Charles Yerkes (1837-1905)

 Charles Tyson Yerkes (June 25, 1837 – December 29, 1905) was an American financier, born in Philadelphia. He played a major part in developing mass-transit systems in Chicagoand London.

London[edit]

In August 1900, Yerkes decided to become involved in the development of the London Underground railway system after riding along the route of one proposed line and surveying the City of London from the summit of Hampstead Heath. He established theUnderground Electric Railways Company of London to take control of the District Railway and the partly built Baker Street and Waterloo Railway; Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway; and Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway. Yerkes employed complex financial arrangements similar to those that he had used in America to raise the funds necessary to construct the new lines and electrify the District railway. In one of his last great triumphs, Yerkes managed to thwart an attempt by J. P. Morgan to enter the London Underground field.

skul|dug¦gery

Pronunciation: /skʌlˈdʌɡ(ə)ri 

  

/

(also skullduggery)

Definition of skulduggery in English:

NOUN

[MASS NOUN]

Underhand, unscrupulous, or dishonest behaviour oractivities:a firm that investigates commercial skulduggery

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Origin

mid 19th century: alteration of Scots sculduddery, of unknown origin.

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The story of how London expanded so swiftly at the turn of the 20th century is one of financial ingenuity, bold risk-taking and low skulduggery. It is also the tale of one dauntless American, Charles Yerkes, who, though notorious in his time, is today unknown in the city he helped shape http://econ.st/1zBXrqb