The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11
HAS MADE A
PROUD RECORD
An Unprecedented Feat
by the Southern Pa
cifc.
Confident Of Being Able to
Handle Any Kind Of Con-
vention.
The Blockade of Baggage Expected
to Be Raised by This
Morning.

All the special trains carrying Endeav-
orers have now arrived. Every delegate
was brought through in time to partici-
pate in the convention, and not one Of
them was made 10 suffer any serious in
convenience.
From transportation point OF view the
feat of the Southern Pacific Company in
taking such gOod care of this immense in
fux is something extraordinary. The
only ground of com plaint has been on the
score of baggage being inaccessible. But
this was not the fault of the Southern Pa
cific so much as it was of the connecting
lines. Had the baggage been forwarded
with the passengers in each case there
would have been comparatively little
trouble in handling it prom pity and salts
factorily. AS 1t is, the blockade promises
to be raised by this morning.
ALI the Southern Pacific traffic officials
are elated over the record that has been
made, and the great benefits that are
likely 10 accrue TO the State from this
multitude of visitors.
J. c. Stubs, general ffic manager of
the company, in speaking yesterday of
the operations OF his road during the past
ten days said:
"This was the largest movement of pas
sengers in such space of time on
single track railroad that the world has
ever seen.
"a general review of the whole matter
will best show its remarkable and unex-
pected growth, and the important bearing
that it will have on the future of Cali
fornia.>
''The original estimate by the chairman
of the 1897 committee was that 5000 peo-
pie would come to this City from east OF
the Rocky Mountains. That was consio-
cred extravagant by our reopie. Person
ally placed the figure at 1000 and so did
the agents of our eastern connections as
late as the middle of June.
MANY of the intending visitors began
in 1898 to save their money, 50 as 10 be
able 10 come to California. They had
club. TO bank their money. They expect
ed to come In 1895, the year that 1t was
originally contemplated 10 have the con-
vention held in this City. AT that time,
however, it was impossible 10 get the
Eastern lines TO agree to low rate. The
Christian Endeavorers would have been
willing to accept much higher rate than
they got this year.
"The rate they asked for in '97 was $50,
but the Eastern connecting lines were a
long time considering the matter, and did
not agree to it until a hard baltic was
fought by the Sout hern Pacific Company
and the representatives of the United So
ciety of Christian Endeavor. 1t was
known that if such low rate were made
it would materially interfere with the reg
ular business of the ro ads many would
lake advantage of the period of low rates
who would otherwise have paid the regu-
lar fare. Necessarily the rate would have
TO be announced months in advance, and
n m a. m nI
This meant that trains would have to
be run daily, both for some time before
ana after the convention, with light loads.
Such a low rate at this time would also
materially affect the regular excursion
business OF many of the roads, particu-
larly the Colorado lines and those which
have q terminus on the Pacific Coast,
When the Supreme Court decision vir-
tually dissolved all the railroad associa-
tious it was determined to make one
way rate OF SIS from Chicago and in pro-
portion from other points.
"As soon as that was done we felt sure
our estimate would be reached and ex-
ceeded. There is something inflammable
about a low rate. So low rate we
naturally thought would induce vast
m ultitude OF people not directly connected
with the Endeavor Society to avail them.
selves of the rate.
''The original estimate--the figures
given US by our own represen tatives and
by the excursion managers of the differ
ent States-did not Indicate to Us that
more than 5000 people were in sight east
of the Missouri River.
"a week later this estimate was dou bled,
and from that time on the num- ber Jumped
with such great bounds that it was
impossible to form any idea of what it
would ultimately be.
Within few days OF departure the
whole Eastern country seemed TO have
caught fire, and special trains were added
to the various lines in the East far beyond
their expectations. When all Of these
trains were N assed-or rather run through
the big funnel into the small end, the
Southern Pacific territory-it looked as if
there was serious troub ahead.
Gas already stated in The CALL, we
brought through seventyfour trains from
Ogden between July 1st and 8tb, compris.