The herald., 1895-01-19
THE VALLEY RAILROAD.
SAN FRANcIsco's LOST CHANCE.

SAN FRANCIsCo'S LOST CHANCE.
| "The people of San Francisco are queer
and enigmatical assortment. For years they
have been literally bowling about the exac-
| tions and extortions OF the Southern Pacific
Railroad company" says the San Bernardlno
Times-Index. "The present-but soon 10 Dc
tpsed-metropolis OF the state has but ono
railroad leading to the east and that Is the
one controlled by Coils P. Huntington. lie
has been mathematical by almost the entire
press of San Francisco and denounced in the
strongest terms by mass meetings OF WONDER
fully indignant citizens. The speeches. nave
ben red hot and the resolutions red hotter.
And yet, with the many millions OF money IN
San Francisco, no effort has been made to in-
duce or aid the building of competing rail-
road If the business men of the metropolis
are every year swindled and robbed by the
Southern Pacific to the extent claimed then
as business pro nosition the merchants would
make money by absolutely building road
to connect with some competing line-to Mo-
iave for illustration. If the claims of San
Francisco are true the entire cost of the road
would soon be returned in the shape of freghts
saved.
"Agan: Sometime last year It was pro-
posed TO build road paralleling the Southern
Pacific from San Francisco through the San
Joaquin valley to Bakersfield. 1t was asserted
that Mr. Huntington was absolutely robb.ng
the people OF the great valley and that tn 9 only
possible way to stop him was to build another
road. San Francisco was asked to contribute
100000 This would secure the road
aud take the city and valley out OF the clutches
of the Southern Pacific. Months have gone by
and the money has not been forthcoming. One
san Francisco Institution offered to give
$50, 600, but to the subscription was attached
a great long and strong string that practically
nullified the offer. And so it goes. Talk and
resolutions will not build the road and these
two articles appear to be San Franciscos whole
stock and trade.
''The people of the San Joaquin valley have
wisely concluded that he millionaires of San
Francisco Will do nothing for them and have
now appealed to the live and modern city of
Los Angeles. The press and business men are
investigating the proposition and If they take
hold OF it in earnest the road will b, built and
the trade and commerce of the wonderful val
ley will be diverted from San Francisco to the
southern metropolis"
The Bakersfield Californian, after saying
tender word for the Huntington octopus and
denying that the Southern Pac1fic's Philan-
thropic corporation could be wicked to
discriminate against any section or city, then
very wisely remarks that. $50 far as regards
the construction of a road from the san
joaquin valley into Southern California, the
Californian heartily favors it just it favors
anything which promises to inject some OF the
vim ana enterprise OF the south into the
lethargic veins Of this portion OF the state We
believe that much of the trade OF this part of
the San joaquin valley naturally belongs to
the south, by just so much as Los Angeles is
nearer to us than San Francisco, and by Just
so much ms the wholesalers OF the Angel city
may be more liberal and ente rprising than
those of the Bay city. We believe that there is
ample room in this valley for two railroads,
and we do not believe that the construction of
another line would in any way injure the one
already here. If there has been any one
thing demonstrated abundantly in the past. it
is that the construction OF new railroads builds
up the country and consequently increases the
volume of business that is transacted We be.
lieve that two roads would find themselves
taxed to carry the frcights that will ere long be
offered them in this valley. and that rapid
e growth that followed the construction
VI first road, even more rapid will be the
4.. l resulting from the build ng OF another
Id.
believe that the first new line into this
vsI must come from Los Angeles. There is
1c looking the other way for it. When II
.Ie of Los Angelesi enterprise shall have
DS-.4 injected into San Francisco when new
race of merchants shall have arisen in that
city who know not the silurian and his ways
then perhaps they will reach out for the trade
they have been rapidly losing, and regain
that to which they entitled by geographical
position, though they can never again hope to
so completely control the trade of the coast
fromerly."
Both the Times-Index and the Californian
are eminently correct when they predict that
San Francisco will not and Los Angeles will
aid the San Joaquin Valley raj road project
Already Los Angeles has taken the first great
step toward this end by producing what is now
known as :he Mathews bill. And LoS Angeles
can be depended upon TO do more than that,
for Los Angeles appreciates that the valley
produce centering here would be OF immense
importance to her commercial interests The
Hanford Democrat draws the deadly contrast
again in this WISE
"'A competing railroad should be built, but
for the Lords sake don't tell Huntington said
So is the way the San Francisco chamber of
commerce puts it. The Los Angeles body says:
Huntington has robbed the San Joaquin val
ley people until they can stand it no longer;
let us arouse and go to their succor.'"
The Farmer and Labor Review of Los Ange-
les realizes the importance of the state trunk
line as solution TO the valley railroad
problem, and truthfully speaks of it as fol-
lows
"LoS Angeles is interested greatly in the road
to Fresno. but the whole state, is interested in
Senator Mathews scheme fora state railroad. 1t
would be great thing in every way, and a
great precedent for California to lead in secur-
ing such road. Other states would soon
adopt the innovation and great trunk lines
across states, with lateral fee iers, would soon
become the rule and the next step would be
| to unite them into one system and turn them
| over to the general government. Before long
| each state would be literally gridironed with
| rouds, and millions of waste acres made
| cessible and marketable. Under proper rail-
| road system, California would hold and feed
| the whole population of the United States, and
America might support several earths as pop
ulous as this one.
We Want Good Man.
! Napa Journal.
The Los Angeles HERALD wants the Demo,
| cratic members of the present legislature TO
stand in with such Republici members as
| wi elect senator who will stand in with