The morning call., 1891-03-22
SOME INTERESTING B17S ABOUT PIEDMONT

'boom," and Piedmont lands began to be
sought after. This died away, however,
and, except that the springs were
always poYular, but little attention was
paid to the locality. The progressive
history of Piedmont may be said
to have had its commencement with the
formation in 1877 Of the Piedmont Land
Company, composed of James Gamble
(PresidenO, James de Fremery, George w.
Beaver, L. A. Booth and L. l.. Barker. all
well-knOwn and prominent citizens. Ihey
owned considerable tract Of land at Pied
mont since the time already named. Hay
ing thorough confidence in the future and,
moreover, possessing the courage and the
means to accomplish their purpose, these
gentlemen summoned William Hammond
Hall. the distinguished civil aud landscape
engineer, to the task of laying out and sub
dividing the property. This lie did, with
the assistance of NJ. q. King, C.E., OF Oak
land To their labprs is due the admirable
method upon which Piedmont IS planned,
with its winding avenues which foloW the
natural undulations Of the ground and add
artificial grace to the high inherent beauties
OF the spot. Upon the completion Of this
work the property found ready sale, and
many handsome and elegant residences
arose within the parklike region. 10 this
company is also owing the fact that Pied
mont is so admirably supplied with water
In addition to the numerous springs which
break forth spontaneously at different
points the main pipes of the Contra Costa
Water Company are led through the sec
ton, the connection being made with tho
main reservoir in the mountains, aftordlng
head of water of great strength. horse
car line supplied access. This closes the
second period in the history of Piedmont.
THE PIEDMONT OF TO-DAY
Is the creation of the past three years, and
its growth, which is only yet gathering head
way, is matter of establishment.
Right here it is proper to say that Pied
mont has been sIngularly fortunate, not
only has she wonderful natural advantages,
but She has had energetic and capable men
take and carry out stupendous works to
make these advantages available. Chief
among these, OF course. is
THE PIEDMONT CABLE-RoAD,
The task presented to whose projectors was
not only TO construct q road of great en-
giueering difficulty. but to create q traffic
for the road when built. How this is being
accomplished makes an interesting story.
The Piedmont branch of the COnsoli-
dated Piedmont Cable Uompany's line, the
only one as yet constructed, is some three
miles in length and formes the bond of con-
nection between the heart of Oakland and
the summit of Piedmont ridge Their gil
gantlc engiue-house IS situated on the low
ground lust at the head Of Lake Merritt
Two cables are operated, the one serving
the lower or city portion of the present line
and the other the upper, or Piedmont sec
ton. 1t is this latter that has especial in
terest for us. 1t is carried over rolling
and difficult country, crossing deep ravines
on trestle bridges and rising at rapid pace
to the terminal point en- Vernal avenue,
which is at an elevation of about 400 feet
above the city OF Oakland. novel device
was adopted from the terminal point where
the grip,
THE GRAVITY LOOP,
Is lifted and the car coasts down the grade,
propelled only by the force of gravity, but
so thoroughly under control that it can be
Blair's Park and thence returns by wind
ing course to the main track some quarter
Of mile below the terminus, where the
cable is again taken.
The officers of the company are: Mont
gomery Howe President; Z. A. Heron, Vice
President, and H. p. Garthwaite, Superin-
tendent and Secretary Among the projec-
tors should be prominently mentioned the
Howes and Mrs. Blair who contributed
largely to the cost Of building and espe-
cially Messrs A. w. Bowman and E. A.
Heron for their energy in pushing matters
forward. The latter gentleman was the
financial agent for the company and Is re-
spOnsibe for securing all the funds by
which the road was built. The San Fran
cisco Tool Company, which makes a
specially OIL railroad CONSTRUCTION, were Tic
builders. having contracted for every part
of the Piedmont road from breaking ground
to completion. 1t is but just to say that to
the ingenious and fertile brain, as well as
the capable management of the energetic
manager of the Tool Company, Mr.. Ira
Bishop. is due to large degree the adop-
ton of the many labor-saving devices in
construction and equipment which have
made the road a success. 1t is solidly and
well constructed. The cost of the construc-
ton was something like 100000. To help
get return for this money the company
leased
BLAIR's PARK.
During the past two years there has been
created at Piedmont park and pleasure
ground of such unusual beauty and genuine
attraction that it is worthy of especial de-
scription. Originally laid out by the late
Walter Blair for the purposes to which it is
now devoted, it has been taken in hand by
the Piedmont Gable Company, and extern
sive and important improvements have been
made or are now under way. The cable
company is indebted to Mr.. Ira Bishop Of
the San Francisco Tool Company for the