The morning call., 1895-02-03

participation of these men in the PROPOSE
ton was kept a profound secret for obvious
reasons, as its publicity would have nat
urally interfered with the work in hand in
many ways. There were terminal facili-
ties to be secured in this city and many
other objects to be attained, which would
have required far more time and the ex-
penditure of far greater sums of money
had this fact become public property.
Commencing at San Jose, Mr. Minot
his engineer and myself rode all through
the Santa Clara Valley in buggy, in or
der that the first-named gentleman might
gain an idea of the fTuit-producing capa-
bilities of that section. His impressions
thereon were lasting, and he unhesitatingly
said that every mile of the road through
the country could be made self-supporting
The fact that fruit was the chief product
and that its market was in the East, at
once impressed him as to its value, from a
traffic point of view, to a through line.
ga survey was also made from Fresno to
Antioch, where tide water would be
reached, and which would give the road
the grain traffic of the San Joaquin Valley,
which found its outlet then, as now, at
Port Costa.
'Mr. Minot ascertained that the annual
product of fruit in Santa Clara County was
about 100000 pounds, consisting of
canned and dried deciduous fruits, all of
which is shipped East. The contiguous
counties of San Mateo on the north, Santa
Cruz on the west and San Benito on the
south, he found, were also large producers
of fruit, their capabilities in this respect
being susceptible of large increase.
GAS to passenger traffic, the fact was
called to his attention that Mount Hamil-
year; that the valley is literally dotted
over with such resorts as Congress Springs,
Los Gatos, Almaden, Twas, Gilroy Hot
Springs, Madrone Springs and hundred
others, which are already popular resorts
during almost the entire year, and which
only await requisite railroad facilities to
become famous the country over.
another consideration of a favorable
nature to which attention was directed is
the absence of heavy grades in the valley.
1t is found that the course of the rivers is
lengthwise of the county, thus obviating
the building of many bridges, while the
peculiarly favorable lay of the land would
make the construction of the road COM
paratively easy matter.
Monterey County, joining San Benito,
it was pointed out, gives access to the al
ready noted resorts OF that county and also
to the products in the way of vegetables,
grain, etc., which ripen in various seasons,
so as to keep up constant local traffic of
magnitude.
1.-THE survey decided upon was through
Penoche Pass, the stakes were all driven,
elevations made and charts drawn, and
these shall endeavor to furnish the Val
ley road people as soon as hear from the
East. They will demonstrate the practical
bility of the route and its undeniable
cheapness of construction.
''The distance shown by these surveys
from San Francisco through Santa Clara
County to Fresno is about twenty-five
miles shorter than the route most COM
monty discussed and it will serve popu-
lation of $4,000 people, while by the other
route only $1,000 will be reached.
81 must not forget to mention the matter |
Of terminal facilities in this city which |
were secured by the road mentioned. The !
services of prominent attorney here were |
brought into requisition, and after success
fully surmounting many difficulties the
necessary facilities were obtained, the titles
being made out in the name of the attor-
ney mentioned.
Every day spent here by Mr. Minot
strengthened the favorable impressions
made upon his mind, and Just prior to his
departure for the East the company was
with J. II. Henry, S. r. John
ION, ]. R. Patton, O. H. Barnhardt and !