Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-26
A RACE FOR THE COAST.
VIII she Union Pacific or the Den
yer q RiO Gvamde Win.

ver q RlO Grande Win.
The San Bernardino Courier Tuesday
had this about the race of the two great
roads for the coast:
s'From q source which we can guaran'
bee as wholly reliable, and, indeed, in q
sense official, the Courier learns that
there is to be an exciting trial of speed
between the Utah extension and the
Denver and Rio Grande in reaching
Pacific Coast tide-water, with-contrary
to popular expectations-the chances in
favor of the Denver and Rio Grande
coming in winner.
Hitherto, the engineers of the Utah
extension have been instructed to find q
route with a low grade, regardless Of the
time spent in searching for it. No route
with grade over forty feet to the mile,
was to be selected. A great deal Of time
was wasted in voyages of discovery after
low passes,'
"The Denver and Rio Grande, on the
contrary, rushed its surveying work,
and is rushing it with more apparent
anxiety for a direct route than for the
discovery of low passes and low grades.
"The survey of the Denver and Rio
Grsnde has already been completed to
Ludlow, while the Union Pacific and
Utah extension is building on to Pioche.
1.-THE Union Pacific, impelled to rapid
action by the celebrity Of the Denver and
Rio Grande surveyors, has recently or.
dered its chief engineer to push on with
the utmost possible dispatch to the near
est possible point on the Atlantic and
Pacific. OF the authenticity of this news
We have no doubt whatever. The sur
veyors of the Union Pacific are, at the
present moment, pushing on with all
possible dispatch for point on the line
Of the Atlantic and Pacific, but whether
this point is to be Barstow or not, we do
not know. Possibly not.
''It is cutie possible that the Denver
and Rio Grande will rush through di-
rectly on the interior line from Ludlow
10 the Cajon summit, giving Bsrstow the
go-by but to the Cajon both roads are
coming with energetic rivalry, and all
this is corroborative of the news which
appeared in the Los Angeles HERALD a
lew days ago.
''The first objective of both roads, ac-
cording to our informant, is Pacific tide
water. Even the undoubtedly rich field
open to them in Southern California for
doing fine business is but a secondary
consideration. Tidewater-a terminal
location on tidewater-is the controlling
objective with both of them.
why it may be asked. Well, there
are vast deposits of fine iron ore in Utah,
and the extension of both roads will
command the trade of the richest coal
region on the continent, and, mark you,
China is to be the field of the next great
railroad Developments field of vast
dimensions and magnificent possibilities.
both the Union Pacific and the Den
yer and Rio Grande will establish great
iron works on the Pacific Coast. They
will carry the iron ore directly from the
mine, and, commanding, as they will an
unlimited supply of the best coal at the
least possible cost, they will work the
iron into railroad material at Redondo,
or San Pedro, or San Diego, as may be,
and ship it directly into China and Ja-
pan, thus distancing English or Atlantic
comeiition.
"Such an objective is certainly grand
one and surely feasible one, surely
reasonable one. China is shaking off
her lethargy and demanding railroads.
The Orient is awakening to the electric
throb OF modern life and enterprise.
Japan is in touch with the age, and
modern statesmen have the ear of the
young Chinese Son of Heaven
"Aside from the grand first objective,
of course, both roads have a secondary
one. In the imbroglio of transcontinen-
tal competition, to compete with other
roads successfully it is necessary for the
Union Pacific and the Missouri Pacific
and the Gould system generally, now
including the Denver & Rio Grande, to
base themselves upon the Pacific. Both
roads expect to do good local business
in Southern California. They will sup
ply us with iron and coal, and in return
will carry back our sub-tropical products
TO an eager market.
TO us, we confess that the programme
including the establishment of great iron
works on the Coast to supply the Chinese
railroad trade3 looks not only feasible
but promising. Great iron works on the
Pacific Coast, fed with the cheap coal and
iron which the Union Pacific and Dem
yer and Rio Grande would supply, could
surely compete on easy terms for the
Japan and Chinese iron trade. A glance
at the commercial map of the world will
reveal this at glance, due regard being
SAsOh W ohC huN6hunSOo alCA 5uCu lIOu
works would possess in the facility and
cheapness with which they could supply
themselves with raw material from Utah
Colorado and, indeed, as to iron, from
Nevada and San Bernardino.
"As we have repeatedly of late told
our readers, mighty economic events are
casting their shadows before, and quite
distinctly, too. Southern California is
on the eve of great transformation in
her economic conditions. Whether Los
Angeles or San Diego will secure the
manufacturing prizes remains to be seen.
Los Angeles city cannot, for the works
are to stand on tide-water, but if Re.
dondo or even San Pedro should be se.
lected, Los Angeles will, indirectly al
least, be immeasurably the gamer.
"Should San Diego capture the prize
her opportunity will be within her grasI
at last.
cat all events, thanks to her command
OF the Cajon and San Gorgonio passes
San Bernardino can congratulate hersel
on being on the highway OF coming com
mercial empire"
The supervisors.
On Tuesday the Board OF Supervisor
met and transacted the following bust
ness:
A petition from the Chamber of Com
merce asking for joint meeting of ths
Board of Supervisors and the City Coun
ell with tho dirootor, of tho Cbop, p,ho~ =,