The morning call., 1893-01-25
THE UPPER HAND.
Pacific Mail Begins to
Squirm.
TAKEN AT A DISADVANTAGE.
For Once the Great Monopoly Meets
Its Match and Naturally Does
Not Like 1t.
TAKEN AT A DISADVANTAGE.
spsciai to The MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON. Jan. 24-Frank S. John
son OF san Francisco arrived here from New
York tonight and registered at the Airing
ton Hotel He is accompanied by Mr.. Will
lam Nelson Cromwell of the Panama Rail-
road Company. They are here TO appear
before the ROuse Committee on Rules. before
which is pending Representative Fellows
resolution 10 Investigate the Panama Canal
and Panama Railroad Company.
Messrs. johnson and Cromwell said to
The CALL correspondent tonight: 1--WE
are not trying to s,ave off an investigation
Of the Panama Railroad. butrather to court
an investigation. We insist, however, that
it should not be misdirected, but should
also Include an inquiry into the methods Of
the Pacific Mail"
The gentlemen declare that Fellows reso-
luton IS instGsted by the Pacific Mail COM
pany, which is trying TO crush the life out
of the newly organized North American
Company Mr.. Johnson admitted that
the latter had made a contract with the
Panama Railroad. Further than this he
was diSlncined to talk, promising TO have
something more to say tomorrow.
From a talk with Speaker Crisp and Rep
resentative Catchings of Mississippi. both
The CALL CORES sp0ndent has reason to be-
lieys that Fellows resolution will be re-
ported fayoTabg. Nothing viii be done,
however, until Fellows returns TO Washing
ton.
NEW YORK. Jan. 24-New York papers
this morning contain a San Francisco dis
patch stating that it is rumored there that
the Panama Railroad has been sold by the
-t,, an ,f ~
stock to q syndicate OF Euplish capital
lists. The CALL correspondent called on
Frank Johnson. who said: The rumor is
perfectly ridiculous to any one who knows
the state Of affairs of the Panama road.
TIE Panama Canal Company is now seek
ing an extension from the o'0mbian Gov
ernment of their concession, ald their
expectations Of yet building the canal are
by no means given up in' France For the
canal company to dispose of the Panama
road would be absolutely throwing up the
sponge. The canal can only be built by the
aid Of the road The majority Of the stock
Of the Panama Railroad was bought by the
Panama canal directors 90 assist them in
moving their supplies and in making exea-
Vations, and it is absolutely necessary to
tie canal and will probably be the last
hSccL tA luU EOmldIl AAdt VIII Uc
d sposed OF. This rnmor emanates from
the Pacific Nail office. Ike all similar
rumors, and San Francisco can be
prepared for ali sorts Of stories and
rumors in future. It is hardly necessary
TO state there is no truth in any OF them.
All rumors Of njunctiOns, resorts to courts
and resolutions in Congress are intended to
embaTTass TIE formation of the North
American Navigation Company. The con-
tract Of this company with the Panama
Railroad is absolute in its nature. Il gives
II the sole right OF through business and
forces the Pacific Mail 10 pay local rates
over the is.hmus. This contract was got
up and passed by two Of the most promi-
nent lawyers in New York City. and the
efforts of the Pacific Mail to break this
contract will never prevail"
johnson has just been summoned to
Washington to testify before tie Foreign
Relations Committee and the Committee on
Rules Of tie House, ana went there this
afternoon. He states most positively that
there is nothing in any national legislation
or any order Of court that can in any way
touch the North American Navigation
Company. He further states that his bust
ness, in which he Is accompanied by several
directors of tie Panama Railroad IS to ex-
plode and run down the lot Of untrue re-
ports that have been spread there, and
there Is nothing in any business now before
Congress that can affect he North Ameri-
can Navigation Company in any way. or the
relations Of the Panama Railroad with it.