New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-13
OSGOOD ASKS FOR PROXIES
PREPARING FOR FIGHT AGAINST
GOULD-HARRINIAN-HA COM
BINATION.

The circular issued on Monday by George
Gould e. H. Hartman and Edwin Hawley. TO the
stockholders OF the Colorado Fuel and Iron Com
pany. asking for their proxies for use at the ad-
journed meeting Of the company, set for De-
cember 10 in Denver. was followed yesterday by
an appeal from President J. c. Osgood for proxies
to be voted in favor of the present management
and in opposition to the uld-Harriman-H awley
interests. The af1liation Of the latter interests
has for time been undetermined by Wall
Street but the Osgood circular makes it clear that
those interests not cooperating with the pres
ent management and the best opinion yesterday
was that at the meeting next month they would
be found voting with the Gates party, and would
probably carry the day. Mr.. Osgood's circular
refers to the fact that the company has been
built up by its present management from small
beginning to its present important position. and
urges the independent stockholders not to abandon
the management The greater part of the
circular is devoted to an effort to show that the
domination Of the company by Messrs. Gould. Har-
rman and Hawley would be harmful TO the inter
Of the stockholders. Mr. Osgood says in part;
The Union Pacific Railway is the principal com
petitor Of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company
Kansas and Nebraska. Mr.. Gould is also com
pettor in the coal business from the mines Of the
Utah Fuel Company and mines on the line of the
Missouri Pacific Railway, which he controls, and
and V Properties on the line Of the Denver and Rio
Grande Railway which will be operated in direct
competition with the Colorado Fuel and Iron COM
pany. - c,.,.uoso TIA, and
Iron comPany ana are so situated that they are
dependent any one or all Of the railway systems
referred TO for transportation OF raw or manu-
featured products. or an outlet 70 markets G Inc
cas SnSI BrDg6a ana and Quincy Railway and the
Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railway are
toners for the company's products, and none OF
them are competitors IN any OF us llhes OF ,
agement to cultivate friendly relations with all the
HAT spcb is The o6v pocy which viii produce the
hert azu1tE for no
Messrs Hawley. Gould and Hartman have never
Iron Company had nothing TO do With building gtd
or business. and can have but one o5JeGt now n
and that is TO operate it in the interest OF their
railways and competing coal enterprises. 1t must
parativeiy small interest in the Colorado Fuel and
Iron ana very no large sd n asn the
stockholders to turn over the control OF the RrGP
of prices their railroads shall pay for the PrSd1f{s
Of the %9Ieh fbHey fc may e COMPANY shall
pay the immense tonnage OF raw products y
pSodunts II sends TO market or to eliminate its
Competition with the other coal companies IN which
Their dqination in the affairs Of I'll. fs0mPa9y
oF The Atnhison Topeka and santa Fe and other
railways already referred to; and such antagonisn
Fuel and Iron Company though It may increase
The business and pro6ts Of me always
At their request I have had numerous interviews
invited me to cooperate with them In the election
OF a board Of directors. At all of these interviews
they have expressed themselves as friendly TO the
present management and not desiring any
change but said they wished 20 have representa-
ton on the board OF directors in order to protect
their railway interests and TO prevent the com
pany from getting into the hands Of adverse Inter
ests I willing 20 cooperate with them, SWING
them a representation in proportion TO their hold
ings OF stock but declined to do so when they In
sisted on having majority Of the board. believing
that Il would fatal the best interests or the
company. for the reasons which have ALREADY
stated They at no time claimed to have but
minority interest IN the stock, and can only ex-
pect 20 elect a majority OF the board by securing
proxies which they evidently believe the power or
their names viii influence in their favor.