The herald., 1896-03-13
Huntington Before the House
Committee on Railroads
HIS PLAN OF PROCEDURE
ContempIa!es the Payment Of Two Per
Cent Interest
The Magnste Knows that the Road Has Ene-
miles, But They Have Grievsnces-Con.
vention Rates Fixed
Associated Press special Wire.

Associated Press special wire
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE house
committee on Pacific railways today lis
tened to statement by q. p. Huntington,
similar to that made before the senate
committee. in advocacy of his plan of set
tlement of the Pacific railroad indebted
ness. In concluding Huntington remarked
extemporaneously that no man was so
anxious as he to see the roads pay 100
cents on the dollar; that it was the last
great work of his life and he hoped TO live
to see all his affairs on solid basis. If he
equaled the record of his great grand
father he had yet thirty years to live.
rambling discussion, participated in by
Huntington and members Of the COM
mittee, consumed half an hour. One of
the questions asked by Chairman
Powers was whether under the COM
pany's plan the Southern Pacific would
be able to guarantee payments. 1.-THE
Southern Pacific is a solid old company"
Huntington replied, land while l would
not like to do anything to make it pay
much money, l would he willing it should
guarantee these payments because l am
sure it would not be called on to pay. l
am only one of several, but have teen
running this thing thirty years. and what
say generally goes. l am willing to prom
ise the Southern, Pacific will guarantee
these payments"
When Powers inquired if the charter of
the Southern Pacific granted by the Ken
lucky Legislature was broad enough to per-
init this, Huntington answered: "Oh, that
is broad enough TO do most anything" and
the committeeman laughed.
"Ihat Is broad charter and clean
charter" he added, land has about done
all we wanted it to do.''
Then Harrison, democrat of A]abama)
inquired whether the income from the road
the past ten years would not warrant
higher rate of interest than 2 per cent.
mo, there has got to be little margin,"
was the reply. Another question was
whether the company could have met the
requirements of the Reilly bill of the last
congress-, Huntington replied: "Oh, no;
you might as we'll tell a drowning man
there is a rail on shore he can save him
self with If he go and get that. That bill
was financial impossiblity."
In discussing the public opinion of Cali
fornia Mr.. Huntington said the great ma
jority of the people favored the funding
plan and added:
"Ihere are perhaps hundred men in
California against us; smart fellows, too,
because they have always got living
without working. They have grievance
because they were dismissed from the pay
rolls at my suggestion and they want to get
back but they won't"
But is it not significant" Mr.. Boatner
asked, "that every member OF congress
from California but one is irrevocably op-
posed to this plan?"
"They have a grievance. most of them,"
was the reply. zone man who ran against
Mr.. English said, when Mr.. English came
here, that if we had given him little help
he might have made it. We told him we
were out of politics."
Mr.. Huntington was sure the committee
was not interested in these personal mat
ters and remarked: "1 don't want to say
what these men tell me personally" re-
ferring to the congressman.
MIR. Barham had told him that rates
were too high, but did not even know what
the rates were.
"But the press of California seems to be
solidly arrayed against you," Mr.. Boatner
suggested.
"Seven-eighths of the papers are for u.s."
Mr.. Huntington replied. 1.-The California
papers are mixed. l never read them.
The Examiner is against us strong. The
Chronicle-that's q great paper-that is
fair, am told. The Post is fair
There was a rather warm passage at arms
between MIR. Arnold of Pennsylvania and
Mr.. Johnson of California when Mr.. John
son asked Mr. Huntington to specify what
were the grievances to which he referred.
"Johnson wants bill of particulars"
Mr.. Arnold observed jocularly. HE is
after campaign fund"
This irsitated Mr.. Johnson, who declared
with some warmth that he was not after
any campaign fund; that he was perfectly
familiar with the situation and did not care
to have the dirty linen of California washed
in congress.
MIR. Arnold said the local issues of Cali
fornia need not prevent a fair judgment of
the relations between the government and
the Pacific roads. and the hearing ended.
CONVENTION RATES
ST. LOUIS, March 12.-After three
days session the special meeting of the
Western Passenger association adjourned
tonight. 1t was decided to make q rate of
one fare for the round trip for the Repub-
licsn national convention, TO be held here
in June, and the Popuiist and BimetalIc
national conventions III July. The other
matters disposed of were of routine ma
ture.
THE COLORADO WAR
DENVER, Col, March l2.-There is no
sign vet of an abatement of the Colorado
passenger rate war. The passenger de.
partment of the Gulf road denies the re-
port teiegraphed from Chicago that rates
were restored after the former reduction
at it's special request and it was forced TO
take it's tickets off the market at consider
able loss. The Gulf road officials also
deny that brokers are now supplied with
large stocks of cut rate tickets, and say
they are being sold only over the counters
of the company.
Charged With ticresy