The herald., 1896-12-05
THE TRANSPAC|F|C
STEAMSHIP LINE
Backed by Men Controlling
Ample Capital
many OF CH|CAG0'S M|LL|0Nh|RES
See Promise OF Profit in the
Scheme
SAN DIEGO AND YOKOHAMA
Have Already Been Scheduled as tho
Terminal Ports
Arrangements Are Pending for Transcsntk
mental Carriages
Millions of Money Must Be Raised ana
Some Years Spent in Securing favor.
able Iegislatinn-R yn clinatA
SAN DIEGO AND YOKOHAMA
Have Already Been Scheduled as tho
Terminal Ports
Arrangements Are Pending for Transcentls
mental Carriages
Millions Of Money Must Be Raised ana
Some Years Spent in Securing favor.
able observation-disclosures
People Industriously at Work
Associated Press Special Wire


CHICAGO, Dec. 4.--There is no longer
any doubt as to the identity of the NOV
ing spirits in the proposed transpaciflo
steamer line. o. w. Potter, president
of the Commercial National bank. prac-
tically admitted, although he declined
to make any specific statement to that
effect, that his son, E. C. Potter, was en-
gineering the big project. A. H. Butler
is also a prominent henchman. The jun
ior Potter, together with Mr.. Butler, IS
now in San Diego in the interests Of the
enterprise.
1t is also known that negotiations are
under way with the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe Railroad company, look
ing toward utilizing the latter as the
connecting link between the Pacific and
Atlantic ports.
E. c. Potter is a stockholder in the
Santa Fe road. MI. Potter, sr., declined
to state what capitalists are interested
with his son in the enterprise, and de-
clares emphatically that he has not q
dollars worth of interest in it.
Il really am not specifically advised as
to the exact nature of my sons business
in California" said the banker. per
haps it would be better to wait until his
return before connecting his name au-
thoritatively with the transpacific en-
terprise. I will say this, however, MY
son has been interested in such a move
ment for two years. The necessity of an
country and the Orient was made appa-
l. II
gantic undertaking and one that will in
volve an expenditure of many millions
of dollars and possibly years of time be-
fore what can be regarded a. fair be-
ginning can be made. In the first place.
much tedious legislation will have to be
put through before the project would
be upon any sort of a basis. The federal
government will have to legislate upon
the question of subsidzing vessels for
the transportation of the mails. 1t will
also have to be apparent that good rail-
road connections can be made between
the Pacific and Atlantic coasts for the
forwarding of freight across the coun-
try
"Between what ports will the steamers
ply?"
Probably the United States port will
he San Diego, and naturally Yokohama
will be the Japanese port. But, as said
before, I am not posted definitely re-
gardng the project, and this is largely
new work with me-"
What road is it proposed to transport
freight over once it reaches Chicago?"
There has been talk of negotiations
being under way with the Santa Fe road.
This has a terminus ct San Diego and
has direct connections across the entire
country, but the agreement with the
railroad is another matter that will re-
Quire much time to perfect. 1t will re-
quire between $7,000,O00 and $4,000, 900 to
build the steamships alone. to say moth
ing of the other expenses. That is a good
deal of money to raise in these times"
THE WORK IN HAND
SAN DIEGO, Dec. A meeting was
held at the chamber of commerce this
morning and a committee appointed to
go to Lose Angeles and confer with q
similar committee there, and with E. G.
Potter and A. H. Butler the steam
ship men who propose to organize q
company to operate a transpacific line
from this port. The San Diego COM
mittee consists of President Philip
Morse of the chamber of commerce, j.
e. Fishburn, president of the merchants
and manufacturers association; G. H.
Ballou and John H. Gay, jr.
A. AND P. INSPECTION.
PHOENIX, Ariz., Dec. 4.-D. B. Rob-
inson, president of the ST. Louis and
San Francisco railroad, will arrive in
Phoenix tomorrow with large party Of
eastern railroad men. The trip is under
stood to be an official inspection of the
Atlantic and Pacific and it's connecting
southwestern lines. The A. and P. dur
ing the past two months has come into
the hands of the main stockholders OF
the Frisco road. The line from Albu-
querque has been leased temporarily to
the Santa Fe, but if the trustees sale Of
the road. which is to take place in Cool
idge, N NJ, January 18th, goes favorably
for Frisco interests the line will be at
once extended from Sepulpa, Indian ter
ritory. west to Albuquerque, giving the
Frisco line control of the Santa Fe line
to the Pacific Coast
REPORT WILL BE MADE
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 4-United
States Circuit Judge McKenna. on mo-
tion Of Assistant United States District
c.