Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-16
RAILROAD COMMUNICATION.
Meeting at Woodland-The sacramento
and Coast Railroad.

-slCCtlHS
and Coast Railroad.
Pursuant to call, meeting was held at
Woodland Monday night, for the purpose
of considering matters relative to the pro
posed railroad between that place and
Clear Lake. J. W. Brown presided Geo.
D. Fiske made statement of the condition
Of railway matters, as viewed by those who
are taking an active interest in the affair.
He stated that an incorporation had not
been effected vet. because interested parties
in Lake and Mendocino desire a conference
with representatives from Sacramento ana
Yolo. There are large money interests IN
Mendocino especially, that are looking 10
the Capay valley broad-gauge ana Will
have none other. In order TO have uni
formity of action meeting has been called
for June Goth at Lalepor.. The Sacra-
mento Board of Trade has appointed two
delegates, and the other counties Will also
have their representatives. AT the sugGes-
ton of numerous citizens, Chairman
Brown appointed NJ. Y. Spark, OF Capay
valley, civil engineer Everett and q. d.
Fiske to represent Yolo.
The Mendocino Beacon of recent date
speaks in the following enthusiastic man
ner of a railroad between this city and
Mendocino county
To make the Sacramento and Coast
Railroad a success, it needs an outlet on
the coast, a connection with ocean shipping
facilities, so as to have the benefit OF the
transportation of articles OF export and I'M
port to and from foreign countries, as well
as that of the local trade. Such connec-
ton would virtually give the people of
Sacramento city 4 new and independent
embarcadero tor their town. The interests
of the railroad, of the ocean terminus and
of Sacramento city, would be identical in
stimulating a trade which would most
beneficiallv affect Sacramento city by rea-
son of its vantage ground as an already
established business center, Oh lis accumu-
lations OF capital identified in interest with
the town, and of its great advantages for
distributing center of trade by reason of its
central location IN an extensive district of
unsurpassed fertility, its nearness to a
largely yet undeveloped wealth of mineral
resources, and its already established di-
rect railroad communication with the
whole extent of the interior valleys, and
with the mining regions Of the interior
mountain ranges.
The connection of Sacramento by a
railroad controlled in the interest of that
town, with a suitable ocean port independ-
ent of the bay of San Francisco would
enable il to more effectually control q con-
siderable portion OF the foreign trade stimu-
lated by the vast timber resources of the
coast country. And a connection with the
coast is necessary to enable the railroad to
get the full benefit of the lumber trade to
the interior of this State, and eastward
beyond the State, as only by branches north
and south along the coast it can most
81 !
streams, which, with their dividing ridges,
run at right angles with the coast.
But it is essential for the purposes
aforesaid that the coast terminus of the
railroad should be where the necessary
shipping facilities for foreign vessels can
be obtained. And the port of Mendocino
is the only one on the coast between San
Francisco and Humboldt bay that affords
ample depth of water and sufficient space
for that purpose. 1t is now good harbor
for large vessels during the greater portion
of the year, and a comparativ ely moderate
outlay would make it safe for vessels to
anchor in during the whole year. And
with the influence that could be brought to
bear in consequence Of an initiated direct
railroad connection between Sacramento
and Mendocino, it would be compara-
lively easy matter to obtain an appropria-
ton from Congress for such an improve
ment of our harbor as would afford the
necessary security for shipping during the
winter months.
Taking further into consideration that
a railroad from Sacramento to Mendocino
would have to come down the whole length
of the Big river from the head of one of its
longest branches, and that Big river, with
its tributaries, has the largest area of red
wood timber of any stream on the coast
and that such road would necessarily cross
the rich agricultural valleys of this county
most centrally, and that it would be the
most direct route to the coast from Saera-
mento, we hold that it is evident that Men
docino would be by far the most suitable
terminus for the contemplated railroad