The San Francisco call., 1898-07-06
Cross-Examined by the
 Attorney General.
BOOKS AIDED HIS MEMORY
MADE A TRIP OVER THE ROADS
 FOR EVIDENCE.
Progress of the Investigation Into the Cost of the Property of the Railroad Company in
 This State.

The cross-examination of Engineer Curtis of the Southern Pacific Com pany was resumed yesterday afternoon before United States Commissioner Heacock. Attorney General Fitzgerald and Robert Y. Hayne appeared on be- half of the State and William F. Her rin, head of the Southern Pacific law department, took care of the interests of the company. Railroad Commission CTS La Rue and Hinton attended as spectators.
 The cross-examination was conducted by Attorney General Fitzgerald, re- lieved at times by MT. Hayne. It's ob- ject appeared to be to break the force of the testimony on the direct examina- tion by showing that MT. Curtis did not rely altogether upon his memory of facts and that If he did he was not in position to know absolutely the things of which he spoke. The following sam pie questions and answers will give a fair idea of the scope of the examina- tion and the net results of the banning out of Engineer Curtis:
 Can you give us the names of the railroad officials from whom you ob- tained the information which you gave on the direct examination" asked the Attorney General.
 Tt was furnished by the subordi- mates under my direction to a consider able extent" answered Curtis.
 Then if this data was derived as you say your testimony was not based upon your personal knowledge but from the records of the company?'
 It was based on my personal knowl- edge because I know that those things are there. But for the purpose of mak- ing myself certain l made a special trip of inspection over the road for the pur- pose of making this estimate. The trip was made entirely by daylight so that I could see everything. The trip was made at the instance and direction of the Southern Pacific Company in ac- cordance with an understanding with MT. Herrin that my testimony was wanted in this matter"
 If you had personal knowledge" asked the Attorney General, where was the necessitv for your obtaining this data from the books and records of the company"
 Tt is pretty large property" replied MT. Curtis. Some men may be able to retain all those things in their minds without the aid of the books, but I cannot. I wanted to make sure of the data. I felt that it would be safer and surer to check my personal knowledge with the records
 Tt is true, is 1t not, that you never found any prices marked on the prop erty?'
 No. There were a good many sign boards, but the cost of the signboards did not appear. I got my information from the books and the bills The bills for the material purchased pass through my office and through my hands constantly and 1 knew from those original bills what those things cost. My answer appertains to current prices"
 Then you have no personal knowl- edge of the purchase price of the ma terial used in the construction of the San Joaquin Valley road?"
 T saw the original bills for the ma terial."
 If the road was built by the Con- Struction Company the original bills or invoices must have been made to the Construction Company and not to the railroad company. How then did you come to see them?'
 T saw them in the office of the en- gineer of construction in the office of the company at Sacramento. They were all for ties and rails. The other bills were largely of materials made in the | company'S shops in Sacramento"
 ''Is it not the fact that the bills from the shops covered a profit over the actual cost?"
 "The bills from the shops are made to l show cost without profit, with a line below add for superintendence and tools, 10 per cent The intention is not to make a profit out of those things The shops at Sacramento belong to the Central Pacific Railroad Company. think they sent their bills to the Con- struction Company at actual cost after taking this 10 per cent.''
 If that be the fact the railroad com pany must have done this work for the Construction Company for actual cost?"
 Undoubtedly
 The remainder of the cross -examina- tion was devoted to an explanation of the duties performed by Engineer Cur tis while acting as superintendent of construction of various roads. The cross examination will be resumed at 2 o'clock this afternoon.
 A Butchertown Joke.