The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-21
TO BE BUILT IN SIX MONTHS.

A great enterprise, which means much
for the State of California, and OF para
mount Importance to San Francisco, is
that of the Overland Pacific Railway Com
pany, which was recently incorporated in
this city, and an account of which ap-
peared in THE CALL several days ago.
Il means the development Of the vast
and impenetrabla redwood forests in
MendOcino and Humboldt counties, which
hitherto could not he worked on account
of the lack Of transportation facilities and
the inaccessible character of The region.
1t means also the development OF an al
most inexhaustible coal mine, extending
for miles in length, which within six
months will place on the San Francisco
market the best quality of coal al 81 a ton.
That the enterprise is not visionary and
has passed the embryonic stage is atteSted
both by the character and wealth of the
men behind the scheme and the steps al
ready taken to carry out the ideas of the
incorporation.
The contract for the building of the
100-mile railroad" said Barclay Henley
last night, one of the directors of the
company, (which will tap the great lum-
Der regions owned by General Alger and
others, and the great coalfeldS of Meudo-
elmo County. has already been let.
road within three weeks, and at the ut
most within thirty days.
The contract has been let to the Oregon
Irrigation and Construction Company.
and the agreement calls for the completion
of the road within six months. The COM
yaDy which has the contract has every
available means to build the road, and can
place 1000 men to work if il so desires.
when the road is finished, coal will be
ready for delivery, for the coal bunkers
will be built by that time, and the mine
ready for operation.
Two thousand tons day can be easily
mined, but there is o o limit to the supply.
The coal can be mined for 81 ton, the
transportation will cost 81 90, and the CON-
pany can make splendid profit by selling
it at the San Francisco market for 81 u
ton.
"There are the best men and the most
substantial capital behind this enterprise"
continued Mr.. Henley; ~. L. johnson,
son of the multi-miliiOnaire of Wisconsin,
General Alger of Michigan and others.
The capital stock is 81, 5000 all Of which
is taken up There Will BE- no trouble
whatever in floating whatever bonds may
be necessary.
"Those at the head of the enterprise
must push it TO a successful issue, because
they have already spent about 100000
N the region mentioned.
do you know what cheap fuel means
for San Francisco" said Mr.. Henley. 1T
IS the emancipation of the city, and will
be the means OF making ii the great manu-
featuring center 1t should be. No city can
be great unless it has its foundation in
manufacturing, and expensive fuel has
kept San Francisco in the background in
this respect. Then look at the vast lumber
Interests in MendOclnO. enough for 100
years, according to the ordinary demand.
There is also the best quality of iron ore
in the region.
np fba hrip 8
for the opening up of these resources will
bring more people than the dry and arid
lands OF the South, which require irrga-
ton for cultivation. All this will be bust
ness for San Francisco. which will control
the locality of its railroad and water trans
pOrtation facilities. DO not speak as an
enthusiast, but from a plain business
standpoint. No one can anticipate Ihe
benefits TO San Francisco from cheap
fuel"
From other sources some inside facts
were learned of the company. First, as
regards the Mount Vernon coal mines,
which the road proposes to tap. A little
over thirty years ago these Mend0cino coal
mines were brought to the attention of
Friedlander, The grain king of CaIifOr-
MIA. He had Penn sylvania and English
coal experts to examine the mines. and
from their reports was very much I'M
pressed with their value. Acting on their
reports he managed to secure control of
about Zoo acres OF the land on which the
principal coal veins are located.
Friedlander did not develop bis mines
at once, and when he subsequently became
engaged in the wheat deal which involved
him to the amount of millions of dollars
the title 10 the coal fields passed into the
possession OF Mackay and Flood of the
Nevada Bank.
The company which proposes to develop
the mines has contract with Mackay aud
Flood. besides having secured the inter-
ests of others who own land Oh which coal
veins exist
The chief hackers of the company are
Eastern men, but the directors are local
residents, for the reason that the law re-
Quires this to be so.
An account of the analysis of the coal
and its superior quality and a description
of the proposed railroad line was published
in The CALL several days ago. What will
make the transportation of coal easy by
the proposed line is the fact that the haul
ing will be all dOwnhill ana only one
engine will be required TO pull the cars
back.