Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-27
Los Angeles, Utah ana Atlantic.

Los Angeles, Utah and Atlantic.
There is no more important railroad
our city could have than one
direct with Salt Lake City. Such rail
way would open very large manufactur-
ing and commercial possibilities to Los
1t would place us in easy and
direct communication with a large
group OF the most promising and
extensive mining districts on the CONT
nent it would place within ready access to
US extensive cattle ranges, and it would
insure us, at cheap rates, large and con-
slant supply of coal from the best measures
that have yet been developed on the Pa
cific Coast south of British Columbia.
Every one will concede that to secure
such factors as these would
prove in our commercial and
manufacturing development would
be of the greatest advantage to us, and
that we could afford to make even large
sacrifices in order to speedily secure the
construction OF railroad that would
make the country between Los Angeles
and Utah tributary to our city. If con-
nection is to be made with the Utah Cen
trail, less than five hundred miles
of new road would give us con-
tinuous rail communication with
Salt Lake City. If the road is to be a
new and independent one, then some
thing less than eight hundred miles
would place US en- rapport with the
metropolis OF the Latter Day Saints.
Colonel Marble, who represents East
ern capitalists, has been here for some
time in the interest of the Los
Angeles, Utah and Atlantic Railroad,
an incorporated company which is
seeking franchise and right
of way through the city to
Rattlesnake Island, which has been pur-
chased by them. If the representations
we have had of the standing OF the men
who are at the head Of this company
are correct, there can be no doubt that
they are acting in good faith and in
tend to build the road. They want
the city to grant them the right
of way along the left bank OF the
river, which they propose to levee its
entire length, provided certain lands
alignning the river and belonging to the
city shall be granted to them. Los An
geles can afford to do this, if the proper
guarantees are given by the company
that they will build the road in reason
able time. This they should be willing
to do, but if they are not, that fact
would reflect upon the good faith of the
projectors and give grounds of suspicion
of the entire reliability OF the enter
prise.
The debate on this subject yesterday
in the Council seems to raise doubt
which should be carefully inquired into.
There will be no opposition to making
any reasonable concession the company
may ask for, if we are assured
that the road will go through; but no
company should demand concessions Of
so great value as those sought for by this
company without being willing to give
all the reasonable guarantees that may
be required. 1t must be remembered
that the available railroad approaches to
and through this town are limited. In
deed, the one in question is the only one
left over which the city has entire au-
thority. As railroad objective Los
Angeles has only just begun to be appre'
ciated by Eastern lines, and several of
them are looking wistfully this way.
We shall want all that may come, and
we ought to be prepared to give every
one Of them facilities to enter our city.
Hence it would be bad policy to part
with the only available line of railroad
ingress we have left to any company
without stipulating that other companies
may have equal privileges when they
come here.