The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-05
MONTANA UNION CONTEST.
An Opinion That tho Northern Pacific 81
cials Were NeediGssly Alarmed.

4 WaUMH #E@%W. 3N H% -------~a ~ N@a3
An Oplnlou That tho Northern Pacific ON.
cials Were Neediessly Alarmed.
Judge Knowles has set MAY & next, by
agreement OF counsel. rs tho time when As
will hear the injunction case OF the North
ern Pacific va. the Montana Union direc-
tors. There il an impression in Butte that
the action of the Northern lacitio In ask
ing tor a temporary injunction arose from
u misapprehension. Inc BUTTE Miner OK
plains the matter i'll tho following way:
There had not hoen y meeting Or the
Montana Union directors for over q year,
and some routine business had accu-
muletel which it was desirable to get out
OF the way. Accordingly u meeting was
called for tho I'd inst. III New fork, 70
which notices were sent TO Presidents Dill
lou. of the Union Pacific, President Cakes,
of the Northern Pacific, and President
Burns, of the Montana Union. Mr.. Cakes
was travelling in the west when the notlces
were sent out. and his did not reach him
until the 18th of January, too ate Tor MN
to got back to New York.
at ia supposed that Mr.. Cakes ausplciona
must have been aroussd by tho delay ~ le-
ceivirg notice OF the meeting, that u was
done on purpose to prevent the possibility
of his attendance, and that some action Was
to be taken in the way of annulling the ex-
listing contract between the three roads. At
any rate he Immediately telegraphed Mr..
hiellen a request that he take out, an IN
junction to prevent the other roads from
taking any steps concerning the lease OF
the Montana Union at this meeting.
From what can DO learned from those
here in position to know, the meeting Of
the three presidents at New York was
called simply to arrange a few matters that
have been in allegiance and have no bearing
whatever on the Montana Union contract"
This explanation would probably DC sat
isfaotory were it not for the fact that
rumors of the intention of the Union Pa.
citic to guther in the Montana Union have
bee Hosting around for the past sixty days.
MIR. Cakes is not travelling in the west, but
ia in California at the bedside OF a sick
wife. The Union Pacific has claimed for
some time that the Northern Pacific was
deeply in debt to the Montana Union. This
the Northern line denies. and AYERS it has
claims against the Montana Union that
more than offset its Indebtedness, But the
situation was a favorable one for the Union
Pacific. Mr.. Oakes was in California.
and the notices of the meeting were sent
out 80 late that it would be impossible for
him to rea CHI New York by the time set. At
q meeting whsre the Union Pacific party
WAS III the majority, 1t would be a very
easy matter to decide that the Northern
Pacific, i'll debt to tho Montana Union, had
forfeited its interest in that road, and was
not entitled to the use OF its tracks. The
Union Pacific also claims that the Northern
line broke the old agreement between the
roads when it built into Butte, and that
could be used as q reason for voting it out
Of the Montana Union.
If there was no occasion for alarm on the
! part Of the Northern Paciic people, the re-
marks Of j. S. Shropshire. attorney for the
Union Pacific, would seem a little out Of
place. Mr.. Shropshire was in Helena
Tuesday and he spent the day taking notes
from the Northern Pacific complaint. He
charges that the Northern Pacific first
broke the agreement between it and the
Union Pacific by building into Butte five
years after the contract was made. He did
not intimate the Northern Pacifc's alarm
was uncalled for. Mr.. Cakes line had a
close call, in the opinion of Northern Pa
cifio officials. Work on the papers was not
began until three O'Clock Sunday after
noon, and it was necessary that they be
completed and served on the officials Of the
Montana Union and Union Pacific at Butte
before six p. II. Monday. Five typewriters
wers employed who worked all Sunday
night. The temporary restraining order
was obtained and served but a few hours
before the limit expired.