The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-31
TO BLOCK THE NEW ROAD.
undertaking and Coercion
of Farmers the Features
of the Plan.
DOUBLE JOKER INALEAsE FORM
Ranchers Are Wary and Many Have
Refused to Comply With the
RAILROADS. Demand.

BAKERSFIELD, CAL, March 3d.
There were many rumors afloat here to-
day TO the effect that the Southern Pacific
is trying to make a land grab and at the
same time strike blow at the valley
road. AS near as can be ascertained the
following facts are the basis for the re-
ports:
The Southern Pacific Company claim
they were originally granted 200 feet right
of way along their lines and base their
claims upon their original grants and on
the act of Congress of March 8, 1875, grant
ing to railroads ''the right of way on pub
lie lands of the United States 100 feet on
each side of the central line of said roads"
However for years past the company has
been assessed for but 100 feet, so feet on
each side of the main line, with the excep-
tion Of reservations in towns. The State
Board of Equalization for 1894 describes
the right of way in Kern County as fol-
lows: "117.83 miles with right of way
through Delano, Bakersfield and Moiave
200 feet in width, at all other points 100
feet width" And for such was the assess
ment levied. To the Delano irrigation
district the railroad company sent a state
ment of it's line through the district in
which the right of way is described as
being 100 feet in width, and this statement
is signed by J. L. Willcutt as secretary. In
July last the company began setting back
fences near Delano, and did move quite a
number. The farmers resented the action,
and one, in energetic language, informed
the crew that the first man that started to
dig posthole on his land would die. They
left the place and nothing more was done
at that time. Now the matter is up again
Mr.. Garoutte has been here for three
weeks quietly working among the land
owners along the line inducing them to
lease from the company the fifty feet that
the company claims. This is accompanied
by threat that the fences will be set back
and the land inclosed in the railroads.
reservation The consideration is 81 year
and the promise from the farmer that he
will ship all his produce over the Southern
Pacific for five years.
Here is double Joker. The first is the
lease. The moment it is signed will be a
formal surrender of the farmers adverse
possession of from five to fifteen years, will
give in turn adverse possession to the
company, and at the end of five years the
title will be acquired by prescription The
second joker is believed to be blow at the
new road, as the lease is said to be so
worded that it binds up all the land be-
longing to the farmer signing it, and some
of the landowners have very large tracts of
grain. All this must be shipped for five
years over the company's lines, thereby
shutting off competition. None of these
leases have been filed for record.
Two men residing in Bakersfield are
known to have signed it. Most every one
approached has declined to sign. Letters
from men all along the line are pouring in
for information in regard to the matter
Many valuable Improvements are in
cluded in the strip. Many miles of valua-
able county roads are also affected The
original act excluded county roads then in
existence. but these have been located and
established since the passage of the act.
Some are highways by common usage over
period of years Others were advertised
and declared public highways by the Board
of Supervisors. On Monday the board will
be called upon by Southern Pacific officials
to see what it will do about the matter
AS it is believed the roads are public prop
erty, lively time is anticipated and in
teresting developments are expected to
follow.
The entire road from Jewetta, six miles
north of Bakersfield, to Delano, a distance
of twenty-six miles, will be taken if the
company succeeds in its purpose. and the
county will be put to the expense of new
highway. This is the best road in the
county The road from Tehachapi to Mo-
jave, for forty or fifty miles, parallels the
track and has on it many expensive cuts,
and passes through rough mountains
This will go to the company.