The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-18
AMERICAN SYNDlcATE'S WORK
RICH MEN WHO ARE INTER
ESTED IN THE ENTERPRISE.
It Is Believed That the Cost Of the
Line as Now Planned Will Be
From Twenty to Forty
Million Dollars.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, Sept. 17.-Regarding the
proposed new railroad to be constructed
by an American syndicate from Han
kow to Hongkong, China, distance of
900 miles, ex-senator Calvin S. Brice
said to a reporter:
THE American syndicate believes
that it has fair data for estimating
pretty closely the cost of the work. 1t
has now on hand on the property part
Of it's engineering forces and is sending
as rapidly as it can be equipped
corps of engineers and other officials
who will make tie survey, beginning
at Hankow and extending to the city
of Canton, and thence to Hongkong,
and also begiIing at the southern end
and coming north, making an indie
pendent line for the purpose of secur-
ing as good location and grades and
as favorable a construction as is pos
sible. That work, it is estimated. will
consume six months, and will probably
furnish us a basis for making further
calls upon the syndicate.
1.-The character of the syndicate may
best be shown by a glance at the list
Of names There are in it seven repre-
and three of the Standard Oil Com
pany, John D. Rockefeller, William
Rockefeller al the president of one
of the largest banks, also presidents of
several of our large trust companies,
Levi p. Morton, George T. Bliss and
the officials OF the Carnegie Steel Com
pany. Inc new federal company will
probably also take an interest in the
syndicate The contract Of the syndi-
cate is absolute and subject to no slips
or casualties, as the whole groundwork
has been done aid money to large
amount expended and will be expended.
AS fast as more money is needed 1t Will
be paid in.
a minimum of 1900, 900 and maximum
Of $4,000 900, or from about 100000 600
to $40, 600, 900. Our best opinion is that
it will cost between $40, 10000 and S40,-
900 900, according to the standard
adopted and the, amount OF extra ex-
penditures required. The syndicate
will undoubtedly control the road for
a period of four or five years, during
which it is subject to negotiations
which may change it's character. The
PROVINCES through which the road will
pass are the most populous in China,
having population of 300, 100000 Two
of the provinces through which it
passes have a population greater than
that of the United States.
In addition to the information given
by Mr.. Brice it may be mentioned that
the American railway will, by having
it's northern terminal at Hankow, Gre
ate a direct line from Picking to Hong
kong by means of a new road which is
to be built by Belgian-French capital.
and concerning which much has been
said in connection with the recent
Anglo-Russian troubles in China. 1t
made that Russia was furnishing all the
money for the road and was using the
Belgians simply as figure-head. The
road runs through what is called the
English sphere of influence. 1t was
also limited yesterday by those in close
touch with the affairs of the American
syndicate that it was not improbable
that the latter might own the proposed
road from Tien Tsin to Hankow in the
end