He knew all about their incorporation, backers, the expense connected with them, their returns, and so forth.

Personally, in so far as New York was concerned, he considered them an ideal solution of traffic on that crowded island.
Here in Chicago, where the population was as yet comparatively small--verging now toward a million, and widely scattered over a great area--he did not feel that they would be profitable--certainly not for some years to come.

What traffic they gained would be taken from the surface lines, and if he built them he would be merely doubling his expenses to halve his profits.

From time to time he had contemplated the possibility of their being built by other men--providing they could secure a franchise, which previous to the late election had not seemed probable--and in this connection he had once said to Addison: "Let them sink their money, and about the time the population is sufficient to support the lines they will have been driven into the hands of receivers.

That will simply chase the game into my bag, and I can buy them for a mere song." With this conclusion Addison had agreed.