The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-04-23
THELOS ANGELESR.R.
prominent st. Louis Capitalists
Back of the Scheme.
VISIT THIS CITY AND MILFORD
The St Louis Party Own 100 Miles of Railway
at Los.Angeles-Deep Water
Harbor.

A road connecting Los Angeles and Salt
Lake has long been the pet scheme of the
people of Los Angeles, and though the pro-
1ect has been frequently agitated in this
city 1t has not been as seriously and con-
tinuously uppermost in the minds OF
the people here as there.
The building Of such line would GER
tainly infuse new life into both cities, and
any movement looking forward to its COM
pletion is of the highest Importance. When
the Unicn Pacific commenced to extend its
line from Milford it was believed that
this was but part of the plan for line
through ito southern California. But dur
ing the stringent money market OF last
summer work came suddenly to q stop.
Little has been said or heard OF
line to southern California since then,
except an occasionally stray rumor that
was put afioat by some enterprising rail-
road newspaper reporters with faculty
for building and equlpping railroads in
dream land and letting the mythical lines
down to terra frma to startle territorial
mortals.
Something of a tangible nature is now
happening and this something may be real
lied, as it has capital back Of it.
A special car arrived in this city Tues
day containing E. G. Kerens, vice-president
of the St. Louis, Arkansas 81 Texas rail-
way; JEFF Chandler, general solicitor OF the
road; Charles Green, president Of the st.
Louis cable line, and president Of the Fair
Ground association of that city; A. 81.
Handlan, of the firm Of M. NJ. Buck & Co.,
and George A. Baker, president OF
the Continental National bank, all
of ST. Louis. These gentlemen, accom-
panied by Superintendent Corwin, OF the
Union Pacific, and Mr.. Simon Bamberger,
an influential citizen of this city, made a
trip to Manti to inspect the work already
done by the Union Pacific company on its
line in the direction of Phoebe.
The st. Louis party are the owners of
valuable railroads at and about Los An
geles and are pressing Congress for large
appropriation to deepen the harbor at San
Pedro, which is twenty-three miles distant
from Los Angeles, and is the only harbor
on the coast between San Francisco and
San Diego The harbor at present has a
depth sufficient to admit vessels with
q draught of eighteen feet and the annual
appropriation OF $4,000 is being expended
in dredging to give 1t more depth. The
government surveyor estimates that So, 600,
600 would give San Pedro a harbor with
sufficient depth for vessels with draugh1
of thirty feet, making it equal to the bes'
ports OF entry in this country. As this Is
but one-half the sum appropriated for the
Galveston harbor, there is very stronf
fighting chance that the next Congress viii
1urnlSn Tue mOuSYs LOS AuRclCS has
population of nearly sixty thousand, and
with the 5000 Inhabitants Of San Pedro
there are 10000 persons directly bene
fitted by this improvement, while
all the western states and terri
tories would be indirectly benefited
With the building Of a Salt Lake & Los
Angeles line, this city and Utah, and il
fact all the inter-mountain country now a
the mercy of the extortionate grasp of tn
Central Pacific, would be given compel
ing line to the coast
The St. Louis syndicate own the railway
between st. Louis and San Pedro, togethe
with 1900 acres of land in and about tn
city, part of which will be used as ter
minal grounds. The same syndicate owl
aud operate the Los Angeles 81 Pasadena
road and the Glendale line, giving then
one hundred miles Of very valuable railwa.
property. This, in addition to their heav
holdings in Los Angeles property make
them prime supporters OF any scheme tina
will benefit that city.
When asked if they would build a line t
this city, JEFF Chandler replied:
There is plenty Of chance for the roa
if Salt Lake people feel as much intereste
in the line as we do"
The object of their visit to this city, an
their inspection OF the work already com
pleted by the Union Pacific, is no doub
for the purpose of making a proposition I
the Union Pacific for terminal facilitle!
together with a favorable traffic arrange
ment over their road between Los Angelo
and the harbor to try to induce it to extern
the line TO the coast. As it is but cues
ton of time when the Union Pacific mu!
secure line to the coast, independent
the Southern Pacific, the negotiations
the St. Louis syndicate may precipitate Il
completion of the same at an early day.
Salt Lake certaily would be benefited |
much as Los Angeles, if not more, and Il
people of this city should lend a hand.