The herald., 1898-09-18
THE RAILWAY NEWS
HOOK DENIES RUMORS OF SALE
OF TRACTION LINES
Mr.. HUNTINGTON'SP
HE MAKES A SUMMER OFFICE IN
THE ARCADE PARK
FREIGHTERS MAKE MONEY
There Will Be No Change in the Work
ing Force of the Electric Street
Railway-News Notes

II. E. Huntington is still in the city ant
will remain here for some days furnishing
I'D the work of reorganizing the street cal
system which he and his associates have
purchased. Huntington has an office whicr
is unique and which he seems to enjol
greatly 1t is corner under palm ant
banana tree in the little private car park
at the Arcade depot Here he was sitting
yesterday receiving the notables who wer:
constantly calling to see him.
In the afternoon there was report about
town that Mr.. Neu, of the contracting firir
which is to build the breakwater at San
Pedro, had arrived and had been corraled
at the Arcade depot and was with Hunt
ington. Inquiry, however, resulted in the
denial of this story and found Huntington
under his palm tree, enjoying life tran
GULLY.
The only development in the street car
, transaction was the report which spread
about the city during the forenoon that the
purchase meant a wholesale change of
management of the electric lines. and this
in the face of Huntington's assertion when
he arrived here that he did not contem-
plate any changes and that Mr.. Wood,
the general manager, would be retained,
as far as he could tell
1t can be authoritativey stated that there
will be no changes; that is. no radical
change, made in the personnel of the
working force. Fred Wood said last even
ing, when asked about the report "These
men who have purchased the road are bus
mess men, and they will of course be guild
ed by the fitness of the men they find in
the working force. You can, however
safely say that there will be no changes,
that is, no wholesale or other sort of
dischar ging of men. The only reason for
a discharge will be unfitness or want of
qualification for the work. 1t is pity to
make a lot of men uneasy, as these stories
do, particularly when there is no basis
for them. The fact that the new owners
are thorough business men ought to pre-
vent any credence being given to a report
that they would act in the manner de-
scribed."
The Traction Road
There has been continued talk about
town as to the probability of the Traction
lines being absorbed by the Huntington
syndicate. w. S. Hook was seen yester-
day and said
. II do not care to be interviwed on .
the subject The road has not been .
. sold to Huntington, and we are not
. pedding it about for sale
Are there any negotiations for the Q
purchase of your line now under
. way?" he was asked and he replied; .
you may say that there are none
"Do you think that there will be any?'
THAT Is asking too far into the future
he replied, and nothing more could be had
from him. While ii is true that Mr. Hook
denied that there was any proba bility of
his road being sold. his manner in a way
gave the impression that there was some
thing which he had not brought to the sur
face in connection with the subject.
AS matter of fact it is known in finan-
cial circles that representativ of an
eastern concern has been negotiating for
the Los Angeles railway for some time
past, but was outbid by the Huntington
people. 1t is by no means impossible that
he may turn his attention to the Traction
road particularly as the firm he represents
is the one which took the bonds of the com
pany when they We're first issued. his
however. is only Fuesswork so far. Such
transactions seem to go in groups. like
almost every thing else in life. so it Is not
impossible that there should be a series Of
dealings in street railways in this city TO,
some time to come.
Wagon Freighters
A curious fact is that despite the COM |
plete local network of railways and well |
arranged train service. an extensive bust |
ness has been worked up in almost all Of |
the towns a all near this city by team
sters, who haul freight cheaper than
me railways will do the same trans
portation for: that is. they charge the
same rate per hundred weight. but they
deliver the goods at the consignee's door.
thus saving considerable expense and
po,her' ms Is done between such towns
as santa monica faSadena Pomona,
santa Ana inc featahoS ana Long Beach
qufe extensively as wen as the towns
through "h:ch the teams nave 10 pass on
thFlr way DICK ana iorth'
Inc potato crop OF maj section Of Orange
county Whlch ought TO be served by the
Los Alamltos branch OF the Southern Pa
cine mas almost entirely been marketed in
THIS city ana delivered by wagons from the
II would seem mat the general
freight agents are losing a whole lot of
what ought to be prolitable business for a
railway, II l. is proiitable for transfers.
n