The San Francisco call., 1896-07-01
WHO SMOTE THE
YOSEMITE FARES !?
N. H. Wilson Says He Did
It With His New
Stage Line.
MAY BE ONLY A BLUFF.
]. H. Hutchings Says the Old
Companies Have Not
Reduced.
WHAT GOVERNOR BUDD DID.
His Excellency's Visit Declared to
Have Affected Only Hotel
Rates.
WHAT GOVERNOR BUDD DID.

n. H. Wilson denies that Governor
Budd is the Moses that struck the stony
hearts of the Yosemite stage companies
and brought forth stream of grateful
reductions. Mr.. Wilson is willing and
eager to admit that his Excellency did
little successful smiling in the valley
itself, but that stage fares came down he
declares to be coiucident with and not re-
sultant of the Governors visit. Accord
ing to Mr.. Wilson, and his statement is
corroborated by J. II. Hutchings, the
father of Yosemite, it was Mr.. Wilson
and his new stage line which brought the
established transportation company TO
realization of the desire of the poor man
to see natures wonderland. This realiza-
ton, Mr.. Wilson declares, has resulted
not in lower rates being conceded by the
Raymond company, but in their skilliully
juggling with figures and facts TO make
reductions apparent where none exist.
when it was announced that Governor
Budd was going to Yosemite" said Mr..
Wilson, 81 visited him at Sacramento and
induced him to go by our road, that is
from Merced via Coulterville, Bowers Cave
and Hazel Green,
"On the 27th of May he started and that
was the initial trip of our stage company.
Governor Budd made the entire trip, as
he testified in an interview upon his re-
turn TO Sacramento, for $27 so, and that
is our regular charge from Sacramento
His trip had nothing whatever to do with
our rates. We charge $25 for the round
trip from Merced and the fare from here
to Merced is SS so. 1t makes no difference
whether we buy the tickets or the passen-
gers procure their own, it is all the same,
as the Southern Pacific refuses to give us
"a .
any expose that the other company is an
nouncing reductions. They are simply
afraid of my road. l am known in that
country as q rustler and fighter and they
are becoming alarmed"
J. II. Hutchings, who knows more
about Yosemite than the old Indians who
were born there, and who has spent the
greater portion of his life in making
known the beauties of the valley, was
indignant at the statements of the Wash
burn Stage Company i'll regard TO their
rates.
Referring to q statement OF reduced
rates in a morning paper he said: at is
untruthful, deceptive and misleading.
The entire statement is merely to cover
up their movements and keep the same
condition of affairs that has been in vogue
all the time. For instance, they state the
fare va Raymond and Berenda is $40.
whereas they still continue to charge $50
for the round trip. A special rate has
been made of $33 90, but this applies only
to teachers, pupils and ministers. 1t is
true they have a round-trip rate of $25 by
way of Big Oak Flat, but they take care
that very few travel this route. Their
every effort is to discourage travel over
this road, and the stage Is so timed that
it reaches stopping-places about midnight.
Inquirers are told that the road is danger
Gus and are so strongly advised against it
that very few care TO risk their lives for
the SIS saved.
"TEe stage line over the Big Oak Flat
road is not owned by the Raymond and
Berenda people, but the latter practically
control and suppress It, In consideration
of the Big Oak Flat road not entering into
active competition with the Raymond and
Berenda road A. H. Washburne, pro-
prie.or of the latter road, pays the pro-
prietor of the former road a bonus of from
So to 81 for everv passenger carried by way
OF Raymond. The same arrangement was
entered into with Mort McClenathan when
he ran a stage over the Coulterville route.
McClenathan received 80 for every pas
senger which the Raymond people carried.
They so successfully prevented him from
getting any passengers OF his own, how
ever, that he was glad TO sell out to the
Raymond road. He was then given a
position as driver for them.
THAT was ten years ago. Since that
time there has. been no stage run over the
Coulterville road and the Raymond road
has practically monopolized the traffic.
The stage Inc which Mr.. Wilson now
represents has made bona fide reduction
to $33 80. ! have no interest in the road
financially, but because of my interest in
the valley would like 10 have the people
know the facts in regard to the matter.
''As an alleged instance of magnanimous
reduction it is announced that hereafter
San Francisco, allowing three Gays horse
back riding in the valley for from $S to $40.
The commissioners allow the stablemen
to charge only So day under any circum-
stances, so it is difficult to see where there
is any concession in allowing three days
riding for from IS to $40, which would
probably be 50.
Governor Budd has succeeded in get
ting the hotels to make some reductions.
Formerly board and lodging were 81 day
uniformly. Now it ranges from 81 to 81,
according to the location of the ROOM
Rooms NAV now be secured without board