New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-01
THE PACIFIC REPORTS.
A TALK WITH c. P. HUNTINGTON.

Mr. ANDERSON THINKS SATURDAYS PAPER IN
TEREsTISG READING FOR JAY GOULD.
The publication of the reports of the commission
TO investigate the Pacific railroads that have re-
ceived aid from the United States occurred when
the Stock Exchange had adjourned for the New
Years holidays. 1t is impossible to say what effect
it would have had on stocks, although the general
tenor Of the reports has been pretty thoroughly
understood in Wall Street for several weeks Whet-
er Congress will take any action in regard to the
remedial measures proposed in the majority report
is a question about which there are widely diverse
opinions Russell Sage said he thought that fund
ing bill OF some kind would be passed, while e. Z.
Huntington said that he dcspaired of such result.
Mr. Huntington said in substance, referring to the
severe criticisms OF the Central Pacific:
&" / did not expect many kind words for our COM
pany, although we expect to pay the Government
ali that is justly due it, 1t is no disgrace to be
poor, but ii is sometimes highly inconvcnient ana
il this company was obliged to pay its debt TO the
Government at once, am afraid that we should
hot he able to do it. That is no proof, however,
that we have any intention OF defraudng the Gov-
eminent. l was asked, when l was before the
commission what WAS the coet of building the
Central Pacific and 1 replied by asking whether
the inquiry meant the cost to the Government or
the company. There is a wide distinction. and 1T
docs not bring disgrace to us.
,NLf AIC.rIING THE GOVERNMENTS OFFER
:" 1t should he remembered that the Government
offered certain inducements to anybody who might
bulid c railroad across the continent. The statute
explicitly stated what the Government would give,
ana am not aware thai we are charged with tax
ing more than entitled to; If we did not
Take rything the statute gave us. the Govern
m,nt IS indebted TO the company. The cost OF the
r0au to US. as told the commission. is nobody $
business. We engaged TO build a road according
To Oucr oi the Governments, ana we Dulit H.
III VIC mad employed magic Tic contract WOuld not
have been eiiected. In Tact, IL we had DuIlt no
road at All and the Gov crlnlcnt COMMISSIONERS had
reported that we had complied with our agree
ment, We could not have been blamed. for the
three commissl onels to accept the completed line
We're appointed exclusively by the Gov eminent
We hdu hntnins 10 10 Win lnelf ucCiSiOHS OF Hclr
apo ntnlent.
Another thing that ought not to be forgotten
Mr. Huntington continued. IS that the Govern
mont afterNard gave 10 TWO otcr iincs-ohc 10 'lie
North and the other to TIN. SOuth-morc than IL
gave and leaned altogether to us II mu rave
Known that It's Se3ullty on our property Was not
improved BY til action. personally urgcG rroml-
net the EasJ to iOin us III the building Ol
the Central Pacific, and they refused to take 50
great risk We built tncr Dad. and II 1t was Il
profitable undertaking other men might have done
the same thing if they had had the courage
WHAT {. MMIssIONER ANDERSEN HAD 10 SAY
f. ElleTy Anderson, one of the two commissioners
who signed the majority report, was found at Ills
Office, No 10 Wall-st The publication of the
''N"
how it got out; there has been a breach OF faith
somewhere and under the circumstances | do not
feel that ought at he present tune TO add any eX
prvss.on OF opinlon to the report to which My sig
nature is attached
When are you likely to think the time oppor-
tune for saying something?
After the matter has been thoroughly ven
tilatcd by the newspapers and the state OF PUBIC
opinion the subject ascertalncd. Ii is an eX-
ceedingly interesting question. Here are two re
ports involving enormous interests. should
think it would well repay any editor of an in
Huential newspaper to study them carefully, get
ting expert opinions if necessary, before advocat-
ing the adoption of one or the other"
" Does the evidence brought out concerning the
part which Mr. Gould has played in the various
transaction connected with the Union Pacific Rail
way justify, in your opinion, criminal proceedings
against him 2"
1t would not be proper for me TO express an
opinion upon that point Mr. Gould gave his tes-
limony under the protecting arm of the law. 1t
cannot be used against him on any criminal pro-
ceedngs nor would it be proper TO use the COM
missioners reports in any way against him. ,
Has the report anything to do with the legal
proceedings at present being pressed against MI.
Soud?"
understood that it was the testimony fur
nishcd before the commission which gives Mr..
Delaney the foundation for his case. but the pub
LEGATION on the same dav of the reports and the
statem mt of Mr. Maltne that the facts alleged con
stitutc sufficient ground for criminal proceedings
was entirely accidcntal-a mere coincidence. Still
/ should think that a New York paper OF Satur-
Soud, should he pick up one in his travels abroad