The San Francisco call., 1895-07-20
AN IMPROMPTU AFFAIR.
PyrotechnicS Enliyen the De-
monstration During the
Evening.
DUMPING OF THE FIRST DIRT.
Be Completed In Two
Months.

STOCKTON, CAL, July 19.-The actual
work of grading the Valley Railway road.
bed was begun to-day, and the event was
celebrated this evening with big blowout,
including torchlight procession, pyro-
technics and public speaking on the plaza.
The idea of making demonstration In
celebration of the commencement of the
work was not conceived until this morn
ing, but a number of energetic individuals
went to work forthwith, and within short
time money enough to carry out the pro-
gramme arranged was subscribed.
There were bonfires, rockets, a hundred
anvil salutes, bombs, 500 Roman candles
and red fire. Torches were distributed and
a procession formed at half-past o'clock.
Numerous transparencies, prepared to-day,
were displayed. All the teams now at
work grading were in the procession. One
of the wagons was loaded with grading
material, another with ties, and another
with rails. The speakers stand was dirt
wagon, loaded with ties and rails. Horns
were blowing as though it were New Year 8
eve.
The first load of earth was placed on the
to furnish earth from his pit east of town.
He dumped the load on Taylor street, near
Commerce, and thrust in it staff bearing
the American flag. The load was placed
there at $40 o'clock this morning, and at
Z o'clock the main force of graders went to
work on Edison street, just south of Nor
mon Channel. They are working fast, and
already quite a large embankment has
been formed.
Robert Watt of the board of directors of
the Valley Railway and Chief Engineer
Storey arrived last evening, and to-day
they went over the line, took look at the
graders and inspected the various pits
from which it is proposed to obtain the
grading material.
The contractors who have the city divi-
sion of the road are R. r. Thornton, J. w.
McCarty, John c. Doyle and John Craven.
They expect to have Taylor street graded
in one month and the rest of the work in
the city done in two months.
Hundreds of men were hanging about
Mormon Channel, near California street,
waiting for the work to commence, all
anxious to secure employment. So great
was the crowd that it surged over to where
the laborers were at work and pressed so
closely upon them that officers had to be
called upon to keep the crowd back.
Hundreds of men are coming to Stock
ton every week, hoping to secure employ
ment while the work of constructing the
Valley road is going on. Many will be
doomed to disappointment.
Engineer Storey and Mr.. Watt held
conference with several farmers along the
route of the road in Woods & Levinsky's
law office this afternoon. The conference
was held for the purpose of deciding upon
locations for stations at different points
along the route. There are several avail
able locations, but only four stations will
be established at most. Several farmers
will make the granting of rights of way
through their land conditional upon
the railroad company putting stations
upon their tracts. The matter will be de-
cided at meeting of the directors to be
held next Tuesday.
The streets were thronged long before
Z o'clock with the thousands who gathered
along the main thoroughfare to show how
they felt over the commencement of work
on the road that means so much to Stock
ton, and which this city has done so much
to assist. Hundreds of small boys paraded
about with fishhorns, while the whistles of
all the factories were turned loose to honor
the event.
The procession was a long one and
strictly of the workingman. It was
headed by the police and the Sixth Regi-
ment band next came Mayor Baggs,
Street Superintendent Bidwell, S. NJ. Crit
fifth and John d. Gall in a carriage fol-
lowed by wagons loaded with ties, rails.
-four, brooms and various products typical
of Stockton's Industries, and behind these
came dirt wagons for blocks filled with
laboring men, all supplied with quantities
of Roman candles and red fire, which they
set off to light up the scene.
At one end of the plaza huge bonfire
was burning, while at the other anvils
were fired every few minutes. The labor
ing p,ople turned out in force, as well as
all other classes of Stockton's citizens, and
all along the line of the procession the
sidewalks were packed with spectators.
After going through all of the principal
streets halt was made on the plaza, oppo-
site the courthouse, and the speakers left
their carriages and climbed upon load of
dirt that is to be a part of the roadbed of
the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley
Railway.
Mavor Baggs was the first to address
the throng, and pointed with pride to the
fact that Stockton enterprise had secured
the Inauguration of three railroad enter
prises within the city in as many months.
He was followed by S. M. Griffiths, for
merly of Fresno, who paid an eloquent
tribute to Stockton, and to the San Joaquin
Valley, which will be traversed by the
road over the coming of which to-night's
celebration was held.
After the demonstration the Commercial
Association held meeting to provide for
securing more fluids TO carry on it's enter
prises of securing for Stockton the Valley
road and other kindred benefits to this
city.
FOUGHT WITH CADETS.