The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-16

would serve as the founda ton. the
core of the combination. Without the
heimwood combination would be i'm
possible almost. 1t did almost as much
business as the next two largest com
pah>>s. With five big corpora lions In
the merger the promoters could nick
and choose. for the others Womb he
eager to be taken in. There was NO
doupt in Mr.. IIelmwood's mind that Mr.
| lhomas's advice was sound and II was
asreed that none of the other share
holders in the Helmwood company
should have the slightest intimation
Oh what was in the wind until the
pans were matured. and that such
sounding as Mr. Helmwood made of
me heads of other corporatio as to
.nef attitude toward the project should
ne MADE under pledge that they would
reveal nothing about the proposal min
released from their obligation bv Mr.
Helmwood
Most carefully and conscientiouslv
Nr. Helmwood set about his work. His
reputation was so we'll established and
ne mad been SO fair in sauging the
values of the other properties and so
]nst in the proposed aflotments 10
them mat he met with surprising sue
cess. Each day he wrote to Mr..
Ihomas advising him of the progress
ne was making. and each day Thomas
replied with suggestions or conEratula-
lions And every day Thomas eau
lohed him as TO the danger that at
tended a premature disclosure of the
plan and urged him to impress this
Horcefully upon those to whom he
confided the Information
Within six weeks Mr.. Helmwood had
progressed SO far that he saw no
necessary for further canvassins. He
mao communicated through one of his
New York connections with Mr.. Pierre
pont, and that gentleman had consented
TO consider the merger proposition, with
view to financing it when the thing
was ripe. Mr.. Helmwood fortified with
all the details set forth simply and
lhcidly so they could be read and di-
Gested easily by the banker, had pre-
scented himself to the big man. had
shown himself such master of bis
subject as TO win grunt of approval
and had been able to telegraph 70
Thomas few days later that this
banker agreed to undcrwrite the
scheme. Mr.. Pierrepont. having taken
charge of the affair. called in one OF
his lieutenants. explained the situa-
tion to him and then left the )ieuten.
ant and Mr.. Helgwood to attend &c
the. rest of II.
Mr.. Helmwood was so busy he haA
to remain in New York for severa,
weeks. No one but a person who has
been through 1t knows the multitude
OF things that have to be done to put
through In proper form so big an un-
dertaklns as the merging of a lot of
corporations. There were conferences
daily win tho h,a,dc of ~
parties 10 the merger and there were
meetings with lawyers morning, noon
and night. Mr.. Helmwood found time
early in this busy season to send to
each shareholder in the Helmwood com
pany detailed report of the plan and
It's advantages to them. Then he eX-
planned why 1t had been necessary
TO maintain secre y. With this report
went call for a special meeting to
approve the merger
Nearly all the other companies had
formally accepted the plan before the
fielmwood company held its meeting
Mr.. Helmwood sereiue and smiling
went direct TO the meeting from the
train by which he had arrived from
New York. Less than dozen persons
held the shares OF the company, and ali
were present Mr. Helmwood Joyous.
~ shook the hand of the first man he
met on ntering the room. There was
no warmth in the shake the other man
gave him II was the same when he
greeted another friend Mr.. Helmwood
was surprised. Only two or three per-
sons in the room seemed happy
Mr. Ilelmwood was not kept In
ignorance long Of what this meant.
When one of the shareholders sarcasti-
cally referred to the presidents con
dnct as despicable and three or four
others had voiced their sentiments as
strongly and then had told how they
| mad sold or given options on their
shares TO Mr. Thomas. whom, in their
wrath they believed was acting with
the president he turned pale Mr.
iieimwood assured them he never was
more shocked and surprised in his
ne. He could not be guilty of such
! rcprehensible conduct as practically to
swindle the men with whom he had
been associated so long, he declared.
ana he could not find words fitting to
| express his grief that what had been
planned by him with so much thought
! 70 their welfare had been used to their
great disadvantage. Some of his hear
ers we're Impressed. but others asked
safcasticaliy why, II Mr.. Helmw God was
SO anxious to do good for them, he had
Nept the plan from them and had taken
oh'y M Thomas into his confidence
! "'' Ihomas who had large resources
ana who went promptly and most
aTED!tIL To work huv THAR ahRrea or