The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-26
A PLEASING SUGGESTION.

In yesterdays issue, of the CALL appeared
most interesting suggestion from Arthur
A. Taylor, the able editor OF the Santa Cruz
SurJ. He urges that in the line of the
movement to parallel existing railroads
the possibilities of development that
would attend the construction of a road
down the coast from San Francisco to
Santa Cruz would be very great. He
points out the fact that between the ex-
listing road and the coast there is a strip of
territory forty miles wide, and that its re-
sources, now undeveloped, are wonderfully
rich; that therein is virgin forest of
10000 acres, from which inexhaustible
supplies of tanbark and lumber could be
drawn; that lime and bituminous rock in
magnificent quantities could be secured !;
that all the milk, butter, vegetables and
small fruit that San Francisco requires for
its own consumption could be furnished
from this source; that, handicapped as the
farmers OF that region are with the ne
cessity of hauling their crops by team over
the heavy mountain grades, this section
has shipped 100000 pounds of cabbage
to the Chicago market and sold nearly as
much in San Francisco in single season, "
in the face of the fact that "the freight
rates from Halfmoon Bay to San Francisco
are higher than from Liverpool to San
Francisco"
These and other things to which Mr..
Taylor refers make an astonishing show
ing, and are particularly valuable as prov
ing how rich is California, to what small
extent her resources have been developed,
and how splendid will be the results that
will come from their development. All of
US are familiar with the charms of Santa
Cruz and the unsurpassed excellence of it's
climate and ocean bathing All of us have
travelled over the narrow gauge road that
runs through the mountains, and have
been delighted with the beauties which the
trip brings into view. But how many Of
us have taken that wonderful drive on the
wagon road from Halfmoon Bay to Santa
Cruz, with the great Pacific on the
right and the heavily forested Santa
Cruz range of mountains on the left? The
only stretch of coast road in California
that is worthy of the name is that between
the old San Luis Rev Mission and San
Diego. The ocean there is beautiful, as it
is everywhere, and the long stretch of
sand beach on the one hand and the roll
ing mesa on the other make strangely
enticing picture. The one between San
Francisco and Santa Cruz, with its sand
beaches, alternating with rocky promon-
tories, and its towering moutains cut at in
tervals with romantic canyons, would pre-
sent wholly different and altogether
splendid picture.
One of the most cheering indications
readily drawn from Mr.. Taylor communi-
cation is the reused spirit of the people of
Santa Cruz and their commendable desire
to share the benefits which this dawning
era of development will bring. AS the in
telligent people of that city are fully aware
that no ship ever comes in that has not
been first sent out, and are familiar with
the fable of Hercules and the carter, they
know that they must help themselves be-
fore they can expect help from others; and,
knowing this OF them, We are confident that
when called upon to cooperate in any
scheme which will develop the rich re-
sources of their county they will respond
with the liberality and enterprise that have
already produced this paradise by the sea.