New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-05-15
RAILROAD DOINGS.
President Hill, of the Manitoba,
Testifes Before the Senate
Committee.

New YORK May S.-The senate committee.
which is investigating the workings of the
interstate commerce law and the matter of
the Canadian roads doing business in and
with this country, resumed its labors
promptly at 10 o'clock this morning in the
Fifth Avenue hotel. Senator Hisccck was
the only member of the committee absent
President J. J. Hill, of the ST. Paul, Minneap-
oils Il Manitoba railroad, was present to tell
what ne knew about railroads and his own
III particular, but the first witness called by
Chairman Cultor, was President Charles
Francis Adams, of the Union Pacific road.
Mir. Adams thought the interstate COM
merce law in many cases cruel one; those
who obeyed it lost by its operation, and
those who evaded it. profited. Il should like,
however, TO see it universally obeyed and
given fair trial. he said sand, since Jan.
/, really believe that the law has been bet
ter obeyed than ever before" MIR. Adams
thought that common railroad law be-
tween Cadada and the United States and
Iegaized pool, would be a good thing and
would tend to bring about solution Of the
present troubles in reference to Canadian
roads.
If YOU think the Interstate law is a good
thing then where does all the opposition come
froIn?' asked Senator Blair.
You must remember that the country has
been built up on d system IF distribution, which
the interstate law shakes to its foundation. The
long and short haul clauses give in effect to the
smaller cities, MANY Of the advantages hereto
fore exclusively enjoyed by the larger cities, and
the consequence is that in a city like San Fran
cisco the opposition is very strong.
In conclusion the witness said that while
nominallv the president of the Union Pacific
railroad, he really knew buG little of its
practical workings, and referred to the COM
mittee Of the members Of the Union Pacific
railroads executive staff at Omaha Presi-
dentJames J. Hill. OF the st. Paul, Minneapo-
lis L Manitoba railroad, the first wit
ness called after recess He described in
detail the su bsidies and government
GIFTS OF MONEY AND LAND
to the Canadian Pacific road already referred
to by General Manager Hickson, of the Grand
Trunk road, and Senator German, evidently
with some purpose in view, questioned the
witness for long while 90 the subject of the
Canadian Pacific Mr. Hills remarks were
often full of information, but on many lead
ing questions his memory was apparently
bad He gave an account of the probable
route of the future between Asia and Europe.
The Canadian Pacific road, he said had a
fast line OF steamers running from its West
ern terminus I'D Asia and from its Eastern
terminus to Liverpool.
In eighteen months" said he, L fully expect
one can travel from New York TO Yokohama in
two weeks.
rs there much foreign trade-Asia trade
coming over the Canadian Pacific road?" asked
Chairman CuilOm.
Considerable. Some comes over our road
destined for Omaha"
Chairman Culom-Why does it take such a
rounda bout course?
Probably because or 6 cents hundred
pounds is an inducement We have different
rate. and time is no object it pays to take ad-
vantage OF the lower rate.
Switching over to the eastern terminus of the
Canadian Pacific road, Chairman Cullom asked
whether or not the road in question was not try
ing TO get an outlet across the State of Maine,
and after d cross-Question or two Chairman Gull
lOm asked: What II we made Canada part of
American
We'll, l think the Canadians wou'd make good
Americans. answered Mr. Hill with smile.
The witness also treated his hearers to an
exhaustive address on the question of the
application of water routes to railroad rates
and concluded by making q statement that
along the shallow waterways, such as the
Mississippi river, railroads could be con-
stlucEed along The levees which could trans
port freight cheaper than the high-pressure
steamb boats.
Erastus Wiman next took the witness chair
The construction OF The Canadian railways :"
he said, Shas done moe to contribute to a
closer relationship between the East and
West than anything else" Mr.. Wiman spoke
strongly in favor of commercial reciprocity,
and figured out how in that event Of that as
an assured fact Canadian territory would 81
once be built up by emigration from Europe
and largely from the United States
The Atcllison Annual Report