The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-04
Some Big Disturbances Expect
ed in Railway World.
STRATEGIC POSITION.
His Rapid Rise Was Watched
Closely by Hartman.
Other Items of Interest in
? Railway Circles.

OF Its attention upon the quiet but de-
termined activities OF the group of
western railroad men. at the center of
hom stands Edwin Hawley. For sew
eral months Hawley's movements have
been growing in interest to Wall street
Only recently it became generally
lr own thai Theodore P. Shonts, presi-
dent of the Jnterborough-M metropolitan
company. and Paul Morton, president of
the Equitable Life Assurance society,
were associated with HawIey in all of
his latest big deals in which he has
acquired control of railroad properties
In the central west that he is molding
into q new system.
Mr.. Eawley refuses to talk for pub
LEGATION about sny of the transactions
that are causing some railroad experts
TO suspect that he IS getting ready to
ere ate an disturbance of the ball
al ce in the railroad situation as ar
James j. Kill and ]. P. Morgan. 1t will
be recalled that Hartman suspected
Hawley of being chieH factor in the
scheme adroitly devised while Harri-
man was in Europe to divide the profits
OF the investment holdings of the Union
Pacific. 1t was this that brought Har-
r1man home from Europe in a rush. He
checked the contamination of the plan
and then died.
Morton and Shonts With HavvIey.
two men who were brought to New
York from the west by Thomas F.
Ryan and put in positions of great re-
sponsibility-Theodore P. Shonts and
E'aul MortOn-are Intimately associated
with Hawley in his railroad deals 1t
is also observed as a matter of i'm
portance in this connection that one of
the railroads recently added to the
HaWiey group is a short line in the
southeast, called the Carolina, Clinch-
field & Ohio, that was owned outright
by Ryan.
The railroads now controlled by the
zation of near $500, OO0. 900. They are the
Chesapeake & Ohio, $163 900 600; Chicago
Cincinnati & Louisville, So. 0O0, 900; Clover
Leaf, $4,000, 900; Chicago & Alton, $780,
100000; Minneapolis & ST. Louis, S., 00O,-
900, and the Iowa Central, $27, 500 900.
This big group of roads is as badly off
in the matter of connections as the
Rock Island-Frisco system, presided
over by B. E. Yoakum. Were the vari
Gus properties linked up they would
form a line from the extreme western
border of South Dakota In the North
west to tide water at Norfolk touch
ing the Great Lake traffic region at
Chicago through the Chicago Cincin-
natl & Louisville. 1t is reported to be
Mr.. Hawley'S purpose to use his Iowa
Central as the connecting link in his
proposed line from the Northwest to
Norfolk. To do this he will have to
build a new road from a point on the
Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville to
Peoria. Ill, and then link up his Min
neapolis & st. Louis at Albert Lea,
Mimi, with the Iowa Central at that
point.
HawIey's Work Alarmed Hartman.
When this is done Wall street believes
will occupy strategic position
of great importance in the continental
railroad system. It is said to have been
knowledge of these ambitious plans
that caused Hartman to have Hawley's
r. ovements watched closely for year
or two before his death. The Hawley
lines intersect the Hartman lines at |
several important points. and when the |
plans are completed the Harri- |
man territory will be invaded by a |
strong and resourceful rival.
Mr.. Hawley's deals were conducted so |
quietly until a few months ago that |
very few of even the most watchful |
railroad manipulators suspected what
were his ultimate aims At present. |
however, they are watching his every |
move with intense interest. They say |
that he is now preparing to add the !
Great Western to his system. |
This would give a new entrance to the |
Northwest through the Minneapolis-S |
Paul gateway, and would not make it |
necessary for him to utilize the round |
about Iowa Central for his through line |
from the Northwest to Norfolk.