The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-12-20
REVIVAL OF s. P.
CUTOFF RUMORS

Saturdays Reno Gazette published
a story to the effect that the line of
the Southern Pacific will be run from
Hazen to point near Battle Noun
tain, thus cutting off Lovelock, Win
nemucca, Golconda and the several in
termediate smaller towns.
This report is nothing new, as it
has been current for months, and was
published in the Lovelock Tribune
more than year ago, although at, the
time it was given little attention.
However, present movements of the
company indicate that there is some
thing about to happen. Some weeks
ago it was stated on good authority
that orders had been given out from
Southern Pacific headquarters, that
no more improvements were to be
made at Inlay, and employees at that
point interpreted this to mean that the
division was to be returned to Winnie
mucca.
1t is a well-known fact in railroad
circles that the Santa Fe railroad,
since its advent to the coast, has prov
en- keen competitor of the Southern
Pacific, and has made serious inroads
into its through business. At present
the Santa Fe is using the tracks of the
Southern Pacific over the Tehachapi
mountains, in Southern California, but
is building a cutoff which, when com
pleted, will enable them to run trains
from Chicago to San Francisco in from
ten to twelve hours shorter time than
can at present be made by the South
ern Pacific. Then, again, the South
ern Pacific has new and formidable
competitor for through traffic in the
Gould system, Of which the Western
Pacific forms the connecting link
from Salt Lake City to the coast. Be
ginning with the first of the year, it
is expected that the new line will
come in for good share of the trans
continental business. It can thus be
seen that, if the Southern Pacific
wishes to retain its supremacy in the
matter of through traffic, it must meet
its competitors in regard to time, and
this can only be done by reducing it's
mileage wherever possible. 1t is said
that the cutoff from Hazen to Battle
Mountain would effect a saving of
about fifty miles, which means re-
duction in the running time of an
hour and a half
However, there is very little danger
of the Humboldt valley towns being
left without an adequate train service
in any event Should the Southern Pa
eific, in ease it constructs the rumor
ed cutoff, abandon the old line, it
would unquestionably forfeit its land
grant in this county. This it is not
liable to do, and will in consequence
continue to run daily mail trains over
its present line, and so far as can be
seen the towns in the Humboldt val
ley will suffer neither loss nor incon-
venienee.
In Yesterdays Reno Gazette appears
an interview with j. M. Fulton, dis
trict freight and passenger agent for
the Southern Pacific, regarding the
story published by that paper in its
Saturday issue, as follows:
ssI cannot substantitate the story. |
have not heard word about it official.
ly. | know, however, that the people
along the line from Hazen to Battle
Mountain are considerably excited
over the annoQlcement, as are also
those who live or have interests along
the route said to be contemplated for
the shortening of distance.
"The company may have plans for
the cutoff, but ! know nothing of
them
81 am better prepared to speak of
the Fernley matter. It was announced,
You know, that the company has
ceased unloading steel there for the
proposed line to the north. This is
but temporary cessation of receiving
material. The officials of the road
deemed that there was enough steel
on hand for immediate use and sent
the other consignments to points on
the line where it was needed at once,
"When more steel is needed for the
Fernley line it will be forthcoming.