The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-11
WASHBURN TALKS.
His Tale of the Yosemite
Wrongs.
HE SAYS THEY ARE RIGHT.
The Commissioners Are Good Men,
and He Gets Along Very Well
With Them.
AS to YosemIte. Manager Washburn Of

As to Yosemite, Manager Washburn Of
Washburn & Co., the stage line firm,
desires a hearing for the double purpose. as
he says. of correcting some misstatements
made by different people, aud vindicating
his own position.
Mr.. Washburn said to CALL reporter
yesterday:
II first went to Yosemite Valley In 1859
and since 1856 have been constantly engaged
in taking passengers into the valley. by
means OF saddle-horses previous TO the COM
petition of the roads. and by stage lines
since.
up to 1875 worked in connection with
the Fisher and MaGner stage lines from
Stockton to Mariposa. In June of that
year the railroad was completed.
NOW, seeing that l have been. in bust
ness capacity, connected with Yosemite
affairs during a period Of twenty-seyen
years. l ought TO be as we'll able to judge of
this matter AS meu who go in there for a few
days only. had not?
And it is my opinion that some Of these
people. Major Weigel. who was sent here
by the Secretary Of the Interior, for
Instance, had already arranged in his own
mind what he thought Of the matter before
going there at all, think so, because GER
tain statements, credited 10 him in a
recently published interview. are untrue,
and whether they were made with intent To
deceive or simply because he did not know
what he was talking abouF. makes no
difference whatever in the result.
The statement refer TO in particular is
the one in which he says that toll Is not
levied according TO the style Of conveyance,
but by the number Of passengers; and fur
Their that we realize 81 80 in tolls on every
passenger visiting the valley by our lines.
THAT is not So OF course | am only
speaking Of the tolls collected by my own
company.
The tell rates are there plainly posted
for all 10 see, aud II we have collected tUlls
in excess of those allowed by the Commits
soners we have forfeited our charter, and
all Mr.. Weigel has 10 DO to right the great
wrong he so boldly charges is 10 prove his
assertions.
"AS matter Of fact We have never taken
IN more than 33b per cent of the outlay
each YeaG-no more than 5 per cent on our
total investment.
in the matter OF loose stock in the valley,
/ desire 10 say that at one time we had fully
200 saddle-hOTseS in use there, which were
allowed 10 Craze when not IN use. But now
the number has been reduced TO less than
0ne-thlTd OF that. and these, according 10
the orders of The Commissioners. are kept
up and led. As 10 sheep never saw any
IN the valley, excepting those taken there
TO butcher for the use Of the hotel.
How things are managed In the Yellow
stone National Park Is something constantly
referred TO in connection with the Yosemite,
and ! wish to say that there the conditions
are altogether different There the grades
are 80 gradual that the regular trip Of six
days Is n ade without change OF horses.
while Ia the Yosemite we change horses on
Of f.rtaa I'M
fare there is S50.an the accommodations are
not ss gocd as ours.
The fare charged here Is not excessive
fer Journey Of $50 miles Of mixed travel,
Tut tickets have been and are now on sale
a low as $50 for passage by the northern
routes. which, however, co not afford the
passenger view Of scenery such as may be
seen BIS the more expensive route.
Although the Yellowstone Park is sup
posed TO lie Kept up by the Government, the
stage companies there are under constant
EXPENSE to seep the roads IN repair.
1t has been charged that l am interested
in hotels in the valley. That statement is
also without foundation. Our drivers are
boarded by US In separate building from
the hotel and are not allowed TO solicit for
the StoHeman or any other hotel, aud the
hUies pay full freight rates for everything
We haul in for them.
mo, all this talk about travellers being
charged eX0Tbitant prices Is without any
truth whatever. as all that has ever been
charged any one at any time was first fixed
by the Commissioners.
And | want to say right here that [
have never received anything al the hands
OF the Commissioners excepting what was
just and right.
Il think we have plenty Of men in Cali
lorna capable OF attending 10 the affairs of
the valley without asking the Government
10 put 1t all Ia the hands Of one man, aud
II we haven't IL is placing Il very low esti-
mate on California brains and honesty.
"An / want is justice" concluded Mr..
Wash burn, and seeing that have Invested
100000 in building roads which have in
great measure opened The States show-place
to public inspection, and that al these
statements made by people who DO not know
what they are talking about tend to cripple
my Legitimate business, | think it is high
time the other side OF the story was tnld -