Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-12
IN A FIX.
The Santa Fe Company in
a Tight Place.
IMPORTANT RAILWAY NEWS.
The S. P. Co.'s Latest Extension
Scheme-An Official Appoint
ment-A Sad Death.

Standing on a sidetrack at the
Santa Fe depot there is a baggage-car
which attracts the attention Of every
man, women and child that passes
anywhere in that neighborhood. The
car is painted all over with the most
glowing colors, and is an advertise.
ment for the cigarette firm OF Kin
ney Bros, at New York City. In.
side the car is fitted up almost as
comfortably as a house, for in one end
is a large cooking stove, in the mid
die bedroom, behind that store
room, and at the rear end stable
and carriage house. The occupant
of the car is Mr.. Thomas B. Willis,
the travelling agent OF Kinney Bros,
and he is accompanied by his wife, a
driver, horse and wagon and a
dog. Mr.. Willis finished his business
in this city last Friday, and was to
have left for San Francisco Saturday
night, in order to be on hand Monday
morning in time for business. In San
Francisco he has a large force OF
drummers and stock of goods await
ing his arrival. Saturday afternoon
Mrs. Willis took in full supply OF
edibles. and prepared for her journey,
being all ready to go, when Mr.. Will
lis returned from a trip uptown and
stated they could not get away that
night. And now comes most anus
ing, though very provoking predica-
.ment. According to Mr.. Willis, the
story is as follows: Before starting on
the journey across the continent from
Chicago he went to see Mr.. G. H.
Wood, the General Agent Of the
Santa Fe Company, to make
a contract for being hauled tc
San Francisco. Mr.. Wood, so Mr..
Willis states, made contract with
him to haul his car and contents on a
tirst-class passenger train from Chi.
cago to San Francisco via the South
ern Pacific Company from Mojave.
While en- route Mr.. Willis made up
his mind to pay Los Angeles visit,
and accordingly had his contract
amended by General Traffic Manager
White, of the Santa Fe, so that he
could come to this city. Having fin
ished his business here, he notified
the Santa Fe officials that he desired
to 90 on to San Francisco. When he
did 80 he was informed that for some
reason the Southern Pacific Co. would
not take his car. Mr.. H. B. Will
kens was in the city and did all in
his power to ascertain why the South
ern Pacific would not haul his car, but
could get no satisfactory reply. The
Southern Pacific wouldn't and that
was all he could learn. All the other
Santa Fe officials are in the same fix
The Santa Fc then, so one Of its Off
cials says, offered the Southern Pa
cific Company anything they would
charge to haul the car, but still they
refused. The Santa Fe people ther
went to Wells, Fargo & Co., and off
cred to prepay the expressage on the
car and its contents to San Francisco
aout again they met with nc
success, for the Southern Pacific woulG
not haul it. Here was a dilema
Mr.. Willis wanted to get into Sar
Francisco, and couldn't, The Santa
Fe wanted to keep their agreement
and couldn't. What was to be done
Literally nothing has, as yet, been
accomplished, and from present indi-
cations the car will stand where it
is until it falls to pieces, before it will
be taken to San Francisco by the
Southern Pacific. Mr.. Willis t,reat.
.ened to bring suit for damages agains
the Santa Fe, though he says they
have treated him most courteously
throughout.
The HBRALD's representative ascer
tanned the foregoing, and determined
to learn why the Southern Pacifi,
persisted in the refusal.
The city officials would give no in
formation about the matter at all, 81
visit was made to the special car o
Mr.. J. G. Stubbs, the General Traffi,
Manager of the Southern Pacific Com
.pany, who is now in the city. In re
ply to the question as to why the,
would not haul the car, Mr.. Stubb
said:
"Well, there are two reasons. W.
could not take the car because of
contract with Wells, Fargo & Co., VIII
have the right to haul such goods OF
our lines exclusively. Secondly, W,
do not propose to 60 agains
the interest of this com
munity. Kinney Bros. never wante
to have the privilege of stopping hi
car at any place along the road an,
peddling his goods, at prices beneath
the jobbers in this country. w
could not afford to antagonize tn
residents of towns along our line b,
aiding any such scheme, they woult
tear our tracks up if we did,"
So Mr.. Willis will not be able to ge
to San Francisco in his special car p
'No sir; that is the way the matte
stands now. We won't take his ca
at ALL"
These were the only reasons tina
could be obtained anywher
: How it will end no on,
can tell. Mr.. Stubbs said there
was no law which could compel his
company to haul the car, that if Mr.
Willis wanted to get his stuff there b,
would have to ship it either by tx
press or freight. The car is bag
kdS0 ChX 6uu ID utVcO OuI IOr paSS0QS6
train service, and there is no reason
for refusal on that ground, 80 ths
Santa Fe officials state. They alst
say that NO contract was ever made
by Mr.. Wood, though verbal agree
dnent to the same effect was, anc
they propose to stand by Mr.. Wilt
to the very end. In the meantime
Mr.. Willis, so he SAYS. is losin,
money by the delay, and he states h,
will Of course have to be paid III,
loss. He has secured attorneys an,
will fight the matter out in the courts
Yesterday morning the Santa Fe Of
ficials asked him if he woul,
take 5000 and release then
from their agreement. This h,
refused on the grounds that it woul,
not pay him for the actual loss sus.
tanned by his company He says
however, that he does not anticipat.
suit with the Santa Fe Company, q.
shat company is fully aware OF its