Evening star., 1898-10-31
MR.. MI EAN'S VISIT
He is in Chicago, Where Mr.. Letter is Also
Said to Be.
Gossip About the Gas Stock Deal
The Investment Theory Not
Generally Held.

The recent transaction in gas stock is
! still the subject of conversation m local
| financial circles and while there arc 10 rev
| Developments since the announcement in
| The Star few days ago OF the large puT-
| chase Of stock by Mr. l.. H. Letter still
| Il ere is good deal of curiosity to know
the exact Significance of the deal. and what.
| ii any deveicI ments may be expected IN
! the near future. There are some VINO still
hold the opIEiCn that Mr.. Letter bOuglt Il
| block of some I,gn gas shares, and per
haps more. ir order 10 increase an invest
ment of his private means in this security
to nearly lo.@th shares. which at the pres
ent market price of $40 per share. would
represent holding of half miilioa of dol
lars.
The Investment Theory.
The sceat ajority of men whose opin .
ions in such matters are entitled to weight
are inclined to think rather lightly us wtat
may be termed the investment theory
They are inclined to believe that a man like
Mr. Letter is not in the habit Of putting
such a large sum Of money in any enter
prise unless he intends to take active part
! in the manaSement of its affairs. either
directly or indirectly.
About the time Mr.. Letter was closing his
deal orders were also being filled Cor the
purchase of gas stock on behalf of people
in Philadelphia, where large blocks OF This
stock ara held. On both these accounts ii
Is SAID at least reasonable Inference can
! he drawn that some deal is going on aC-
| fectirg the gas company. What that is
tfere seems to be no one in the city who
exactly knows.
hr. Mclean in Chicago
An interesting bit of gossip in this con-
Eecton today was to the effect thar Mr..
Mclean had gone to Chicago, and is now
III that city As Mr.. Letter Is also lhcrc
'ilS circumstance seemed to many like put
ting wv" and two together and hat, with
| out quest N. further details # the gas ,;eai
were being arranged there. Some Comment
was also caused by the published STATE
| n1ent that accounted for Mr.. Mci.nau's alb
Sence from the city-ind by the way he
was accompanied. it is said by his strnog-
| that ne had gone to New York 10 consult
Il landscape gardener i'll r=SarI to LAYING
out the ground located 1n the TenIeytown
road ne recently purchased.
Landscape Gardening
1t Is the opinion OF some. if that state
| nleht Is true even TO the extent thar he
first went to New York that perhaps he
felt the andscape gardening genius of New
ork was not equal to tacklfng the Tenlev-
town property. and that nothing would do
out turn loose on it some Chicago talent
IL Is further said that if Mr.. Mclean net
Mr.. Letter accidentally while searching
Chlcaso for the man 20 do jus,ice to the
| scenic beauties of his property. that there
would he nothing in that incident to fus-
my any gossip III regard - The gas COM
pany and its future mana cement
among thoS" who ire b"st ;tcp44intcd d
with Mr. Mclean regret is nxpr..s sod that
Ne Is not N the city at this time, as they
are sure that in that insenu,us ,,,ar,,,lr
| lor winch he is noted he woGii set at rest
an the gossip on the subject by telling
IfahkIy Just what his Intention are in re-
gard 10 the future of the gas conDa9y md
also what Mr.. Letter has in view