The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-12-31
BUY HAVANA RAILWAY.
A Four Cornered Fight for the
Possession of Cuban Metrpo-
Titan Suburban Lines.

New York, Dec IA special TO the
| Herald from Havana says: A four-cOr-
nCrcd contest between rich syndicatoS is
now going on here with the possession Of
Havana's streets for rapd-transit pur-
poses as the prize. The contest has de-
vclopcd into three against one--the Har-
vey syndicate having gained so great an
advantage that the others have combined
Should this combination fail there will
be organized. under the laws of New Jer-
scy, the Havana. Street Railway COM
rany, issuing stock amounting 10 $1,000
900 and bonds for S3,00O,OD.
In the meantime Il prosecution IL
threa tened against representatives Of the
Harvey syndicate and the officials of the
company now owning the Havana street
railways. the civil authorities having
ayoWed the intention of stopping Wha.
they pronounce bold robbery.
The Havana street railways are owned
by the Fcrrocarril Urbano company
which operates about twenty-five miles in
all. These lines. which are equipped III
medieval style, have never been devei-
orrd. The company has been robbed i'll
various ways, and yet 1t has paid I to >
per cent annual dividends on capital OF
Sl.ooO.UuO.
Tiburcio Castancda, representing an
English syndicate. made a deal III No
vrmbVr with the directors of the UrbanO
company to take over the property at 50
cents on the dollar Before the deal was
consummatcd Perciyal Farquhar, renre-
scntlng the Harvey syndicate of New
ork. came 10 Havana and began such
vigorous fight that the English syndicate
proposed consolidation, which was accept
Cd.
After this consolidation it was thought
best to raise the offer for UrbanO stock
from 50 10 %. This offer was accepted
and ten days was given for the money to
be paid.
Richard Manganese. representing the
American Indies company. entered 4 pro-
test and placed in Gen. Castellano's ;
hands guarantee to pay for par for the
stock.
Pom johnson. the iron manufacturer
of Cleveland and Brooklyn. who is asso-
ciated with Chicago capitalists. instruct
ed his representative to raise the bid to
lO2. With promise to 90 higher if neces
Sary. A Havana banker has posted ST.,
100000 to make good any offer Johnson
may make.
In the meantime Canadian capitalists
headed by Mckenzie & Co., Toronto bank
erS, promised 12J for trhano stock. lii
spite Of the higher bidding Farquhar
seemed t" hold the whip hand for the Har-
vey syndicate. Then the minority stock
holders appealed Ia Civil Governor De
' dSiib' " u' 'ltl'lIft lti' t1Its-t' SdlP IN
valid and Illegal, prohibited the compile
ton and ordered a public sale of the Ur-
bano company to he held December 80.
SegUndo Alvarez, president of the tr
hano company. who is a Spanish senator,
dcticd De Castro and said the sale would
bo completed. De Castro will issue q pro-
clamatiOn saving that Alvarez'S senator
ship will not save him from arrest if he
signs the papers of the sale. Warrants
for arrest are held against Alvarez's sec
rctary. fendas. and Cerro. the attorney,
who must complete the sale for the Ur-
hano company. and Castenada. Farquhar
and Zaldo. who will sign for the purchas-
crs. De Castro will advertise for bids for
thet rbanO company.
Alvarez and Castenada have taken the
papers in the case and gone TO Nedado.
where they are under jurisdiction A.
they must return TO Havana to sign the
papers December % their arrest has been
ordered for that date.
If the Harvey syndicate succeeds in aC-
Quiring the property the lines will be
equipped with Il modern electric plant and
the lines extended 10 Mariana Beach.
where Il pleasure resort will be estab-
liShcd The future earnings are esti-
mated ut 81 1.oUD.O0O annually.
The American Indies company is also
making L fight to secure the independent
right to operate electric cars in the down
town streets. Opposition to this comes
from the Harvey syndicate. which eX-
poets to control all rights by means of its
purchase Of the Crbano COMPANY