Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-06
NEWS ABOUT THE RAILROADS,
San Diego Making War on the
Santa Fe Company.
A Session of the Interstate Commerce
Commissioners Here.
San Diego's Council Recommends the
Employment of Colonel Hotchkiss
to Sue the Santa Fe = The
Salt Lake Road-Netes.


The San Diegans, it seems, are still
trying their best to injure the best
friend they have, the Santa Fe railway
company, and it would seem, have deter
mined to sue that company for forfeit
ure of the franchises, subsidies, ETC.,
which were given it when it built to San
Diego. The Union of that city, of yes.
terday, contains the following:
The joint finance committees of the
council held session yesterday to re-
port on the advisability of paying A. B.
Hotchkiss, ex-city attorney, $4,000 fee
for assisting the city in prosecuting its
proposed suit against the Santa Fe.
There were present Aldermen Fisher,
Gassen and Christian, and Delegates
Crippen, Mertzmann and Watson.
A resolution was introduced recon-
mending the employment of Colonel
Hotchkiss, as previously stated. This
was the main subject of discussion. AL
derman Christian stated that he knew
that Colonel Hotchkiss was in possess
ion of certain contracts and agreements
not appearing as a matter OF record,
which were very material to the city's
case that as city attorney he was also
in possession of other information which
would show the manner in which the
Santa Fe secured it's immense subsidies
from the city, and which would be nec-
essary to prove in order that the grant
might be set aside.
Aldermen Gassen and Fisher objected
to recommending the payment of the fee
until they were positive that the infor-
nation possessed by Mr.. Hotchkiss was
worth the amount asked, Mr.. Gassen
saying that if it would enable the city
to regain it's lands he would gladly vote
to pay even more than $4,000.
The resolution was finally adopted,
Messrs. Fisher and Gassen voting no.
COL. DUNCAN's FREIGHT BILL.
Col. Blanton Duncan had session of
the Interstate Commerce association
here to hear his complaints against the
Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroad
companies.
The commission was represented by
Messrs. Veasey and McDill. Attorneys
Martin and Hunsaker appeared for the
Bicknell for the Santa Fe. Colonel
he acted in those capacities himself.
The witnesses for the Southern Pacific
company were General Freight Agent
6. F. smurr and Freight Agent sayler.
Colonel Duncan stated that his
charges were specifically these: That
he had in January, 1889, shipped from
louisville, KY, to this city, carload of
goods, OF which part was household
furniture and part was hams, bacon,
lard and cheese. This freight he ship
ped in one car over the Louisville and
Nashville railroad, to come here, via the
Santa Ee and Southern Pacific railroads.
The rate charged him was $3.50 and he had
a contract with the Louisville and Nash
vile road whereby they were to carry
the carload through for $3.50. When he
reached here, however, he was
charged by the Southern Pacific $25
more, and there was also bill of $S7
for additional freight charges, grow
ing out of the fact that he had mingled
household goods with other commodi-
ties which did not come under that rate,
and hence this extra charge.
| Mr.. Smurr, of the Southern Pacific,
testified that the shipment had come by
way of New Orleans, and by that route
| the charge was $25 more; that no con-
Meeting road had any right to make any
contract that would bind the Southern
Pacific; that the freight tariffs OF the
| Southern Pacific were perfectly &C.
cessible to the public, and on
| file in every station of the road.
He did not know whether they were
on file in the Louisville and Nashville
station or not. The rate upon which
the colonel shipped the household or
immigrant goods was different from that
| applying to the other goods, because the
| immigrant goods rate is made specially,
and applies only to certain kinds Of
goods, which are shipped at the owners
risk, save $1,000, to which amount the
company is liable. In consideration OF
the fact of the release, by the shipper,
of the company from liability excepting
$1,000. lower rate is made. There is a
lower rate made on west bound than on
east bound freight, but this, it is con-
tended the company has right to
make.
Some other testimony was taken and
the further hearing was continued.
THE SALT LAKE ROAD.
The last number 'of the Railway Age
says:
The numerous projected railways be-
tween Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.
for which the Los Angeles Terminal
railway has been ready to offer an ex-
tension to the Pacific ocean, still fail to
materialize. The president of the Rio
Grande Western Railway company,
which has been expected to build an
extension from Milford, Utah, now says
that his company has given up the in
tention of doing this. 1t is claimed
that the gap from Milford to Barstow.
CAL, on the Santa Fe line could be closed
for $4,000,000 by narrow gauge, or for
$4,000, 600 by a standard gauge road, and
efforts are being made to induce locali-
ties and individuals in Southern Cali
fornia and Utah to furnish the money to
build the connection, one argument be,