The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-30
THE ROAD IS INTERESTED
In the Lately Proposed Line of
Steamships
FROM SIBERIA TO SAN DIEGO.
1t Is Thought They Will Handle the
Product of the New Oil
Combine.

SAN DIEGO. May 29.-TheTe is no doubt
that the Santa Fe Railroad Company is
interested in the scheme to establish
steamship line between VladivOstOck and
this port This is substantially proven by
information gained to-day from General
Thomas S. Sedgwick, the civil engineer.
He Informed an Associated Press reporter
that last August be received letter from
gentleman connected with the Santa Fe
Company asking for technical and COM
plete information concerning San Diego
harbOr. AS General Sedgwick was at that
time, and is yet, the harbor engineer. he
was emiDently fitted to give the desired
information.
His report was full and exhaustive, as
would naturally be made by an engineer
under the circumstances. Incidentally
the representative of the company re-
quested General Sedgwick to keep the
matter secret. and the request was CON-
piled with until to-day. when the publicity
that has been given the proposed steam
ship line through interviews with Count
Teleky convinced him that the long conf
dence rep0sed in him would not be vio-
lated by impartng any information be
possessed on he subject
General Sedgwick states that coinci-
dent with the request for information
about the harbor re received a letter from
an engineer connected with the land de-
partmeut of the Santa Fe, who was for
merly in the generals employ, giving fur
Their information touching upon the CON-
pany's desire to obtain facts concerning
the harbor. This friend wrote that he
had learned certain facts which greatly
concerned San Diego.
This was nothing more or less than that
representatives of the Santa Fe Company,
the Standard Oil Company and the Rus
sian Oil Company had just held a confer.
ence in Chicago, with Ivan Gavetsky rep
resenting the Am0or Navigation Com
pany of Vladivostock. for the purpose OF
organizing a steamship line between that
Russian port and San Diego. That was
about the extent of me Information given
in the letter, but ii is enough in the light
of facts which have subsequently devel-
oped TO give a solid foundation to all that
Count Teleky has said.
1t is a well-known fact that the Stand
ard Oil Company not a great while age
formed a combination with the Russian
Oil Company for the purpose of controlling
the WorlQ supply OF petroleum. lt is
probable that it is the plan of the two
great companies TO have thu western part
of the United States supplied from the
Russian wells, an undertaking that would
in reality be more economical than the
present meth cd Of trans porting oil across
| the ointment from Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The AmOo: Navigation Company is
| owned by SibiriakOw. who also is principal
| owner of the Siberian TranscOntinenta1
! Railroad, and at present handles the
! greater portion of the oil output of thai
country, as well as other commerce will
| Siberian ports. and the determination oil
| the oil combine to establish a lire II
America has evidently caused the Santa
! Fe stockholders to take advantage Of the
! situation Of affairs and endeavOr to secure
tie tremendous traffic which would natur
ally follow the establishment of such &
| line of steamships.
That they were successful in establish
| ing the superior claims of San Diego mar
Dor to the projectors. as a terminal poin
in America, is practically proven by The
report which Gavetsky made TO SiDiriakoV
and the Russian Government.