Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-11-23
THEY'RE D0UBrERS
The Reported Hill Deal Covering tho
Northern Pacific Railway Not BE- =,
II lievsd In st. PAUL. >s" \ ~ a.

f# Big deals, like thatsalleged to
have been made between the
Great Northern, Northern Pa
citic and Union Pacific interests
are never conducted without the
press of the country roaming
through it's widest realms of
fancy. While the papers of the
country seem to, credit the report
that Mr. Hill has gained control
of the Northern, Pacific, the
highest railroad officials in the
city are very skeptical, and sew
eral are willing to- sit down to a
table and figure out the impossi-
bility of the alleged transaction.
Probably not more than one or
two men in st. Paul know the
facts, supposing~ the story is
true. All that has appeared
up to date is mere conjecture at
best, and the facts will not be
known until Mr.. Hill or some
one else equally high in author
ity sees fit to talk.
In the meantime, the North
west has the assurance from
President Mellen, as told in
Saturdays Dispatch, that he
knows absolutely nothing of any
such deal, and that he does. not
believe it to be true.
AS stated before, the railroad
fraternity in st. Paul. does not
credit the report. They figure
that it would be physically i'm
possible for Mr.. Hill to buy
controlling interest in Northern
Pacific stock. At par this stock
aggregates 1855, 100000, and to
secure coutrol of it Mr.. Hill
would have to command 81 per
cent of it, or $77, 100000, an
enormous sum. They doubt Mr..
Hills ability to get hold of so
large sum. They ADM, that
Mr.. Hill has had representation
on the Northern Pacific direct.
crate for two or three years.
John S. Kennedy and George F.
Baker are generally supposed to
be Mr.. Hills representatives on
the Northern Pacific board, the
total sum they represent being
perhaps, $4,000, 900 or S12, 900, =.
600.
"Of course" said one official
today, eff Mr.. Morgan and Mr..
Hill were working in unison in
an effort to bring the two roads
under the control of one head,
and Mr.. Morgan saw fit to take
advantage of his power, he
could undoubtedly manipulate
the proxies he holds so as to
bring this about. Stockholders,
you know, are like flock of
sheep. If a hundred stock
holders place their proxies with
Mr.. Morgan, others will follow
until he has enough stock under
his control to do as he pleases by
voting the proxies according to
his fancies. Now, ifhe andMr. Hill
were agreed, you see MIR. Hill
might actually control the road
without owning a majority of
the stock. If anything has hap:
pened it is presumably this,
and it really explains what the:
term has secured control Of the
stock means. But I do not
think Mr.. Morgan has turned
over his representation to Mr..
Hill. L believepeople can place
full dependence on what MIR.
Mellen says. I know for a fact
there is the closest confidence
between Mr.. Morgan and Mr..
Mellen, and if any such deal
was on, you may be sure Mr..
Mellen would be cognizant of
it,"
The steady rise of both Nor tn
ern Pacific anu Great Northern
securities. is causing consider.
able excitement in the city, and
the brokers' Offices about town
are visited early and late by
49,, 1.o l,ro ho11intre