The morning call., 1893-03-05
81 IS BACK.
: Traffic Manager Talks
of His Mission.
HE MET WITH GREAT SUCCESS
a Breezy Interview on His Eastern
Experiences With the Panama
Railroad People.

'GO0lDS along ku6 lOdA AOa0 Ahh
.,--'s interview with Frank S. Johnson
,rning, and in it he expressed about
could possibly tell you about our New
ork experiences" said J. S. Leeds. the
lanager Of the Traffic Association of Cali
5rnia. Immediately after his arrival from
The East yesterday.
MI. Leeds was seated in the parlor of his
j.. cCzy home. on San Antonio avenue, in Ala
media. when he was seen by THE CALL
man, and the traffic manager looked none
the worse for his recent battles with the
magnates of the Panama Railroad and the
severe wintry weather he found in the East.
- Yes, am glad to be able to say that we
:have been successful in securing a contract
yvith,the Panama road for the North Ameri-
. can Transportation Company, which is emf
nentiy satisfactory, said be, and then with
the air of a man who is satisfied with a
business move, lie continued to exploit the
main issues connected with his Eastern trip
as follows:
Tile contract makes the Panama Rail-
road and the Navigation Company practi-
cally partners in the business of competing
with the Southern Pacific Company as far
as the traffic between New York and San
Francisco is concerned and ends the Pacific
ell COmpany's monopoly OF carrying
1hts aud passengers from Eastern AMI
Gr0pean ports TO this city.
Tile liberal exclusive privileges this
agreement gives TO tle Navigation Com
my Will H5RS{ impossible for the Pa
nc MAJ Company TO continue its STEAMERS
-tfle isthmus route, unless il reduces
rates and fares so low as 10 do business at q
IDsS.
But the securing of this contract means
more than that for San Francisco. 1t
means that for the first time since the COM
petiOD OF the first tran sentimental road c.
Eppffnufop'e iva i'm tg,a frop
continental San Francisco traffic has been
broken and it is the Inauguration of a new
and better era in the commercial relations
OF the metropolis of California with the
great markets of the rest OF the world.
Speaking Of the reasons why the negotia-
tions Of Mr.. Johnson and himself with the
Panama Railroad people were carried on
with so many delays Mr.. Leeds said
when l arrived in New York | was very
well received by President Newton and the
other officers OF the road and l at once
found that they were perfectly willing to
enter into an agreement with US, but some
how they procTaStinated from day TO day
and for some tine l did not understand
why they Wers delaying matters.
y fouHd out later on what was the rea-
d. They wanted my testimony before
Congressional committee in Washington
General Newton knew very well that
On as that contract was signed l would
back to San Francisco.
-. was to keep me there until l had tes-
that Mr.. Cromwell, the Panama
egal adviser, was always too busy to
arraugs things until l returned from wash
ingiG6.
= Besides, the railroad people really we're
full of business when l arrived. They had
: al Ehat time not only the Congressional in
YehtgatiOn on their hands but they were
lisp bothered by the Pacific Mails injune-
- suit.
However, after the committee had my
U rkara 40, 4
ameto an understanding very quickly.
lille / am talking of these Congress
proceedings, l desire 10 say that the
n This State have every reason to
OF Congressman Geary. who
+rd in their interest, and tG whose
=. owe a great deal in this Pan
cation business.
mm ttee which conducted the in
also entitled 10 much credit on
of the fair manner il acted all the
Alr. Leeds expressed hone that
IS would take action on its commit
COMMUNICATIONS, especially on the
onich calls attention to the mail sub
-S paid tO-the Pacific Mail Company, and
. .;al -HIs its withdrawal.
IF all eompanies which conspire to ruin
rade and raise rates are to be deprived of
=. IoyeFnment'subsdles, the Pacific Mail will
Je the first one to lose tne $1,000 now paid
.ly the United States for every trip thai
?snamb," be continued. and then appar-
.ntFy having exhausted the subject Of his
sew York business he paid his compi-
:. uents 70 the California Legislature by say
bE:
=. II seq. that the Senate has acted lust as |
expected it would, and has downsd the
Frafhc Associations measures, but that is
~ right
1--WE have put the men who voted against
hem on record, and the people will know
What to do about them in the future.
This talk about my going East when
ny, presence in Sacramento was needed is
: III bqsh.
my. work with the Legislature was
Siinisheo when 1 was called away, and the
- - esult would@0t have been different had
:h-era!ned.
81 knew when l left that the Assembly
would pass our bills and that the railroad
company owned the majority of the Senate
SO that my, departure had nothing at all tC
do with the final result"
Mr.. Leeds did not care to discuss Mt
Steele's accusation to the effect that the
= Traffic Association had ruined the prospects
: uf the Salt Lake road until he had seen thc
: members of the associations executive com.
niltee, but be hinted very strongly that tht
:. Salt Lake road would be heard from agai1
i: very shortly