The record-union., 1894-11-24
FINISHED IT'S WORK AND ADJOURNED
Fruit-Growers VIII Meet Next Time
at San Diego.
They Favor the State Building a Rail-
road the Length of the
Great Valleys.


was called to order yesterday morning
i. F. Adams gave some statistics on the
shipment of raisins and dried fruit for
the past two years between July lst and
November 1st. He said that it was diff
cult to get figures. as shippers persist in
neglecting to furnish the railroad COM
pany with the statistics as it requests
them to do. The statistics, as far as he
had been able to get them, showed that in
1893 there were sent out !, IA carloads
and in 1894 there were 1,664 carloads of
raisins. OF dried fruits. outside of
prunes, in 1898, there were 1,0S6 carloads,
and in 1894 there were ,S29 carloads. OF
prunes, the Southern Pacific Railroad
alone kept figures, which were 1,2ll car
loads in 1893 and 523 in 1894. Had ship
pers done as requested by the railroad
company, the returns would have been
more complete.
The Committee on Resolutions re-
ported in favor of the resolutions rela-
tive to the Nicaragua Canal, the debris
from hydraulic mining and the fore
closure OF mortgages on the Central and
Union Pacific roads by the Government,
and reported back to the convention the
resolution that the State should build
railroad through the State without
recommendation or prejudice.
The report was adopted.
STATE RAILROAD BUILDING.
Sprague called for the reading of his
resolution, in order to bring it up, and
then obtained permission to make a
speech on it, which was given, with the
admonition that all speeches must be
short, as time was valuable. He said he
had taught political economy, but had
been forced OF late years to change his
ideas. The aggregations OF capital mad
overpowered competition and the grower
must take care OF himself. His PROPOSE
ton probably appeared startling because
il was new, but it was really feasible
one. Forty-two countries already own
their own railroads, and are, he said, do
ing well with them.
1t might not be wise for the State to
operate the road, but it could build 1t and
allow all the roads TO use 1t, under re-
strictions and a reasonable rent. Mr..
Smurr said the other day that the rail-
road could not control It's connecting
roads, to whom our crop was not an I'M
portant one. He referred to the fact that
Eastern capital does not come here Tor
investment without asking bonus of
from 30 to 300 per cent. 1t may be afraid
to do so, as is said, but at all events 1t
does not come. He argued that the con-
struction Of The road would not cost the
citizens one cent. He instanced the fight
over inc Erie OdIldl W11on IL was bOIAI'
HOW 1T WORKED.
Mr. Wilcox said he would like to start
things right, as he lived along the Erie
Canal. The building of the canal was all
right at first, but it was not long before it
became a mighty engine of political
power. The Constitution prohibited the
lncurring of debt of more than 100000,
but the first thing done was to incur
debt Of 50, 100000, and to-day 1t is costing
=
is in the hands OF the politicians and Is
mighty engine for their advancement.
He warned his hearers that the same re-
suits would probably follow here, and
that when too late they would find they
had saddled burden on the State.
Motheral said that the road could GER
tainly be built and operated ii other
countries could do so. There was no use
of asking relief from the railroads; their
capital in the aggregate will control mat
ters in their own interest.
Berwick spoke in favor of the PROPOSE
ton, designating the railroad as the en-
f, envy of mankind.
PLEA FOR RIVERS.
Hutchings of Yuba said the PROPOSE
ton OF building the railroad was a big
one. He had not heard yet word in re-
lation to a better ana cheaper line of
TRANSPORTATION which was being de-
stroyed, with scarcely protest from the
people of the State, and that was the riv-
ers OF the State, which would be much
more dangerous competition to the rail-
road monopoly than any railroad could
be. He was opposed to the building of
railroad by the State, but favored de-
manding of the Government that it open
and improve the navigation of our rivers
and give US a competing route.
Motheral designated the gentleman as
selfish, for not advocating relief for the
southern part of the State.
Mr. Buck, the Chairman, said that the
members overlooked very important
fact in advocating this scheme-that the
cost of building such road would be
sufficient to build a competing road
across the mountains, that would connect
with Eastern roads and give an outlet to
the markets of the East.
member moved that the question be
referred to the incoming Legislature.
Fowler argued in favor of Government
ownership, and said that 1t was a success
wherever tried. He quoted figures con-
corning the miles of railroad in New Zea-
land and Australia, and said that they
were run in the interest of the people and
developed the country. 1t had been
argued that they did not pay, but be re-
terred to the fact that so many American
railroads have within lew years gone
into the hands of receivers, showing
that roads do not pay here under private
ownership. He quoted figures of trans
portation in the two countries, but said
that their value could not be taken in at q
glance and thought the advancement of
lines into the country paid for advanced
cost. He claimed that Government
ownership of railroads removed them
from political control, and that there was
less of corruption in their management
He stated that IN Austria and Hungary
the policy of the Government was to
charge lower rate as the distance from
large centers increased.
kenley's motion TO refer the question to
the next Legislature was lost, and
Sprague's motion to adopt the resolution
was carried.
Motheral moved the appointment of a
committee to present the matter to the
next Legislature, and his motion was
carried.
Motheral was proposed as a member,
but he thought tnat man who was
familiar with the crooked and devious
ways of the politicians would do better,
and proposed Mr.. Fowler as the proper
man, amid laughter.
Sprague and Berwick declined, when
Chairman Buck said 1t seemed queer that
those who had been active in advocating
the matter should decline to act on a COM
mittee to further the object sought
The committee finally chosen is Fowler
Sprague and Berwick.
CARBoNIC ACID GAS.
Secretary Smith read a communication
from the Carbonic Acid Gas COMPANY
which has been experimenting with car
bonic acid gas, giving the result of the
eXperiments. which seemingly showed
the full success of the process, demon
strating that, in spite of several un-
toward accidents, taking eleven days in