The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-15
ROBB|NG MADEIRA
TO HELP ITSELF
Southern Pacific Greed
in Evidence.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

MADEIRA June 14.-Southern Pacific
ranacity is again exhibiting itself and
MADEIRA probably will lose an enterprise
thai promised to do much for this section
of the San Joaquin Valley sometime
ago Paul Johnson representing the Ne
Plus Ultra Copper Mining Company OF
fered to erect a smelter in MADEIRA pro
1ided the citizens would give suitable
cite free The Chamber OF Commerce
aud citizens Immediately began prepata-
tions TO obtain the necessary land' ana
one week ago the representatives OF inc
smelter company left MADEIRA with thelr
minds fully made up to accept one Oh the
sites offered. The smelter men ho"eNet'
said their acceptance would have to await
confirmation by the Eastern directors ana
q final decision has been expected by
every mail.
throughout the deal the smelter repre-
sentatives have been very cautious, ana II
soon became evident there was innuehce
being used to take the enterprise from
MADEIRA and locate it elsewhere Al lirSt
an effort was made to place the plant
west Of the Southern Pacific track, where
il would not be accessible by any otner
railroad company, but the sue WIFI atI
proved the most acceplaple Is 80 80 90
about half way between the two lines OF
The citizens have felt that no better
offer could be made than the one rendered
bv them and felt that the affair was pro-
p ~ as favorably as could be wished
Tor until Yesterday. On that day Mr..
Johnson and another representative OF the
company arrived in MADEIRA and, taxing
a surveyor, drove to Herndont ABOUT
twelve miles south of MADEIRA on the lire
of the Southern Pacific. 1t is claimed thdt
the railroad company owns all the avail
able land at that point, and that 1t would
not only have the benefit of the sale OF
land but would smut OIL the competition
of another road.
S. f. Booth, district freight agent of the
railroad company, claims his company
does not care where the enterprise is To-
Gated as it will get its share of the
freight anyway, but the people have but
little faith in the protestations. of the
/ COMPANY While there is no direct evil
denre that the OCTOPUS" has had its
agents at work. it is certain that no one
save Huntingtons railroad would be
| hanefited by the erection of a smeter at
Herndon instead of at MADEIRA.
The MADEIRA site is on the north bank
of the Fresno River: which is river only
IN name. while at Herndon the smelling
Company would have TO dump its Stag and
refrse into the San Joaquin River, which
is navigable stream and abounds in
fsh-a proceeding for which they would
he liable under the laws of the State
SbollId the efforts of the railroad COM
odiO he successful ii is probable the bust
boss men of MADEIRA will make an effort
20 have all their business routed over the
Vaiiev road by way of retaliation. The
feeIinP against the railroad company is
1-erH, strong here, and every effort will be
used TO prevent the erection of the
smeiter at the point favored by the
The people of MADEIRA have not only Of
fered everything asked for y the smelt-
| ing company, but have in addition to a
site offered a free right of way from both
railroads to it's location and guaranteed a
supply of water as large as it could pos
| siblv use This being the case, they are
not at all pleased at the turn events are
| taking, and will not cease in their efforts
until it is proved that the Southern Pa
cific has a stronger pull than has Ma
dera.