The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-02-13
THE VALLEY IS Rejoicing
Los Angeles Must Be the
Southern End
MIDDLE COUNTIES GLEEFUL
Some Telling Figures on Southern
Pacific Rates
How San Joaquin Valley Contemporary
Views tte Con1pef;no paiIroad Cfarfed
MIDDLE COUNTIES GLEEFUL
How a San Joaquin Valley Contemporary
Views the Competing Railroad Started
by SpreckeIs' Money
FROM THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN.

SUBSCRIPTIONS tnat nave already been
pledged make the road an actual reality
even at the present time. Enough has
been done now to show that the people
are in earnest in the matter, and from
present appearances work will be com
menced within thirty days. Nearly every
business man OF any prominence in San
Francisco has subscribed literally toward
the road, which is the best evidence that
it will be success. The valley will not
be behind the metropolis in any effort to
| secure this most desired of all improve
ments, and with the hearty cooperation
| of both city and country the end will
| surely be reached
The construction of this road will come
at most opportune time. The merchants
and farmers of the valley have suffered
| too long the eXactionS of the Southern
Pacific corporation. The breaking point
has about been reached, for the time has
come when the system of highway rob
| berry practiced by the Southern Pacific
cannot longer be borne.
This has been kept up in and out of sea-
| son, whether the people were prepared to
| bear the burden of imposition or not The
railroad has transacted business on the
plan of "all the traffic will bear.' They
have never changed their policy, and have
| apparently gone out of their way to retard
| the progress of the state by charging ex-
| cessive freights and fares out of proportion
| to the service rendered. 1t has come to
such a pass that the farmers of this state
are compelled to give one-fourth or one
third OF their crop to get the remainder
| carried to market that returns them
| practically nothing for their labor. The
| hardships: of such a condition has crys-
| tallized in a univeral sentiment that they
be changed, and the Valley road is the
| result of this feeling.
~. I.
before. They have been agitated time
and again during the past ten or twenty
| years, but not until the present time has
| anything tangible resulted from this agi-
tation. Numerous schemes have been
projected for Valley roads, but the South
ern Pacific has always managed to stif1e
these efforts. 1t even went so far as to
construct branch lines on either side of
the valley to forestall projected roads.
Its most remarkable move in this con-
nection was executed several years
ago in the famous Pollasky road at
Fresno. There was much enthusiasm
aroused over the project and Fresno was
promised the possibility of competing
line from the east through the mountains,
Events proved that the road was nothing
but Southern Pacific scheme'and the
popular dream was no nearer realization
than before. Notwithstanding these dis
couragements the people still agitated a
r
! finally resulted in what is known as the
"Spreckles road, about which there can
now be no doubt of its being a genuine
competitor of the Southern Pacific.
The name of the principal stakeholder
in the proposed road is a sufficient guar
sire. Claus Spreckels is unique figure
in the history of the Pacific Coast. He is
a man of the people. He is a self-made
man. He has attained his present posi-
ton in the financial and commercial world
owing to an indomitable pluck and en-
ergy that know no such word as failure.
A year or so ago he fought the mighty
sugar trust and beat it at its own
game, erecting refinery at Philadel-
phia, the home of the trust, to accom-
plish his end. 1t is such man that
builds railroads, and it is such energy
man at the head of the road there can be
no two opinions as to whether or not it
will be pushed ahead. If his name is not
a sufficient guarantee, the others behind
the scheme make it an assured thing.
In considering the advantages that will
competing line one can even look beyond
the vast benefits of lower freights and
fares, for these are not the only things.
Aside from these the country will be given
an impetus that could not come from
even an artificial initiation of real estate
inspired in the future, money will be
easier, healthier and more substantial
investment in real estate will follow and
desirable immigration will be attracted to
the country. These benefits are all to be
considered as the natural results of a
competing road.
The matter of lower freights and fares
is, however, the one in which the people
are most directly interested at present.
1t is the question that has been of the
most vital Importance ever since the road
was built. Attempts without numb.r have
been made to settle it without avail. The
Southern Pacific has been sure of its pos
ition and was not slow to take advantage of
it. The principle of all the traffic would
bear was put into force and carried Qua
relentlessly, rates being charged that
were out of all proportion to the cost of
the article.
Appeals innumerable have been made to
the Board of Railroad Commissioners,
but that body of rascals has been such
a notorious adjunct of the Southern Pa
cif1c that no good could possibly come of
it, The people have been forced to bear this
most outrageous system of highway rob-
berry ever practiced in ancient or modern
times. 1t was the more CALLING because
there has been no possible relief from
it. Trade has languished industries
have persisted, land values have depre-
ciated and depressing gloom has gradu
ally SeUtleu over Tile bIblTt Slule. MILLIONS
of dollars have been taken out of the
channels of trade to enrich the private
Golfers of the cormorants of the Southern
Pacific, without practically any return
whatever. The railroad even refused to
pay its taxes and has kept a large staff of
lawyers to balk the efforts of the people
to recover part of the money due the
state. The corporation repudiated its Just
debt to the Government, and used that
sum to construct what is known as the
Southern Pacific system. 1t has been en-
abled partly to do this by charging freight
rates that were 400 per cent too high for
service that has become Jest and a by
word.
Every shipper and farmer knows to his
sorrow how he is robbed, but the extent
of this robbery is not fully appreciated. 1
The most convincing way to illustrate
this is by comparing the rates on few
articles between the East and San Fran
cisco and between San Francisco and Ba-
kefsfeld, which are as follows:
s. P. FREIGHT RATES
N. Y. to s. +. s. F. to Bak.
Articles Per 100 lbs Per 100 lbs,
Nails. -. carload $ 80 5 .s2
Barbed wire q -. 40 80
Agricul. imp. ~" "a, 1.23 80
a. less carPd 200 81