Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-18


and j. william Middendorf and associates.
and Mr.. Ryan renewed his efforts to land
the property. but he met with the same re-
ception that he did from Mr. Hoffman. Mr.,
Ryan endeavored to break An agreement
for pooling stock, believing that IL he was
successful It would be comparatively easy
for him to buy sufficient stock to give him
control. But the courts upheld the pool
ing agreement and then Mr.. Ryan tried
concillatory course.
A Costly Fight.
He wanted Mr.. Williams to take him AZ
A mariner In the creation OF the Greater
seaboard system, but Mr.. Williams would
have no such dealings with his antagonist.
The fight was renewed, and In all about
twenty suits were brought I'm various
southern states by Mr.. Ryan. ell of which
were decided against him. 1t Is esti-
mated that this litigation cost Mr.. Ryan
$4,000.
Realizing that he could not dislodge Mr..
Williams, then MIR. Ryan intimated that he
would sell his stock. a large block OF which
he had acquired, and retire from the neld-
The syndicate headed by Messrs. Williams
and Mddendorf acquired Mr.. Ryan's hold
ings, but they always believed that Mr..
Ryan was still anxious to control Sea-
board, and were ever suspicious OF him.
One Of his strongest qualities is persever-
ance. once he makes up his mind to ac-
complish a thing he will bide his time, ana
n matter OF few years apparently does not
bother him. In the case of the seaboard
his time came when the Williams Mldden-
dorr houses were beset with financial DIM
cultles. with his associates, James Az
| Blair 4 Co. and others, he furnished the
| money to pay on Seaboard's pressing obli-
cations, and then by adroit manipulation OF
the market succeeded in buying stock
which, together with bonus stock, gave him
| control for n trihe.
| Maker of Trusts.
! Among the other corporations which Mr.
Ryan has either personally organized or
assisted in organizing are the Charleston a
West Carolina Railway company, system
| $40 miles long: the seaboard & Roanoke
Railroad company; the consolidation Of tho
| Flint & Pere Marquette railroad with the
Detroit. Grand Rapids & Western railroad,
and the Chicago & West Michigan Railroad
| company into the system now known as tho
| Pere Marquette Railroad company; the
| consolidation OF the Hooking Valley Rail-
road company and the Toledo & Ohio Cen
trail; organized the Union Tobacco company
| and acquired the Blackwell Bull-Durham
| company and the Liggett & Myers company
! OF st. Louis, all of which were afterward
absorbed by the American Tobacco COM
| many, better known as the Tobacco trust.
Tho Gas trust in New York is sample OF
Mr.. Ryan's handiwork. In this he was as
sisted by william C. Whitney and Anthony
N. Brady. with the backing Of the Standard
OIL company. 1t would take good deal Of
space to enumerate all the companies OF
which Mr.. Ryan is a director.
Mr.. Ryan on November rs, 1873, married
Miss Ida NJ. Barry of Baltimore, daughter
Of the late John 8. Barry and niece Of the
late r. C. Barry His hobby is raising Hol-
stein cattle, of which he has several hum
dred head. His kennels contain some Of the
finest dogs in the world He is member
Of many clubs, though he does not devote
much time to them.