The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-19
THE FRESNO SITUATION.

The PEG pie of Fresno are anxious to
secure the Valley road, but before taking
any aggressive step in the direction of Sc
curing it they desire to hear what the
directors require of them. This is business
like and to the point. At the same time it
is said that the people of the county are
ready, not only to give right Of way en-
tirely through the county on whatever
route the directors may select, but to do all
the necessary grading besides. Whether
or not this is to be the extent of the aid
which the county will give to the enter
prise we have neither the authority nor the
information to announce.
The proposition to do the grading, if it
should be made, will be novel and attrae-
tive and may serve as hint to other
counties. After harvest the teams will be
idle for time, and hence their employ
ment in this work would not be great
hardship on their owners. Further than
this, it is said that the farmers who do the
era ding will make gift of their services
outright to the company. This would save
them the money required to be paid out
if they should subscribe for shares, as some
of this money would have TO be used in
-
thirty miles wide the value of the donation
will be great.
At the same time it is learned that the
Southern Pacific is overhauling the survey
of its line from MERGED to Sanger. This
survey has been in existence for some time,
but neither any of the right of way has
been secured we are not informed. Such
line on the east side of the main line
would serve the same purpose as the
Porterville branch-a local line covering
the rich and rapidly developing eastern
side of the San Joaquin. If this MERGED
Sanger line should be constructed in adj
vance of the peoples road it would pos
sibly hem in the latter line, just as a road
to tap Visalia must be hemmed in. This
would fasten the hold of the Southern
Pacific on MERGED, MADEIRA, Fresno and
Tulare counties so firmly that it would be
difficult to organize competition that
could resist it. Such considerations make
it all the more imperative that Fresno
County should make its offer to the Valley
road as generous as possible.
Fresno County has very important inter
ests aside from its farming and fruit-grow-
ing. Among these is lumber. There are
two immense fumes in Fresno County
the Pine Ridge fume to Clovis, six or eight
miles from Fresno. and the Kings River
fume to Sanger, twelve or fifteen miles
from Fresno, the terminals of both fumes
being at branch railroads owned by the
Southern Pacific. There is another large
fiume at MADEIRA. These bring down vast
quantities of lumber from the mountains,
which at the terminals is sawn and manu-
featured into various articles, and thence
shipped to all parts of the State. The
freight revenues from this source are large,
and if the Valley road, by the assistance of
the people of Fresno, could secure this
item of transportation, it alone would be
tempting consideration.
In various ways the activities of Fresno
are being developed. One strong company
has been already formed to utilize the
power of the San Joaquin River Falls,
about twenty-six miles from Fresno, in the
generation of electricity, with which to
light Fresno and run machinery. Another
such company is being talked of that will
use the waste water-power of the Pine
Ridge fume. The presence of the Valley
road would be great help to these enter
priSes