The herald., 1898-04-03

v ' ' ' '
C. p. Huntington. "Uncle Coils" arrived
In the city at O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
He came as BELTS railway potentate, in a
special train composed OF the cars
"Oneonta" and "Oneonta H." together
with the car of his nephew, H. e. Hunting
ton, the 'Otsego." These names sound
commonplace. for they are the des.gna-
tions Of two little towns in New York, but
they show the strain of sentiment which
most people do not think Is possessed by
Mr.. Huntington, but which he, neverthe-
less has, for it was atOneonta that he first
launched out in the struggle for existence,
entering into the hardware business. So
his car has always borne that name. H.
E. Huntington named his car "Otsego" for
the reason that that place was the scene of
his opening career.
1t is a small party that accompanies the
president Of the Southern Pacific. consist
ing of Mrs. Huntington Miss Kimball a
friend of the family, H. E. Huntington and
c. e. Miles, the secretary of the president,
who has filled that position for sixteen
years past. Superintendent ]. A. Muir of
this division of the road accompanied the
travellers from Yuma into town and then
turned them over to the care of Superin-
tendent Burkhalter Of the San Joaquin d.
vision. Mr.. Huntington intended to leave
a; 8 o'clock and go TO Mojave and stay over
there for the night, It being his invoIable
rule never to travel after dark. Not that
he fears God, man or devil, but Mrs. Hunt
ington has an aversion to speeding over
the rails after daylight has gone and can
not sleep we'll with the car In motion.
SAN PEDRO HARBOR
The first thing Mr.. Huntington was asked
about was San Pedro.
"San Pedro? What are you doing down
there?" he replied. mo. am not fighting
San Pedro; l never fight anything. I am
willing always to go on the principle that
truth and right will prevail in the end. and
I am confident that the government will
see that Santa Monica Is the only place for
a harbor.
mo. I do not think that the appropriation
for San Pedro will pass the senate. l have
no other reason for this opinion than the
known tendency of the government to care
fully scrutinize the items of the harbor ard
river bills. This harbor and river bill and
the pension appropriations have been of
late the two great scandals of the nation,
and the feeling among honest legislators is
to cut them down and scan them with
great caution. OF the many millions ap-
propriated by the Fiftieth congress for
harbors I can tell you of more than half
that might as we'll have been thrown into
the sea for all of the good it did. I cannot
bring myself to believe that the govern
ment can make such a mistake as to sus-
tain the claims of San Pedro.
HAS, STUDIED THE SITUATION
GAS you know, I came down here and
made a study of the whole situation some
years ago. found that our people were
putting out a large wharf at San Pedro
1t was to be mile long, they said. Iasked
them what they were going to do with II.
why don't you pile the lumber up on the
beach? I said. You might just as we'll,
for the first northeaster that comes along
will do 1t for you. went to Santa Monica
and saw Point Dune and Point Vincent
and the islands, and saw that here was a
place that was not exposed to any severe
winds, and decided to build an embarcadero
there. But first, to be sure. 1 got Mr.. Hood,
our chief engineer, to study the thing over
and sent for Mr.. Corthell, the greatest r.
parian engineer in the world, and he made
an exhaustive study. and they both told
me that 1t was the best place on the whole
stretch Of the coast"
Mr.. Huntington here set his teeth and
snapped his sharp eyes, those eyes full of
life and vigor, that have the faculty of See
ing what cards the other man holds in all
his games. 1T would not have made any
difference" he added, "if they had decided
against me. for there are things know
myself, and this was one of them
OFFERS A FREE BREAKWATER
Yes, have, In way, offered to build a
breakwater at Santa Monica myself for
the government, II they wish 1t, and in fact
I may build one there anyway. If find we
need one. am now having the estimates
made and the plans drawn for the work. 90
that can study 1t out. But am not sure
that We will need one. How long have we
been there, Muir?" he said turning to the
talented superintendent, who told him ii
was six years; land in all of that time, he
continued, 1--WE have never had an accident.
Senator Stewards motion to divide he
appropriation I know nothing about, and
as I told you am not taking any hand in
the matter now. All my life have not laid
awake at nights about the outcome of any
enterprise, as I have always gone on The
principle that right and truth would surely
prevail, and they always do. That Is why
J. am so confident about Santa Monica"
All this was said without twinkle of
the eye or ghost of smile. IT may have
been simply intended as a joke, or NAV
have been in the most deadly earnest. No
one but Mr.. Huntington knows whether he
was playing verbal bob-taied flush or ar
ace full. 1t is difficult to imagine Uncle
COILS" himself believing such STUFF; but
ne said 1t and apparently in the most ser!-
Gus vein imaginable.
THAT COAST LINE
Ine people Of Santa Barbara Will be joy-
Ful to learn that Mr.. Huntington announced
Wsrapid compile tion of the "gap" between