Syracuse, Binghamton & New York

In Tom Tabers History of the DL&W (Vol. 1) he states the reason that Sam Sloan bought controlling interest in the SB&NY in 1869 was that there was a "rival interest" about to buy controlling interest in the company.

Does anyone know who the rival interest would have been ?

DL&W had an agreement with the SB&NY, and I believe the O&S as far back as 1858 for the movement of coal north to the Erie Canal, and after the O&S was 3rd railed to 6ft gage and the connector crossed the NYC RR they attained Lake Ontario.

Just curious who was looking at the SB&NY at that point, or evn if there was truth to what Taber reported, as the rival was not identified.

Guessing...I would say, ERIE or O&W.

Maybe the NYC&HRRR (later NYC)?

The Erie would be a good guess, but what about the D&H--they owned the O&W Utica Branch and thus already had a toe hold.

I believe it was Gould of the Erie. Later Gould was hired to build the Lackawanna of NY from Binghamton to Buffalo then tried to sell it to the WABASH! If it wasn't Gould trying to get the SBNY then it was Drew.