Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-31
THE NEWSPAPERS AND RAILWAY
BUILDING.

lQoro Is no QueSIlOH VI IHe idCu tlau q
great railway movement, having Los An
geles as it's objective point, is under
way, and that the movement for secur-
ing the right-of-way to Rattlesnake
island is part of it. While no leading
eastern railway has as yet shown its
hand as promoter of the consolidation OF
the Cross system OF roads, very heavy
capitalists in St. Louis are identified
with it. The Dick ''Kearns" referred
to by contemporary is in reality the
quite noted Richard Kerrens, OF Kerrens
& Mitchell, and all the other parties
are men of equal note. That the move
ment will result in new transcontl-
mental railway passing through Los An
geles we do not doubt, and it will do so
at an early day. There are at
least two transcontinental railway
systems which might we'll desire
a frontage on the Pacific ocean. such as
would be afforded by the concession OF
the right-of-way to Rattlesnake island.
These are the Union Pacific and the
Denver and Rio Grande, the latter con-
trolled by Jay Gould. Right between
these two corporations lies, in our
opinion, the real inspiration OF the
recent consolidation of the Cross roads
and the energetic efforts being made to
procure the right-of-way to tidewater on
the Pacific. The recent arrival in Los
Angeles of Mr.. Burnett is quite signifi-
cant, as he represents very important
eastern interests. There has been no time
in the history of this region when there
was more inviting field presented to
railroad promoters. This is especially
true as to the Union Pacific railway,
whose road will traverse a section speci-
ally rich in the metals, both base and
precious, which afford such remuner-
tive employment to transportation COM
panies. The supplies of coal, iron, cop
per and lead, to say nothing of gold and
silver, along the line which will be
traversed by the Utah Southern, would
of themselves give satisfactory busi-
ness to this road. The idea that, under
any circumstances, it would stop at Pi-
oche is too ridiculous for mention.
Readers of newspapers are doubtless
sometimes fatigued by the constant dis
cussion of projected railways. And yet
this is inevitable, and is the natural
precursor of the railways themselves.
Away back in 1872 the newspapers OF
Southern California were full Of specula-
tions concerning railways, the Southern
Pacific and Texas Pacific being the prin-
cipal lines then in the public eye. 1t is
a fact worthy OF remark that they came
all the same. First the Southern Pacific
put in an appearance, giving Los Ange-
les connection by rail with San Fran
cisco. Then, in an incredibly brief
space of time, came the Sunset
route, which was practically the carry
ing out of Tom Scott's Texas Pacific
plan. Then attention was riveted on
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and
Atlantic and Pacific railways, which
were making giant strides westward,
and the indeiatigable Los Angeles press
busted itself with representations about
those systems. In due time the latter
corporation bought the Mojave branch
of the Southern Pacific; and, through
its control of the Atlantic and Pacific,
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe soon
had traffic facilities with Los Angeles
and San Francisco. More newspaper
speculation, and the Atchison had it's
own road to Los Angeles, with branch
system, known as the California South
ern, to San Diego. The newspapers
talked and the graders worked until now
we have the whole of Los Angeles
county gridironed with railways.
Los Angeles has been fortunate in
having press specially active and saga
cious in anticipating the advent of new
railways. They have always come in the
past and they will come more surely in
the future. For one reason which
existed for building the Sunset route or
the Atchison to terminus at Los Ange-
les a dozen now exist for extending the
Southern Utah branch of the Union
Pacific from Phoebe to tidewater at
Rattlesnake island.
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Mn. WALTER s. MOORE not only took a