Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-25
nu,,atnr a Haiiroaa ON Paper.

Building a Railroad ON Paper.
The fact that the Union Pacific has
determined to reach this coast by the
extension Of the Utah Southern to Los
Angeles greatly exercises some OF the
San Francisco newspapers. They are
envious Of the consideration and import
ance which Southern California is
achieving abroad, and are sore over the
fact that the terminal difficulties Of their
city and its disadvantageous situation to
an overland road seeking entrance into
the State, should cause preference to be
given to an easy and practicable route to
q point where terminal advantages are not
only superior, but have already been
secured. They refuse to believe the
official reports, and have coniured up
imaginary railroad information which
assures them that the extension is to be
direct to San Francisco instead OF to Los
Angeles. 1t requires imagination as we'll
as gall to defect railroad route starting
from Phoebe to that city, and to pro-
nounce it not only feasible but the best
route. Let us see how these papers
whistle to keep their courage up. Says
one of them, son reliable private in
formation, the road will start
at North Beach in San Fran
cisco, run along the coast to
Santa Cruz, thence across the Coast
range south Of Gilroy, across the Sierra
Nevada by the Tuolumne Meadows Pass,
and thence into Southern Nevada to
Phoebe. That is very fine paper route
but practical railroad men have already
shown their lack of appreciation of it.
The Southern Pacific railroad was first
laid out to cross the Coast range about on
that route. But instead of facing the
formidable work of cutting road through
the Panoche mountains from Gilroy to
Goshen, they have left that gap uncon.
nected down to this day, and have pre-.
| ferred to run their road down the coast
rather than cross over into San Joaquin
valley at the line originally designated in
their charter. The gap between the two
spurs of road at Hollister on the wes
side and Lemoore on the east side of the
Coast range marks ninety miles o.
mountain which even the great road
builders of this State refused to confront
and that too at the risk of imperiline
their valuable land grant. We will moi
say that the road through the Tuolumns
Meadows Pass cannot be built. Money
will build road almost anywhere, as We
have seen by what was done by the
Central Pacific. But at this day, when
roads are built without land or money
subsidies, and as commercial PROPOSE
tions only, we shall see no more
experiments like that of forcing
a road over stupendous mountain
ranges when there are easier and inf.
nitely less expensive routes available
The route selected by the Union Pacific
from Pioche to Los Angeles is ehort
and easy one. The difficult portion of ii
into the Los Angeles valley via the Cajor
Pass, is already rallied and in operation
and the Union Pacific has perfected
arrangements to strengthen the roat
through this pass with bridges and sub
stantial improvements, and to run owe
it in connection with the Santa Fe Com
pany. Thus We see that the most diff
cult portion of the road from Los An
geles to Pioche is already bull
and in operation, whilst two
very formidable and difficult mount
ain ranges are to be overcome be
fore a road from San Francisco coult
reach Carson valley, whilst from tha
point to Phoebe detour south OF severa
hundred miles must be made or the en-
gineers will be compelled to face anothe,
very heavy piece of work through the
Carson mountains.
Our San Francisco friends need exer
else themselves no further. The people
who are about to build the extension te
this city have fully informed themselves
of the advantages Of the route they have
selected over any possible one to the
north OF it, and will carry out thei,
plans.