The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

OUTLET TO
THE EAST
Valley Road May Soon
Connect With the
Santa Fe.
PRESIDENT RlPLEYS
POSITION.
lntim ateS That the Arrange
ment Would Benefit His
Company.
WOULD MEAN MUCH TO SAN
FRANCISCO
Traffic Agreement Likely When
the Peoples Line Is Built to
This City.
lntim ateS That the Arrange
ment Would Benefit His
Company.
WOULD MEAN MUCH TO SAN
FRANCISCO.
Traffic Agreement Likely When
the Peoples Line Is Built to
This City.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL

LOS ANGELES, CAL. Oc'. 9-Pre.ident
Z. p Ripley of the Santa Fe system OF
railroads arrived here this atternc on oa
his semi-annual visit of inspection. From
an interview with him it would appear
that there is every prospect of an early
traffic arrangement between the line he
represents and the San Joaquin Valley
Railroad after the latter is completed
north to San Francisco and south 10
Bakersfield. This Is the first authentic
interview with the head of the Santa Fe
system that has been published on this
subject.
President Ripley was extremely careful
not to commit himself directly by making
any fiat statement to this effect but ex-
planned his caution by saying that he was
not prophet and it was not the custom
of his people TO Cross bridge before they
came to it.
He admitted that connection with the
Valley road would be advantageous 10 the
line he represented; that his people were
in financial condition 10 construct the
necessary connecting link between Mojave
and Bakersfield; that there were no OBJ
stacles in the way so far as the existing
relations of his company and the South
ern Pacific were concerned, and that there
we're no right of way or serious engineer
ing difficulties to be overcome in closing
this gap OF about sixty miles.
Now that the Santa Fe has virtually
acquired the ownership of the track
between The Needles and Mojave," re-
marked The CALL correspondent, 'fs il
not disposed to extend this line from
Mojave 10 bakersfield, SO as to make a
connection with the Valley road?"
There Is an agreement 10 that effect
between the Southern Pacific and Santa
Fe, but the transfer requires the consent
of the Mexican Government" answered
Mr. Ripley.
at was given out by the Southern Pa
cific but two weeks ago that all the objec-
tions of the Mexican Government had
teen remove l."
There VIII probably be no trouble
about it; but the Mexican Government
moves slowly. We a-e waiting for certai in
forma!ities to be completed, but we an
ticipate no trouble"
Would you have any objection TO stat
ing what he situation IS so far as it con-
Germs your line and the Valley r lad %
There is no situation. l understand
he San Joaquin Valley road is about to
be completed 10 Bakersfield, but they
have not seen US and we have not seen
them, and We don't know what their in
tent!ons are?"
I'm 4 recent signed interview, Claus
Spreckels. president of the Valley road,
stated it was the ultimate purpose of hi,
line TO make 1t part of an inde pendent
competing through road to the East. by a
traffic arrange mont with the Santa Fe"
THAT would be natural for them 10 do,
but nothing of the Kind has been agreed
upon. The matter has never come up
between The representatives of the two
roads"
would it not be feasible and advan-
fageous for the Santa Fe TO make such an
agreement"
ITO answer that would be to prophecy
/ am not prepared to go into that ques-
tion. If the thing is feasible and would
be advantageous the Santa Fe would be
likely to do anything that would bring II
about"
us not the Santa Fe in financial pos
! tion 10 undertake the construction of th IS
rairoad?'
IL 'Ae oaHta Il wanted 10 Oulld L sup
pose it could do so. AS sa'd before, We
do not care to cross that bridge until we
come to 1t. We have been busy develop
ing and improving what we have got, and
this required great deal of money. We
! have been too busy with ihtt 10 give any
attention to extensions.
81 am not prepared 10 discuss the si:ua-
! alton up there, because l have not given
it any thought. The proposition has been
in the air for some time. It is one of the
things We expect TO be brought face to
face with some time, but we have not got
to it yet. NV visit at this time has no
special significance We have BEEN spend.
ing great deal OF money here, and !
have come to look over the ground 10 see
where it has gone.
''We are almost rebuilding the Atlantic
and Pacific between Albuquerque and The
Needles. We have also been ma King i'm
portant improvements here, fixing up
track, stations, shops and bridges, raising
grades and doing all sorts of work between
here and Barstow, and, in fact, all over
Southern California. | shall remain here
one or TWO days and then go to San