The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-13
BANQUETED AT VISALIA
They Are Pleased at the In
ducements Offered in the
Way of Freight.
ANOTHER COMPETING LINE
Director Watt Favors the Construc-
ton Of Two Roads From Fresno
to Delano.

VIsALIA, CAL, May 12.-The directors
of the Valley Railroad are in Visalia, rest
ing from the fatigue of constant travel.
For the last three mornings they have been
arising at o'clock, and the weather has
been uncomfortably warm for people unac-
customed to the heat of the San Joaquin
Valley.
They left Hanford for Delano at o'clock
yesterday morning, but owing to the cir
cuitous route travelled did not reach Delano
until s in the evening. The last twenty
seven miles was over "white ash" land,
and was very trying to the travellers. This
morning start was made from Delano at
O'Clock, and some of the directors were in
Visalia by P. M, the last party arriving at
A o'clock. Rooms had been engaged at the
Palace Hotel by the Visalia Board of Trade
for the party and after bath the directors
were entertained at dinner. After dining
they were taken to the site of the proposed
depot, and were shown some of the i'm
provements inaugurated since the talk of
competing road began.
The trip to-day was over forty miles of
fertile wheat fields, where there is growing
a commodity the Valley Railroad will want
chance to haul when the line is COM
pleted. The vast fields of golden grain con-
vinced them that the east side has substan-
tial inducements to offer in the way of
freight, and the people of Visalia are salts
fed, now that the directors have seen both
the west and east side, that the main line
will pass through this city.
The directors have very little to say
about the country over which they have
travelled for the past three days. Mr.. Sloss
and Mr.. Spreckels say the directors have
had no opportunity to talk the matter over
among themselves, and will not do so
until they have looked at Fresno and in
terviewed the people there. They say they
are anxious to have the route located, for
they want to push the work. They have
rails on the way from the East sufficient to
lay 120 miles of road, which would bring
the line to some point south of Fresno.
No opportunity was given the citizens of
Visalia to show the wonderfully productive
land around this city, but the directors
said that was unnecessary, inasmuch as
Claus Spreckels and Messrs. Watt and Pay
son had seen it when on visit here some
two weeks ago. On this trip they simply
wanted to be driven over the country
through which the road would run if laid
out on the east side.
The party will be taken by representa-
tives of the Visalia Board of Trade to
Fresno by way of Dinuba, Orosi, Reed
ley and Sanger tomorrow morning.
Lunch will be served at the magnificent
ranch owned by the California Fruit and
Wine Land Company, and the trip will be
through continuous grain field for al
most the entire distance. There are some
orchards on the way, but the principal
product of the country is grain. This the
advocates of the east side contend is a
point in their favor, inasmuch as fruit is
shipped directly East and would not be a
source of revenue to the Valley road, while
wheat would be shipped to Stockton, and
all of it could be sent over the competing
road The immense lumber trade at
Sanger is another strong point in favor of
the east side, and the possibilities in the
way of paying freight business from that
point will be fully explained.
Visalia's committee, sent to Delano, was
composed OF s. Mitchell. J. V. Huffaker
A. G. Patton, G. J. Berry, W. H. Hammond
w. S. Hayes, Benjamin Parker and Harry
Levinson. The committee appointed for
tomorrow includes A. Lewis, G.. w. Stew
art, Benjamin M. Maddox, s. G. Brown,
P. M. Norboe, A. G.. Patton, ]. V. Huffaker
and e. G. Farnsworth.
In the parlors of the Palace Hotel there
was an important discussion between the
directors and citizens of Visalia this even
ing. Director Watt said that, speaking for
himself, he would be in favor of building
two roads from Fresno to some point in
Kern County, probably at Delano. He
said he thought the country around
Visalia was too good to leave off the line
of the Valley road, and he was also of the
opinion that Hanford would be taken care
of. 1t was his opinion that roads should
be built south from Fresno, through both
cities, and both would have equal facilities
and equal services. Both would be main
lines and both could be constructed at the
same time.
The other directors did not dissent from
Mr.. Watts proposition, although it was a
surprise to them. They seemed to think it
an excellent idea, and the Visalia people
seemed pleased with the proposition. En-
gineer Storey will remain with the party.