The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-02

llSe0Ce. Was COIlNeyeu " llo pSOp1e "a ludL
city in the following telegram:
l.: SAN FRANCISCO, April 1, 1895.
z p A Buell. President Stockton Commercial as.
ISOLATION, Stockton, CdL-The board of directors
of the San Francisco and San. Joaquin Valley
Railway. Compan in board assembled, ratlfy
and approve committees action accepting
STocktoHS offer, it being understood that the
right of way outside OF city limit be lo0.teet
wide. ALEXANDER MAcKIN, Secretary.
The principal topic of discussion at the
meeting Yesterday, aside from the PROPOSE
ton made by Stockton: was the matter of
surveys and decision was reached that a.
corps should take the field at once, Stock
ton,sof course, being the initial point at
which work viii begin. =.
There appears to be an impression abroad
that the action of the directors indetermin-
ing to begin work at Stockton will have
the effect of shutting out San lose and the
Santa Clara Valley. Such, however is. an
erroneous idea, as was ascertained by the
answer President Spreekels made yesterday
TO a question upon that subject. -
=: !@Wnl your determination TO run to Stock
ton have the effect of preventing the con-
struetion Of a line through the Santa Clara
: Valley was asked. e
ing to: build one line to Stockton, and now
we will look into the advantages of other
sections where more road may be built"
:; There.iS no doubt but-that the board is
making. every effort to solve the problem
OF how a road can most cheaply be run
!: from China Basin out of the city in the
direction of San Jose. There are some
pulling features IN a route of that char
acter, bat it is believed by the board that
they can all be successfully. overcome
~ Engineer Storey says that the first sur
sveying corps which goes out will comprise
ten or fifteen men, d*that other parties
WilItake the field as soon as practicable.
TITS: expected that, the Commercial Asso-
citation of Stockton, which has been the
moving spirit in. securing the line for that
CITY, will materially assist in the work of
finding an outlet from the: city proper; and
the Iabors. of the surveyors will be con-
fined to the outside territory. ...:" :. -.
: Applications for a hearing continue to
reach the board from outside towns which
I wish to be con sidered before the route of
roads definitely decided upon: Modesto
istheIast to. come forward, and a letter
from the citizens of that place yesterday
stated that. they were anxious that the
board should set a date at which they
would be given an audience. The board
has as yet taken no action, but the request
will undoubtedly be considered and the
gentlemen be given an opportunity to pre-
sent the inducements which they have to
offer. ~. ....:.
IS The: matter of the lease has as yet not
been acted upon. 1t is probable that the
Governor, Board of Harbor Commissioners
and the directors of the road will hold a
Joint meeting some day this week and give
the subject their attention. One Of the
Commissioners said yesterday that there
= were some suggestions of minor Importance
which they would probably make, but that
they. would have noeffect upon the general
J terms of the document as heretofore pub
lished. f.. :: = - <"s.<s- =
In the. event of the construction of line
:. from this city down through the Santa
Clara Valley, and also one. between this
city and Stockton, it is quite probable that
the former will be the trst to receive the
=. attention OF the board. Communication is
already secured between here and Stock
ton by water, and the necessities for a
rail line are not so pressing as they are
for the building of the former. -. -. +
The first shipment of rails for the
valley road will be made shortly from
:; New York. They will come by vessel
around Cape Horn, and it IS probable that
they Will be taken direct to Stockton by
: water before they are unloaded. g. -:
:. The matter of the election OF a general
/. manager for the new road does not appear
to be worrying the directors. John d.
:. Spreckels said yesterday that no necessity
:: for the creation of such an official was APP
= parent at present, and there probably
+. would be none for some time to come.
The board Will hold another meeting
this afternoon. President Spreckels yes
terday signed the contract for. the spikes;
:. :fishplates and bolts for the new road, j.
+. Merrill, the contractor, having secured
: the same. r.. =
i Eastern capital stands ready to build a
road through the Santa Clara Valley and
to give it transcontinental connection with
!: the Atlantic and Pacific at point near and
Gil mix axya re dpfi 70
action by the San Francisco and San GA
.qIlip. Valley Railroad. Should the latter
extend its plans to provide the Transport
:.tatioil. facilities embraced in the above
proposition the Eastern parties will make
no move in the matter. In fact nothing
will be done to interfere with the local
project. the intention being to take up the
work of giving the State a competing trans
:; continental road wherever it may be left
blythe San joaquin Valley Railroad should
the latter not complete 1t.
/. R. Wilbur is the promoter of this
newly mentioned enterprise, which, he
saws. in no way aspires to become rival
of that of the San Joaquin Valley Railroad
Company. The capitalists who are back
ing him are seeking good field for invest
ment, and, contemplated doing the very
work that is now being so energetically
pushed by Claus Spreckels and his coli
leagues.
1QG pIOJeCl Oh DullQlIS ROADS through
the rich San j Joaquin and Santa Clara val
leys and: making a transcontinental con-
.nection.with the Atlantic and Pacific Rail-
road was originated in my mind as early as
1887 said Mr.. Wilbur yesterday. Il worked
it assiduously for three years, and in 1890
had the necessary capital interested The
principal Eastern capitalist was on his way
out here in November, 1890, and was killed
in railroad accident coming into Chicago
This, of course, interfered with the
plans as outlined, but l continued to work
on the scheme and secured new backing.
Six of the men who stand ready to provide
all. the funds required in the project are
now in this city: They arrived here about
!. six weeks ago and will remain until the
San joaquin Valley Railroad people de-
velop the fullscope of their work.
They came. prepared to enter the field
at once and begin active operations but adj
vised that nothing be done until the Spreck.
els project was fully outlined. 1 realized
that any attempt to carry out a rival pro-
ject would be generally viewed as South
ern Pacific move to thwart or interfere
with the plans of the new railroad They
listened to my counsel and nothing will
be done to antagonize in any way the in
terests of the local people:
IL. ! Al