The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-05-03
Gossip Of RaiIwaymen

W. H Bancroft, vice president and
general manager of the Oregon Short
line, had on trip party of grave
and reverend Signors, among whom
was william Hood. His private car
was on a side track waiting to be
picked up when switch engine struck
it violently.
"Bless that dear good engineer" ex-
claimed Bancroft, GROSSLY. 81 wish he
were in bed"
Hood looked inexpressibly shocked
while the rest of the party began to
admire the scenery.
Bancroft glanced first-at one, then
at the others. and said in a tone of
resignation:
IF that fellow does that again I
shall be tempted to swear
At the coming meeting of the trAns-
continental association In Chicago it
is proposed to revise minimum carload
weights for commodity carriers in
tariffs to conform to
weights for the same commodities as
provided in the official classification
The question of uniform basis for the
north coast and California also will
be discussed. The jobbers in Califor-
MIA generally desire high minimums
hand to oppose any reduction in the
present minimums and also to advocate
higher minimums on the considerable
list of commodities of which they sub
mitted an account at the last meeting
of the transcontinental lines The
transportation companies in the past
have favored generally the higher
minimums, particularly on account of
car shortage This does not exist at
the present time, but 1t is assumed that
carriers will still maintain their for
mer position on this question for the
reason that 1t costs less to handle one
car under heavy load than two cars
under light load. It is conceded that
the maximum volume OF business will
move regardless of the minimum
weight exacted per car.
The Western Pacific tracks have
reached Bear river, 26 miles from Sac
ramento, while the track south of
Stockton is so miles from Oakland
E. e. Calvin. vice president and gem
eral manager OF the Southern Pacific,
left last night for Chicago. He expects
to be absent for about two weeks.
w A. Bissell of the Santa Fe, who
has been in Chicago. is expected to
return to the city tomorrow.
J. ]. Byrne of the Santa Fe arrived
in the city last night.
Williamson Dunn of the Santa Fe
reports that up to now $4,000 cars of
oranges have gone east and that there
are fully 10000 left. He says that
Notwithstanding the stringency OF the
money market sprices have been fair
and the orange growers have had no
reason to complain. In speaking of
the desire of the citrus fruit growers
of Florida to put in rate on their
fruit to this coast Dunn said he could
not see how they would benefit by It,
TT seems to me like carrying Goals
to Newcastle. 1t is not likely that our
people would prefer a foreign orange
to one grown here"
AT the transcontinental meeting
which is to be held in Chicago in the
present month this matter will come
up for hearing and a strong repre-
sentation frosn that citrus fruit grow
ing district will be present to infiu-
ence the members to grant their de-
mands.
NJ r. Osmond, whose habitat is the
Arizona desert. decided to forsake the
land of heat, horned toads and Gua
monsters for the cooler climate of Cali-
fornia. He climbed into a refrigerator
car and thus tells the story of his adj
venture:
Il was riding In the ice box of a re-
frigerator car and, finding the ice box
very uncomfortable, / started to get on
top of the train and was jerked off
and wrenched my neck 1 blame no
person for the accident, but the ice in
those P. F. E. cars is too cold for COM
fort even in Arizona"
The many friends of Clifford NJ Win
ders are congratulating him on his
marriage. His bride was Sophie A
Jones, whose brother is E. L. Jones.
freight contracting agent of the Santa
Fe. and also sister of Mrs. T. B.
Houghton, wife of e.le assistant freight
traffic manager of the Santa Fe.s Win
ders is regarded as one of the brightest
young men in the passenger depart
ment of the Santa Fe.
w. J. McGavock, manager of the
Mexican construction company, which
is building Harriman's line to Guada-
lajara, writes to a friend in the city
that he has three construction camps
and will have within short time 1,500
men at work. A connection will be
made with the Mexican Central rail-
way some Is miles out of Orerdain by
July I. Harriman's agents are now in
Guadalajara engaging stone cutters
and 100 men have been secured.
Frank Shield, an actor who has ar
rived In the city to make countless