New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-18

rs wsu Tor the Texas and Pacific Company TO
build the road along the thyesonu d pt liz orc tbe
,rect ono commanding the confidence o. 0uslueSs men
ndr mis- management the road might be built by the
Texas and Pacific Company But, i'll b,lief, unless
the Government assumes the burden OF the UNDERTAKING
MIe fs naDagcmeHt IS left to the Texas and Pacific
Company there would be possibility OF The constitute
non of the road even the company should profess Jus
purpose TO accomplish It.
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Thosouthern Pacific Railroad Company is corpora
ton Of the State OF California. It's original charter re-
qured the yearly construction Of certain definite pof
tons Of its road which condition. with others therein IN
posed have been substantially complied with. Inc
tventy-third section of the Act Of Congress OF 1871
above cited, Is as follows: 49,,
That, the purpose OF connecting me Texas an1
Pacac Railway Wi'p me 6 IEo ,,manv Of Caiiforn.
Is hereby authorized Subject 10 the laNs VI irt
81 or near Tehachapa Pass by way Of Los Ange.Gs,
10 the Texas and Pacific Railway az or heSF tlo
Colorado River with tire same rights Srant ana prV
eces and subject tae same limitations,
and conditions were granted 10 suu 1Vutn.Ih " IN
Railroad Company OF California oy the Aet oI July
This corporation has constructed its road to FoTt
fonthwesterly of the Territory Of Arizona which
Claims TO De me aqthoELeG p4t o % 20 t
Texas and Pacihc Road distance OF apout ~ ,ulvs.
H. track has been laid through ana over extraordinary
natural obstacles at the expense OF about S6OOOOOOo
and the 800 miles OF us southern portion pas LVy.s
desert, and for 1874 miles nearest the Colorado without
an oasis This road, built to preserve the charter is OF
little value except for anticipated connections with
Southern States from which, owing 10 the Iaure O
i tant. u '"' 1t ID l'oN D'l' '''' -'-o
with Arizona should il be bUt no further But the pop
NATION of that Territory is only about $1,000, and OF
these not large proportion would do business with IL,
because of the nconvenicn point Of contact ana OF the
The road is already there, with its millions Of money
invested sandy waste, upon The good faith Of the
b. constructed to meet II at the Colorado River or
III the of the failure OF that cOrpOrauonsO to do
That Congress should take such measures should
4
The Southern Pacific Railroad Company, therefore,
will suffer great loss unless II receives immediate reei
by such legislation VIII secure the eaTly completion OF
pr0long its existence by Digh tariffs levied upon me
scanty commerce Of that sparse population, which II
bnrdensome TO the people must remain 50 'nI.t
eastern communications, and consequent lhcre2s Hg
traffic. shall result IN reduction coh9is,e' a MIL y tis
upon the enormous sums invested an IN
railroad facilities aad connections is the only
means OF relieving The people OF those !eItot.es Io
the high rates OF transportation incident 10 tcr sole
wealth of those great Territories, larger aud richer IN
world.
POSITION or THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC ROAD.
The Southern Pacific Railroad by force Of the absolute
necessity its securing eastern connections rs soon as
possible in order preserve Its capital, is the only
rarity which has both the power aud the disposition to
build this road
Early in the sessions OF this Congress bin was intro
duced by Mr. Money, OF Mississippi; proposing In sub
stance to declare the franchise and andsrant OF tho
Texas and Pacific Company west Of the Rio Grande
River 1.-THE boundary between Texas and NcwMeXc0l to
be forfeited and that the southern Pacific Company he
subrogated to the grants originally made to the Texas
ana Pacific Company west OF said BY the terms
Of this b the Southern Pacific was to complete the
road to 1T Paso. the Rio Graude, COO miles easterly
from Its present terminus which is at Fort Yuma. IN SIX
years and IT, at the end OF that time, DO other railroad
Southern with It's line at IL Paso. then with the
OF the state of Texas the Southern Pacific Co-
pany might push easteTy until the connection ndlsp IL
sable TO TINS company could be made with the MISSES
On the contrary If the Texas and Pacific Company or
any other road building westerly should arrive sooner
al The Rio Grande than the Southern Pacific Company
building easery such road coald build westerly through
the Territories TIL the approaching lines OF the TWO cor
poatlons should neft LIES propose W as i t ~,
ing trauscOntineDta line to completion before ha the
time allowed Congress for that purpose had expired
10 compliance with the terms and conditions
which might be imposed by Congress, including govern
regulation Of tariffs and proper connections aud
running arrangements with other roads proranE with
the eastern lines, and other cOmmendabc features IN
usual but necessary in the charters OF railroads.
The passage of this bill advocated by the Southern
Pacific Company before ne committee, ASKING OF Tue
Government no other ana put the landgIaut through
The southern Pacific Company interposed oppos-
ton 10 the guarantee asked by the Texas and Pdciuc
tDreYcy OF the denial Of guarantee OF bonds TO
Texas and Pacific Company, and the consequent total
required that they should not be heid IN check awaiting
The result of continued applications by the Texas ana
Pacific Company for the money or credit or the nation
with which to perform what the southern racine WAS
ready 70 DO mmedlate Tor the iandIt s'ons me only
argument entitled TO weight in opinion, was that
fbe southern Pacific connecting with the ocean
Francisco and having Intimate business relations with
the Central Pacific Railroad, might enter into conba-
lions with that corporation against the public interest,"
the advantages OF competition and OF al ocean
connection at san Diego would tcen oe lost.
COMPETITION AND COMBINATION.
We believe that any competition between rival parallel
lines of railroad the business, which results in
loss to the companies is to end IN Of two ways,
either in combination by which the public viii lose far
more than gained from competition on the
other hand the runOus cutting OF rates persisted in
until the weaker corporation ruined and the public
left the rapacy OF The survivor There is no real pro-
lection to the public but IN the enforcement OF the law OF
the land Competition which takes from corporations
just compensation Is quite as rulnouS as combination
which gives them too much.
No one can believe that the Texas and Pacific Company
would after constructing its line to the Pacific Ocean,
long compete with any rival to its own loss or even so
to produce any reduction OF rates below tae naGm t
repair its losses or increase lis gains whenever an c
law and the Of the law by the Government,
can protect the public against the love OF gain which IS
This truth is recognized by the bill of the Texas and
Pacific Company reported by the majority of the com
hold thai corporation within bounds OF justice and
law very unusual safeguards beng provided for IL con-
sderadOD OF the fact that the Government Itself Is
really required by the bill 10 furnish the means neee
uonai bonus OF S10O00,0O0. Restrictions and coudi.
tons in charter can be enforced by the machinery OF
the law against one corporation as well as another
RELATIONS OF THE PACIFIC ROADS TO EACH OTHER
AND 10 THE SOUTH.
Assuming that Southern Pacici is controlled by the
Central Pacific (Which is dened there IS the strongest
reason 10 suppose that this circumstance would operate
rather TO the benefit than the injury OF the South and
Southwest The whole length OF the Central Pacific is
about 500 miles. The Southern Pacific, from San Fran
cisco to the Colorado is more than 700 miles. Add to
this the proposed extension Of GEO miles, and the total
Is over 800 miles, and believe 1t probable that the
Southern Pacific will extend its line eastery across
Texas the desired subsidy should enable the Texas
and Pacific Company 10 form the connection at III aso
Therefore IL San Francisco would be the point to
he mi