The record-union., 1892-03-07


should be surprised if they did, as 1t IS
my aim to use the property in such a
way, and in only such way, as Will best
accomplish the purpose for which the
company was organized, viz: TO trans
port persons and property with celerity
and safety at fair rates, and to earn rea-
sonable dividends for the shareholders:
in short, in such way as will do the
greatest possible amount of good to the
public that use the roads and the people
who own them.
("Do you think the people Of San Fran
ffSco acttt be successful IN there forts to
get dnothe, overland railroad INTO heil'
city?"
Of course this is difficult question to
answer, as it is not physical imrossi
bility to build such a road but certainly
another line of roailroad is not needed at
the present time, and such q road could
not pay interest upon its cost for many
years to come. Ishould consider it quite
safe to say that one will not be built in
the next decade at least, and that Cali
fornia's best interest will not be served
by the accomplishment of such a project
as the building of another overland road.
Corporations, or q fer Bee3,, as q ruLe,
build railroads ulder special or general
charters. What do you think Of the citizens
Of q large city using their city ctar5er to
make such improvements and, Of course,
cunning and operating the sdDae2'
It has been done, and no doubt can be
again, but / am quite sure it never was
done in such way as TO satisfy the city
that built or the public that used the
road. Great railroads that are success
fully built and operated, are usually built
and operated by one man who is at the
head. No great battle was ever fought
and won with two commanders of CO.
ordinate power to handle the same army,
and l think never will be.
What do you think the citizens Of San
Francisco and California should or could
do that a0Outd tend to build ue0 and deUetop
the commercial interests Of tie ,Stcte o2sd
cause the tide Of Immigration to foao az
and I'LL up her arabic lands that are nOlU
atHoccupied2"
think the people of San Francisco, in
their efforts to obtain another overland
conducive to the best interests ofthat city
or of California, as the present roads can
handle several times the business there is
to transport, and, with larger tonnage,
could reduce the rates (which cannot be
done with the present volume of busi-
ness and pay fixed and current expenses,
as those interested in cheap transportation
can learn if they take the time to examine
the receipts and disbursements of the
present lines. If another overland road
were built the rates would have to be ad-
vanced if fair interest We're to be earned
upon its cost, as there would be more
capital invested on which interest would
have to be paid than is invested in the
present roads.
The way to get lower rates is to increase
the tonnage, or reduce the wages that are
now paid to those who operate the roads.
The latter we would not like to do, but
would much like to increase the tonnage.
1t could be done if the people of San Fran
cisco and Cal fornia would turn their at
tention to developing the resources OF
their State by building manufactures, so
as to convert fiber into fabric, the ores of
their mines into shapes, the product OF
the forest INTO all the necessary forms for
the use of man. The products of the farm
could be increased hundredfod. as
nearly everything raised in California
can be SO prepared as not TO be classed
as 'perishable" goods, and will there
fore bear transportation and can thus
have the worlds market. Certainly no
I, 4 l., a.. !.
quantity and quality of food for man that
our California does or cali; and the South
ern Pacific Company will transport these
products TO any country that is reached
by its lines running over the land orover
the seas, at price that will satisfy the
producer, II the quantity is increased as
it ought to he. Western Europe and
other parts of the globe will take ali o.
Caliiornia's surrlus, however large, if
those who prepare the same will be care
ful in its preparation. There is, in fact
hardly any limit to the quantity Of the
various fruits that can be produced in
California; but, however great the daan-
tity, if the best of each kind only were
raised and prepared after the most ap-
proved methods, and inspected by some
one whose brand when found upon the
goods woald lie a guaranty o. tie quaiity,
it would not be long before ali the fruit
product of the State would find ready
and eager market in the United States
east of the Rockies and in Western Eu-
rope. If the time should ever come, as
| am confident it will. when the people Of
California make up their minds to do the
work that is nearest to them and thus
bring forth and develop for the use OF
mankind all that can be produced from
the forest, the farm and the niue, the
railroads will soon have a volume of bus
mess that will allow OF The minimum rates
for transportation, and those who bv
their foresight and industry have made
these low rates possible will have not
only the natural reward of their enter
prise but the satisfaction of knowing that
they have been beneiactors OF their State,
and of learning that it is nobler, as well
as more profitable. to build up than to
tear down the institutions that were Gre
ated for their use and benefit.
For many years fiber was taken from
India to Europe, where it was converted
into fabric, then taken back to California
in very large quantities, there to be used.
after having been transported distance
equal to uoarly the circumference of the
globe, when, in fact. the raw material
should have been taken direct to Califor-
MIA, and there converted into the forms
needed for use. In California food for
men is better and cheaper than in these
far-off countries, and the thousands of
people needed to make this change could
be fed and clothed upon the products of
our State. and the sale of the surplus
produce would make California rich and
prosperous, while the transportation com
panies would have an increased TONNAGE