The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-30
NO COMPETING LINE.
President Marvel of the Santa Fe
On the Subject.
The Financial Situation Not Favorable for New
nterprises-California's Resources
Discussed.

A. Marvel, the President of the AtchisOn,
Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, arrived from
the East with party of friends yesterday,
and the greater part of the day was spent
in consultation with K. H. Wade, General
Manager of the Santa Fe lines in Southern
California
This, Mr.. Marvel explained, was due to
the fact that he desired to discuss certain
matters appertaining 10 the management of
the Western lines, and this could be done
better here than in MIR. Wade's Office, where
the latter would necessarily be subject to
constant Interruptions attendant upon the
conduct of routine business.
When Mr.. Marvel was seen in his room
at the Palace Hotel he stated that his visit
was of no particular significance.
"Jn company with Judge Springer, the
Third Vice-President of our company" he
said, Il have been making tour of inspec-
ton of the Colorado Midland line, which
we have recently acquired, and found it
more expedient TO come this way instead of
retracing our steps. AS it is, we Will return
home by way OF the Atlantic and Pacific"
Your visit, then has no connection with
the much-talked-of extension of the Santa
Fe 10 this city,"
None whatever. The outlook for rail-
Ibuu ocOutiliNSs ohiuS W tIc idbc
stringency, is not such as to encourage new
enterprises"
WILL NOT BE CONTINUED.
'Will the work at Bakersfield, which was
brought TO an abrupt termination by
Mr.. Minot,s death, be continued by the
Santa Fe?"
mo sir. most positively not. In the first
place you understand, Mr.. Minot's enter
prise was entirely independent of our road.
Had he lived TO complete his work he might,
in time, have become connected with our
line, but that, OF course. is ended now. Al
though very young man Minot possessed
the entire confidence of number of large
capitalists, and had already built and
equipped tue East Wisconsin railroad, and
WAS young mar of great ability as rail-
road financier. He was with me for time
on the Manitoba road, and l knew his capa-
bilities
WOULD IT BE REMUNERATIyE.
''Now tile great question is, would COM
peting road pay? That l am hardly prepared
10 say. You see l have been with the Santa
Fe but short time comparatively, and l
will confess that have not yet had time to
give the matter the Careful consideration 1t
deserves. l never saw the San Joaquin
Valley but once in my life. aud then
passed through it at the rate of mile
minute, so that my opportunities for 0bSer-
walton were not of the very best
If newspaper reports are true. however
California within the last three years has
been simply marvellous. refer particularly
to that section known as the Fresno coun-
try. The fact of the matter is that l am en-
thusiastic on the subject of the soil, climate
and resources or tins remarkable State, and
consider its future full OF great promise.
I'VE hear great deal of the wonderful
development OF the great Northwest, and
there IS no doubt that its progress has been
rapid, but the conditions there have made il
Nlan Atn saT Nm .x.lsl1 hntTa
there to settle are, in the main, COMPARE
lively poor, and land was to be had by set
Ting on 1t. One hundred and sixty acres
cost but Sl4. A crop could be raised the
next year after settlement, and this was a
prime consideration.
DIFFERENT CONDITIONS.
in this State the conditions are vastly
different. Twenty acres will cost from
$1,000 to $1,000, and two to three years are re-
CURED to secure return from vines or
trees, but just stop and consider the vast
difference. Ten acres in this State will
clear more to the owner than 160 in Wash
inetOn or Wisconsin. The result of all this
is that emigrants coming TO this State must
have money, which Is an advantage. but
which, of course, makes the development
slower to some extent.
There is no doubt, howev yer. that with q
competing line, even shonld no reduction be
made in rates of freight and fares, the de-
yelopment would be more rapid than at
present. Why Well, there would be the
advantage of a great, powerful organization
with agents out in search of immigrants to
build up the country along their line and to
advertise the advantages of the country.
hat railroad develops the immediate
country through winch it runs is a KNOWN
fact, and L saw it very plainly demon
strated on the Manitoba road during my
stay with that company. The first year /
was there We hauled 8,00O,000 bushels of
wheat, while eight years later 81 100000
bushels passed over the line in one year. L
presume new line built into California
would have, to some extent at least, SIM
liar experience"
Mr.. Marvel will probably go south to-day.
He is accompanied by Judge j. ID. Springer,
a. Speare, o. S. A. Sprague F. p. Magoun
and z. Allen, who are his guests on the trip.