operated railroad. Soon after taking office at KCS, Knott sought to expand the railroad. He and Edward F. Swinney, then president of First National Bank of Kansas City, were appointed as receivers for the Kansas City Suburban Belt Railway, Union Terminal Railway and the Kansas City and Independence Air Line so that they could be more easily integrated and merged into the KCS system. In late October 1900, reports circulated that John W. Gates took control of a majority of shares of KCS stock, which led to rumors that W. G. Brimson would succeed Knott as president. It was soon revealed that Gates hadn't gained full control, rather that Harriman had purchased KCS stock from Gates and Knott would continue as president. A few days later, on November 3, 1900, a new board of directors for the KCS was announced, which included Harriman, Gates, Knott and former president Fordyce as well as George J. and Edwin Gould; the new board confirmed Knott's continuing term as president. On January 3, 1901, Knott served as chairman for a conference in New York City discussing standard freight rates for western and northwestern railroads. The conference closed with no significant changes to the rates and no new resolutions adopted, with Knott reported as "being entirely satisfied with the present situation." In June 1901, rumors were published that Knott was to succeed Samuel Felton as president of the Alton. Felton denied the rumors. At the 1902 annual meeting of the Kansas City, Shreveport and Gulf Railway and the Kansas City, Shreveport and Gulf Terminal Company, Knott was elected president of both companies, the latter company being the owner of Shreveport Union Station. A year after the previous rumors of his resignation, new rumors emerged in July 1902, some citing J.P. Morgan Company, that Knott would leave the KCS to return to the L&N as president. As with the previous rumors, Knott denied these claims as well. Notes References 1859 births 1943 deaths 19th-century American railroad executives 20th-century American railroad executives Kansas City Southern Railway Businesspeople from Louisville, Kentucky