The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-09
RYAN AND WHITNEY.

Mr.. ST ..ohn is understood TO have pat
up an aggressive fight against the Ryan
opposition, which as will be remembered
was very persistent and stubborn. Ryan
is understood to be a very wealthy man.
Ii IS said he is associated with William
C. Whitney in the control of the Metro
politan Street Railway, of New York, and
that the two practically control the
whiskey trust, which is understood to be
rather spirited enemy t. run up
against.
in this connection it was reoorted last
night as a mere coincidence that Mr.. L.
a. futile, who is counsel for the Metro
politan Street Railway, of New York n
which Mr. Ryan and Mr.. Whitney are
understood to be heavily interested. is
the same gentleman who recently came to
Richmond to rerres<nt the majority Of
III" stockholders of the Richnlond Pas
sanger and Power Co, which Eas been
carrying on so lively q controversy with
the Richmond Traction Company about
street privileges. Interchange OF trdckage
and other things along that line.
OPERATING EXPENSES.
While all these reports were bcirg
taxed over last night. a special telegram
to The Times from the Baltimore end of
the line said:
Nothing developed here to-day in the
St. John matter. To-day's Evening News
soy " nut Shis Lcl JOiiil Is ItSjiutu
as an able railroad man in some respects
there is a difference of opinion as to his
ability to operate broad at Il mini
mum cost. There is no doubt that belief
that Operating expenses could nave beer
reduced led TO Mr.. st. Johns retirement"
Man. posted persons think the reSignl-
ton Wa called Tor at the demand of the
Ryan people, with whom the Scaboard
is nov CT gagged in maxim. peace, as it
is known here that the Southern Railway
people blame ST. John Tor the bitter war
that occurred between thc Scaboard and
the Southern before Ryan made his inst
effort to buy the S@s,board.
a GREAT SURPRISE
In Norfolk and Portsmouth railroad cir
cles, and, indeed, in the business circles
generally OF those two cities, the resig-
nation of Mr. st. John came like a knock
out blow. The people We're dumiounded
While Mr.. ST. John himself is quoted as
saying that he had been contemplating
retiring during the last three OF four
months, nobody else in the Cites by the
Sea appeared to have dreamed OF such
a thinS, for the vice president of the
Seaboard was regarded there as of
the best railroad men that could be got
ten for the position, and he was looked
upon there as a fixture with the road.
The rumor. therefore, that there was
serious friction between Mr.. st. John and
President Williams, was looked upon as
mere speculation, as it was recalled that
III the Richmond, Baltimore, Atlanta and
other papers. as well as the Norfolk and
Portsmouth papers, were published copi-
Gus extracts from the speech OF Presi-
dent Williams on the occasion of the big
banquet given last summer at the Jeffer-
son Hotel in honor OF the arrival IN
Richmond of the first Scaboard through
train from Tampa. Fla, in which Mr.,
Williams paid :, lofty tribute to Vice
President st. John. of the Seaboard, as
a splenddiy equipped railroad manager
of ripe experience and rare executive
ability and stated that Mr.. St. Johns
untirinG energy and fine Judgment had
, been Il potent factor i'll building up the
system to SO prosperous and solid a CON
ditior as it then enjoyed
Mr. St. Johns resignation, coming as il
did, {, few months after this, and TO take
effect in few days after it was sub
mitted without any explanatory state
ment from him as to why it was sub
nlitted, and in the absence of any infor-
nation from the heads or directors of the
company, naturally started rumors to fly
| ing around.
THE NEXT QUESTIONS.
The next questions arising are who