The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1906-06-16

Nevada las much to rejoice yer in the situation
The Southern Pacific railroad has announced that it will at once make a
permanent reduction on passenger rates in Nevada, amounting to q per cent
of the present schedule, or 4 cents per mile instead of 8 CENTS as prevailing
heretofore. This will not only reduce the cost of tanscondnental travel out
will especially benefit interior Nevada points which depend upon me southern
Pacific fr al outlet.
The authoritative announcement is also made through this paper that the
Clark road, building from Las Vegas on he south to BunfrOg, is to be extended
north to GOldfeld and Tonopah and at once thereby giving a competitive ROAD
to the me % building from Godfed to Bunfrog.
The announcement of concessions by the Southern Pacific is gratifying IN
deed and it will help considerably to tighten a n otherwse almost toerable' con-
dion of things
The reductions offered by the Southern Pacific must be followed by
a corresponding reduction by the Goldfed and Tonopah railroad. The Tariff
ON this latter road is excessive. The 10cent a mile rate. nov prevailing, cannot
longer be defended by this road on any tenable ground. There vas a time
perhaps, when such a rate was permissible; than was when the Southern camps
were in their experimental stage and their permanency a matter of uncertainty.
Then it was that the road was justified in charging SUCH rates that it could get
back its original investment in a short time and before the possible collapse Of
the country. But that time has long since passed. The Southern country is
exceeding the most sanguine hopes of the railroad builders. Business is get
ting greater every day so that traffic exceeds the equipment of the road
Investors have gotten their money back twice overo N the Tonopah branch, and
the Godfdd branch has also paid for itself. Consequently there cal be no x
cusof for maintaining the present rObber tariffs longer.
As desirable as a reduction in passenger rates may be- a reduction in
freight schedules is even more SC. This applies to both the Southern Pacific
and the Tonopah and GOldfeld road. As to the Southern Pacific, the people Of
Nevada are victims If the pgnicious Common point" system which cOmpels
u.s. IN freight from the east bound for Goldfeld, to pay to Reno, from Reno to
San Francisco, and back from San Francisco to Reno again, and then down to
Goldfed ver two separate roads, although the freight is transferred 1t Reno
and never sees San Francisco at all. On top of this monstrous exaction, W are
taxed twice a just price by the Tonopah and GOldfeld road when the freight
reaches Nina; SO altogether this country is N a ptiful condition by reason If
the heavy tributes exacted by the railroads
We want a change N rates as well az a change in the general attitude of
the railroads toward this country. We want the railroads to treat the people
of this region IS il. they had a right to live; to accumulate property improve
their condition., M enjoy the results of their pnvaions and labor. We resent
being treated as mere assets If a railroad to be figured on at SO much profit
per head. This country has been pushed to the extreme; rates have been
SERVED up apparently to squeeze u every cnt,. and W e are thereby forced to
live under a fearful strain that would u the complete collapse of a less de-
termined and resourceful people. Whereas the railroads should contribute to
make business profitable and life bearabe to the residents that are retaining
this desertt to the benefit OF these vey roads, they are making it almost intole-
able. Heaven Know that Southern Nevada is lot an Eden where life is a per-
petual joy and as to the business Of mining it is hazardous in the extreme It
is only for thu tickle chances offered by the hidden wealth of the country to
make money, that a single soul. is induced to remain here, and let the railroads
take what they do make, these sefsame roads will shortly be doing business with
horne. toads and ratlesnakes.
1t may be offered by that the building of the new railroad from
Bunhog to the south-the Godfed and Bunfrog road, with southern conn
tons will furnish that competition which will eventually force the reduction of
rate SO greatly desired. This is a vain hope and deludon. The builders of the
new road are the ownerso of the TOnopah ant Goldfeld railroad and it is only
reasonable % presume they will pursuet the san shyNck policy on The new road
al on the old.
But the situation is far from hopeless As will be seen by a leHer to The
News from :. Ross Clark, president of the socaned "Clark road, now building
to Bunfrog, that road is to be extended north to Goldfed and Tonopah as soon
as possible, and orders to rush have been given. On this road, the people of this
community are to rest their hopes for reasonable freight and passenger rates to
the South and by the I'M token 20 the North. There viii be a scramble between
the southern and northern roads for Or business and a consequent lowering of
rates. But it has been urged that the same interests control the Clark road,
both the through line and the branch, as own the Southern Pacific. That being
the case, and a combination IN rates effected, w are still not hopeless fort there
is BOraxs Smith headed this way from the Southwest. Smiths road will con-
meet with the Santa Fe, and this road has certainly nothing in common with
the Hartman interests
And may W not look to still another avenue of escaped George Gould is
fighting his way west through Nevada to the coast. He has been intercepted
and embarrassed on every turn by the Southern Pacific which line he parallels
Gould must have some of the business of Nevada, and he proposes 20 fight for
it. He has already bought the Nevada Central railroad of about sixty miles,
dropping down tic Austin from Battle mountain o the Southern Pacific. This
road ws bought with the ultimate intention, without question, of getting a IN
inroad IN he business of the southern country by extending the road south to
Manhattan, Tonopah and Goldfeld, and possibly making a connection with the
Smith road which would give beside a southwestern outlet to Los Angeles and
the coast. Altogether the outlook in the matter of railroad facilities ant red
sonable rates., although somewhat remote, is entirely satisfactory 10 the people
of Southern Nevada, and we al afford to abide our time.
But would it not be a clever aeto on the part of the Goldfed and Tonopah
road to anticipate the inevitable and make a reduction in tariffs right nowf
In this suggestion W e have the best interests of the road in view. The people
of Godfad are not vindichve and malicious and with a dozen roads in com
petition other things being equal be greatly disposed to give the pioneer road
the preference. And how much more kindly they would feel if the road would
begin o will it's concessions, rather than wait until lit is forced Ito it by ra-
son of competition. And when could the time be more opportune than nov when
the outhan Pacific has taken the lead and set the pacef Would not a re-
fnsal at hi hannv moment only ceentnat IN annarent disnnsiinn to sskin