The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-01

indicates that they have a prefer
ence for direct line rather than for one
encircling the mountain. A straight road
would be much less expensive than a
winding one, but would 1t be the best to
adopt? A straight road would require
either cable or a cog system. but wind
ing road could be operated by electricity.
Recent improvements in electric lines
have enabled them to climb surprisingly
heavy grades. In any event a survey Of
Tamalpais would likely develop the fact
that an electric road to the summit would
not have to be more than three times the
length of straight cable or cog road.
Possibly the fact that company which
proposes to construct the road intends also
to erect a hotel on the summit may have
something to do with a possible preference
for direct line, as it is evident that a
steep, straight road would not tend to de-
velop hotel competition along the route.
But there are other considerations deserv-
ing attention. 1t is evident that steep
road would fail also to encourage the
building of summer residences along its
length, and that an electric would have a
strong tendency to do so, and that this
would mean considerable increase of the
roads traffic. 1t might easily be reasoned
that the large number of private residences
and public resorts which would spring up
alongside winding road would bring adj
vantages more than offsetting those accru-
ing from virtual monopoly of hotel &C
commodations at the summit.
That is one matter to consider. Another
is the possibly greater transient traffic of a
winding road by reason of the superior
scenic attractions that it would offer. This
element would hardly operate in the case
of a straight road, which would ascend the
eastern face of the mountain and afford
but one outlook. The wonderful sweep of
scenery which the mountain offers would
not be available until the very summit is
reached. A winding road, on the other
hand, would bring something new and
beautiful into view at every moment of its
ascent, and would cause the whole splen-
did panorama to swing round in the I'M
folding of its charms. The trip alone
would offer attractions of the strongest
kind, which would be largely absent in the
case of straight road.
There are still other considerations.
The contemplation of hotel on the sum-
NIT carries with it the presumption that
the company sees its way to the mastering
of the water-suppIy problem. A winding
road would invite summer residents, who
would be consumers of water and cleo
tricity, and in the supplying of these
wants the company could secure consid-
cradle revenue. In addition to these con-
siderations there are minor ones, including
the larger traffic which a winding road
would enjoy from camping, hunting and pic
mic parties. Most of these evident ways in
which larger passenger traffic would be
secured carry with them the necessity for
the carrying of freight and an opportunity
to derive an income from the service.
The conditions under which cable and
cog roads have been constructed to noun
tain SUBMITS are, so far as we can remem-
Der. to<ally different from those which
obtain at Tamalpais. In most cases cleo
trio roads had not been developed at the
time the roads were constructed, and gen.
orally winter SHOWS would prohibit their
adoption. In no case is the scenery offered
SO beautiful and varied as that of Tamal-
pals, and in exceedingly few cases is
roadside settlement possible.