Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-14
A SCHEME UNEhRTHED
Which Would, Had It Been Carried Into Effect, Have Made the Age
 Herald a Corporation Paper

rumor, which on investigation has proven to be a fact, has been ferreted oui to the effect that combination of corpora tiens was formed in this city short time before the sale of the AgeHerald compa- ny's plant 10 purchase same. Messrs. Thomas Seddon of the Sloss Iron and Steel
 company and Joseph H. Woodward of the Woodward Iron company were approached upon the subject. They agreed together that it would be suicidal to go into any
 such combine unless strictly s'under cover, ' because, as they asserted, 1t would
 break down the paper to let it be known on
 the outside that it WAS corporation plant,
 and not only because of this, but because 1t would result in the laboring classes boy
 cotting all merchants who advertised in a
 corporation paper. The proposition, how
 ever, was thought good one, but should
 be brought to a consummation through
 other than corporation purchasers.
 Another rumor, which, however, lacks
 of confirmation, but on it's face bears
 almost positive proof of being certainty,
 is that the Southern Railway company.
 monster corporation, conceived the idea of
 securing the plant, together with
 the other corporations above referred to.
 The occasion for this rumorsis the fact
 that Col. John W. Johnston, erstwhile
 president of the Georgia Pacific Railway
 company, was, with the exception of Mir.
 Frank P. O'Brien, the only real bidder for
 the plant, and was the only one who showed
 a fighting disposition to secure same.
 The following editorial, which appeared
 in yesterdays AGE HERALD, setting forth
 good and sufficient reasons for Gov. Will
 liam 0. Oates not signing the odious 'aIien
 railroad bill,'' has, 30 it seems, caused a
 renewal of the efforts on the part of the
 above referred to syndicate to gain control
 of the AaE- HERALD plant:
 "Another feature presents itself in the
 matter of the railroad bill now awaiting
 the action of the governor and concerning
 which so much has been written and said.
 It is learned from good authority that the
 reason for delay in the work of extending
 the East and West railroad into Birming ham is that the fate of this bill will play a most important part, affecting very seri- ously this enterprise. If the Southern Railway company obtains control of the Alabama Great Southern 1t would take from the East and West it's much desired and very necessary connection for entrance into New Orleans. With the Southern in charge of the Alabama Great Southern the East and West, which, it is understood, is to become part of the Atlantic and Sea- board Air Line, would be unable to reach further south than Birmingham. This is a matter for very serious consideration and investigation. The AaE- HERAGD does not believe that Governor Oates will give off, cial sanction to any measure that has ten dency to retard the progress of the people of the state or to deprive this section of the benefit of free and open railroad competi- tion.''
 It is also rumored that combine was at- tempted to keep the purchase price of the AaE- HERALD plant down to very low | figure. This rumor bears almost substan- tiation, when it is known that certain prominent attorney of this city approached Mir. F. P. O'Brisn, the attorney holding claims against the said Age Herald com- pany, and made a proposition to allow the paper to sell at a low figure for reasons at that time set forth. The proposition was promptly spurned by MT. O'Brien.