The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-20
ANOTHER SCHEME TO
WRECK FEDS FAILS
Effort Made by Organized Ball
to Control Property Of Chi
cagO Invaders.
CHANCE FOR OPTION LOST
Ford and Sweeney See Tinker
Forty Players Said to BE
Ready to Sign Up.

CHICAGO. Jan 19.--The Federal League,
with its troublous Saturday meeting A
thing of the past. now seems to be safe
and on firm financial basis. but 1t Is
not expected that the league will cut such
. wide swath in the way Of money In the
future as 1t did In the past. The salaries
that have been offered major league
ball players have fairly dazzled their
eyes and either resulted In the signing Of
stars or else forced the majors to meet
the terms offered by the Federals, with
great benefit to the players involved but
~ the roster OF stars desired IL nearly
completed the Federais are now In n
position To go much easier and not spend
the large chunks of money necessary
earlier in the war.
Organized baseball has made still an
ether attempt to wreck the Federal
League. 1t was aimed directly at the
Chicago team. A strip OF land sixteen feet
wide and 100 feet long was needed In
connection with the lease for the ball
park at Addison and Clark streets. Rep
resentatives of organized baseball offered
the owners $4,000 in cash for the strip,
but the majors failed to come through in
time with their option to block the Fed
erals. To-day the owner received bid
OF 100000 for the strip. but in the mean
time the Federals had closed their lease
and assured the building of the ball park.
Charles Weeghman, hacker of the Chi
cago Federal League. Is authority for the
story of the financial scheme that was
nearly sprung on the Federals In an
attempt TO make 1t difficult for them 70
. build their park.
Russell Ford and Ed Sweeney. the vet.
sran battery Of the New York Americans
were in conference with President Weegh-
man and Manager Tinker of the Chicago
Feds for several hours to-day. and there
was a strong rumor afloat around the
Federal League headquarters that the
two big leaguers had signed contracts
Howard Camntz, formerly with the
Iittsburg Nationals and traded last year
to the Philadelphia team of the same
league was also at the club headquarters
closeted with Manager Tinker and Doc
iessler. the latter the manager of the
Fittsburg Federal League team. Alex
Mccarthy OF Pittsburg also is here.
Bill brennan. National League umpire.
was behind closed doors with President
Gilmore OF the league. Brick Owens, an
other big league umpire at one time. wired
President Gilmore that he would be in
Chicago tomorrow.
t. II. White, for several years trainer
for the Cleveland American League team.
was signed to-day by Manager Tinker as
the trainer OF the Chicago Federals. Mike
Murphy, ground keeper at Detroit for sew
eral years and who has been working
Ground baseball parks for twenty years
or more, was engaged by President
W.eghman as the ground keeper Of the
Chicago club.
u T. Carroll. representing the Buffalo
club in person and the Toronto team by
pioNy. announced that he had signed
four his league players for Toronto since
saturday. and also several for himself.
F,ll Phillips. manager OF the Indianapolis
l..4.l .,ttsT ~ 70 N