Arizona republican., 1896-05-16
SANTA FEE OFFICERS.
The Fate of the Atlantic & Pacific
 Railroad.

The Fate of the Atlantic & Pacific
 Railroad.
 San Francisco Chronicle: The rep resentatives of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Atlantic & Pacific came in early in the day. Their bus iness was of a wider nature than the proceedings of the Transconlinental Passenger association, although that also partly explains their presence here. The Santa F'e has matters to talk over with the Southern Pacific officials relative Ito southern California. The approaching sale of tlhe Atlantic & Pacific road is going ito make a diff ference to the Santa Fe lime, whether it falls under the Influence through purchase by the bond holders or it be bought by c. P. Huntington. This lat ter contingency they are not prepared to admit, as it would cut them off from California business, but in any event new arrangements will have to be made with Ithe Southern Pacific, and the Santa Fe people are evidently here ito prepare matters in time.
  Fe and the Atlantic & Pacific who reached here yesterday were President B. P. Ripley, Second vice-President Paul Morton and Passenger Traffic Manager W. F. White of the Santa Fe, H. K. Wade, general manager, and Edward Cham bers, assistant general freight agent of the Southern Califor- mia; John J. Byrne, general passenger agent of the same road; Don A. Sweet, general freight and passenger agent of the Atlantic & Pacific, and George M. Sargent general freight and passenger agent of the Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoenix road
 Before the afternoon was old many of these officers had found their way ito the Southern Pacific offices, and were soon in conference with Vice-President Stubbs, Gnerai Freight Agent Smurr and General Passenger Agent Good man.
 "I shall probably remain in San Francisco until Thursday or Friday" said President Ripley, when questioned concerning his visit. My prfncipa, business" he continued, 'is with the Southern Pacific company We have matters to arrange in southern Ca,ifor- nia which need talking over The At lantic $ Pacific is ito be sold in the lat ter part of June, and the minimum price fixed by the court for the road is S5,000,000. The probabilities are that it will be bought by the bondholders, who, in some cases, are the same per sons as the owners of the Santa Fe railroad. They will likely run it for a while until they can make a trade with the Santa Fe. That's what ex- pect will be done. have heard noth- ing of c. P. Huntington trying ito get possession of the lime, and I do not know why he should want ito do so. as the Atlamtic & Pacific would be of no especial benefit to him.
 Traffic Manager Curtis of the Traffic association had heard that Huntington might buy the road, and pointed out that it would be of direct as well as in- direct advantage to him. The pur- chase, said Mir. Curtis, would not only shut out the Santa Fe from California, but would give Huntington fulC control from here to Albuquerque. The dis tance from San Francisco to Mojave Us 3S2 miles and from there to the end Of the Atlantic & Pacific S15 miles making a clean haul of 1,197 miles He could operate this line more cheap ly than at present, and would have 500 miles of new territory open to him. By lowering freight rates from here he could make more money than by hauting goods from the east and besides would not have Ito divide with other lines.
 Next to Idhe Santa Fe building intc California, I think the purchase of the Atlantic & Pacific would be the bes thing which could happen to Sar Framcssco." he continued, "prov:ded Huntington would reduce rates into that territory, which would be to his interest"