The morning call., 1894-09-28
MERCHANTS MAY GET READY
sANFRANcIsCo's PRESSING NEED

The Traffic Association is getting every
thing ready for issuing certificates of the
San Joaquin Railroad. and by Tuesday
next will have agents around town re-
ceiViDg subscriptions TO the capital stock
of this great enterprise.
Manager Leeds reviewed the present
situation yesterday in decidedly hopeful
way, for he feels satisfied that the capital
stock will be subscribed without any diff
Guilty. incidentally his conversation
passed from the matter of getting money
to plans for the competing railway and its
aspects for success.
''lo begin with" said he, 'the mercan-
tile community needs this railroad above
every other thing. They must do some
thing to bolster up the commercial condi-
ton of San Francisco to save themselves,
and owners of real estate and improve
ments will find it quite as much TO their
interest to invest in the road. Here we
have truly wonderful valley susceptible
of the highest form of development not
alone in lis agricultural products, but in
the resources of the foothills and surround
ing mountains. It's trade should eli come
to San Francisco. and undoubtedly it will
come under more favorable conditions
than now exist.
1T is not at all likely that the Southern
Pacific; Company would cut ra es to fight
the new railroad. Such a proceeding
would be suicidal. but at any rate they
could reduce rates fully go per cent. aud at
that cut we would still make living. The
Southern Pacific has so great mileage OF
road in the valley it could not afford to
fight a single line. One cut with US would
be equivalent to three cuts with them, be-
cause fully three miles of Southern Pacific
track would be affected to one OF ours.
THE distance from Bakersfield to Mo-
iave is siXty-eight miles by the Southern
Pacific track. Nnw,. the Atlantic and Pa
cfic road runs into Mojave and can be run
across the TeAachapi Mountains by the
TETON Pass, which is a much better route
than that taken by the present line. In
stead of running from Mojave a switch
would be made at Yucca, a station some
miles farther south, on the level ground
From that lace track could be laid in a
northwesterly direction, skirtiDg the foot
hills until the TETON Pass is reached, and
thence over the mountains and into the
San Joaquin southwest OF Bakersfield.
''The total length of this route is eighty
miles, but owing to lower levels aud better
grades it could be made in quicker time
than is now possible over ths Southern
Pacific pass. No doubt this strip Of road
will be built to connect with the proposed
line as soon as it becomes an assured fact.
Still the purpose of the San Joaquin
Valley road would not be forgotten; 1t
shall remain a local road, strictly, for
local traffic. OF course an arrangement
whereby the AtchisOn, Topeka and Santa
Fe system could run its trains over our
road into San Francisco would be made,
and then you would have a competing
line. That arrangement would increase
our income materially, while helping San
Francisco.
eve shall begin Tuesday next to can
vass for subscriptions to the road, and do
not intend losing time over that part of
the work. In my judgment the time has
come when the people OF San Francisco
must declare themselves The public m nd
is fully alive TO the Importance of COM
peting railroad down the San Joaquin
Valley"
The North Pacific Coast Railroad has in
preparation a winter time and train sched-
ule, which will go into effect about the
middle OF October. For the present there
is no intention OF interfering with the
local trains and new ferry service to Sau-
saIit0, with the exception, perhaps. that
one or two Of the midday trains NAV be
removed. The principal change will be
made in the service beyond Fairfax June
ton, which is to be reduced considerably.
The ten-day reduction in passenger rates
to Chicago and st. Louis made on ac-
count of the Yelled Prophet celebration in
st. Louis, goes into effect to-day. 1t gives
as opportunity to cut rates s. 25 first class
and SIS 70 second class to New York, and
for that reason some agents made it ap-
pear yesterday that rate war had started
in real earnest. The Santa Fe Office was
billed with a sensational announcement of
cut rates, which example will be followed
by other offices to-day. All agents have
the privilege of selling at the specially re-
duced rates.
a letter from John Cfoley. the Southern
Pacific represen tatye at Los Angeles, VAS
received at the local freight Office yester-
day. 1t contained the information that
the British ship Elginshire had discharged
1920 barrels of cement and other merchan-
disc al Port Los Angeles in three days and
a half. A member of Balfour Guthrie &
Co. made an inspection of the wharf and
spoke hiIhly of it as safe anchorage
with good facilities for handling cargoes.
j. H. Hampson OF Mexico City SAYS ::
''St. Louis, by her easy water transporta-
tion to New Orleans and good rail connec-
tion with Mobile. controls the bulk of The
Mexican trade and is destined to have q
still larger share of il. St Louis is in a
position 10 do the grain and flour business
with Mexico when trade restrictions are
removed" San Francisco is nearer. and
has the ocean as well as rail as means
of transportation, and some railroad men
ask, What is the matter with San Fran
ciscn?"
The ST. Louis Republic cen tains the fol-
lowing table, which shows tile course of
PASSENGER aud freight rates in the case of
the railroads In this country for each of
eight groups of roads since 1883. The de-
crease per cent in the period is also shown
Per passenger Per ton
per mife Pet. per mile Pet
STATES. 1883. 1893 Dec. 1888. 1913 Dec.
New England. 2.l5tL76 ISL Les la 26.2
Middle States. III 'l.ss 1911 o4 OF IS 0
Cen. North. ...-2 So 1873 ll.S 1.U4 O.S0 800
South Atiantic.2.94 242 l7.7 Isl O.s6 52.4