The record-union., 1893-02-07

lheTe 10 nave leard the wisdom HOW from
the tongue of the mighty fence-post,
water-logged Traffic Association expert.
am MIR. Chairman and gentlemen of
the committee, yours most re spectfully,
j. NJ. FuIToN,
Master Transportation,
y. G. O. Ry.
MR.. CURTIS ADDRESS.
W. G. Curtis, Assistant to the General
Manager and Engineer of Maintenance
OF Way of the Southern Pacific Company,
then addressed the committee. He said:
The gentlemen who are credited with
formulating the papers now under con-
SlderatIon by your honorable committee,
proposing an amendment to the Constltu-
ton OF the state OF California, regulating
the rates for the transportation OF freight
and passengers 10 be charged and the
classification OF various commodities to
be made by the railroads OF this State,
have, as we understand from the testi-
mony they have presented before you,
based their action upon the broad assump-
llon that the existing rates are unreason-
ably high and the classification of COM
modltles arbitrary and unjust.
The plain truth Of the matter is that
the railroads of California are now occu-
pylng. and if left unhampered by arbi-
trary and unjust restrictions, viii con-
tinue TO occupy their true and proper
position in relation to the commercial
and industrial development OF this State.
Although the classincations of freight
may dlfier in some respects from the
classiticatiOns in the Eastern States, the
differences, whatever they may be, are
justified by the difference in con-
dluons surrounding the operations OF the
railways. The existing rates, as COM
pared with rates prevailing in other
States OF the Union, are not high in Cali
tornla out of fair proportion to the
greater value and cost of commodities III
every department of industry.
No industry requiring the cooperation
OF railway carriers has languished, nor
has the progress of any legitimate enter
prise been impeded through the failure or
refusal Of railway people to provide the
needful facilities at fair rates and under
conditions reasonable and just. On the
contrary, every project looking to the de-
velopment of the State and To the in
creased prosperity of its people, is fostered
and encouraged by the railways.
Ii has been given ont by the gentleman
representing the Traffic Association of
san Francisco, who, we are told, formu-
lated the proposed amendment to the
Constitution and testified before you in
favor of its passage, who has been in the
State of California, ] believe, less than a
year, and whom we believe has travelled
but little Throughout the State but has
spent the most of the time OF his resi-
deuce here i'll the city OF san Francisco,
who, when asked by you, Mr.. Chair
man, was unable TO name all of the rail-
roads in this State other than the South
ern Pacific, that the Southern Pacific
Company is the especial object of attack
by himself and the people he represents.
We cannot believe that he represents the
views of the merchants of San Francisco
or the people Of this State. The princi-
pal owners of the southern Pacific lines
Mr.. Huntington, Senator Stanford and
their associates, were among the earliest
of the California pioneers, and their in
terests have been identified with this
State ever since. They have certainly
done as much. and l believe they have
done more, than any other individuals or
associations 10 induce the investment of
foreign capital in the railroads OF this
State, which have done so much to build
up California. These railroads have so
stimulated production and facilitated
transportation that not only California
wheat, but California wine, California
fruits and vegetables, dried and in cans,
find markets in the old world. The ex-
pertinent of shipping green fruit to Eng
land has been tried. 1t is not quite yet a
success, but it will succeed, and ship
ments of California commodities to the
eastern side of the Atlantic will increase
until England and Germany will, if in
deed they do not now, pay back to CalifOr-
MIA for its productions far more than they
are entitled to demand from the State on
their capital invested within its borders.
We submit to you that the Manager of the
Traffic Association does not represent the
views of the people who are identified
with the permanent and enduring inter
ests of the State. And we believe that
majority of the members of the Traffic
Association agree with this view.
With your kind permission / shall
speak only of the operating service, that
is to say, the conditions affecting the
work OF maintenance, of equipment.
maintenance of way and structures and
conducting transportation, including the
train and station service, of the railroads
operated by the Southern Pacific Com
pany, formerly thirty-seven in number
(see page 362 of California Railroad Com
missioners' report for 1892, but now con-
solidated into six companies. Officers of
these companies will ask your indulgence
to present various other matters. We
have nothing 20 conceal from our patrons
or from you, gentlemen. Our only desire
is that you shall know the exact and lit
eral truth with respect to our roads, their
operating conditions and relations to the
public.
Railway operation in California is more
expensive than in Eastern States-first,
because of the difference in physical
characteristics.
The physical characteristics OF Cali
fornia are, as compared with the Missis-
sippi Valley and Atlantic Coast States,
peculiarly adverse to railway construc-
tion, maintenance and operation. The
State of Kansas typities the great valley
States west OF the Mississippi; there are
no mountains i'll that State The general
surface is an undulating plateau, with a
gentle slope downward from the western
TO the eastern border. The State of In
dana, in its topography, typifies the
prairie States generally; at least two
thirds of the State is level or gently un-
dulating land. There are no mountains,
or even hills, of any size in that State.
California has an area of 200 square
miles, or about l00,0J0,000 acres of land
surface, which has been classified topo-
graphically as follows:
Mountainous --.-....-.........- 50 900 81
Rolling, or rfoothills-......... 81. 900 :
alley yS-....--..- = ., 900 is
Marsh, or tule................... 1000
Deser D, 900 %
900 100
For the industrial development of Cali
fornia railroads must be built and oper-
ated to traverse the sterile desert regions
and ascend over barren mountains, where
the expense cf operation is costly and
where no traffic can be furnished to con-