The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-06-20
.sPROULE TALKS OF
RAILWAY DIVISION
Divorce of Southern and Central
Pacific Lines Would Mean
Only Public Expenditure,
IL Claim of Official

SAN FRANCISCO.-"The South
ern Pacific and Union Pacific have
been on closer and friendly connec-
tions from the time the Overland
route was opened, they continue SO
at this time and any competent
management of the Southern Pacific
will continue those friendly rela-
tions because they are to the self
interest of both companies while
also to the advantage Of the
public"
This statement was made here
today by VIM. Sproule, President,
Southern Pacific Company, who dis
cussed clears of the Union Pacific
that this friendly relation might be
broken by the Central Pacific fall
ing into unfriendly control and the
Union Pacific might thus be in
jared, and further, that if South
ern Pacific as it now exists has at
tached to it the Rock Island System
or some other, such new relation
might ALLEVIATE the Southern Pacific
friendly interest from the Union
Pacific"
Mr.. Sproule pointed out that the
Southern Pacific has not sought, and
is not seeking, ownership of other
lines, but merely asks that the
Southern Pacific Lines as now in
existence be allowed to remain un-
broken, "that the public may have
the advantage of its unbroken
public service under two carriers"
With further reference to the
connection Of the Central Pacific
Operated under the same manage
ment as the Southern Pacific since
1870) with the Union Pacific at
Ogden to form the Overland route,
Mr.. Sproule said:
"There can be no such thing as
closing a gateway or restricting its
use. The Southern Pacific could
not of it's own motion divert a ton
of freight or passenger from the
Union Pacific, and neither could the
Union Pacific so divert from the
Southern Pacific, if the shipper or
passenger stipulated for movement
over the Central Pacific or Union
Pacific, or both.
To-day every shipper routes his
freight over the line he designates
demands bill of lading showing
that routing and it is given him
freely. This the law requires and
it could not be withheld if the rail-
road wished to withhold it."
Noting that the supreme court
did not justify its recent decision,
ordering separation of Southern
Pacific and Central Pacific lines, by
any reference to the Pacific Rail-
road Acts, the Southern Pacific
executive said the Pacific Railroad
Acts require simply that the line
from Omaha to Ogden and Ogden
to San Francisco should be operated
as one continuous line without dis
elimination Of one road against
another, no matter who operates
them. He continued:
"That the Southern Pacific has
at all times performed its duties
and obligations under the Pacific
Railroad Acts was acknowledged
by the Union Pacific officials in
their testimony in court.
at was clearly contemplated by
Congress that the through line
might be operated in seperate own
ership by two companies, for Con-
gress by the Act of May 6, 1870,
fixed the common terminus and
point of junction of the Union Pac-
fic with the Central Pacific at a
point near the station at Ogden
within the limits of nine sections
of land described in the Act, and
authorized the two companies to
enter upon and possess these lands
in equal shares"
Calling attention to the fact that
the Central Pacific "is and has been
for SO many decades operated as
part Of the railroad system of the
Southern Pacific that the whole