Through a series of mergers and acquisitions the company went through various name changes, finally settling on American Steel and Wire Company. Gates and his family moved to Chicago, where they lived for a period of ten years. Chicago attorney Elbert Henry Gary had helped Gates form the syndicate which led to the defeat of Washburn-Moen. Gary was called on again in 1901 to negotiate a merger with J. P. Morgan's U. S. Steel. Though he had provided Gates with some loans and advice in the past, Morgan did not want Gates to be a part of the merged company, saying that there was only a deal without Gates. Morgan made an offer to Gates for the American Steel and Wire Company, telling him that he was not welcome to take part in the business of U. S. Steel-either as part of management or on the company's board of directors. Morgan continued by saying that if Gates did not accept his offer, U. S. Steel intended to build its own wire production plant.