Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-18
RAILROAD BUILDING.
Purchase of the Northern California by
the Southern Pacific Company.

rs f. Bulletin, May 17th.l
The purchase by the Southern Pacific Of
the Northern California road, as reported
in this journal several days since, has since
been confirmed by the headquarters of the
former company with posiuveness that
can admit of no doubt in relation TO the
matter. The precise terms of the sale are
not given out. One reason that they are
not is said to be because the Southern Pa
ci6c people do not care to make public the
good round sum they had to pay for the
property that Mr.. Rideout and his associ-
afes acquired so cheaply some years ago.
Colonel Croker says that the road across
Suffer county to Knights Landing will be
completed as soon as possible, and the
road will be in operation, if all goes well,
before the next high water /" in the Sac
ramento river. Only about nine miles re-
main TO be built. Chief Engineer Hood
was lately directed to make a survey from
knights Landing to Nelson's Point, to
which place the road from Marysville is
nearly built This has been done, the line
falling very nearly on the old road-bed.
from which the track and ties were washed
away. A drawbridge will be built over
the river at Knights Landing, and this cut
OIL road across Suffer county will then be
in direct connection with the main lines of
the Southern Pacific system. Exactly how
the line will be operated has not not been
determined. General Manager Towne says
that probably through train will be run
from Davisville, on the main line, TO Oro-
vile direct. This train would make close
connections with trains on the main line
10 and from this city, so a considerable
saving in time for travellers to Marysville
aud Butte county would result. Colonel
Croker says the company has bought the
line simply to add desired branch to the
system, and at present any possibility of
an extension beyond Oroville is too remote
to talk about.
OF the work of surveyors in the Sierras,
northeast of Oroville, the Greenville,
Plumas county, Bulletin. SAYS: There are
now six parties at work on the Middle Fork
survey. Although it is reported that the
engineers are having very heavy work to
contend with, the work is being pushed
with all possible haste. The North Fork
party, which has been making such rap
progress toward Orovi.le, being at Her
mans Bar last "Wednesday. was dishanded
By orders from Ogden last Saturday, and
the engineers called East.
Work on the northern end of the line,
near Burns. Grant county, Oregon, con-
tinues. Van Arsdale. who was the chief of
the division when it left the Meadows took
charge of the North Fork survey a few
days ago, having left the northern division
for that purpose. Sufficient data relative
to the Deer creek and North Fork routes
having been obtained, it is probable that as
soon as the Middle Fork survey is COM
pleted, the question of the location of the
road will be settled. In connection with
this question we learn from good authority
that the large bodies of timber lands in the
vicinity of Big Meadows and in Lassen
county, and owned by syndicates, are
bonded to the company making the sur
veys. All these facts put together are very
significant, indicating active railroad con-
struction through Plumas in the no distant
future
The construction forces on the Northern
California line lately have had constant
telephone connections by means of plan
devised by Norman Rideout of Marysville
Regarding it the Appeal says: A telephone
line supported by poles in the usual way
has been extended to keep up with the
progress OF the track, and each locomotive
is supplied with a telephone. Each instru-
ment has a length of copper wire connected
with ii, and weight is fastened to the free
end of the wire. When it is desired to
communicate with any of the numerous
offices in the Rldeout telephone system, all
that is necessary is to throw the loose end
OF the copper wire over the stationary wire
by means of the weight, and telephone
connection is thus Immediately established.
This employment of the telephone in rail-
road construction is believed to be the first
of the kind on the Pacific coast and per-
haps in the United States. 1t is very con-
yenient, and saves the expense of opera
tors.