Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1881-10-25

We have at intervals devoted q
very considerable portion of the
HERALD to efforts to impress upon
the officials Of the Atlantic and
Pacific Railway the expediency of
running their road from the
"Needles" to the Los Angeles val
ley; and thence, by substantially a
Q coast route, to San Francisco.
We have all along been aware of
the engineering and construction
difficulties of coast road, but
those difficulties would practically
have stopped at Santa Cruz, from
which point, to the Bay of San
Francisco, narrow gauge, which
could easily have been changed to
y broad gauge, with splendid ter
minal facilities on the Bay, was
available to the Atlantic and Pa
cific by purchase. We have al
ways felt that the overshadowing
influence of Gen. Beale was at
work to defect the road through
the San Joaquin valley. 1t will
enter that valley over a desert
after surmounting considerable
engineering impediments, and it
will traverse what is practically q
desert, three years out of five, at
any period OF the year, and always
In the Summer. In addition, it
will encounter, through Its whole
length, the competition of the
Southern Pacific, running on prac-
tically parallel lines. We have
always thought that, at either
Santa Monica or Wilmington, or
even at San Diego, terminus
could be found for this road which
would answer all the purposes oil
commerce, and secure it very
considerable local traffic. The
argument of the shortest route,
so incsssantly dwelt upon by
General Beale, has evidently
proved convincing to the man
ayers of the corporation. Tha
gentleman has forcibly expatiatet
upon the great advantages of th'
shortest through route to Sar
Francisco. Whether this argu
ment Ia based upon sound CONNER
cial principles it remains for the
future to determine. 1t is hardly
necessary to make any material
notifications In transcontinen'
tai railway to accommodate the
people of city of less than three
hundred thousand inhabitants
unless it can be demonstrated thai
Q commerce continental and inter
continental in its proportions car
be largely affected by such deter
mination.
Believing that the Directors o
the Atlantic and Pacific had it il
their power to commit capita
mistake, we are no longer permit
ted to doubt that they have com
mitted it. We find, In the SAINTS
Barbara Press of October 22d, thu
following letter from Hon. T. r
Bard to Judge Fernald, which end.
forever our doubts:
HUENEME, CAL, Oct. 81.
Hon. Charles Fernald, Santa Bar
b0ru:
DEAR SIR: have the following
reply to my telegram to Jas. P
Scott, from II. G. Mutt, Presiden
Of the Atlantic and Pacific Rail
road Company:
''Yhe general course of our mail
line has probably been 90 far set
tied as will preclude the possibility
of any change that would carry i
through Los Angeles. If we arr
to reach that point at all, 1t mus
be by q branch line from some
point on our main line. AS sOor
as 1t ia definitely settled that we
are to press work in California
shall visit that section of the cOun.
try, and shall then be prepared to
take up the question of q branch
line to the points you name in
your dispatch. think the cOun.
try through which you propose tt
run trial survey has been thor.
0ughly examined by our engineers
but the data are with Mr.. Glenn
ents, Chief Engineer, at SaI
Francisco, and until l go there
cannot definitely answer the. ques
ton of your correspondent"
This seems to be as direct reply
as we could have expected.
Yours, T. r. BARD.
From the foregoing it will BIZ
perceived that the utmost Los An.
geles. Santa Barbara and the coast
counties can hope for is q branch
. thing that may or may not bt
built. We have at no time in oul
argument upon this matter repre-.
sented the coming of the Atlantic
and Pacific Railway to this city
and county as necessity to Lol
Angeles, or even controlling fac
tor In our development. W,
should have welcomed the mali
iine-we shall welcome even tn,
branch, with the same cordial en-
courag ement we have At all timeI
given to all railway projects which
might traverse any portion Of thil
or adjoining counties, or Southern
California at any point.
Nevertheless, we are not preclud.
cd from dwelling upon what w
cohesive to be the supreme folly Of
the decision Of the management o.
the Directory Of the Atlantic & Pa
ciflc Railway. Their objective