The San Francisco call., 1898-01-19
Indications That Another Railway Will Enter
 San Diego.
Committee Which Obtained a Franchise Is Moving in
 Secret.
Believed to Have Strong Assurance That Its Plans Will Be
 Successful.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 1S.-CitiZens of San Diego are much interested in the mysterious moves being made by a committee appointed by the Chamber of Commerce, looking toward the con- struction of a railroad from this city to the Colorado River. as competitor of the Santa Fe. This committee con- sists of U. s. Grant, Captain M. Sher- man, w. N. King, M. A. Luce, A. D.. Mutt and c. l.. Josselyn. The City Council last night granted a franchise to this committee, giving 1t terminals, depot grounds and rights of way through the city on a line parallel with the bay.
 The committee has been at work for some weeks, keeping its doings entirely secret, and not even announcing its time or place of meeting. The Council, in granting the franchise, asked the committee for information as to its purpose, desiring to know whether oth- CT railroad corporations or private capt- tai had been induced to favorably con- slider the enterprise. But the gentle men declined to make anything pub lie, telling the Councilmen that they would have to grant the franchise on faith alone and on confidence in the in- tegrity of the committee. The Council accepted this statement, and gave the franchise, which is a good indication of the strong desire of this city for a direct Eastern outlet.
 The personnel of this committee Is very high. Everybody knows U. S. Grant, by name at least. Captain Sher- man is eX-Mayor of the city; NJ. A. Luce, an ex-Judge, is one of the most highly respected men In the city and prospective Postmaster; w N. King, a we'll known capitalist, has been promi- nent in working for San Diego's inter ests as has also c. l.. Josselyn. A. E.. Mutt is prominent lawyer and Alder man. Being a city official, his name does not appear as one of the holders of the franchise from the city.
 Speculation in the absence of known facts is of course rife as to the real moves going on under the surface. Some citizens have openly declared it somewhat more than coincidence that the railroad scheme was launched sim ultaneously, almost. with Mir Grants Senatorial boom. While this may have been, and probably was, entirely a CO., incidence, it is nevertheless a fact that the leader of successful movement to secure a direct Eastern railroad from San Diego, can have the Senatorship or anything else he likes, so far as San Diego can give it to him. Mir. Grant, who Is personally of a retiring dispo- sition, has become very well known to his townsmen through his connection with this railroad project, and if it sue ceeds, he will be beyond question inn mensely popular.
 Captain M. Sherman, chairman of the committee, told the Council last night that the committee was hard at work gathering statistics, and, with the fran chise in hand, would be able to deal with outside railroad corporations. But, so far as can be learned, no actual ne- gotiations are yet in progress. The committee. at least, conveys this idea.
 Under the terms of the franchise the road must be located through the city by January 1. 1899, and the work com pleted by another year. The right of way is similar in terms to the Santa Fe right of way, but the Santa Fe has the advantage over the new proposition in having had lands of present value of at least S3,000, 900 granted as an induce ment to come to San Diego