The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-03
EVERY ONE SEEMS PLEASED.
EUen III. II. Huntington P1etends Not to
Care for the BiII's Fate.

Care for the BilI's Fate.
The news from Washington that the
Reilly funding bill had been recommitted
for further consideration was received in
this city yesterday with much interest.
People discussed this latest phase in the
history of the measure and on all sides
might be heard expressions of pleasure
that thus early in the consideration of the
bill Congress should have given it bad
black eye.
A great many persons held with the rep
resentatives of California in Congress that
the bill is virtually defeated. And yet 9TH
ers were not disposed to regard its return
to the committee as sufficient ground on
which to base conclusion that Congress
had determined to stand by the people of
the Pacific Coast.
H. E. Huntington, who is the personal
representative of c. P. Huntington here
and assistant president of the Southern
Pacific Company, director in that cor
poration. president of the Central Pacific
and of the Pacific improvement Company,
was surprised to learn last night that the
funding bill had been recommitted by Con-
gress. He had not learned of it through
the evening papers nor by telegraph.
''I really know very little about this
funding bill" he said after pause. "All
I do know is from hearsay, as I've never
read the bill, and am therefore not familiar
with it's details. OF course, read about it
in the papers and listened to conversations
on the subject, but nothing more"
''Do you regard the action of Congress as
defeat for the bill2" Mr.. Huntington was
asked.
'Well, really, 1 can't tell you that, for
the simple reason l have not followed the
bill closely" he replied with laugh, and
in manner that indicated his lack of in
terest. "You see, we are not particularly
interested in this bill, because it is not
what we want by any means"
''How is it that the popular opinion is
that the Central Pacific has been fighting
for its passage2"
Il don't know. 1t is not our bill and we
is, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific
could not possibly live under it, unless
they advanced rates of all kinds, passenger
as well as freight, to an excessive stand
ard. My understanding of the bill is that
it calls for payments far beyond what the
Central Pacific and Union Pacific roads are
earning. The funding bill wants an inter-
est of 8 per cent per annum on the Gov
eminent loan, and also yearly payments
of a certain sum into the sinking fund.
Certainly this is more than the Central
Pacific has been earning.
"We would like to have funding bill
go through, of course, but not this one.
We would like the bill to run ON for long
period, and SO regulated regarding pay
ments that we would not be compelled
to double rates-to give us a chance to pay
within our income"
If the funding bill should pass, what
would its effect be on the people of Cali
fornia?"
at would not be good thing for either
the people or the railroad" answered Mr..
Huntington. "The people would have to
pay higher rates, and the railroad would
have struggle to keep the income up to a
pitch where it could meet interest and
payment of principal on the Government
loan.
1.-THE Central Pacific has been as hon.
estly managed as if every dollar of it was
our own. We have diverted considerable
business to it. The Southern California
citrus fruits are all shipped over the Gen.
trai Pacific, whereas the Southern Pacific
would be very much better off if we sent
them south. The English stockholders
are perfectly satisfied with the manage
ment OF the Central Pacific.
people have an idea that G. P. Hunt
ington has been in Washington for year
past, hghting for this funding bill. If he
ola not go to Washington this week he has
not been there this winter. don't know
that ne takes any interest in the bill. Our
attorneys have not taken any action what
ever regarding it. Neither have the Off