Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-04-08
ROAD TO THE COAST.
C0.Whittemore on Building a Railway
From Salt Lake 10 Los Angeles.
RErORr TO THE BOARD OF TRADE.
What Is Said OF the Little Terminal
aud the Amount OF Moncy the
Company Has Expended.

Mr.. g. y. WhittemOre OF TINS city'
who has long been an earnest advocate
OF the scheme TO build road from tue
city to the coast, aud who has spent
much Of his time Of late at Los
Angeles, has submitted the following
~ the president aud board Of directors
OF the Chamber Of Commerce;
Gentiemen.-While on my way to
Los Augeles In December, 1892, |
received ut San FranolscJ n letter from
President Donnellan aud Secretary
Sears OF the Salt Lake Chamber o.
Commerce, requesting me, Ms member
Of the Chamber OF Commerce com.
mittee GU proj, cted railways, to devote
what Time | could spaIo In the Interest
Of the Proposition about which 40 much
has been saiu anu 80 little atoOui'
pllshed, namely, tne building Of n rail.
way line from this city 10 Los Angeles
anu the Pacific Coast.
In response to this request,I devoted
considerable time duiiug my three
months stay In southern California 10
increasing the intcrest that found
already exist e among all glasses Of
people In this part OF the country In
regard 10 this matter, anu investigat ny
~ to the aid that would be exlendeJ
from that quarter TO such an enter.
prise.
While found q great interest maui.
Tested by all classes Of people In tho
project, nnd n great desire existing that
the ROAD should be- buiIt here without
del y, still there seemed 10 be very
little disposition 10 aid, except with
I. K, the promotion OF this enterprise,
which, when accomplished, would aid
Salt Lake and Los Angelo. more than
any fiily thugs that nave ever hay.
pened TO them. In this particular was
very much struck with tho similarly
between the people here and there. La
my Investigation Of this project found
in what In designated as southern Cali.
fornia proper, which embraces the i've
southern counties OF that state, and
which would bo tributary 10 u roa
bum from this city 10 Los Angeles, a
population Of about 300, 1000, occupying
couutry and owning aud clItivstinB
q soil that would furnish It's owner
with products from winch could uo
realized more money to tho acre than
any land on tho face OF tbs globe.
1 found q country whose mutt aud
vegetable prouucts amounted % near.
ly slO,00O,UU0 In 1892. | found
country that In M yet only partially
settled, which Will In time anu which
In ,paDic of SUPP ortiDg n population OF
2,OOO,UOO, and whose products will
eventually amount TO at least 10000;
900. In addition to this conditioy,y
prosperity l found a people WIN W
without coal, iron, copper, le-. ~
or any precious metals WIZ, 80" ~.
country hounds; NJ n cr "sn ~sm o''
pnratiy,1is SID lie. hut A'uiactured com.
Iht,,.- -lDrtion. ., - a. who depended
upon cJi,--, 40 east aud north OF them
for almost everything consumed aside
from fruits and vegetables, u people
who sent away annually SlO,uOO,OUO
worth OF fruits, vegetables aud wines,
In return tor them receiving groceries.
clothing and manufactured pro ucts
necessary for their daily use. As MI
actual result VI this condition OF afiaifs
found that prices upon all inanufao
tured articlcs anu commodities were
much higher than here, aud that iron
$40 to $40 WAS paid for coal consumt d,
and a very Inferior article II was,
one ten y 1 Rock Springs or Pleasant
Valley coal ICING equal to about on,
and n half tons VI tho coal that they
pay SO to SIS for.
As q result Of this Investigation
naturally became very much imptesse,
with the idea that Southern CalifOrnii
was lust the country that Salt Lake
needs to catch, by building u railway
line to II. From many interviews viii
bankers, merchants, business men
farmers and lsbofing men, / becam'
further impressed with the fact tina
BaIt Lake Guy should tako q vigorous
hold OF this railway project anu get
lineextenued into Nevads.
The people OF Southern California
would come TO their assistance au,
builu the west half VI tho road.
found In Los Angeles n railway cor
marathon In existence known ns th'
Los ANGELES Terminal Railway com
pany, which was organized about fv,
years ago for the pufp, No OF building
"A line through lIus Angeles anu III
conpt To tue hnrbOr OF San Peuto ant
10 the cities In tue vicinity OF Loo
ANGLER, In order 10 be In u position Il
po.Dl,,Iate with another railway com
many who should desire 10 luild Tut
that country from the east This cor
poralion has already expended abou
sl2,OOO0 900 u securing rights OF wa!
through me city ami surrouuiiul
country aud to the harbor, and OBTAIN
ing suitable harUor facilities, no tina
this company Is In an excellent posi-
tlon to Join with u similar corporation
at this eud anu carry this great enter
prise 10 completion.
We are July acquainted with Tn
great advantages watch WI accrue u
the building Ol tn ROAD; II Ia u'eles