Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-24
A GREAT SCHEME.
General Shields's Plans for Railroad
Development.

DCVClOpIllcEL
General Shields is very enthusiastic
man about Southern California, and is
apt to be little ahead of the times.
Twelve years ago he proposed plan for
roaGa in Southern California that has
since been built by the Santa Fe com
pany. He also first broacbed the idea
of sugar factory. The following ideas
which he has penned about Los Angeles
as railroad center may read wildly ex
travagant now, but how will they read
ten or fifteen years hence?
BY the logic Of facts Southern Califor-
MIA has, IN sense, captured the world
and in sense, by the worldwide reach
OF steam and electricity, has annexed
the world. The world is becoming more
and more our merchant, visitor and i'm.
migrant.
Let US now center the north, the east,
the west and the south in the city of Los
Angeles. How? Let us see.
Converge at Robinson's pass eight
certain operating railroads with trans
continental connections. Robinson's
pass is On the south side of the Mojave
desert, about twenty miles, air line,
north OF La Canada valley, and, by way
OF La Canada valley, about thirty miles,
air line, north OF the city of Los Angeles.
Mountains, only mountains, occupy the
entire space between Robinson's pass
and La Canada valley. Across La
Canada valley, and by way of Verdugo
park to Los Angeles, there is no noun
tain to cross.
A double-track railroad between Rob
inson's pass and Los Angeles city would
easily pass all the trains of the eight
railroads. Money will give per cent
grade and more money will give per
cent grade. This double-track railroad
should be owned and used by the eight
railroads.
The double-track railroad from Robin
sons pass to La Canada valley would
cost about two millions of dollars. This,
proportionately divided among the said
eight railroads, would be trif1e to each
railroad-a trif1e in comparison with
the stupendous consequent valuable ia
cilities.
The continuation of the double-track
from La Canada valley to the city of
Los Angeles would be over a region of
easy grades, without cuts, fills or bridges
to speak of.
This route, by way of La Canada val
ley, would bring Los Angeles and San
Francisco about thirty miles nearer to
each other than by the Soledad caflon,
the present route OF the Southern Pacific
railroad.
The names OF tie eight railroads pro-
posed to converge at Robinson's pass
are as follows: The Southern Pacific,
the Carson and Colorado, the Nevada
Central, the Eureka and Palisade, the
Utah Central, the Sewer Valley, the
Atlantic and Pacific, and the Los An.
geies, La Canada Valley and San Fran
cisco Terminal railroad.
Today, all the eight railroads are
passing trains towards Robinson's q pass );
all point toward Robinson's pass; and
all are on the map OF the Denver and
Rio Grands railroad. except the Ter
minal railway from Los Angeles to
Verdugo park. The names above given
are the present names of the eight
railroads, except the road from Los
Angeles to Verdugo park.
The eight railroads and ninth rail-
road-the coast line-would thus, in
the city of Los Angeles, practically
center the north and belt of the east.
The existing Santa Fe railroad, and the
existing Sunset railroad, and three
other railroads yet to be built, will, in
the city of Los Angeles, center the re-
mainder Of the east.
Three railroads yet to be built, will,
in the city of Los Angeles, center the
south, including Mexico and Central
America.
Railroads built, and yet to be built to
the beach, between Cape Conception
and Mexico, supplemented by trans
pacific navigation yet to open, will, in
the city of Los Angeles, practically
center the west and the adjacent points
of the compass. including Oceanica and
the Pacific coast of Asia.
. No one need be confouuded by this
array of stupendous possibilities. The
coolest head will calmly contemplate
the inevitable. 1t was decreed, at the
date the waters were gathered into
oceans, and when America, with the
site of Los Angeles, arose above the
pillows. .