The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-18
A paddock ON A PASS.
Mr.. Huntington May Soon Own
the Sierra Valley and
Mohawk Road.
A Famous Bit of Road That's Worth
Money Although 1t Run
No Trains.

If auguries do not fail Mr.. Bowen, the
a railroad millionaire by means of the
Sierra Valley and Mohawk Railroad.
That's the road that breaks into the
famous Beckwith pass, up in Plumas
County. 1t begins at Chat-which means
cat-and wise folks say Mr.. Bowen will
likely feel feline claws before his engage
ment as railroader is over.
That little road, built years ago by sew
eral local enthusiasts, might yet be made
paying property if it could be made to
start from somewhere and go elsewhere.
Just now it don't. And although Mr..
Bowen and the present co-owaers are
making a bluff at extending the track
down into the town of Beckwith and are
talking serenely of future extensions, peo-
pie who ought to know say such things
will never come to pass.
There are several gentlemen in San
Francisco who know more than they wish
they did about that little mountain road
and they are keeping close watch on pres
ent developments. All that one of these
men has had to show for about $50,0
dropped into the road twenty years ago is
10000 ties that he has kept stacked UP
alongside the track ever since.
zone thing | Know" said one of these
men yesterday, land that is that Mr..
Huntington has the present owners OF
that road Just where he wants them. He
has advanced them money, and he now
has legal lien on the property. In other
words, he's got the cinch on these anna
teur railroaders, and he's IN fair way to
put big paddock on Beckwith Pass.
These are facts that the railroad will sub
stantiate.
What does Mr.. Huntington want of
Beckwith PassP Bless you, he needs it
simply to keep any other overland road
from using it. I've no idea that the
Southern Pacific will ever build through
Beckwith Pass, but the approaches are
such up that rugged middle fork of the
Feather River that the owner of the little
narrow-gauge Mohawk road has practical
control of the situation, and that's what
Mr.. Huntington has at present"
The San Joaquin Valley Railroad direc-
tors held their weekly meeting yesterday
afternoon, disposing of lot of routine
business. There was none of it of special
moment to the outside public beyond the
general fact that all reports presented
showed steady progress and bright out
look.
Engineer Storey gave the facts and fig
ures of the work at the front, in grading
and track-laying south from Stockton, and
1. R. Wilbur, the right-of-way agent, told
of the success of his mission to secure
rights of way all the way down the valley.
Mr.. Wilbur has met with some opposition.
but he has worked his field with consider
able patience, and has now practically a
clear way so far as Fresno.
Messrs. Fillmore, Huntington and Good
man spent last Sunday sat the front" OF
railway construction south of San Luis
Obispo. The present operating terminus
is Guadalupe. fifteen miles south OF San
Luis, but track is constructed three miles
beyond. They were delighted with the
looks of things, especially with the smooth
track south of San Luis. Before another
summer the entire coast line will be in
operation. The heaviest grade then be-
tween here and Los Angeles will be be-
tween Santa Margarita and San Luis,
where it averages about 116 feet to the
mile, but that is like billiard-table in
contrast to Tehachapi or Siskiyou.