The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26
TWO ROADS TO
Be CONSOLIDATED,
A Move by the Southern
Pacific in the Interest
Of Economy.
EFFECT OF THE CHANGE
The South Pacific Coast and the
Coast Divisions to Be Under
One Regime.
:. FILLMORE HAS RESIGNED.
Superintendent Frazier to Have Charge
of the Com bined Divisions-No
Change in Service.

AS matter of economy, the South Pa
cifc Coast Railroad, the narrow-gaugs line
operated between this City and Santa
Cruz, is to be consolidated on June 1 with
the coast division, the broad-gauge line
which runs from Third and Townsend
streets, and which Will soon be the route
for the through trains between New Or
leans and this City.
This is matter which has been in con-
temptation for several years past, and was
finally decided upon about three weeks
ago. when General Manager Krutschnitt
referred the matter to Manager ]. A. Fill
more for the arrangement of all the de-
tails.
The consolidated roads will be under
the superintendency of James L. Frazier,
the present superintendent of the Coast
division, while l.. Fillmore, who is the
superintendent of the South Pacific Coast,
will retire from railroad work after the
first of June for good. All the other Of
ticials and office employees of the narrow
gauge road will be provided with employ
ment in some other department of the
Southern Pacific Company.
When General Manager Kruttschnitt
was asked about the matter, he said it had
been discussed for some time, owing to
the falling off in business that had re-
suited from the general commercial and
financial depression, and that the move
was entirely induced by motives of
economy.
"Does the consolidation mean any bet
terments, such, for instance, as the con-
version of the narrow gauge road into q
standard or broad gauge liner" was asked.
mot at ALL" responded Mr.. Krutt-
schnitt. eve shall do nothing in the
way OF Improvements on any of our lines
until money becomes easier. Our work
will be confined strictly to matters that
are absolutely necessary to maintain the
efficiency of our service. We do not look
for any great improvement in financial
matters until after the election.
80 far as the narrow gaugels is concerned
its conversion into a standard gauge will
be an undertaking of great expense.
There are four tunnels between here and
Santa Cruz, and none of these are wide
enough to allow of the laying Of broad
gauge tracks nor the passage of broad
gauge cars. One OF these is about mile
long and another is about a mile and a
quarter. They are all strongly timbered
and to widen them would not only mean
the expense of the additional excavation
but that of retimbering. | have no doubt
that this work will have to be done,
but at present it is impossible to fix
the time"
For further details regarding the con-
solidation the reporter was referred to
Manager j. A. Fillmore. who is enjoying
vacation at Paso Robles. Telephone
communication was opened up with Mr..
Fillmore and he made the following state
ment:
''The consolidation of the roads will be
made on June l. The move is one in the
interests of economy and will place both
divisions under one management, thus
saving the expense of maintaining two
sets of officers, books and employees. The
resignation of Superintendent l.. Fillmore
is now in my hands He intends to retire
altogether from railroading. and the other
attaches of the narrow gauge will be taken
care of in other branches of our service |
The service on these divisions will be in |
no particular changed. Superintendent |
Frazier will assume the management of |
both divisions"
Recalling story published in the Exam
iner the day after Mr.. Fillmore left for |
Paso Robes to the effect that he was seri- |
ously i'll, the gentleman was asked if his |
health had improved since his sojourn at |
the springs. To this came the answer |
waited over the wire, with clearly pre- |
ceptibie trace of humor in it:
We'll, hardly know if l have improved |
any. But the day after my arrival took |
an eighteen-mile drive about the country, |
and if can only recover my appetite / |
will feel more hopeful. / only could take |
two steaks for breakfast this morning.
Then came a gurgle of self-satisfied |
laughter and "Say, wish you d break the |
neck of that reporter who wrote that fake
for the Examiner"