The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-03

Coils 2. Huntington, president of the
Southern. Pacific Railroad, arrived in
San Francisco last evening and is now
domiciled in the big wife mansion on
Mob Hill, which he will occupy until
his departure for the East. on or about
May / Mr.. Huntington's special train.
consisting of three vestibuled cars. ar
rived at the Oakland mole at 5:45. The
magnate, accompanied by Mrs. Hunt
ington II. Z. Huntington and the other
members of the party, which included
ten or a dozen servants. Immediately
boarded the ferry and reached this side
of the bay at 7:15. Vice President
Stubs and Passenger Traffic Manager
Mccormick joined tn party on the
Alameda shore. and General Manager
julius Kruttschnitt together with half
a score of railroad officials and at
taches were waiting to greet their
chief in the ferry depot at the foot of
Market street.
The railroad magnate looked strong
and hearty as he walked from the ferry
TO the cable car, exchanging cordial
greetings with friends and acQuaint-
ances as he passed along, but he con-
fessed to feeling somewhat tired. He
residence in a carriage, however. and
the entire party economically rode UP
the hill in a street car. like ordinary
mortals.
Mr. Huntingtons visit to San Fran
cisco and the coast at this time is for
the purpose of attending the annual
election of the Southern Pacific and to
straighten out a few kinks in the work
ings of the big system, political or 9TH
erwise, of which he is the head. Mr.
Huntington was averse to being inter
viewed. but in response to certain
questions propounded by a representa-
tive of The Call he dictated the follow
ing:
You ask what will be the effect on
California business of the reorgani-
cation of the Central Pacific. TO
which l would reply that l hope
and believe it will be beneficial.
As to rates and improvements
of road, we expect that the facih-
ties will be somewhat improved,
which will naturally accelerate
the movement of tonnage. But I
do not know whether the rates
can be cut down.
.
could make an arrangement with
the Government for long extern
sion of the time of the repayment
of the money loaned to the COM
pany, which, while it would give
back to the Government all it's
money, dollar for dollar, with a
fair rate of interest currently, and
to the people of the whole coun-
try, would at the same time
spread these payments over three
generations, and thus make it
easier for the present one.
For it is from the patrons or the
road, largely Californfans, that
the money must in reality come,
as the road has no other means of
earning it. But a small, though
turbulent, portion OF the people of
California, at least so far as they
may have been represented by the
city press, seemed to desire that
the whole of the debt shall be
paid by this generation.
Which will, of course, prevent
would have been if the extension
asked for had been allowed. And
feel confident that there would
have been no difficulty in secur-
ing this extension had it not been
for the opposition coming from
the element in California to which
I have referred.
AS to what we propose to effect
by the purchase or consolidation
with the Southern Pacific Company
of lines in California that are at
present leased to the parent organ
iZation, l have 10 say that
1t is matter We have not
yet fully decided upon, and
cannot until we have fully dis
cussed the matter in all its bear
ings. Consultations or joint own
erships lessen very much the ex-
pense of transportation, so that
the things that we do will be those
which we believe will allow us to
do the business at the least posi-
bic charge consistent with an eff
Gent service, as that will benefit
not only the people, but the rail
road company.
You ask what is the significance
of Mrs Stanford's sale of Central
Pacific stock to which would re-
ply that it viii make no difference.
Early In the '90s the other three in
terests sold q large portion Of their
stock, at time Of great stringency
4 in the money market, in order to
raise money, and 1t made no par
ticular difference in the manage