Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-30
TO YOSEMITE BY RAIL.
Pastoral Simplicity Invaded by the Iron
hnraa-

FRESNO FOOTHILLS, CAL,, ApIll lc.
The invader is at our door. Throughout
The day his greatguns deliver their '.Pow
pow! pow-ow-owW to roll, skip, AM
bounce over wooded slope and granite hill
top and brush-entangledg ulch. Since th'
beginning of this mOuth-old cannonad'
the enemy's advance has been steady, un
til now the window sashes jump with the
Earring OF his thunder.
Hitherto the peace OF these lethaIGle
hills was veXed by no more far-reachlng
fumult than the clang OF the ear-grathg
cOwbell, the yoop Of hog-herding yoNei
and his auxiliary yellOw-dog, or the DC
hac-hOc OF the wOOdChOpper's axe. but
dominant over these aud over the softer
and more com psnionable voices OF tDe
hills will soon be heard the resonant looO
of the railroad engine; for the cannouHue
in progress is nothing more than tne Ioise
of the blasting done by levy OF CDIhese
graders who are making ready the ROAD
bed for a railway.
OF course the coming OF the railway Is
subject OF momentous interest 70 our
community. Years have glided by since
the stakes OF the first survey OF the road
were driven, and during all the time the
possibility or the imprObability of the
road ever becoming more than line OF
stakes has been discussed and argued
with cumulative energy. ! 90 not know
that any person has been killed as result
OF such augmentation, Except, perhaps,
by way of being talked to DEATH but the
differences of opinion have often been an
mated with WarlIke scOTn and wrath
provoking sarcasm. Equally Is IL
moOted point whether the railway, now
thatlts construction is assured, Will prove
a blessing or a curse to the community.
There is, perhaps, want OF appropriate
ness in the use of the word community,
as regards us, for each man, and even
more, each woman, is at violent logger
heads with every other at all points where
their interests draw near together. But
let that pass. For the time being we are
agreed that the road is building, and
therefore have a definite basis on which to
start our disagreement--a matter usually
entirely lacking from our magntcently IL
logical and dataless controversies.
AS rule we are inclined to regard the
railway with suspicion if not with positive
disfavor. Principally because railways
are supposed to ''skeer the stawk outer
thu country" Our ideal of delightful
country is as a rule of one where there
are no roads. no fences. no anything but
t'stawk" and the herders there0i-where
the wild cattle poke their heads into ones
doorway. and the walls of ones house are
outwardly decorated by a streak Of mud,
lelA LHGf6 w "A HuGttsHADn VI lANuAnE mugs
no, not hogs, but "hawgs." Not only
do we love ''hswgs" ourselves, but we in
Eist that others must love ''hawgs" as we
do; and we consider that person base
born villain who would not have dozen
Of his own or his neighbours "hawgs'
rolling in his spring. Now, as the coming
Of a railroad is apt TO be followed by an
lncursiOn of people who have less broth
erly affection for ''staWk," aud especially
~. IS
inclined to look to the future with anxiety
akin to dread. AS arule we are willing
10 ''sell out" and ''mOve on'' TO some other
land where there is no invading railroad
to "skeer the stawck outer tn country"
Pretty generally we are OF that class Of
people who are always moving on. Civil
izstion and progress keep hitching up
against US, but we hitch away from them
with equal persistency.
The building of this piece of railway is,
however, of interest TO a great many per-
sons other than the "hawg" loving foot
hitler, who thinks the railway ''durned
nOosance," or his more hopeful opponent
in debate, who entertains vague dreams
of profit to be derived in some mysterious.
indefinite manner from the roads prOX-
unity. There are lumber interests and
mining interest in the direction whittier
the road advances that will be greatly
lIOMOlCu ~ Tue Atlp VI EAtdul
cation with other parts of the State, but
what most concerns the general public,
and especially the sightseeing and
hOliday-making public is the
fact that the completion of this rail-
way will make the Yosemite Valley what
ii never has been until nova place of
popular resort. For while this road is
not intended, as l understand the matter,
to enter the valley, at least for the present.
: -. ..l,s -
as 70 leave but short ride by some other
mode OF conveyance.
Heretofore a trip to the Yosemite Val.
ley has been a pretty expensive business,
both as regards cash and time. With q
private conveyance and camping outfit
ones expenditure Of cash, might be KEPT
within bounds, but TO make a visit to the
famous valley by the regulation stages
and to put up at the regulation inns on
the excursion has required a better tillet
purse than most Cahtornians can boast il
these days. Indeed it is rather curious I,
lind out how few OF the people who live
within, say, 100 miles of the valley, have
ever been in it. All around me are people
who have lived in this neighborhood 10
from 10 to 30 years, and not one in three
score of them has ever seen the spectacle
which draws hundreds Of eager visitor
across oceans and continents. OF course
iOOthiller Is not altogether due I,
the question of expense either Of timt
or money. As general thing he coull
bundle his family into a wagon, throw il
few cooking utensils and stock o
"grub." and make weeks excursion {,
the valley without adding a cent 10 hi
ordinary costot living, and his habits are
not Of that constantly energetic character
that Indicate a high valuation OF time
No, the toOtniller does not 20 to the Yose
mite simply because it is not in him L
take an interest in such matters. II there
were very tat "hawg' to be seen there
that would indeed be a temptation, but fol
scenery and that sort OF tning-pshaw! =
leave it for "them tourists" and "cttN
fellers' and "Engllsh docks aud lords
and such. In the California towns, how
ever, there are thousands OF people VIII
would gladly visit the valley il the COS
could be brought down % a reasonable
standard. This is what the railway Ough
TO effect. 1t ought even TO bring down ex
penses to rate that would induce a larg
addition TO the travel from the East, or a
least make IL possible for many more East
ern folks who happen to be in California
10 add the valley 10 their list Of place
''dOne." No doubt cheap excursion
trains will be run from the towns al0n
the line OF the Southern Pacific road. wit
which the Yosemite branch connects at
station called Berenda Antelope seyel
nnilaa norfh ~ N a1oro vpnora Ia now a,