The record-union., 1893-02-01

{ Il ! + /
1850 SIl5.G55 So S94soo ri S20s54 sd
49, i152zs % lo5Si tr',o ~ si65i 81
1883 100,g78 OF 1921 76 ............... 1913 60
| 1884 si,s6l GG S2lS9 OF 2,722 G. ..............
| 1885 SO. 1873 u 9l,3l9 9S ............ 2,lS6 II
| 1856 9S,2i7 Isl lO2, 1872 80 ........ 1901 81
! 1887 94,4n 49 SS,973 20 5,l37 =
lsss S9,2ll S9 so7aS 90 s,l27 81 ......,......
| 1859 ,97s col 9i,I72 50 ... g.;93 81
log0 S7,259 +9 1868 AZ .......-...... $3.50 IS
! 1891 S9,l96 Isl SS,99a p 5o2 9. ..............
"Our statement for 1892 has not yet been
completed, as our annual meeting does
not take place until April. OF the eX-
penses incurred in 1852, renewal of bridges
amounting to over Sll 200 was included;
in 1888, renewal of bridges, amounting to
over $4,000; in 1888, repairs of passenger
coaches, over 200, and new buildings
and works'over $1,000 more, and in 1880
the expenses of the snow blockade were
nearly $4,000. In regard to the economy
of the management, [ would simply state
that the salaries of the general officers are
low, each one filling two or three offices,
and there is not even Il clerk in any one
of these departments. The amount of
wood used in the service of the road is
about 1000 cords annually, costing So so
per cord. The supply is becoming short.
and | will soon have to build branch of
three or four miles to obtain a supply.
Regarding the increase of travel by re-
ducing rates, would offer the following
pertinent example: Our regular passen-
ger rate between Grass Valley and Ne
vada City is 80 cents, and the public were
very anxious that L should try the eX-
pertinent of local at half rates; so, in
order to satisfy them, l established a
double daily service in 1881 between those
points, running at such hours as would
best satisfy the travelling public, and
placing the fare at % cents, with the re-
suit that at the end of four months our
receipts had averaged s. 50 a day and our
expenses had been over 81 day.
The gentleman representing the Traf-
| fic Association of San Francisco has
gravely informed you that railroads
should be operated in California cheaper
than in other portions of the United
States, for the following reasons: On ac-
count of the equable climate; on account
of our roads not being ballasted with
rock ballast, and on account of the dura-
bility of our timber permitting our worn
out ties to be used for tence-posts. Per-
nit me to state for his benefit that in
Nevada County we have as high as lis
inches of rain in six months, our average
rainfall per annum being about sixty
inches. And it strikes me very forcibly
that il the 1l5 inches of rain should fall
in his States of Iowa and Kansas he
would not be obliged to apply to the
Legislatures of those States to wreck the
railroads, but would rather have to search
the Gulf of Mexico for the remains. On
January II, 1890, a storm commenced and
snow fell 10 depth OF five feet blocking
the road till the 18th of the same month;
and on February 18th another storm de-
no. l..
causing blockade till the 10Th. The
cost to the road of attempting to raise
these blockades was nearly $4,000 OF
course it is apparent to anyone
that it is cheaper to operate roads
in California than anywhere else.
To his second reason, l would answer
that our road is ballasted with rock bal
last taken from 800 to 1000 feet below
the surface of the earth, aud still it does
not take one of our section hands whole
day to remove and replace three ties, as
the gentleman thought and so expressed
himself it did, on some of the roads in
the East with which he was familiar, a
remark which 1 am afraid would subject
him to the ridicule of all The trainmen in
the United States.
Answering his statements about the
durability of timber, let me give you an
example," continued Mr. Kidder sin
1879 we completed two spans of Howe
truss bridges, 100 feet each i'll length; and
in 1882 and 1888 we were compelled to re-
build the same entirely, as the timber
was so rotten as TO be unsafe. These
bridges were kept well painted. l have
put redwood planlls, four inches thick,
under the subsills OF our trestle bridges,
and in three years have had to replace the
same, as they We're so rotten as to be
nothing but punk. The acid in the red
soil of the foothills decays timber faster
. H..
am familiar; and instead of being able to
sell our removed ties for fence posts or
fuel, we collect and burn them as we
would brush to get rid of them.
docs it not, to say the least, seem pre-
sumptuous in the Manager of the Traffic
Association, after a residence of one short
year on this coast, to formulate a bill for
the government of thirty roads of this
State, when he coolly informed you that
he has not inquired into the characters
tics or applied for any information in
reference TO any line save and excepting
the Southern Pacific Company? In other
words, if he can only cinch that company
he cares not how the other roads, repre-
senting millions of capital, may be
affected. 1t was a very easy matter to
find out all about the outside roads from
the sworn statements on file with the
Railroad Commissioners Of this State;
and if he could only find time in one year
to formulate bill TO regulate the South
ern Pacific Company, and incidentally,
without examination, the other twenty
nine roads of California, how can it be
expected that the Legislature of Califor-
mia, in session of sixty days, and with
some other little business before it, can
give this matter such attention as to do
justice to all concerned?
I'm conclusion, l would state, as you
have already been informed by our at
torney, that we stand upon our special
charter, and certainly will submit to no
interference with the same until the
question has been decided by the highest
tribunal in the land. But | would ask. is
it fair or just for the Legislature of the
State of California, after entering into a
special contract with the promoters of
this enterprise, guaranteeing to them
rates of freightS and fares, without which
they would not have invested their
money, to now force us to the expense
aud annoyance of defending our charter
before the courts?"
THE NORTH PACIFIC.
J. Fred Burgin, President of the San
Francisco North Pacific Railroad, fol-
lowed Mr.. Kidder. He said his road
would be severely affected if the proposed
amendment was adopted. In the present
agitation all consideration of the small
roads throughout the State had been ig-
nored. Mr.. Burgin commended that a
bill that would regulate the Southern Pa
cific Railroad would injuriously diserim-
mate against the small roads, and a bill
that would discriminate against the
large road would annihilate and close up
the short roads altogether.