The morning call., 1891-01-28
A PACIFIC CABLE.
Bills for The Incorporation Of
a Company.
San Francisco and Eastern Capitalists In
ter6Sted in the Scheme.
The Government Asked 10 Grant a Yearly
Subsidy Of S2OO,OOO-The Out
look for lis Passage.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator Mitchell
introduced in the Senate and Representa-
tive Morrow in the House bill incorporat
ing the Pacific Cable Company to-day. The
incorporators are William Alvord, Samuel
L. Alexander, Charles r. Bishop, Asael
Bush, Hugh Craig, William II. Dimond,
Alfred S. Hartwell. James B. Montgomery,
Edward B. Pond, r. w. Shufeldt and David
j. Thompson. A cable is TO be laid from
San Francisco to Honolulu, Hawaiian
Islands, thence via Samoa to New Zealand
and Japan.
Provided said ca BILE line is laid within two
years from the approval of this act, the
Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to
pay yearly sum of 5000 900 for a period of
fifteen years The cable must be maintained
in good working order and will transmit
fourteen words per minute at a charge of
- per word.
Government messages shall be sent free
of charge and they are to be expedited
above all others. In time of war the Gov
ernment is authorized to take control of the
lines and compensate the company for any
loss sustained. 1t is stipulated that arrange
ments with all overland telegraph lines
shall be made to promptly transfer mes
sages to the cable line. The capital stock
of the company is placed at S5,OO0,O0O, 5O,-
coo shares, at 500 each. The company is
authorized 10 issue bonds in aid of the en-
terpriSe. either coupon or registered. and
secured by first mortgage, said bonds not
TO exceed S5,000,00 to be dated January l.
1891, and which shall become due January
1, 1911, with interest at - per cent, payable
twice yearly. The principal offices of the
company are to be In San Francisco, where
legal processes shall be served.
The Democrats in the House will probably
fight this bill on account OF its subsidy
feature. Congressman Morrow will now
devote his time mainly to its passage, to-
gether with the Shipping Bill, as they are
similar in character. He is said to be pre-
pairing a speech entering into the merits of
both, but the first will likely come up for
consideration this week. The friends Of the
Shipping Bill have delegated 10 Morrow the
task of collecting data which concerns the
Pacific Coast, and of presenting the same
to the House in a forcible, buSineSs-like
way. 1t is also said the cable fight for the
Coast will be mainly in the hands Of Nor
| row, VINO Is Chairman OF the committee to
Witch the bill was referred.
Morrow sad Tonight that there was a
chance TO pass the Catle Bill. He believed
| the Eastern members were alive to the fact
that what would be of special benefit to
| the Pacific would be of value TO the entire
| country. The matter has created consider
! able comment among the members. IL is
| understood that the company having the
| matter under consideration commands Bos-
| ton, New York and San Francisco capital
| and some i'll Honolulu, but strong major
| ity comes from this country. 1t is announced
| that if the bill is passed work will be COM
| menced within six months, but nO-one ven
| lures to predict when it will be completed.
Concerning the new survey of the Pacific,
| Morrow recalls that some time ago he in
| troduced a bill providing for it, which
brought out an assurance from the Navy
Department that survey would be made
| if the company desired to commence work.
The department has already in
its possession two surveys COW
ering, in the main. the route,
but IN the event of any additional informa-
ton 1t is desired that the same shall be
guaranteed. 1t is believed that Secretary
Proctor will request that an appropriation
of $4,000 be made in the event of the
Gable Bill being passed, TO cover the ex-
pense of making additional surveys. This
item will be added to the Senate Navy Bill
as this will be IA short route for it.