The San Francisco call., 1898-02-17
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trolled by Earl; the Fruit Growers Ex- press, controlled by Armour, and the Santa Fe Fruit and Refrigerator Line, managed by the Santa Fe, were brought into an agreement not to fight each other. No attention now is paid to shippers request that an Earl or Armour refrigerator car be used Everything is included in the pool and the railroad combine takes the car that happens to be on the sidetrack near est the point of shipment.
 The assertion was made tonight by a leading man from New York that there was an agreement in writing, but that 1t may not be signed. The com pact embraces too many points and involves so many propositions that a mere verbal understanding would not be acceptable. The combine embraces the passenger traffic, as well as rates on oranges and lemons. This man, who knows what he is talking about, but will not permit the use of his name in published interview at the present time, said:
 The Interstate Commission could by active effort ascertain that the South ern Pacific recently gave to the Santa F'e check for $10000 to adjust a months dealings in passenger busi- ness"
 The further significant fact is de- veloped that the Santa Fe, which for merly handled from 60 to 80 per cent Of the oranges and lemons, is now 900 cars short of the Southern Pacific in this seasons business. The crop for shipment this year requires II, 900 cars The damage by frost was overesti- mated. A survey of the field shows that the number of cars will fall but little snort of the original estimate of l2,0O0. Of this number 4400 have gone forward and the number handled by the Santa Fe is 900 less than that of the Southern Pacific
 The Santa Fe, while participating in the profit without performing the serv- Ice, may gain a temporary advantage, put when the pool breaks, as it inev- ltaDly must, the Southern Pacific will have the business. Every move down here shows that Ripley is outclassed by huntington. There is talk that the santa Fe is top heavy with freight talent. This story is told to account TOT denc1encfes In the passenger serv- ice, but when the truth comes out along the whole line it will be found that the Santa Fe has not one freight man able to hold his own in Stubbs' class. When the directors and leading stockholders who now fancy that the company is being conducted according to safe and conservative methods awaken to find that the Southern Pa CHIC mas got the bulk of the business and the profitable end of the local pas senger traffic, there will be storm in the East
 The preponderance of the Southern Pacifc's business in oranges is in a measure explained by the activity of Eastern lines. On the $1 25 rate the Southern Pacific gives the Union Pa nd Western roads a slice. These Western roads then meet secretly and offer orange shippers a rebate on consign- ments east of the Missouri River The result is that the shippers crowd their business upon the Southern Pacific. The Santa Fe, having a direct line from San Diego to Chicago. gives nothing to the Eastern roads. It makes no rebate. The Santa Fe is in a posi- ton to make s1 rate, and that was contemplated before the recent change or management. On a S1 rate Hun t1ngton could not give the Eastern roads much of percentage without tapping It's own big share. He Is op- posed to this on general business prin- c1ples. The Santa Fe, in maintaining the $l 25 rate, simply surrenders con- trol or the traffic. The rate is main- tained to protect the Southern Pacific ana its maintenance is contrary to law. A Santa Fe agent in talking to lead ing shipper remarked:
 Il don't care - for oranges. but if you have any dried fruit I would like the business
 There Is no such thing as railway competition in Southern California to- day. Huntington has the Santa Fe so tied up and hedged about by pools and agreements that the men on the road do not know what company they are working for All of the great advan- tages which the generous people of the South gave to the Santa Fe have been bartered away.
 Latin is used in all the civilized caun-