The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-06

personal credits, and they cannot borrow
money now on the credit of the company.
Martin-By the railroad getting the best side
of every proposition you mean the equitable
side?
Mr.. Martins question created some
amusement for the Commissioners and the
spectators, and for moment Mr.. Lansing
did appear to appreciate the value of the
cross-examination, but after it had been
repeated and made clear that the best side
OF a proposition was not in all cases the
side that a railroad company should &C
quire, he answered that perhaps he was
careless in the use of the words. And,
after Attorney Martin had been satisfied
that the official record of the proceedings
would place the railroad company on the
proper ''best SIDE Mr.. La Rue took up the
examination and dvelt impressively upon
the idea that, while the bargaining with
themselves by four or five men who made
SAC, 000, 600 or $50, 000.0 600 might be legiti-
mate, it must come out of the railroad.
And Mr.. Lansing admitted that in some
years these men made money, but he
thought they ought to be entitled to some
thing. Mr.. Martin wanted to correct an
unfavorable impression, which might by
inference be gained by the public, that the
Southern Pacific people made more favora-
bic contracts for themselves with them
selves than they would make for other
persons with the company. Mr.. Lansing
sought to dispel the impression by saying
that they did their best to make contracts
with others, and to get others to invest in
the property, without success. But Mr..
La Rue got around again in this way:
La Rue-Nevertheless there is no open CON-
petition and they axe not likely to make q bad
bargain.
Lansing-If they do it is case of bad judy
ment, but there are cases OF bad Judgment.
La Rue-They made $40,000,00 or $50, 000,-
600.
Lansing-It attracts more attention TO put it
high.
Mr.. La Rue looked as though he was sat
isfed. Mr.. Lansing appeared to have no
more to say and Barnaby Dougherty took
advantage of the occasion to ask If he had
discovered at what rate they issued the
bonds. But he got no answer and put his
next proposition to the chairman.
Dougherty-Suppose they contracted for
81 100000 worth of work and gave 50 900, 600
worth of bonds for it. Mr.. Chairman?
La Rue-I suppose If they sold them for 81,
O00,OO they made 81 100000.
Mr.. Lansing was satisfied to let Mr.. La
Rue inform Mr.. Dougherty, and there
being another pause in the proceedings
Mr.. Martin took the opportunity TO correct
another of those Impressions made by
printing in the newspapers record of the
board actions and the verbatim transcript
of questions and answers. He thought
the newspapers had got Mr.. Lansing incor-
rectly reported as saying that the value OF
the road represented the amount the rail-
road would bring at forced sale. The
official stenographer corroborated the
newspapers. and after Mr.. Lansing had
assured the commission that he did not
mean it Mr.. Martin gave way to Denis
Kearney.
Denis Kearney-Mr. Curtis stated that the
man who works ten hours day and wears a
leather apron gets 81 q day for ten hours
said he worked sixteen hours day and was
the hardest worked man in the employ of the
company. Now, viii ask Mr.. Lansing again
II he still refuses to answer the question as TO
Huntington's salary.
Mr.. Martin was on his feet in a secohd
and stated with a gesture of impotence
that he would Withdraw all his objections
to investigation as to Mr.. Huntington s
salary and request Mr.. Lansing to answer
the question and put an end to it. He
was tired of it. and while he did not say
Mr.. Lansing should answer the question
he hoped he would, and Mr.. Lansing said
that Mr.. Huntington receives $4,000 a
year in the aggregate from all the systems,
and the average wages of the other officers
was about $4,000 or s4400 year. And Mr..
Martin smilingly suggested that if Mr.
Huntington was not interested in the rail-
road he would not be likely to take the lob
at that price. Mr.. Lansing explained that
he had refused before to answer the ques-
ton for personal reasons, but he had since
been told that Mr.. Huntington had no OBJ
lection to his answering the question.
1t looked like the wind-up of the inves-
tigation-the climax to the story of build