Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-06-27
THE WILBUR ROAD.
What It Has Actually Done
In This District.
A TRIP OVER THE SURVEY.
Twenty Miles 'of Grading Done
Between Rodgers and
Bakersfield.

@~e~@>>|- ~~-~
On Monday last HERALD reporter
visited La Liebre ranch and personally
inspected the work that has been done on
the Wilbur-P Paulsell road. After leaving
Rogers on the Atlantic and Pacific road,
the line runs over level plain TO the
buttes which bound the northwestern
part Of Antelope valley. Here, turn is
made round the hills south of the sinks
of Cottonwood creek and one mile south
Of Willow Springs, and the
road then runs along the val
10y hugging the foothills closely
all the way. 1t reaches the Liebre ranch
about Pescado and following the trend Of
the mountains swings into the Alamo
and Castac ranches and then down the
TETON Cafion. Opposite the Fort it takes
the mountain side and skirting the big
hills goes past the old reservation house
and then directly to Bakersfield. From
that point the road runs west Of and al
most parallel with the Southern Pacifc's
track to it's northern terminus point
not yet determined. Between Rodgers
and Bakersfield the grade is remark
ably easy one and in no place will more
than q ten foot cut have to be made.
Twenty miles Of preliminary grading
have been done between Bakersfield
and Fort TETON, but over the Liebre
ranch and on to Rogers, no dirt has
been TUNED except for the surveyors
stakes. which are set in all along the
right OF way. The district traversed by
the new road in Southern California Is q
remarkably fertile one, and though but
sparsely populated, there is no doubt but
that it will be teeming with stowns and
fourishing hamlets in the course Of a
short time after the rails are laid. 1t
will be Of incalculable benefit to Antelope
valley, as it will open up to traffic and
enhance in value thousands of acres
which have practically little value now,
owing to their disadvantageous position
as regards railroad transportation, and it
will also place in direct market commu-
nication a richly timbered and stock
country.
Everything, however, appears to be in
allegiance at present for no work is being
done anywhere along the road, though
this quietude will evidently shortly be
dispelled for the reporter ascertained
that Messrs. Grant Bros, the railroad
contractors, are making arrangements
for feed for 500 horses at Bakersfield, and
it is believed that this is in connection
with commencing operations at that
point. West Of Fresno about seventy
miles Of grading has been done in the
direction of Tracy, which point was first
given out as the northern terminus Of the
road. The plans, however have been
changed and the company is now
striving to obtain terminal faciI-
ties vt tide water, and in connection
with this many projects have been
foated. The most feasible appears to be
in connection with the Pacific Coast
Railroad, which is now in operation be-
tween Oakland and San Pablo, which
has a survey made as far south as Tracy
to which point the Wilbur road is out
lined to run. This would do away with
all the existing difficulties and when the
deal, or some other equally favorable one
is made, there is little doubt but that the
line will be pushed through without de
lay. A good deal Of speculation is goinf
on as to the ultimate ownership Of the
road, for, although the Wilbur people
claim to be building it as private enter
DIlHty ~ 10 CCf toin tiAUt ~ 10 OAAC t8t
destined to form part Of one O
the great transcontinental systems
By all appearances it will
be swallowed up by the
Santa Fe, for it is Just the piece Of prop
erty they want, and will give them tina
ingress to the northern part Of the Stat
which they one day must certainly pos
sess; and then again, 1t is practically al
extension OF their, at present, western
terminus. The Atchison people claim
however, to be in nowise interested il
the new road, which is certainly no
being openly backed financially by th'
great Santa Fe system, or else Mr.. Viii
bur would not have had to make hi
recent trip to England to obtain the fund
necessary for its building. He is sait
to have obtained most Of the cash re
quired from the well-known Londol
fnanciers, the Messrs. Grossmith; ant
in corroboration OF this, Mr.. Paulsel
told HERALD reporter some time ag
that there was no longer any hitch a
regards money matters. The moves OF
the chess-board regarding this new roa'
are being watched keenly by the peopl
OF Southern California and the great Sal
Joaquin valley, and it is safe to predic
to these that the line will be built an,
in operation inside of eighteen months