Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-21
NORTHWARD BOUND.
Messrs. TOwne and Hunting
ton Arrive.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THEN.
Railroad Matters in General-Sev-
ePal RumOrs Denied-MOre
Improvements.
n INTERVIEW WITH THEM.

In special train, at 20 O'Clock last
night, Mr.. Coils P. Huntington, First
Vice-President of the Southern Pacific,
and Mr.. A. N. Towne, Third Vice -Presi-
dent and General Manager of the system.
arrived at the Wolfskill depot from the
East. There was quite sprinkling of
people assembled on the platform to
welcome the magnates, railroad men be-
ing in the pred ominance, while two or
three reporters, with anxious expressions
on their faces, stood waiting to board the
cars the moment they pulled up. Mr..
A. N. Towne was the first of the party to
alight, and on being accosted by a HER
AID man he, with his usual courtesy,
consented to be pumped, and invited
the scribe into the comfortable quarters
of the directors car.
81 really have very little to tell you,"
said Mr.. Towne. Information having
been received at headquarters at San
Francisco that Mr.. Huntington was
about to make his annual visit to the
Coast, / went to New Orleans to meet
him, and we journeyed together to the
City of Mexico via the International line
from Eagle Pass to Torreon, which is
controlled by Mr.. Huntington. We
passed very pleasant time in that part
Of the country and are now on our way to
San Francisco in hurry. A meeting is
10 be held there, at the end of
the month, of the Board of Directors OF
the Company, and the annual reports
and many important matters are to be
for consideration. Mrs. Hop
passed through Los An
geles last night, accompanied by her
attorney, Mr.. Stiilman, and as Senator
Stanford has also telegraphed his inten-
lion of being on hand, there will be
we'll attended conference. AS to rail-
road news, have very little that l can
give you. Our trip into Mexico was GER
tainly in connection with the extension
)f the International road, and although
It may ultimately be pushed through to
5he coast, at present it will only be built
nto Durango"
"There is rumor afloat to the effect
that you contemplate resigning the Gen
,ral Managership of the road," said the
HERALD man. sis there anything in it ?"
Ii bhOiO L uOA kuOh dUOut
said Mr.. Towne, with twinkle in his
BYE.
When asked as to who composed the
party in the special, the genial railroad
man replied, "Mr. Huntington, his wife,
son and niece, Miss Campbell, Mr.. and
Mrs. Shaw, my daughter-in-law; our
secretaries and attendants.
Mr.. Towne is looking in remarkably
good health, and said to the scribe that
be never felt better in his life; "though
am very tired after the long trip we
have made" he added, as the reporter
made his way out.
A CALL ON MIR. HUNTINGTON.
The penciller then wended his way in
% the next car, the "Oneosta," which is
known throughout the railroad world as
Mr.. Huntington's special. The million
aire was found seated at his table hard
at>work, as usual, with secretary in a
chair near by, reading and marking let
.ers from huge pile that had evidently
ust been opened. In spite of his 6S
years, Mr.. Huntington is still an active,
vigorous-looking man, and he has lost
none of his boundless fund of merriment,
;or. after greeting the arrival, he
yravely removed his pince-nes and asked
what was the news. The scribe
explained that he was on that very
,rrand himself. and on putting ques-
lion about Mexico, Mr.. Huntington re-
Piled: "Yes, l contemplate some rail-
road construction down there, for l
believe there are excellent inducements
Tor building. The extension through the
Pacific Coast will probably be the re.
suit of what l shall do, but at
present l shall be satisfied with
running the line into Durango, a distance
Of about 155 miles. 1 am very much
pleased with Mexico, and had no idea
that it was such a fine place as it has
proved itself to be to me during my
ramblings there of the past few days.
South of Zacetecas, especially, there is a
stretch, and some day there
will be wondrous developments in that
part of the continent. As to when work
will be actually commenced out Of Tue
son, cannot exactly name the day, but
it will be very soon. Mr.. w. N. Monroe,
Of Monrovia, is not, however,
down in Mexico on that account;
[ believe that he is about
10 undertake some work for the Mexican
Central. The principal thing can tell
you regarding my trip is, as concerns the
the Sunset road, that is the line from
San Francisco to New Orleans. 1t is the
intention to make some marked improve
ments on it Immediately, especially in
the Texas section. Lower grades will be
made, and the road shortened in every
way and put in thorough
for we intend to make it the
finest highway across the continent.
There is a lot of work before
the Southern Pacific for the next
lew years, but this will be
put first on the list. The coast line from
Los Angeles to San Francisco has not
been tabled in any manner, can assure
you, and after our meeting in San Fran
cisco something will probably be done in
the matter. Then there are the railroad
shops to be built in East Los Angeles
they are also on the tapis, for although
they may not be put up just yet, can
tell you that they will certainly be built.
AS to a line into San Diego, the
matter is just this way: We may
build it, and we may not; certainly
not at present. We have a good
deal of building also to do in the way of
extensions Of lines already operating, 80
you can see what host of matters are be-
fore u.s."
"What is there in the rumor of your
being about to gobble the Santa Fe?''
asked the scribe.
'I don't know" was the reply, and
Mr.. Huntington smiled as he added,
Information OF that description l have
to get from the newspapers. / don't