The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-03-20
READING ABOUT RAILROADS
A COMMITTEE APPOINTED 70 REVIEW
THE REORGANIZATION PLANS
The Western Trunk Line Committee VIVA
Take Another Attempt to Prevent Rste
Cutting BY Imposing Hesvy Fines -
Offending Roads-RaIIroad Notes


Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, March 19.-The resolus
ton proposed by Wright Of Massachusetts
was adopted by the house Pacific railroads
committee today, calling for the appoint
ment of q committee of five to review ~
the plans for settlement of the Pacific
railroad debt presented, and 70 recom-
mend bill and cooperate with the senate
committee. Chairman Powers appointedt
Republicans, Powers of Vermont, Wright
of Massachusetts, Ferris of Indiana; DEM
ocrats. Kyle of Mississippi. Sulzer Of New
York.
Much interest is taken by the members
from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and adj
jacent states in the effort to secure gov.
eminent aid for the Sioux City branches
and many petitions are coming from those
states. Coombs presented the draft of :
bill providing for q road from Sioux City
10 the main line Of the Union Pacific near
North Platte, Neb.; that bonds issued for
the road shall be secured by first mortgages
and be thirty-year bonds at per cent.
The road is to be entitled to free exchange
with Union Pacific and any successor 70 It,
Representative Shafroth of Colorado or.
planned his plan for the adjustment a
Pacific railroad debts by foreclosure.
WESTERN RATES
CHICAGO. Marcn ia meeting of the
executive officers in the western trunk linz
committee will be held in this city on
March 25th. Another effort will be mAdo
to get the pool into working order and this
time it is proposed to inflict heavy penal
ties on any road proved guilty of breaking
the agreement. The pool has been a.
utter failure up till now.
The demoralization in rates continues ~
bad as ever and there seems to be no
remedy at hand that will stop the evil. Il
is planned now that all the roads in the
agreement shall deposit a large amount OF
money with the officials of the pool ~ .
guarantee of good faith, and upon convicr
ton of cutting rates, or of demoraliSing
tactics the fine will be deducted from the
amount of the deposit.
There is trouble among the transconti-
mental roads over the through California
business. 1t is claimed that the rates from
the Ohio river territory to California are
much lower proportionately than thoso
from Chicago, and the difference between
the rates is making chance to scalp that
brokers are not slow to seize. The roadH
from the Ohio river territory have been
asked to raise their rates, and it is probar
Bile that the matter will come before .
meeting of all the interested roads in the
near future.
THAT PRESCOTT ROAD.
PRESCOTT, Ariz., March 19.-The sew.
enty-two miles of rails of the old Prescott
and Arizona Central railroad will not b
sold for taxes tomorrow, as advertised.
An injunction was granted today to pre-
vent it. In 1894 the road was assessed ~
a railroad, and the owners attorneys
ton was granted, claiming, as it had
ceased operation it had ceased
to be railroad and should
have been assessed as personal
property, the plaintiff alleging his wiling
ness to pay taxes on material as personal
property. In $3.50 the assessor took him
al his word. as expressed under oath. and
assessed the rails and all properly belong
ing to the road as personal property. The
complaint on which today's injunction II
sued alleges that the SCISSOR had no right
to list as personal property, but the terri
torial board of equalization should have
assessed it as railroad real estate.
MAGNATES COMING
New YORK. March 19.-Cornelius VAN
derbiIt and Chauncey Depew will leave for
the Pacific coast tomorrow in q special car.
Mr.. Depew saws the trip is for health and
recreation. Their proposed tour has re-
vivea the rumurs that the Vanderbilts de-
sire to secure control of one of the Pacific
roads in order to get a through line to the
coast. This report has. however, been fire.
Quently denied by Mr.. Vanderbilt and Mr..
Uepew. In an interview t. day Mr.. Depew
said the only significance TO be attached to
the tour was to be found in the fact that he
had been trying to take the trip for the
past three years. and now that the way
was again opened he did not again intend
to ignore the opportunity.
RAILROAD NOTES
CHICAGO, March 19.-The big suit of
Swift & Co, the packers, against the Grand
Trunk railway, which has been pending in
the circuit court since ] S92, was dismissed
today by stipulation. Swift & Co. sued for
100000 on account of alleged excessive
charges for freight on shipments east from
1887 to 1889.
STOCKTON, March 19.-Robert Watt. vice
president; Isaac Upham, director; F. w.
Van SickleD, a trustee; Captain Payson, .
director. and w. B. etory, chief engineer
of the Valley railroad. arrived here this
evening with two friends to make trip OF
inspection over tho road tomorrow. They
will go over the line and return to San
Francisco in the evening.