Evening star., 1907-10-16
RAILROAD CONTEST TODAY
Fight for Control of the Illinois Cen.
tral Company.
BOTH SIDES ARE CONFIDENT
Decision Of Judge Ball Yesterday
Will Prevent the Disputed
Shares Being Voted.


meeting Of the Illinois Central railroad
during which a spirited contest was ex-
pected between Stuyvesant Fish, the for
mer president, and f. H. Hartman, for
day. The contest for proxies continued
almost up to the hour Of the meeting.
and the eighteen hour trains which ar
rived in the morning brought patches of
ers
The followers of Mr.. Hartman de-
clared there was no probability Of his
losing control Of the meeting, asserting
that he would have. outside Of the 2S6, 731
shares which were not effective in the
meeting Of stockholders, more than SUI
ficient votes to carry through anything
he wishes.
Four directors were to be elected at
the meeting. Stuyvesant Fish. e. H. Har-
riman and John Jacob Astor retiring
from the board All of them were can
didates for reelection. The vacancy
caused by the death of c. B. Welling was
also to be filled
Totaling Up Shares.
The outstanding stock of the ILL.,
nois Central is 95O,4O0 shares. OF this
amount 1t was estimated that 100000
shares would not be represented and
26s.731 shares would not count in the
election in view Of the order issued yes
terday by Judge Ball. This left total
Of 563, $50 shares, which would, according
to attorneys interested. be not far from
the maximum number of shares voted.
At a meeting Of the directors which
preceded the general meeting OF stock
holders it was decided. upon motion of
Mr.. Fish, that the meeting of stockholders
should be open to members of the press.
Heretofore at the annual meetings none
but stock and proxy holders have been
admitted.
Big Task Ahead.
Mr.. Fish this morning expressed himself
as confident of the outcome of the cleo
tion but said that it was not within the
power of any man to state exactly the
humber Of votes he controlled. The
changes in proxies. he said. had been so
numerous that 1t was not possible to fore
cast the result with accuracy. He ex-
pressed himself as satisfied with the sit
uation thus far and believed that the final
outcome would be as pleasing to hi1h as
he could desire.
1t is recognized by both sides in the
controversy that the changes in proxies
had been exceedingly large. The work of
determining the right of the various
proxies. 1t was said, might be so exten-
sive as to consume two or three days.
causing possibly a delay in the election
of directors. Neither Mr.. Fish nor Mr..
Hartman was lble to say before the
meeting when vote would be reached.
Decision Of the Court.
E. H. Hartman was yesterday, by an
order OF court, deprived OF the voting
power of 2S6. 731 shares Of Illinois Central
stock in the annual meeting of that rail-
road company, which opens at noon today.
The order Of the court was practically
identical with the modification asked by
the attorneys of Mr.. Hartman. Both sides
claim victory, Mr. Fish because the en-
joined shares will not be effective at the
election, and Mr.. Hartman because his
modification was secured.
The shares of stock ruled out are those
held by the Union Pacific Hallway Com
pany, the Railroad Securities Company OF
New Jersey and the Mutual Life Insur-
ance Company of New York against
which a temporary injunction was issued
by Judge Ball in the superior court.
Big Handicap for Fish.
Mr.. Fish had asked that the voting OF
these shares be enjoined. The court
after extensive argument by the at
torneys of both sides. modified the In.
junction by permitting the shares to be
voted under the condition that If any one
of them should have a decisive effect or
any vote taken, the entire vote is then t.
| be null and void In other words, Mr.
Fash is given by the court a handicap O.
2S6, 73I votes, and in order to defeat hin
on any motion or resolution which come:
before the annual meeting, Mr.. Hartman
and his friends must cast 2s6 732 vote.
more than are cast by Mr. Fish and hi:
| followers.
The total outstanding shares of tn,
Illinois Central number $685.. Countin,
out the shares affected by Judge Ball.
decision yesterday. the total effective vot
is 6G3, 900 shares. Based upon previous
meetings Of the Illinois Central railroad
the estimate is made that approximatel,
1000 shares will not be voted. This. ii
the opinion Of the attorneys in the case
will leave a probable representation O
! 5S} G69 shares at the meeting