Like Cowperwood, he had the idea that if
he controlled sufficient of the local situation in this field, he
could at last effect a joint relationship with Mollenhauer and Simpson.
Political legislation, advantageous to the combined lines, could then
be so easily secured. Franchises and necessary extensions to existing
franchises could be added. This conversion of his outstanding stock
in other fields, and the picking up of odd lots in the local
street-railway, was the business of Cowperwood. Butler, through his
sons, Owen and Callum, was also busy planning a new line and obtaining a
franchise, sacrificing, of course, great blocks of stock and actual cash
to others, in order to obtain sufficient influence to have the necessary
legislation passed. Yet it was no easy matter, seeing that others knew
what the general advantages of the situation were, and because of this
Cowperwood, who saw the great source of profit here, was able, betimes,
to serve himself--buying blocks, a part of which only went to Butler,
Mollenhauer or others. In short he was not as eager to serve Butler, or
any one else, as he was to serve himself if he could.
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