The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-13
NIPPED IN 7HE BUD
CalifOrnia's New Railroad Sc
cured by the Enemy.
The Devil Fish Gets 1t Before 1t is
Even Completed Some Inter-
esting Facts.

AS showing the far reaching plans and
powerful influence of the great rail- |
roads, the following from the Chicago |
Tribune in regard to the new California |
railroad, from which so much was ex-
pected in the way Of relief from the |
claimed tyrannies of the Southern Pa
cifc, will be OF general interest;
About year ago 1t was announced |
with great bare of trumpets that the |
merchants and shippers Of California. |
through the efforts of ]. s. Leeds, then |
traffic manager of the California Traffic |
Association, had succeeded In perfect |
ing the arrangements for the construc-
tion of a new road through the San
Joaquin Valley from San Francisco to
Bakersfield, Cal The road, 1t was claim
ed, would relieve the California people
from the clutches of the Southern Pacific
monopoly, and force the latter to make
fair and reasonable rates. Sugar King
Spreckels became large subscriber to
the new road, and nearly $3,0OO0OO cash
was raised among California capitalists
in furtherance of the new project Ex-
cellent progress has been made in the
construction of the new line, and rails
are now being laid with the prospect of
completing the new road by the first OF
next year.
Apparently reliable information has
lately come into the possession of the
Tribune which indicates the new San
Joaquin Valley railroad will not accom-
pIish the object for which 1t was organ
lied, and the Southern Pacific monop-
olists have virtually succeeded In crowd
ing out the original organizers OF the
new enterprise and securing control OF
the property themselves. 1t Is claimed
fc hainQ nllGhnl tOW-
ards completion with Southern Pacific
capital. Instead Of affording relief to
the long-suffering people of California
the new line will only help to fasten the
tenacles of the Southern Pacific devil-fish
still more firmly upon them.
1t looked rather strange when, shortly
after the building of the San Joaquin
Valley railroad had become assured, the
moving spirit of the new enterprise and
the implacable enemy OF the Southern
Pacific monopoly, j. s. Leeds, suddenly
resigned his position as traffic manager
of the California Traffic Association,
though only a month or two previous he
had been reappointed to the position
which he had filled so creditably and with
such signal success for several years.
Mr.. Leeds left California and came to
st. Louis, where he is now commissioner
OF the Merchants Freight Bureau. An
explanation why he resigned so suddenly
his lucrative position with the California
shippers and merchants has never been
made. Since then many things have
transpired. however, which indicate Mr.
Leeds retirement from his position with
the California Traffic Association was
due to his sudden discovery that his pet
San Joaquin Valley railroad enterprise
had fallen into the hands Of the enemy
The California Construction Company,
which is a Southern Pacific enterprise,
has lately taken charge of the building
of the San joaquin road.
The latest straw. however which shows
which way the wind blows is the ap-
pointment Of Southern Pacific railway
employe as Traffic Manager OF the Ship
pers' and Merchants Association In place
OF j. s. Leeds, which position has been
vacant until now. The new appointee Is
w. B. Curtis, who has been chief clerk
in charge Of tariffs and statistics in the
Office of Traffic Manager Gray, of the
Southern Pacific for many years past,
and his new appointment, II is said, was
procured through the influence OF South
ern Pacific officials. The executive com
mittee OF the Traffic Association, It Is
claimed, consented to the appointment Of
Mr.. Curtis as their traffic manager on the
promise Of the Southern Pacific Managers
that they would agree to a general re-
duction In local freight rates between
points in California.