Show GOVERNMENT DIRECTOR COOMBS Talks of His Trip Over the Short Line Government Director Coombs of the Union Pacific who arrived here two weels ago from the east for the purpose of inspecting in-specting the properties of the system and I formulating a report thereon left last I evening for San Francisco in his private car accompanied by his wife and daughter daugh-ter To The Herald man before leaving M Coombs expressed his views of the I country and railroad properties as follows fol-lows I was vry much pleased and surprised at the rich development of the country and believe that an era of prosperity has I dawned upc Utah Idaho and Wyoming I was particularly pleased with the I evidences of enterprise up to the point at which the lava beds begin and from the I point above there the rich valley and plains brought into cultivation particularly particular-ly 1 attracted my attention and excited my admiration I believe that tne people of I this scetion of the country whose prosperity i pros-perity has hitherto centered around the production of silver have already begun i ito i r t to experience the benefits of more diversified diversi-fied industries and that what has seemed Ito Ito I-to them to be a misfortune in the lack of I prosperity attending silvers decline has laid for them a broader oasis for general I P1OpUtity I think that the chances for successful enterprise In these states and territories J is vastly greater than in the more thickly I populated east The people in these f states and territories should be careful to send to Congress men who will at least r tell the truth for it is notorious that in order to carry out certain theories they have persistently cried poverty and rep I resented the people as being in a suffering condition and plunged into gen I eniy bankruptcy With that picture in my mind I was 1 agreeably surprised to find evidences of a widespread prosperity There is no question I ques-tion but What these reports have had a great effect In diverting emigration and frightening away capital In my trip over the Utah Northern Oregon Short Line properties I found them as well as those ofthe main system sys-tem In splendid condition Instead of deteriorating de-teriorating the property is Improving in condition by the admirable system of renewals re-newals andrepairs under the careful supervision su-pervision of Mr Bancroft When tlle road again comes back into the hands ol the owners It will rtalnb be In no worse > condition than when It went Into the hands of the Ascelvers So much of the prosperity of the states and territories On the middle tier of the continent depends upon the preservation of this road that the representatives of the various states and territories affected by It should make a combined effort to induce Congress to perfect the necessary legislation for Its preservation The dlf ficu1t heretofore has been that preju 11 dices have stood in the way of such legis icition It certainly is for the interests of all the states and territories on the middle tier to have the main line of communica hon across the continent running through them rather than have it transferred to the extreme north or to the extreme south for which reason I am highly Pleased that tho Short Line has ben kept as a feeder to the system The develop ment of the country from this time for ward I believe will speedily make rail road properties that heretofore have been unprofitable seifsustaining There has doubtless been much harm done by overcapitalization and bonding these roads that will have to be remedied In some way Upon the whole I shall return to the east with a more sanguine ballet in the present and future prosperity of the coun try and Its ability to withstand the unwise un-wise assaults of political theorists During his stay and tour of the lines Mr Coombs has made many friends I From San Francisco he will go north to Portland and Seattle and from there east to Helena Cinnabar and Yellowstone Park from thence to Butte and Silver I bow and down to Pocatello Should the remainder of his party now in the city bo at that time awaiting him he will come down to Salt Lake for them other wies ho will continue cast over the Short Line and return to New iork Ma Omaha reaching home about Seplemb 1st |