No sooner, however, had the award actually been granted than Cowperwood's enemies made it their first concern to utilize the situation against him.
To begin with, the site of the fair, by aid of the new anti-Cowperwood council, was located on the South Side, at the terminus of the Schryhart line, thus making the whole city pay tribute to that corporation.

Simultaneously the thought suddenly dawned upon the Schryhart faction that it would be an excellent stroke of business if the New York elevated-road idea were now introduced into the city--not so much with the purpose of making money immediately, but in order to bring the hated magnate to an understanding that he had a formidable rival which might invade the territory that he now monopolized, curtailing his and thus making it advisable for him to close out his holdings and depart.

Bland and interesting were the conferences held by Mr.Schryhart with Mr.Hand, and by Mr.Hand with Mr.Arneel on this subject.

Their plan as first outlined was to build an elevated road on the South Side--south of the proposed fair-grounds--and once that was popular--having previously secured franchises which would cover the entire field, West, South, and North--to construct the others at their leisure, and so to bid Mr.Cowperwood a sweet and smiling adieu.
Cowperwood, awaiting the assembling of the new city council one month after election, did not propose to wait in peace and quiet until the enemy should strike at him unprepared.

Calling those familiar agents, his corporation attorneys, around him, he was shortly informed of the new elevated-road idea, and it gave him a real shock.