The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-09-21
Final Location of the Western Terminus
of the Texas Pacific Railroad.

San Diego has been made happy py
being selected as the Pacific terminus
of the Southern Pacific Railroad:
a committee of forty had previously
been organized by the citizens of San
Diego, to confer together on matters of
railroad policy for the public good.
This committee, and the people gen.
orally, were in fear and rembling after
it was made known SO emphatically at
the mass meeting that Col. Scott was
going to make Il demand for aid. They
expected nothing less than modest
request for half a million in county
bonds, and at least one-half that the
people owned in lands. They Were
frightened, to say the least, and when
they met they gravely considered the
prospects, and appointed c. z. TaGgart
to act as spokesman.
When Col. Scott entered the room,
Mr.. .Taggart addressed him briefly, con-
Guiding as follows:
We have willing hands and strong
shoulders, but our pockets are empty.
Whatever we can do in securing to
you lands, depot grounds, etc, we shall
cheerfully and willingly do; but we
ask you that your proposition shall be
such II one as we shall be able to COM
ply with. Then we shall give you aid
in earnest. The only conditions we
shall ask of you are that your depots
shall be located within the Pueblo OF
San Diego, SO as to best SubServc the
landed and commercial interests OF our
whole people, and that the railroad
shall be constructed directly east from
San Diego.
Col. Scott responded as follows:
Nr onl Cnnflan,nn h,x-n
looked at your whole beautiful country
around the Bay-yesterday and again
to-day. / have carefully examined
your location and l am pleased with
it; and l am now ready to submit a
proposition to you in general terms,
which l think reasonable; which /
think you will regard as liberal and
which you can accept. We shall not
ask you for any bonds or subsidies in
money. Your first condition, with
reference to the location of depots, etc,
L accept; but the second one I cannot
now decide, as it depends purely on
results-upon the informa-
tion which we get from our engineers.
My proposition is
First-Tnat you givcaperfect title to
all the lands of the San Diego and Gila
Railroad Company.
Second-That you give us the right
of way through the city and county of
San Diego, one hundred feet wide at
the stake line.
Third-That you give us the lot of
land Gas designated on the map) 1900
feet in length by GOO feet in width, adj
joining the water front, with streets
and alleys vacated.
Fourth-That you give us one hun
dred acres of tide lands Gas designated
on the map) to be acceptable to the
Company as to shape, or the same
amount OF tide lands within the boun-
daricS of Horizons Addition adjoining |
the shore.
The title to these lands to be clear
and perfect as given in the agreement.
If the passenger depot is selected in
Addition, or otherwise, the |
tide lands to be adjoining.
This moderate demand took them all |
by surprise. The first demand made |
called for transfer simply of the lands
which had been conveyed by the |
Pueblo or city authorities to the S. ID.
and G.. and S. +. r.. r., III accordance
with an act of the Legislature. The
grant had been made upon the condi-
ton that the road to the Gila river be
within q given time which
time has been extended to May 5th,
1871. The lands comprise about nine
thousand acres, about seven hundred of
which are located in one body in the
most available point for commercial
purposes. This local railroad company
has been in existence many years, pre-
its rights for the benefit of some
future organization that should agree
to build the road required. They have |
considerable expense and |
some liabilities, amounting in all prob
ably to fifty thousand dollars.
The committee appointed TO act on |
behalf of the Stockholders, after having |
an interview with Col. Scott, agreed to
report in favor of yielding up their |
franchise and lands, upon condition |
that their actual expenses incurred in !
the past and their liabilities were paid |
by the citizens. The action was re- |
ported to the committee of forty mt an |
session, and the proposition
was unanimously accepted on behalf of
the city.
The second demand, for right Of way, |
no difficulty whatever.
The third, requiring a tract of land
6OOxl 500 feet on the city front, either in
the Reservation of Middleton, tract
adjoining New San Die