The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-06-27
RAPIDLY DEVELOPING.
What Is Being Done in the Vicinity of
Bakersfield.
Railroad Building Is Making the PEG.
pie of Kern County Hopeful
of the Future.

trail parts of the delta of Kern river is
hard to over-estimaie. The main line OF
the Southern Pacific, having its route on
the eastern side of the valley mostly
above the present system of irrigation,
could not, as the Californian has often
pointed out, furnish all the transporta-
ton necessary to the development Of our
valley. Farm produce, at the utmost,
cannot be hauled protitably more than
seven or eight miles, and the breadth of
our arabic lands. irrigated or that may be
irrigated, is not far from forty miles.
This branch line, then, paralieling the
main line fifteen or sixteen miles 10 the
west, supplies transportation 10 an irri-
gated belt in this country, which has
hitherto, Tor the needs of the profitable
pursuit of agriculture, been practically
without il, sixteen miles in width from
this city to our northern boundary, and
when completed this vast body OF land
and much more that viii be made avail
able by Its qualifications or connexions,
as will be shown further on, viii soon be
adequately populated anu developed,
adding Immensely TO the resources OF the
county and State. we speak OF this as
soon to come about, and SO it viii, COM
pared with the periods which such great
and important changes usually occupy
IN their evolution; but it Will take long
time, compared with that consumed from
the beginning 10 the end OF the usual run
of current events and the course OF the
aggregate of business transactions gem
orally.
The Southern Pacific Company will
have long 10 wait for the protIt they de-
serve on the immense outlay they have
commenced to make. Business no longer
develops in advance Of transportation
II,
tended. Here was large and rich terri
tory waiting on transportation, and this
great company was the only one having
the financial strength and courage to oc-
cupy the field. Through the present
heavy burden they assume thousands in
this vicinity Will be made prosperous and
rich. From other railroad corporations
we have had, for the post ten or twelve
years and are still receiving, much cheer
ing and encouraging manifestation, but
1t has all proved, ana Will no doubt con-
TIME TO prove, OF an empty, windy
nature. Railroads are not built OF such
Intangible material. The Southern Pa
citic Company are not given 10 talk.
They raise no false hopes and are chary
of promises, because they expect to fulfill
all they may make Their strong point
is hard, proSaic work, engaged III with
out preliminary buster, promptly I'M
dertaken when called Tor by sound con-
SiueIdIiOuS u DuSlHGSS anu DOllCy. w y
confess that we are sometimes betrayed,
in consequence OF the prominence Of these
characteristics, into positive admiration
OF them. We forget the hard and unieel-
ing observation with which they are ac-
customed to meet complaints; that they
cannot reduce charges to the standard
OF the Mississippi Valley railroads eX-
cept gradually as business increases, and
that they cannot do such work as they
are now doing here without money and
the credit that arises from running their
loads on principles the business and
financial world recognizes as correct.
But we have wandered little from. our
subject. We set out TO describe the pro-
gresS and importance of tie new branch
OF the Southern Pacific now sweeping
round from this city through the irrigated
delta OF Kern River. 1t is gratifying to
know that work is being pushed upon il
with the system and energy peculiar to
the great railroad builders OF the first
transcontinental railroad. A few days
ago it had reached Kern River at point
ABOUT sixteen miles west of this city.
The building Of the bridge will occupy
about three weeks, and IN the meantime
long stretch Of grading will be COM
pleIed on the north side, in readiness for
the ties and rails. This branch com
mences leaving The main line near the
machine shops, and thence proceeds in d
southwesterly direction five miles, its
course describing nearly the eighth of a
circle, until it turns due west, 1t con-
tines west eight miles, when it turns tC
the northwest for eight miles, and then
again turns west for sixteen miles. Al
the end OF this stretch a branch will de-
fleet to the oil and asphalt district. This
branch will ultimately be about fifteen
miles in length. but 1t is not likely thai
more than five or six miles will be built
at present. The main line will continue
ordo rin n WnSfarlyy {.
rection to junction with the coast line o.
the Southern Pacific at the interesting
old Mission of San Miguel, on EstrelIa
Creek, branch of the Salinas River.
At the point where the detection O.
sixteen miles TO the westward com
mences, about seventeen miles to the
west and little to the north of this city
another branch will extend northwest
erly to Armona, closing the gap between
this point and the west-side railroad, anC
near the point where the branch defects
TO the oil fields will be still another juno
ton. This will come from road tina
viii leave the main line OF the SoatherI
Pacific about thirty miles north of Huron
and will take route west of Tulare Lake
developing district of great fertility anC
extent, part of which overlies a yaluabl,
coal field.
From this statement some idea of tn,
Importance OF this branch now building
formed. 1t will give US connection Will
the asphalt, oil and coal fields and TIVE
new and shorter routes to the Bay OF Sai
Francisco. By that of the San joaquin
we may vary the monotony by goiny
either on the east or west side of Iular,
Lake. In going north we are to hav,
three routes To choose from.
y great business in coal, oil and asphal
will shortly spring up, apart from tina
which will arise from the vast area O
rich land this branch and its connections
will be the means of developing, and O
which this city viii be the main entrepot
The trade OF tour roads will be concen
trated on the single line at this end, whil
on the main line we have that of the east
side road, which joins 1t at Poso. Within
q few years both the main line and tn
branch viii require to be double-tracke,
from their point of junction with TIA
other roads referred 10 TO this place.
What the Southern Pacific Conlpan,
have now under way. and are pushing a
fast as money, energy and good bushes
management can do, together with wha
they have already doue III this part OF tn
State, will end IN giving us a great popu
lation, in causing Bakersfield to grow in
TO one of the largest, if not the largest, @
our interior cities, and in making ever.
man in this vicinity rich who owns fey
lots or some agricultural land.
While other railroad corporations ar
initiating us with wind and taffy til
Southern Paciticis giving us the real, sub
stantial thing. We are almost driven I,
the conclusion that this company may b
our best friend after all; that they deserv,
some credence when they say that the
Interests are identical with those of TIL
people of California, and that they feel i
both a duty, pleasure and necessity t,
aid them IN every way while helpin,
themselves, claiming that if met in th
same understanding and spirit they vii
stafn ho q.