The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-08
.STUYVESANT FISH
 CALLS FOR PROXIES
Early Request to Illinois Central
 Stockholders Significant
TEST STOCK OWNERSHIP
Although the Annual Meeting Is Now Nearly Four Months Away, Prep arations Are Being Made
 By the Management.

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 By the Management.
 New York, July 1.-The Herald says: Rumors of an impending contest within the Illinois Central railway. which were current in Wall street some smonths ago, were revived yesterday by the action of Stuyvesant Fish. president of the rail- road, in sending out a personal letter to stockholders with a request that they fill out an enclosed proxy form made out in his favor, to be used at either the an- nual election or at any special meeting of the Illinois Central road during 1906. It was the wording of MT. Flsh's letter that directed Wall streets attention to the reported contest for control in Illi- nois Central anew. The annual meeting is not to be held until October F, nearly four months away, and calls for proxies sent out that length of time in advance are most unusual. However, aside from this, MT. Fish makes reference to the pos sibility of one, in the event of which he solicits the proxies for himself, or, fail- ing him. for John c. Willing, attorney or proxy.
 MT. Fish's letter to the stockholders Is as follows:
 Chicago, June, 1906. To the Stockholders of the Illinois Cen tral Railroad Company.
 The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Illinois Central Railroad company will be held at the office of the company. in Chicago on Wednesday, October IT. 1906, at noon, for the election of directors and the transaction of other business.
 While no special meeting of the stock holders has been called and it may be that none will be called. yet in order to provide for such a contingency in case it should arise, and on the assumption that you may not be able to attend in person, you are requested to kindly exc cute the enclosed proxy and to mail it, in the stamped envelope enclosed herewith, to the secretary of the company at Chi cago. Very respectfully.
 STUYVESANT FISH
 The form of proxy which President Fish sends out covers all meetings annual or special or any adjournment thereof It reads to the effect that the shareholder constitutes and appoints Stuyvesant Fish or. failing him, John C. Willing, attorney or proxy to represent all shares standing in the above name on the stock books of the Illinois Central Railroad company at any meeting, whether it be annual or special, of the stockholders of the said company and at all adjourned meetings of such meetings which may be held in the current calendar year 1906. and in said name and behalf to vote thereon, hereby notifying all which said attorney or proxy shall lawfully do in the premises.
 Stock Holdings.
 For long time reports have been cur rent in Wall street that the Harriman- Union Pacific interests had greatly in- creased their holding of Illinois Central stock, until at the present time. 1t is said fully one-third of the capital stock of the company is lodged with MT. Harri- man and the Union Pacific party. Recent reports are to the effect that the stock lists of the company show a marked con traction in the number of shareholders. indicating a gradual absorption of the holdings or the concentration of the hold ings.
 President Fish's holdings in the com. pany are not considerable, as compared with those of the Hartman Union Pa. cific party. Before the breach between MT. Fish and MT. Hartman. the proxies of the latter were at the disposal of Pres ident Fish. and he has controlled the elections through proxy holdings. It is re.
 
 proxies will not go to President Fish this year, as contest at the election in Oc. tober is almost inevitable.
 It Is believed in Wall street that MT Fish sent out the call for proxies to be made out to him thus early to measure if possible his own strength in advance of the annual election, to determine Ii possible what his fighting chances are before that date. Many of the proxies now held by him, it Is thought, represent stock that has long since passed out oi the ownership of shareholders in who's, name they were originally given.
 The Problem.
 What the action will be on the part of the shareholders in reference to President Fish's call for proxies is a problem, chiefly because of the very long interval that elapses between the announcement and the date of the annual election, and also because 1t has been rumored that some important developments might result be- tween Union Pacific and Illinois Central as result of the very extensive holdings by the former in the latter company. So long a period elapses before the meeting takes place that many Illinois Central shareholders, individual and corporation, are likely to hold off from giving proxies until they can better determine what prOJectS, 1T any, tHe lulule may piiHB forth.
 The stories of friction between President Fish and MT. Hartman came to a head last winter. The prevalent theory in Wall street was that the differences arose be- tween the men over Mutual Life affairs and the nsstence by President Fish of a drastic investigation of that company. This, it was said, was opposed by MT. Hartman Later on. however after Presi- dent Fish resigned from the Mutual Life committee, 1t was made apparent that the Mutual Life affair was one thing and the dispute between Mir. Hartman and MT. Fish in Illinois Central affairs quite an- other and distinct matter. Precisely what the difficulty is between MT. Fish and Mir Hartman in the Illinois Central man. agement has never been made public. but if is said to grow out of differences as to physical management and financial ,,oIiou