Eastern railroad were intsrrogased
yesterday respecting the report that the
road had been sold to the Great Northern
or Jim Hill road. Manager Holbro0k said
the statement vas not a. al surprising, a.
though he had no knowledge of such !
transaction, or that the management OF
the Seattle, Lake shore & Eastern con-
tenapiated such Z deal He vas
aware that some Of the oficials
OF the St Paul, Minneapolis &
Manitoba railway, or Great Norshe were
out here about year ago and acquired all
the information they could q to the re-
sources, condition, extent and extension Of
the Seattle, Lake Shore q Eastern railway.
This. and the fact that General Manager
MohleF, Of the St Paul, Minneapolis &
Manitoba road, was here last December,
acquiring Information concerning the line,
made 1t possible to believe that all the dis
patch stated might b. true. La reply 20
the inquiry whether the Jim Hill = I'd was
furnishing the funds for the extension OF
the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern north Of
the boundary, he said he knew nothing
one way or the other.
The dispatch referred 10 appeared o.
follows in the Helena Jouyaal OF last sun
day:
81. PAIL. Feb. 1.-The Great Northern Gen.
pany took possession of the 5000 miles q tho
Manitoba railway system this morning Cen
eFai Manager Nohler has issued general 1ee1es
requesting all the employees of the i've lines 70
remain 1t their posts until further nOstCe It q
practically settled that the Pacific oxsonston
will not run from AssinAboine 10 Bel1ingham
bay. but from Great Falls to Seattle. The Great
49, 49, -
troll OF the Seattle. Lake shore 4 Eascesn, thus
awaiting itself Of comparatively easy passngs
over the Cascade range. The surveyors ave ex-
pected 10 make their report before the middle Of
the mouth.
Auditor Craig, who is also secretary a. tho
Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern C0ustruc-
ton Company. read the dispatch, and said
it appeared very much like newspaper
canard. similar to the railroad news Of one
of the city newspapers. He knew nothing
Of such transaction, and did not believe
there was particle Of foundation forik II
anything Of the kind was contemplated in
New York the officials here would likely b
apprized OF the intention.
Treasurer Durham looked over The
item and remarked that there could not
possibly be any truth in Il, or he would
have received some intelligence of the move
from the management in New York. The
newspapers had been selling the 6eattlo,
Lake Shore 4 Eastern TO the Union Pa.
cific. the Jim Hill road and even the North
ern p4cific, but there was nothing TO war
1lH the statement any more than thsre
would be for telegram to the Eastern
papers that the Northern Pacific had
bought IL
Chief Engineer Talcott also read the dis
patch and agreed with Messrs. Craig and
Durham that there was no information to
his knowledge Of any such transfer Or the
prospect Of II He was confident the Jim
Hill road was not assisting In the extension
OF the Seattle, Lake Shore q Eastern, and
thought II the former road had any idea Of
acquiring the latter Il would wait until IL
copId absorb completed line rather than
hly An incomplete line.
Whether or not there be any truth In the
Geographic statement, Il Is . fact that
General Manager A. C. Mohler was here
December /, 1859. and secured - full data
concerning the Seattle, Lake Shore a
Eastern road as it was possible 10 obtain,
together with plans Of it stations. yard
facilities and water front privileges, and
also list of prominent business men In
Seattle. This and the further facts that
officials OF his road preceded him on SIM
liar errand last year, and his expressed de-
sire to have his visit here kept N secret -
possible, counts for something in the way
from the north. II not with the Seattle.
Lake Shore h Eastern, by coming in with
afull knowledge Of its competitors posi-