The San Francisco call., 1905-06-24
Goulds Tender Young Cali
fOrnian a High Position
in the Western Pacific
With Headquarters Here
FORMER HARTMAN
MAN BADLY WANTED
May Return to San Francis
co as Local Head of New
TranScOntinental Line
and Direct the Building

3. A Worthington, recently elected
vice president Of the Wheeling and Lake
Erie road, may soon return TO California
as vice president and general manager
OF the Western Pacific Railway. He has
been offered the latter position by the
Goulds, but is carefully considering the
proposition before giving his answer.
From local authority on Western Pa
clne affairs il was learned yesterday that
the matter OF WOrthington's selection for
the responsible position with the new
etransconunental line was discussed by
The financial hackers of the road several
months before the company was reor-
ganized, and it is said that he received
hattering offer from the Goulds about the
time that they began negotiating with
him TO accept the position Of vice presi-
GENT Of the Wheeling and Lake Erie road.
The appointment Of Worthington to the
vice presidency of the Wheeling and Lake
Erie road is now said to have been part
of the plan OF the Goulds to permit him
70 remain in Pittsburg long enough to
acquaint himself with the traffic business
of the Gould lines, then send him out to
this coast as the chief executive Of the
Western Pacific at this end Of the road.
FRIENDS ARE ADVISED.
Friends OF Worthington here and in
Sacramento have already been advised of
the opportunity offered him to return TO
San Francisco, and they are confident
that he will not ignore ii. That George
Gould and his associates in the trans
continental railroad system appreciate the
ability Of Worthington was plainly evil
denced in the appointment they gave him
in their system. He was unwilling at
first TO leave the Hartman lines, where
he made his reputation as a railroad ope-
ratOr, and did so only after the Goulds
had several times increased their orig
inal offer of salary.
When he went TO Portland the gen.
eral manager Of the Oregon Railroad and
Navigation Company, WOrthington, writ
ing TO several Of his friends in this city,
remarked that he would have preferred
TO have made a sacrifice in order TO re-
turn TO San Francisco and had only taken
the Portland position in the hope that his
future services with the Hartman lines
would be rewarded with an appointment
in San Francisco, presumably the man.
agement Of the Southern Pacific.
It was generally conceded yesterday by
local railroad men. who discussed the
probability Of Worthington's returning TO
this city, that no man at present in the
employ Of the Goulds and available for
the position Of general manager of the
Western Pacific is so well informed on
conditions in California, and for that
matter, Nevada and Utah, as Worthing-
ton. His many years association in the
Offices of the chiefs Of the Southern Pa
cifc gained for him knowledge that would
be most valuable to the projectors of the
Western Pacific in their construction
work
APPOINTMENT SOON DUE.
While Vice President Bartnett of the
new road is not yet prepared to say any
thing about a general manager, it is well
known that one viii be appointed at an
early date. Worthington's knowledge Of
the territory of the Southern Pacific
would materially aid the Goulds in deter
mining on branch lines, which. as already
announced in the press, they propose to
build while the construction of the main
line is under way.
1t was common gossip at the Southern
Pacific offices yesterday that prominent
official Of the operating department OF
that road has received a letter from
Worthington, in which he refers at length
70 the possibility Of his coming back TO
California and strongly intimates that if
he accepts the position of general man.
sger Of the Western Pacific the friend
may expect a lucrative and responsible
place under the general manager.
Yesterday Vice President Bartnett filed
for record in this city a certificate of the
bonded Indebtedness of the company, as
covered by the newly executed mortgage.
The filing Of the document was a legal
formality required by law. To-day the
directors Of the road viii continue their
delibera tons. and early next week it is
understood that they will take up with
Chief Engineer Bogue the awarding of
contracts for the construction of the main
line at various points in Utah, Nevada
and California