The record-union., 1898-07-02
CALIFORNIA RAILROADS.
CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIES HAVE
PROsPERED THOUGH THEM.
Benefits That Have Accrued to the
State From the Operation
of the Roads.

lllStd W. VI. AiIJiSSs pSlOlS
sioner Heacock in the San Francisco
Bulletin the following occurs:
In answer to a question by Mr.. Her
rim as to whether the Southern Pacific
Company has a monopoly of transpor-
tatiom in California and what benefit
accrued to the business of the State
Mr.. Curtiss said:
THE lines lie out of the region which
produces any timber, and put little If
anything of the material and supplies
required for the operation and main
tenance of the track. In this condition
| it results that all the materials requir-
| ed for the maintenance of the line,
bridges, culverts, vessels, ETC., are
largely shipped out from California.
The ties, for instance, come almost ex-
cluSlveiy from the redwood region and
from the timber belt in the northern
part of the State. The material for the
maintenance of the cars and locomo-
t1ves is largely produced in California
and the repairs are made in the COM
| pany's shops in California. The effect
of this has been to increase the trade
in timber in this State, to employ many
| men in the shops in repairs and in the
received by these men is disbursed
by them in this State or put into the
savings banks of this State to a very
| large extent The money paid to the
lumber and supply men finds it's way
into the channels of trade here. All
| that is required for the maintenance
of the lne-the woodwork and the
manufacture of large quantities of ma
fnp I1n fIn
boundary of the State to the eastern
terminus of the line--is procured IN Cal
ifornia-
With reference to the maintenance
of the line from Yuma to Ell Paso. with
the exception of some timber for the
maintenance of the culverts, I would
say Of this line exactly what 1 would
have said of the Central Pacific. All
It's material is purchased from produc-
ers and dealers in California or is man
ufactured in the shops here
With reference to the item of econ
omy In running the road, Mr.. Curtiss
said that the railroad company econo-
mized on fuel in California by burning
wood instead of coal on sections where
wood is 10 per cent. cheaper. and by
using oil for the locomotives in the
In giving the total railroad mileage
IN this State Curtis said that the lat
est figures obtainable by him were for
June 30, 1896, when there were 5.O62
miles of railroad in California. of which
the Southern Pacific had 31O2 and in
dependent or competing companies l.
$40. In 1855 this State had eight miles
| Of railroad; in 1860, 33 miles; 1868. 214.
1870, 925; 1875, 1903; 1880, 2.195: 1SS5
3.04o; 1890 4,32S; 1895, 4,757. The
Central Pacific was finished in 1869 the
Southern Pacific was run to Louisiana
in 1882. and the Oregon line was ONE
rated in 1887. In the twenty wears
between 1870 and 1890 the increase
in railroad construction in California
was three times as great as the in
crease in population. The comnarativa
rates of compensation between lines
operated east and west of the Missouri
and Mississippi Rivers was given as
| follows:
In the East the average compensation
Is S1.17 per day On the Pacific Coast
1T is S2.o4 per day. For the year end
ing June 80, 1897, the average daily
rate of wages on the Pacific system
was 800. If the Southern Pacific
company had paid its employees at the
Eastern rate of wages the comnanv
would have saved So, 900. 600. Tba av-
erage IN California is a little higher
than that paid ON the Pacific system
Mr.. Curtiss' testimony with reference
70 the water transportation Of the state
was interesting and edifying. He said
The people of California. have ex-
ceptlonal facilities for water transnor-
tatlon. Small vessels, as we'll as large
could ply on the coast" he said. "Thera
were I2o ports from Crescent CITY 10
San D1ego, their average distance apart
pelng 50 miles. In the interior of the
state there were 135 regular landings
on the bays of San Francisco. San Pab-
10 ana Su1sun and the Sacramento and
oan Joaquin Rivers. From Crescent Citv
70 san Diego there were about ONO
mics OF coast line; on the bays were
1oo miles of shore line; the Sacramento
Rlver was navigated for 25O miles. and
the San Joaquin, including Stockton
Slough, between 15O and 200 miles
Within twenty-five miles of these nav
lgable waters was about 80 per cent. Of
all the arabic land in California and
about 20 per cent. of all the popula-
tion
The ocean may be regarded as a
trunk line for California" Curtiss oh
served. From 60 to so per cent. of the
wheat lands Of the State are close
enough to water to permit farmers to
choose between water or railroad trans
portation"
Mr.. Curtiss testified that the earnings
OF California registered water craft in
1889 amounted to SD, ,54S, ,S61. In 1897
there We're IO95 registered vessels ply
ing in the waters of this State. the
gross tonnage being 800, 800 tons. In
addition to these, other vessels regis
tered elsewhere were engaged in Cal
1fornia transportation. There is no
census report showing the earnings
later than 1889
Il have investigated this subject for
several years." Curtiss said, "and my
estlmate, which is made with all fair
ness, is that of the total payments by
the people of California for domestic
transportation about 40 per cent. goes
10 the water carriers and 55 per cent. to
the railroads. The water carriers make
no public reports. except when figures
are obtained by the Census Bureau.
Many do not even keep books as the
vessels are run with their owners or
managers on board, and they do not
know exactly how much they make
themselves"
He further stated that the lines run
ming to the Eastern and Southern
States from California had made 1t pos
sible to place fruit there in a market
able condition. The deciduous fruit. cit
rus fruit and raiSip fpd,,Sfr;oC roa +h,,~