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280

(245) 

June 25, 1894.

My dear Wilson:

Your letter of 31st inst. from Schnectady [[Schenectady]] was received this morning and fully noted. Accept my thanks for your kind interest in our behalf in the Lehigh Valley matter. I wired Mr. Wilbur, Pres’t of the company, but have as yet received no reply. I heard this morning however from another source that his company had decided to purchase 500 cars only and that the contract would be given, as you suggested, to the [[?]] Miller Co.

Now in regards Barber, I can only say that the rumor you have is entirely without foundation. Mr. Barber mentioned to me that he had been told Mr. Hickey had decided to resign from the Northern Pacific and go back to the Wisconsin Central, and that if this should prove to be so, he (Barber) thought of applying for the superintendency of both the motive power and [[?]] department. He however clearly stated to me that under no circumstances would he accept the place, even if it were offered to him, if Mr. Hickey desired it, but that if Mr. Hickey finally decided to resign, he saw no reason why he (Barber) should not take the place if he could get it. He did not ask me for a letter to Mr. Williams nor even suggest it, nor did he suggest it,[[?]] [[?]] one, but he did say to me that while in New York he thought he would call upon Mr. Williams and pay his respects, which I advised him of course to do, and said to him that any officer occupying a subordinate position on the Northern Pacific should when in New York call upon their superior officers. It so happened that when I was in New York I called upon Mr. Williams and he mentioned that Barber had that same morning been to see him but he said nothing about his (Barber’s) having applied for Hickey’s place or mentioned the affair at all, and I really believe that the person who brought the rumor to you is desirous of creating a disturbance between Barber and Hickey. I can assure you that so far as