The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-06
WITHOUT A FOUNDAT ton,
The Tale of Southern Pacific
Control Over the Valley
Road.
John D. Spreckels Shows That Such
Condition of Affairs Is
Impossible.

The editorial of Chicago journal, tele-
graphed to this City and published in a
local morning paper yesterday, stating
that the San Joaquin Valley road had
come under Southern Pacific control, Gre
ated much amusement among the officials
and stockholders of the former company,
who, after reading it carefully, laughed at
it's utter absurdity and then dismissed it
from their mindsa as beneath their notice.
John D. Spreckels, one of the officers
mentioned, was seen last evening.
81 fail to understand how such an abb
surd story could have been published" he
said, "unless it was intended to injure the
road. Not only has the San Joaquin Val
ley road not passed into Southern Pacific
hands, but it never will, and, moreover, no
negotiations in that line have ever been
mentioned that 1 know of. To show how
little there is in such tale, it is only
necessary to call attention to the agree
ment signed by each stakeholder at the
time he or she subscribed to the stock.
at was expressly stated in that docu-
ment that no stock should be transferred
for ten wears. Aside from that those who
have the control of the road put up their
money to give California railroad compe-
tition and not to sell out to any other par
ties who might offer to buy.
cit looks to me as though desire to
weaken the popularity of the road in the
San Joaquin Valley and, perhaps, prevent
it from getting rights of way and station
facilities, might be back of this absurd
fabrication.
at may be, too, that these Chicago peo-
pie who are suddenly evincing so much
interest in our affairs may fear that after
bava oopo pallad tho Southern, Pacific 10
bring down its tariffs to the proper place
it NAV make I'D the difference in its reve-
nue. by raising the tariff on Eastern goods
shipped to this coast, and thus drive for
eign goods out of the market.
"Whichever way you look at it the story
is rot and does not bother US in the least.
I never heard of this concern-the Cali
fornia Construction Company-that they
mention so prominently as doing work for
us. 1t certainly has no contracts with
the company or business with it that l
know Of"
Samuel M. Shortridge, who is a heavy
stakeholder in the road, said last evening
that the story was utterly without founda
ton.
81 can say as stockholder," he said,
chat the Southern Pacific has never gained
a foothold in the San Joaquin Valley road
corporation, and as far as L am concerned,
never will, and where such story could
have emanated from l cannot understand
unless it is intended as q forlorn hope to
injure the road. The San Joaquin Valley
road will be built for the benefit of the
people of the section through which it
passes and will be competing road pure
and simple.
at needs no Southern Pacific capital to
build it as is intimated by that article, and
will be built by the subscriptions of its
stockholders"
The faIlacy of the Chicago editors tale
was further proven by the words of j. A.
Fillmore. general superintendent of the
Southern Pacific Company, who was seen
regarding the California Construction Com
pany, that is credited with being South
ern Pacific enterprise and also with taking
charge of the building of the road.
1.-The California Construction Company
has not the slightest connection with the
Southern Pacific Company" he said tand
never had. 1t exists, and is q bridge build
ing concern, but is not in any way related
to the railroad"
The fake was nailed more firmly by a
| telegram that was received in this City
yesterday from j. s. Leeds, late manager
of the Traffic Association, who was
credited with having resigned his position
here because he saw that the Southern
Pacific had gained control of the Valley
road. The telegram was as follows:
did not resign because of control of Valley
road by Southern Pacific. l have no reason to
suspect that such control has been secured.
J. S. LEEDS.
The Southern Pacific Company itself,
through its highest officials, denies that it
is in any way in control of the Valley road
or that it has made any attempt to be-
come so.
The writer of the article was evidently
very much at sea regarding California
affairs for he calls the Traffic Association
the shippers and merchants association,
and makes other mistakes equally amusing
Rescued From, tho Row