The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-27

nearly all the available water front in
Stockton, and franchises for railways
through many streets, across many blocks
along Mormon Channels bends and curves
and up and down the harbor. Not entirely
satisfied with all the concessions, they ask
for permission to lay track beside the
Southern Pacific rails and the Valley road
line down to the landing place for passen-
ger steamers. Nor is this all. The coal
miners have gone so far as to make bold
proposition to cross the Valley road track
at an angle and after continuing short
distance in the direction of the passenger
landing switch back again with line
along the water front that would inter-
yene between the passenger depot OF the
Valley road and the steamer landing.
II cannot for the life of me understand
why railroad for carrying coal can want
that place." said Chief Engineer Storey of
the Valley road yesterday. "If those peo-
pie got q franchise to build there they
could put a train of freightcars on the
track and shut us out completely from the
steamer passenger landing. Passengers
on our road could not then get to the boats
without walking up and down two blocks.
Anyhow, that sidetrack would absolutely
ruin our passenger depot. | don't know,
of course, what the City Council may do
in this matter, but the cool attempt to get
freight siding between US and the place
where passengers land has completely
astonisbed me.
They have been acting in way that causes
us deal of trouble. OF course we are not
in any way opposing the coming of an
other railway into Stockton, but in this
case there is great deal to think over"
Mr. Storey produced map of Stockton
showing the route of the Valley Railway,
the Southern Pacific tracks, and the mean
dering lines of the proposed Corral Hollow
road as asked for in the application for a
franchise now before the City Council The
Corral Hollow route on the map enters
Stockton on Hunter street and immedi-
ately swerves to the right along Mormon
Channel and down Hazelton avenue along
side the Southern Pacific rails. Continu-
ing toward the harbor it follows one bank
of Mormon Channel distance of ten
blocks and then heads off for everything in
sight on the main harbor, going down H ar
rison street to Weber avenue, where two
lines are run, one for a long stretch on
Mormon Channel, another to take in the
busy yards, mills, etc., and Stockton
Channel. Switching back on Weber ave-
nue. a line is laid out beside the Southern
Pacific and Valley road routes to Madison
street, which ends at the steamer passen-
ger landing.
1t lis on Weber avenue, and at this par
made apparent. For it is there that the
coal mine railroad crosses the Valley road
tracks to form freightyard between them
and the passenger landing.
The Corral Hollow lines are made to
cross the Valley road tracks exactly eight
times in space little more than ten
blocks square. This fact in itself has
aroused many suspicious, since the cross
ings would hamper to very great extent
the operation of the Valley road
"Just what the Corral Hollow Company
wants with line down Hazleton avenue
from the water front l cannot imagine, :"
Mr.. Storey added, as he pointed out line
in an opposite direction from the harbor
1.-The Southern Pacific franchise on that
avenue will expire in few years, and
then-possibly an exchange could be
made"
The map of itself is very good evidence
that opposition is intended for the Valley
road. The lines are SO run and woven
around the route now being constructed
by the Valley road they look like trap to
ensnare the competing railway. Then the
Hazelton-avenue branch going nowhere
would serve as most convenient connec-
ton for the Southern Pacific to make with
the valuable Mormon Channel frontage
and the many Corral Hollow lines down to
the harbor. After these things would come
to pass the coal mine railway could make
connection with the Southern Pacific at
Tracy and still run coal into Stockton, but
in such event the Southern Pacific would
have veritable monopoly in that city.