The San Francisco call., 1895-08-01
OAKLAND'S NEW SUBURB,
Electric Cars Over the Pied
mont Hills to Moraga
Valley.
Neg citations Long Ago Projected
Recently Renewed With
Success.

An enterprise long ago projected to bring
a vast tract of land known as the Moraga
Valley ranch into suburban relations with
Oakland is about to be consummated.
General j. A. Williamson of Washington,
who was for many years at the head of the
land department of the Atlantic and Pacific
Railroad, became interested some years
ago in the Moraga tract, and he and his
associates purchased 14,0O0 acres of land
comprising the tract. General Williamson
enlisted London capitalists in a plan to
improve the property, and build railways
to connect the acquired tract with Oakland.
The industrial depression throughout
the United States which immediately
followed the repeal of the silver purchasing
clause of the Sherman act hampered the
progress of negotiations abroad, and
affairs of the company simply remained at
a standstlll for year or more. Now, with
Frightening prospects in the East and
renewed activity in California, negotiations
have been resumed, and assurance is given
that railroad construction will not be long
delayed.
The California and Nevada Railroad, in
which Captain John w. Smith, the Oak
land capitalist, is largely interested, may
figure quite extensively in the new plans
Railroad, which connects with Bryant, the
terminal station of the California and
Nevada, has five miles of track graded
into the valley. This line will be pushed
through to Walnut Creek, connecting with
an electric road to be built across the
Piedmont hills to Oakland, eight miles
distant.
The hills, or mountain ranges. which
almost surround the valley present many
obstacles in the way of railway construc-
ton, but it is only question of time
when a hole will be bored through the
mountain, so that the fertile valley lands
will be brought into close connection with
the San Joaquin Valley Railroad system.
The climatic attractions of the Moraga
Valley are unsurpassed. The mountains,
which now seem an obstacle to develop
ment, will in the future be justly regarded
as chief advantage, as they shield the
valley from the harsh winds of the ocean
and keep the temperature agreeable the
year around.
The development of this tract of land,
famed for its sylvan beauty, its groves of
will add largely to Oakland's suburban re-
nown. 1t is taken into consideration that
an electric railway line across the Pied
mont hills to Walnut Valley, and thence
along the loop connecting with the Cali
fornia and Nevada Railroad would invite
tourist and pleasure-seeklng travel. San
Francisco excursions, under proper man.
agement, might become popular features
Of the new line.
Generve Williamson left the City for the
East last Sunday evening. During his So
journ of six weeks in the State he went
over the maps and figures of the various
surveys. He hoped to bring about an ar
rangement for the building of branch of
the San Joaquin Valley Railroad to the
Moraga tract, but in this his hopes were
not fulfilled. The company, however. will
go ahead with the electric line across the
hills, fully comprehending that the devel-
opment of the valley will soon make busi-
ness for direct road capable of carrying
freight as well as passengers.
Equivocation, a word now applied to any