Evening star., 1896-02-19
SOME SHARP QUESTIONS
Asked Of Nj. e. P. Huntington by Senator
Morgan 81
The Answers Were Equally Sharp
Matters Of the Finance and Con-
tract Company Inquired Into.

AS stated in The Star yesterday, the ex-
animation of President G. p. Huntington
by the Senate Pacific railroad committee
developed some rather sharp passages be-
tween Senator Morgan and Mr.. Hunting
ton. Mr.. Morgan intimated that he be-
lieved the papers of the Finance and Con-
tract Company were burned for the pur-
pose Of destroying the proof Of the indi-
vidual liability Of the stockholders, but Mr..
Huntington insisted that they had been de-
stroyed for the purpose of cleaning out the
room, and because the business for which
the company had been organized was
closed. He said he had suggested to Mark
Hopkins that the books be destroyed, but
did not remember that there had been any
reference in his conversation with Hopkins
to the clause in the California constitution
regarding the personal liability of stock
holders '-f..4 ,.-..
Sharp Questions and Answers.
Senator Morgan-"Did any lawyer advise
you to destroy these papers?'
Mr. Huntington-'I think not. 1t was a
mere casual matter. We did not regard it
as serious
Mr. Morgan-"It becomes serious here. 1
should like very much to have the books
here now
much for you to have them, hut in view of
the fact that they are not in existence, l
don't see how In the world you are going
to get at them"
of ]. H. Berry, c. c. Torrill and John NJ.
Reynolds members of the anti-fundng
committee. appointed at a meeting held in
San Francisco last year. Mr.. Huntington
said contemptuouSly that he wondered
whether they were on the tax list of San
Francisco.
"They may not be-" Senator Morgan said,
"but you know it is written that the poor
shall inherit the kingdom of heaven"
II do not know" said Mr.. Huntington in
differently.
"And 1 expect you will never find OUT
Senator Morgan remarked.
1--WE will see," said Mr.. Huntington, hope
fully.
Yes, we will see," Senator Morgan said.
did you know either of these gentlemen"
he asked.
Il do not know that do" said Mr.. Hunt
iagton. II take it that they are not among
the merchants or bankers of San Fran
cisco"
They may be common people," Senator
Morgan remarked.
In the SAME connection Mr.. Morgan spoke
OF the earnestness Of the protest coming
from San Francisco.
There is nothing in it," Mr.. Huntington
said. half SO earnest as Adolf Sutro was
when he told me that if l did not build a
road to his place, where he has a drinking
saloon, bath house and gambling house.
and build it at once, he would fight me in
Washington and fight mo everywhere. That
was an earnest mattcr.'i
Contract and Finance Company.
Mr. Huntington denied that the controlling
stockholders in each of the three construc-
ton companies were the same persons, al
though he admitted that the same men were
largely Interested in each Of the companies.
The Contract and Finance Company, Mr.
Huntington said, constructed all of the Cen
trail Pacific, and the Pacific Improvement
company most Of the Southern Pacific The
contract and Finance he said, received
about $Io,ooooo0 of the bonds and stock Of
the central Pacific. and agreed to construct
the road: This company did probably two
tEirds OF the work on the Central Pacific.
Serator Morgan pressed his questions upon
MI. huntington, and insisted upon cate
gorical answers
The afternoon session LASTED for three
hours, during all of which time Mr. Hunt
ington was subjected, by Mr.. Morgan to a
searching investigation into all his connec-
tons with the Central Pacific and Southern
Paciiic roads, and as to the wealth acquired
by him and his partners in these transac-
tons.
Senator Morgan tried to make him admit
that, as president of the Southern Pacific
and as vice president of the Central Pacific,
ne mad tSlnce the lease of the latter to the
former) sought TO divert the traffic which
should go over the Central and to send IT
over the Southern Pacific. Mr.. Hunting ton,
however, denied that such was the case
and argued that there We're too many great
railroad corporations interested In the
transcontinental business to allow of such
thing being done.
Difference In ShrinkaEe.
To certain extent, however, he admitted
that the Southern Pacific was in competi-
ton with the Central Pacific. He was ask
ed why, durirg the last five years, the
earnings of the Central Pacific under the
lease had decreased, and he ascribed 1t to
the shrinkage of rates, but he could not
account for the fact that the earnings CT
the Southern Pacific had not decreased in
the same proportion.
AS to the proposition for the settlement
of the debt of the Central Pacific to the
government Mr. Huntington professed the
willingness and desire of the company to
pay every dollar of it on an extension of
100 years, at 2 per cent, but would not ad-
init that there was any liability on the
company to pay interest on the interest
payments heretofore made by the govern
ment.
The committee adjourned till Thursday
at 1880 o'clock.