The morning call., 1892-08-21
RAILROAD OPPRESSION.
What Is CALIFORNIA; Available
Remedy?
THE STATE NIGHT DO THE WORK.
Less Than Half a Million From Each
County Would Suffice.
THE STATE MIGHT DO THE WORK.
OR COyDEHy Ind PURCHASE ALL ROADS.
Some of the Causes of the StagnatiOn
and Business Gloom Which Now
Prevail.

Chicago is one Of the great cities of the
continent. marvellous in its prosperity and
wealth and containing over a million In
habitants, who are very energetic and en-
terprising. But, continued a pioneer eiti-
zen of this State, its location naturally is
not so favorable as that of San Francisco.
In 1887 | lived in Illinois. | started out
from Detroit, then a very small Town, and
went on foot through the State Of Michigan
Most Of the lands were unsettled. Now
and then You came across little town and
you passed numbers of Immigrants on the
roads. | reached Niles, on Lake Michigan,
and then passed down the lake shore TO
Michigan City. The inhabitants of that
place believed it would become the great
emporium Of the lakes. Lots were staked
out there for sale. and everybody seemed
confident that the location was superior TO
that of Chicago. a that time Chicago was
small place, very little improved, occupying
low ground apparently maTshy and with a
little stream emptying into the lake. There
were nc railroads at Chicago, and in fact
there were only a few in the whole coun-
try. a short piece of railroad ran out of
Albany, In the State of New York, but
travel was mainly by stages or upon the
New York and Erie canal Buffalo was a
very small city. About all the trade that
went 10 Chicago went by the lakes. Popu-
lation in Chicago advanced slowly until the
railroads entered II. and by ana by Chicago
had railroads from all directions. Probably
not less than 90 distinct railroads enter
Chicago AT the present daY, and il has now
vast trade and is one Of the most houIish-
ing cities OF the whole Union.
ANOTHER CITY LONG AGO.
Chicago In population; perhaps it amounted
TO 1000 or 5000. It's location on the river
was admirable for trade, and the whole
West was tributary to it. In St. Louis there
was class of far-seeing citizens who worked
out the problems Of transportation. first by
the construction of good roads for wagons,
and then Of railroads. which eventually
entered the city from every direction.
Although its growth was somewhat checked
by the war, ST. Louis may also be consid-
cred enc of the most prosperous cities of
the Union, ali things considered. Neither
ST Louis nor Chicago had any knot Of
selfish men to grab eyeTythingin connection
with the railroads and their control. The
public got the benefit Of the improvements.
There might have been men who wanted to
do what has happened here but they were
not permitted. st. Louis, for instance.
aided in the construction Of railroads coH-
sideTably. but il held proper share Of the
properly TO pay for its advances.
THE UNION PACIFIC
The overland railroad to San Francisco
was completed in 1869. Il was supposed II
the time this opening up Of communication
would aid greatly in the development OF the
State, aud great l2ith was placed in the four
men who completed this end Of the railroad
Over twenty years have passed, and we see
what has happened. We have been kept
backward. The Union Pacific did better
for the county through which they passed
than the Central Pacific. The road was
constructed on the same system. There
was a combination called the Credit
NJ biiieT, TO which the contracts were let
by tue men who got control Of the road.
Some men in the Credit Mobiler did not
have any interest in the road, bat out Of the
contracts they made large amount Of money.
In spite OF bad management, that road
aided the country through which IL passed
very materially by Inducing immigration.
1t helped immigrants 10 every way. Those
who took up lands we're granted acc0mmo-
dalton tickets for a long time, and the ma
teTIals end supplies they needed were
conveyed at low rate. The Union Pacific
tried 10 get across tie continent as far as
they could, AMI would have come right on
10 the Pacific Coast had not the Central
Pacific pushed eastward until finally the
TWO roads met at Ogden. 1t is question
able whether it would not have been better
for our State and for San Francisco if the
men who were at the back of the Union
Pacific had constructed the whole railroad
right TO the coast.
CHARACTER OF THE CENTRAL PACIFIC.
The Central Pacific Company was gener.
onsly treated by California. Almost eyerv
county IN the State through which the road
passed aided In the work by contributing
funds and lands. Wherever there was
chance to make little money at small
town the company made station there and
sold ITS lands They would also run by
hourishlng towns ia order to sell out prop
ertv OF their own elsewhere. The few per-
sons who put money into the enterprise
except of course the four principal promot-
iers-generaliy lost it. 1t was swallowed
up one way or another. The Central Pa
cifc, instead of letting the contracts to a
syndicate like the Credit MobIler, simply
let them TO themselves under the
title of the Contract and Finance
Company. The cost OF construction
was exaggerated in order to get all the
money possible. and certain parties who
nad interests IN the enterprise were squeezed
out. San Francisco gave its money TO the
company as gift and the same thing was
done by other places. The CONF auies were
treated literally in every respect, and four
men-HunilngtoD, Stanford, Hopkins and
CTockeT-weTe mlllionaiTes when the road
was opened.
GOAT ISLAND.
la 1872 our railroad men thought they had
not got enough of money and st In opera
ton plan 10 make more. The city then
had population OF over 10000. including a
considerable number Of Chinese. The com
pany had obtained q grant of land from the
State north OF Goat Island, and then they
made strong effort to obtain Goat Island,
WITH the view, as was commonly believed Of
controlling the whole Of that side Of the bay
ana OF constructing docks and warehouses;
IL was said by the railroad men that San
francisco was on the wrong side of the
Day, and our people became so alarmed at
what was threatened that real property
dropped In value 20 10 30 per cent. A ire
menuous struggle took place to prevent
the railroad from carrying out It's designs
Oh Dullqing up business on the other side
TO the detrlnent of San Francisco. A com
pete victory was-eventually gained again ST
me company IN the committee Of one hun
Ofeu lney were so frightened that they
were willing To sell the road TO another
company, and they even made application
to turn 1t over TO other parties But the
CITIZENS did not have any more confidence
In the parties who proposed 10 take the
road than In those who had it. Finally the
company became very conciliatory and ex-
pressed Willingness TO do anything In the
world the people wanted. and in this way
the excitement was allayed.
IN POLITICS.
But soon alter that the company wen
Into politics. They found out what none,
can do with the bosses who make noipina.
tieus, and from that time onward they
have controlled the whole machinery of tht
State. No one can be elected 10 an Office OF
any kind unless be Is assisted by them, 81
completely DO the men whom they emplo,
control the nominating conventions. They
have had full power virtually over tht
municipalities OF San Francisco and Oak
land. If they have only had a number of
the Supervisors or other officials bound t.
do them service they have at least haC
enough influence to obtain all they want
That is the way they have obtained sc
many franchises for street railroads.
In San Francisco We have had the rail.
road % years in operation. What has II
done for us? Every one vas con fdent that
with the railroad here we would become a