The herald., 1897-03-26
THE TRADE GOES
The Santa Fe Will Get It's Through
Line

CHICAGO, March 25.-President e. +.
Ripley of the Santa Fe system, who re-
turned today from a tour of inspection
over the entire system, substantially
confirmed the report of the deal between
the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific, by
which the former obtains control OF the
Mojave division of the Southern Pacific,
extending from Mojave to the Needles,
24O miles. This piece of road has here
tofore been operated by the Atlantic and
Pacific and the Santa Fe had trackage
over it. BY the deal, however, it will be
placed in exclusive possession of the
property and then be able to reach the
Pacific ocean over its own tracks inde-
pendently of any of its neighbors. This.
of course, will be of immense advantage
to it. The right to run its cars TO Los
Angeles and San Diego will hereafter
be unchallenged by anybody.
"It is not quite correct to say that a
trade of property has been accomplish
ed said Mr.. Ripley; certain details
have yet to be worked out, but as I un-
derstand it, all the main features for the
transaction have been agreed to and
you will, i think, be safeLn concluding
that the thing will go through. 1t will
not make any change whatever in trans
continental traffic. neither will it give
the people of California any better trans
portation facilities than they possess
at present. 1t will not change the gen.
eral relations in which they have stood
to the Southern Pacific company in the
slightest degree. All the changes that
will be brought about by this deal will
affect only the two roads, parties to the
deal, and it's only effect will be to sim
plify and unity the position of the two
systems. That is all there is to it,
while the features of the deal have
all been agreed 10, the actual transfer
cannot be made until the lawyers of
the two companies work out certain de-
tails and decide on the legal form to be
given the transaction. The most impor-
tart point on which they have to pass
is as to whether the contracts to be
drawn up shall take form of actual trans
fer or of ninety-year leases. The former
method will be adopted if it can be done
without involving any legal question or
complication. Should anything in the
nature of these stand In the way, then
resort will be had to the ninety-year
lease method of consummating the deal.
"The advantage to be gained by the
Southern Pacific will be of no less i'm
portance to it, however. Heretofore It
has had a little bit of track (SS miles III
length) extending from Benson to No
gales, and cut off from all direct connec-
tion with any part of its system. This
stretch of track has been used by the
Santa Fe as a connecting link between
its New Mexico and Arizona and its So
nora railway line. The New Mexico and
Arizona road extends from Deming to
Benson, "a distance of IT'S miles, and the
Sonora railway from Nogales to the City
OF Guaymas, on the Gulf Of California,
distance of 265 miles. These two roads
the aggregate length of which is 44O
miles, the Santa Fe gives up for the 24b
miles from Mojave to the Needles. Its
system in that direction will hereafter
end at Demng, New Mexico
In giving up these two roads, how
ever it does not give up the traffic on
the Southern, because the Southern Pa-
cific has no outlet at Deming but over
the Santa Fe tracks. The surrender of