Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-11-25
Tn . Railroad Situation.


Tho Railroad Situation.
From the San Diego Union, Nov. 90
During the progress of the nego-
tiations that have been going for
ward with the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe Railroad Company,
the Union, while advised of the de-
tails of the propositions under con-
sideratiop, has refrained from en-
tering into any discussisn of or
comment upon them. Ithas taken
this course because, In its opinion,
the interest of the community de-
pended upon plain business meth
cd of dealing, and could in no way
be advanced by any grand flourish
of trumpets in the way of sensa-
tional writing. At the present
time, however, the negotiations
have reached point where state
ment of the situation may properly
be made. AS our citizens are
aware, these negotiations were ini-
tiated by the Messrs. Kim ball, of
the National Ranch, in conjunc-
tion with committee of business
men and property-holders of San
Diego, and Mr.. +. A. Kimball was
authorized to proceed to Boston and
lay proposition before the Rail-.
road Company. This tproposi-
tion, after consideration, formed
the basis of an agreement whereby
the railroad company bound itself
to send to San Diego representa-
tives to examine and report upon
the proposition; and if, upon such
examination and report, it should
appear that the Inducements held
forth were sufficient, the company
would Immediately commence to
construct its road from San Diego
Bay TO point of junction with its
line coming west, making this port
its Pacific terminus in California.
Under this proposition the Kimball
brothers agreed to donate to the
railroad ten thousand acres of land
i'm their National Ranch tract, and
the citizens OF San Diego. by the
private donations of individuals,
were to give six thousand acres
within our municipal limits-right
of way and depot grounds to be se-
cured; and it being also understood
that the line was to run through
the National Ranch, on what is
called the direct route to Yuma.
The stipulated quantity of hand
has been subscribed, and the rep
resentatives of the Company have
been in the city for several days
personally examining the subject,
one of their division engineers
having made reconnaissance of
the direct route to Yuma. Mean
while it is understood that offers
have been made of inducements foi
the Company to construct its line
on what is known as the "north-
ernn route, going out through one
of the passes in the direction of
San Berpardino, and the gentle
men have these propositions under
consideration. We are informed
that, as to the desirability of the
port of San Diego for terminal pull
poses they entertain no doubt what
ever. They fully recognize the
peculiar advantages of our location,
the facilities for a large commerce
afforded by the harbor, our climat-
ic and other advantages.
Thus, the question remaining is.
are the inducements sufficient to
warrant the immediate commence
ment of work from San Diego?
That is to say, will the lands grant
ed realize sufficient profit to the
Company to recoup the interest on
cost of construction pending the
junction of the eastern and western
lines and the opening of through
traffic? 1t is cash question, and
into this question the choice of route
will necessarily enter. If the Rail-
road Company shall decide to
establish its California terminus at
San Diego, it will have one interest
with this community, and that will
be to reach its outlet here by the
shortest and most economical route.
We are now authorized to state
that an understanding has been
arrived at on this latter point
which removes all difficulty and is
highly honorable to the gentlemen
whose private interests might be
supposed to make them tenacious of
a particular route. The committee
of citizens-including the Messrs.
Kimball-have signed an agree
ment that, other conditions being
satisfactorily complied with,
the Railroad Company shall Sc
lect its own route from
the Bay of San Diego. They
take the ground that the pre-emi-
nent want Is through rail commu-
nicatlon with the East by an inde-
pendent and competing line; and
while they are of the strong belief
that the "direct" route is the best
for the railroad and the best for San
Diego; and while the personal in
terests of the largest donors of land
in aid of the road are concerned in
the adoption of that route, they are
willing to subordinate every per-
sonal preference to the obtainment
of the chief object.
We may therefore properly say to
those who are particularly interest
ed in the San Bernardino route,
"What are you willing to do to Sc
cure a railroad? The friends of the
direct route have given sixteen
thousand acres, right Of way and
depot facilities; what will the
northern part of the county and
San Bernardino do?p
This whole county wants a rail-
road 1OW-not in one, two or three
years; and we can secure the imme-
date commencement of the work,
II we will.