Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-12-04
OUR RAILROAD PROJECT.
The Opinion of Engineer Crawford on
Lhe Feasibility Of the CajOn Pass
Route for the Los Angeles and Inde-
II pendemce RaiIrOah - A Eirst.CIass,
20 ~,

In accordance with the request of
the Chamber of Commerce, we present
to-day'a summary of the remarks of
Engineer Crawford before that body
at its meeting of last Tuesday night.
The words of Mr.. Crawford will be
found direct, explicit and unequivocal. 4
After thoroughly reconnoitering the
country, he is competent to speak ad
visedly on the subject, and his opin-
ions should command our confidence.
Without doubt, nature has provided
for us all the advantages Topographic
oaify vr u vouruerciaI center. VIII
we improve them? In his remarks
before the Chamber of Commerce, Mr..
Crawford said: yl Os53 ~ ty&
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN:
During the months of May and June
last was employed by Mr.. Temple,
Gov. Downey, Mr.. Griffith, DR.. Grif-
fin and other members of the Board of
Incorporators of the Los Angeles and
Independence Railroad, to make q re-
connoisance of the different lines of
approach from the mining region lying
north of Los Angeles into her fertile
valley. An inspection of the adjacent
| topography Immediately narrowed the
| number of routes down to two--the
| first via the Cajon Cafion, the Mojave,
| the Panamint Slate Range and the
Owens River Valley to Independence;
| the second Uia San Fernando and Sol
edad Caflons, Desert Springs and the
Owens River Valley to Independence.
| The result of my explorations were
! submitted to the public in pamphlet
form early in July last. In it 1 report
ed strongly in favor of the most east
! ern route Vi0 CajOn Pass, which was
satisfied offered advantages as a rail-
road gateway unsurpassed by any
| other gap in the Sierras, excepting
Gorgonio Summit. This opinion be-
| ing in the face of adverse reports from
other engineers who had preceded me,
and being unsustained by an instru-
mental survey with its carefully
| chained distances and actual
levels, I was ordered to take the
| field by Mr.. Temple early in last
! October, to ascertain beyond a. doubt
whether Cajon Pass was as feasible as
1 had represented it to be, and to col
lect data from which to construct
map, profile and correct estimate of
cost Of the first or mountain division
of the Los Angeles and independence
Railroad, extending from Spadra sta
4 ton, the present terminus of the
Southern Pacific Railroad to the great
bend of the, MOjave river, opposite
Point of Rocks upon the Camp Cady
road, a. 14t.i.al ..,5 al IN aa.usaiu5 sltr,
l AS have only this morning return
4 ed from the field all that can say to
YOU at this early moment is, that 1
know enough already from an inspec-
ton of my field notes and profiles, to
anticipate my report before this meet
ling to assure you that we have been
successful in obtaining q first-class,
cheap and direct railroad line across
the Sierra Madra, that L shall not only
be able to verify but to improve upon
my report of June last, that L shall be
I able to reduce my maximum gradient
to about 1870 feet per mile. This upon
a direct line through country desti-
tute of snow and ice, the steep gra-
dient only extending for a distance OF
twelve miles upon the Southern APP
proach to the summit, and operating
: in favor of the heaviest tonnage from
the mines which will be moving
south. All other gradients upon the
line will be not to exceed 100 feet per
mile. 5..f. es.,t eth.s.t..
1 will further say that I introduce
this short stretch of steep gradient not
, from necessity but as a measure OF
| economy-an outlay of a large sum in
T cost Of construction at the summit and
+ approaches thereto, will reduce this
D still further. L shall shortly be pre-
pared with profile showing the cut
; tings and filings upon the entire line,
/ also map and estimates, which will
: surprise the most sanguine friends OF
/. the road, and convince its opponents
8 Before taking the field in October,
/ made reconnaissance of the Tejunga
/. Cafion with view of obtaining q. di'
J.. rect north line from this city. After
: proceeding as far as the summit
e abandoned all hopes of obtaining a
!. 4 line in that direction, the cost of con-
!. struction and elevation to be overcome
a being prohibitory. Mr.. Temple has
n full report and profile upon this route