The herald., 1895-01-01
OUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.

The proposition to connect this city
with the San Joaquin valley by new
railroad and the favor with which it is
received by several Of the prominent
towns in the valley has a significance be-
yond what appears to the unthinking
Glasses.
The reaaons for the favorable dispo-
sition are supposed to be a desire to de-
stroy the monopoly of single road aud
to gain better rates OF transportation. 1t
is easy to presume also that it is done
to stir up San Francisco and to csuae
her business msn to take hold and build
a road from Fresno and other towns, to
this city, that there may be com petition
thither. Probably these considerations
have their weight. but there are other
reasons why the proposition finds favor.
We're a road built to San Francisco it
could have no effect in removing the
monopoly on transportation eastward
from that city, while connection with
Los Angeles assures that competition
and gives access to the markets in q
larger area of country.
Los Angeles has grown SO rapidly lin
population and trade, and her people
have displayed go much enterprise, that
it has come to be considered as an i'm
portant distributing point, and that it is
inevitably destined to take the front
rank as commercial center on the
Pacific coast. Though it ia young
city, it is already formidable rival OF
San Francisco in state trade. and in in ter
state and international commerce.
Nature has done for Los Angeles what
cannot be overcome ct any othsr point
in California by any human effort. The
most practicable routss over the noun
tain ranges for railroads point directly
to this city, and they are the shortest
routea to all the country lying south of
about the SSH parallel to Kansas City.
st. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburg and all
the cities and towns south Of the Ohio
and the Potomac. So far as distance is
concerned the lines from this city can
successfully compete to Chicago and the
northeast, as these lines are not as ex-
| pensive to operate, nor are they az much
interfered with by distractions thrown
upon them by nature ne tho more north
ern lines.
Still greater are this citv's advantages
as to traffic with New York and othe.
Atlantic seaports. by reason of the fact
| that to tide winter on the gulf coaRt
there are but 1850 miles rail haul. and
but 1000 miles to Nav Orleans. where
freightH can be transferred and trana.
ported by water, which assnres cheaper
rates, without serious difference in time
Of transit. Even by all'rnil route there
are reasons why the rates should be less,
and they are because tia southern lines
can be less expensively operated. These
advantages will influence Asistc and
oceanic com mercs to thia city. both out.
going and incoming. the transit through
this city OF commodities designed for
consumption in the middls and eastern
parts of this country, and in foreign
countries.
1t is probable that some day the Mica
rsgua canal will be constructed, and it
may be done sooner than is generally
expected. 1t will have an influence on
the rates for transportation to the other
side of the continent, and all railroads
| which are in whole or in part transcon-
| tnental will be forced to make rates that
will meet that comp tition. The south
ern line from this city can do that when
| no other line can, ior while it has 1897
miles land hsul to nRvigable water, the
distance from this city to New York and
other Atlantic 0oast cities is less by
about 5000 miles than by the Nicaragua
route. The difference in time OF transit
will be- not less than five or ak DAYS.
The competition will be on traffic to and
from the cities on the Gulf and Atlantic
coasts. From this point competition
will be sharper than it can be ct any
other, and for that reasoa rates will be
less. The rail line to Galveston and
New Orleans can submit to lower rates
than any other trsnscontinental line
and make profit. The time is not dis
tant when avery large percentage OF in-
ternationN commerce from the other
side OF the Pacific or from mid ocean
will be handled in pr will pass through
this city especially to the great middle
port$n OF the nation. Our neigh bors
norM OF the Tehachepi. it is presumed,
sesthis and desire to mingie their trade
with the great stream that a destined
to flow through this city.
The scheme to build the road to the
San Joaquin valley should be supported
by our citizens unlsss diversion OF en-
ergies in that direction will have the
effect to delay construction of the road
to Salt Lake City. Every other project
should bs subordinated to that, as it ie
the moat important to this city OF any
that can be conceived. 1t will add an
immense trade district which can be
most feasibly reached from here. 1t
will open country that produces min
erals. coal, cattle. and 10 rich in agrcul-
ture, and with the road in operation
would rapidly become populous. More
over. that road will materially shorten
the distancs to Chicago and the north
west, and add to the advantages this
city now possesses in the way of compe-
tition. Its construction will have the
effect OF making our San joaquin neigh
bors more anxious to be connected with