Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-11-19
NARROW GAUGE BONDS.
A Funding Proposition that Didn't
Work-Talk is Cheap but Action
Must be had First.
Hasty Words at San Pedro and How
Commissioner Mayo Met Them
The County Board Can't
be Bluffed.

A meeting was held at San Pedro last
Saturday night to agitate the desired rail-
road extension from Santa Fe south. Mr..
Mayo, chairman of the county board OF
commissioners, was waited upon and
urged to be present by committee OF
citizens to state the position he took in
regard to the matter and also the position
of the other county commissioners on the
subject of funding of the county bonds
issued in behalf OF the Texas, Santa Fe d
Northern railroad.
r. Y. Anderson, the first speaker,
made a scathing talk. He said he con-
demned the course the commissioners
had taken, in their "dscourtesy toward
the railroad officials and Mr.. Chapman"
in not being present at the Palace hotel
banquet with them, and also in not call
ing a session of the commissioners to con-
fer with them; and said their action
would greatly retard the progress of the
extension of the narrow gauge and that
the unwarranted dignity of the commits
sioners was uncalled for. He was some
what severe upon Mr.. Mayo, but said if
his remarks were severe it was by reason
of his intense desire for the extension.
Mr.. Alexander Rogers made a neat
speech, more guarded and less personal.
lie thought
THE REFUNDING OF THE BONDS
nd
the refundlng of them, as millions of dol
lars had been spent for other purposes in
the territory and this was small sum in
consideration of the possible benefits de-
rived from the extension of the road
DR.. Lane made speech in defense of
the bond-holders and thought the county
com missioners had been remiss in their
duty and lacked in courtesy toward Mr..
Chapman and the other officials and
thought this would jeapordize the prospect
for the extension of the road. Justice
Schick said be hoped the commissioners
would do all in their power to further the
cause of extension. Mr.. Goodman made
some timely remarks, hoping the commits
slOners would be careful and not give "a
certainty Tor an uncertainty"
MIR. MAYO WAS CALLED UPON
for defense. He thought he was at
tackled from ambush and guns were
pointed at him from source he had no
reason to expect. He said the first speak
er, Anderson, was shooting at mark and
trying to miss it. In very able speech
OF nearly an hour, Commissioner Mayo
ably defended himself and the other COM
missoners. He said:
"Talk is cheap, and if talk and reports
were true this county would be full Of
railroads. but with me simple talk cuts no
figure. There has been too much talk and
too little action, and this is the time for
actionW
81 regard Mr.. Chapman as a gentle
man and have known him for years.
He is an able, genial and pleasant person
and | like him, and | am happy to call
him, with several of the leading lights of
the corporation he represents, my friend.
But, as to refunding the bonds, this is
matter where friendship has no right to
exist, as it is cold business transaction
where Mr.. Chapman is talking for his
company and L am
TALKING FOR THE PEOPLE
of Santa Fe county. l know neither
friend nor foe, as it is matter concerning
the interests Of the county,"
The speaker remarked that he held
long interview with Mr.. Chapman, at San
Pedro, and they thoroughly understood
each other. Mr.. Chapman wished to
have the bonds refunded, "without any
condition or PROMISE" in order to restore
confidence on the part of his hackers
no might then build the road SOUTH"
but he had no promise to make nor could
make any. 81 ask you," said Mr.. Mayo,
sis this a sufficient guarantee for the
bonds to he refunded to induce the extern
sion? 1t is not enough for the county
commissioners l told him so. l told
him l had serious doubts about the valid
ity and
LEGALITY OF THE BONDS,
or wsud favor their refunding on the
ground of honest business principles re-
CARELESS of any railroad scheme; but as
the company had failed to keep its con.
tracts with the county in the past, l, for
one, should oppose to the last extremity
any such proposition. and that if the COM
pany did not approve of our action they
had recourse to the courts or make good
the condition of their contract to the
county. But whether legal or not will
waive all consideration (an1 when | say
it voice the other commissioners and if |
they will
GIVE TO THE COUNTY A GUARANTEE
that the road shall be built the bonds
shall be funded and placed in escrow, so
many to be delivered upon the compile
ton of the road to Cerrillos and the bal
ance upon the completion of the road to
San Pedro. If this is what you call bull
doing, be it So This proposition Mr..
Chapman refused to accept. You will
find me as firm as the rock OF Gibraltar
and as infexibe in this matter. | will
not deviate from the stand | have taken,
and if they have any serious intentions of
extending the road to Ceffillos and San
Pedro my offer is sufficient for any fair
minded man and it holds good till they
accept it.
"But am convinced in my own mind
Mr.. Chapman's mission was chiefly in
the interest of getting the bonds refunded,
and the railroad project
MERE sUBTERFUGE,
T hnl;ova will Ia, outo,JoI