The morning call., 1893-07-04
KERN is EAGER.
Ready to Help Construct
the Valley Road.
BUSINESS MEN TALK OUT.
They Want to Trade With San
Francisco.
BUSINESS MEN TALK OUT.
The San Joaquin People Hewers of
Wood and Drawers of Water for
the Southern Pacific.

DAhERSF lELD, y uIH o. L uo CHth uoinShi
in this place over the building of the Stock
ton and Bakersfield Railroad is remark
able. From the wealthiest to the poorest
citizen there is only one expression. and
thasis 1--WE want the new road.
If the CALL corresp ondent i'll making his
rounds here to-day had been supplied with
subscription blanks fully 100000 would
have been subscribed Every person met
is willing and anxious to do all that is
within his power in order to secure the new
enterprise.
A few were found who dare not express
themselves freely because of their relations
with the Southern Pacific. While they en-
Joy at present some special advantages,
they are not such as will cause them to
fight the introduction of new line. They
know that they are now at the mercy OF
tile Southern Pacific, and frank and open
expression of their views would cause the
special advantages they now enjoy to dis.
appear.
But such cases the correspondent has
found rare, and in every instance those
who do not want their names used have
told of the expressions inflicted upon them
by the old company and of their willing
struction of the new road. One large land
company very frankly stated that when
the time came it would be willing to give
the right of way through its land for the
new road as well as handsome cash dona-
ton
The wholesale men of San Francisco do
not realize to what extent they are being
robbed of trade that properly belongs to
them:iu this valley, especially here in Ba-
k4rsfeld. Not merchant in the town has
expressed himself otherwise than in favor
of patronizng San Francisco. but they say
they cannot afford to do so on heavy goods.
Whenever the Southern Pacific is COM
PEELED to make low transcontinental rate
In order to protect its local traffic it al
WAYS does so. At the present time it has
made low rate to Los Angeles in order to
meet the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
rate. and as a result goods can be brought
here via Los Angeles cheaper than via
San Francisco. Goods that are not needed
in bury are being shipped from San
Francisco by water to Los Angeles and
from there by rail to this place, notwith-
standing the fact that from Los Angeles
the road runs through mountain passes
where the cost of the haul is much in ex-
cess of the cost between San Francisco and
this place.
At the present time the Southern Pacific
Company is taking from this valley over
SIS. DOC, 900 annually, which is estimated to
be at least 20 per cent of the valuation of
i've entire product. 1t is doing this in spite
of the fact that the line from San Fran
cisco to this city is the most cheaply con-
- thn tir0 cuct arn and
the most cheaply operated. Every year
the producers Of this valley are called upon
10 pay for miles and miles of unproductive
road, the excessive bonded Indebtedness of
the entire system causing the fixed charges
to be placed at high rate.
The people of this valley have given the
construction of the new road great
amount of thought, and they are unani-
nous in the belief that the Traffic Asso-
citation has placed the cost of construction
at too high rate. They believe that in
stead of costing $4,000 mile it will not
exceed $4,000. TIE line will run through
a fat and fertile country, without any
Typographical impediments to encounter.
The building of the new road means an
increased valuation to the land of this
valley and it means great increase in the
population. The new population will
stimulate business, and with a lowering of
transportation rates this country will thrive
as it never has before. The wheat and
fruit growers will increase their acreage
and viii be able to reach a market that
Will bring them a fair profit upon their
products,
While it is true that the new enterprise
will not have the advantages ofland grants
and subsidies from the Government, it
will have the good will of the people of
the valley and all that they can afford to
give in the way of subscriptions to the
capital stock. What is more. upon the
completion of the new line it will receive
the entire shipments of the people. which
means profitable business.
Dave Hirshfeld, one Of the largest mer-
chants in the town, in discussing the new
railroad, said:
There is nothing that this town and the
county need so much as a competing road.
In order for us TO prosper as we ought to,
considering the great natural advantages
we enjoy. we must obtain relief from the
present exorbitant freight rates.
1--WE are paying $50 ton for freight
from San Francisco when S12 ton would
given the company inst price for trans
portation, taking into consideration the
amount of business which it secures in
this valley and the cheapness with which
it is handled. The Southern Pacific Com
pany admits that this is one of the best
paying points on the road and think it is
true because / pay it $4,000 month.
AT the present time | am shipping
large proportion of my goods from San
francisco to Los Angeles by water and
from there to this place by rail- | can
save money because the Southern Pacific
has been forced to cut its rate to Los
Angeles because Of competition. The
present frst-class rate from San Francisco
to Los Angeles is Is cents. while from San
Francisco to Bakersfield it Is 81 20. We
save cents hundred pounds by using
the water route.
"Jnst let me show you how we are
treated. A short time ago we received a
carload of netting from New York, for
which we paid rate OF 80 cents TO Los