The San Francisco call., 1895-10-07
VALLEY ROAD EXAMPLES,
What One Contract Alone Has
Done for San Francisco
Industry.
WHERE CARS ARE BUILDING.
An Object Lesson That May Be
Learned at the Southern End
of Second Street.

Down at the foot OF Second street beside
the water front an interesting ana busy
scene NAV be witnessed any day IN the
week. The spectacle is interesting TO Call-
fornia because it represents one phase OF
the progress making in the construction OF
the San Francisco and San Joaquin VaIley
Railway. 1t is a composite one OF hard-
working meckanics-painters, oIacKsInltns'
carpenters, ironworkers and assistants,
railway fre1ghtcars in different stages Oh
construction, piles of lumber ana long
rows of railroad wheels and trucks.
The yard where ehis work is being done
comprises block at the corner OF Second
and Townsend streets that has been sur
rounded with high board fence ana ar
ranged temporarily for the building IN
this city of cars for the Valley road. It's
location was selected with view 10 lts
proximity to the Southern Pacific tracks
and the transit ferry depot. SIdIngs nave
been built into one-half the yard, ana
upon these tracks the cars are being Dullt.
When ready for delivery the cars are
moved out upon the Southern racine
track and taken TO Oakland, whence they
they are hauled TO Stockton as freight ana
there shunted over temporary switch 10
the new tracks OF the competing 1ne. In
this way eleven cars have already been
Stockton. These cars left week ago, and
ten more were built since then and Will
follow On Tuesday. The facilities for
building have been so arranged that ten
freightcars can be started every Monday
morning and turned out the following sat
urdav evening, finished in every detail.
Though the contractors, Hammond q
Co., have established the yard as tenn
porary addition to their works, 1T will be
maintained permanently II the Valley
road directors continue TO place orders tor
cars with that firm.
There were twenty-five men at work
there Saturday., and all they were required
to do was to put the cars together. Every
bit OF wood, every bolt, bar or other IRON
work was in readiness to fit into its own
place, so that the yard work was very sim
pie and capable Of rapid performance.
The main portion of the contract, that Is,
getting the material into that state, was
completed at the manufacturers shops on
Beale street. The bolts and heavy iron
were made at the rolling mills, and the
castiron parts at the Occidental Foundry.
For wood Oregon pine and some oak was
used. In all only the wheels, cylinders
for air brakes, patent automatic couplerS
and springs came from the East. They
would have been made here but there was
no machinery for turning out railroad
Wheels and the other parts were covered
| with patents.
| 1IG CdIS DIS IlIlSuGQ 81 IdI NS4S1CNA OfCA
%, 900 pounds each and were built to carry
$4,000 pounds. They measured 36 feet 4
| inches each in length, or about eight feet
| longer than the ordinary car in California,
and each one was fitted with automatic
couplers, which will save yardmen from
the risk of getting crushed in coupling,
| with patent air brakes and spiral springs,
all on the latest pattern.
/ These cars and the rest of 250 ordered
! could be made East at q triie less than in
California, but then the directors favored
home industry, the road was started by
the people and California should reap the
| benefit.
''We have twenty five men here" said the
yard foreman, land more than double that
number at the shops on Beale street, all
working on the Valley road cars. Over
there in the corner is a house full OF
| bolts and nuts from the rolling mills.
The mills and foundry have been kept
busy on the job and employed large
number of men. I tell you we are glad TO
see it. We can feel the benefit OF keeping
work at home; we make money and can
| live well with our families and spend the
same money right here in San Francisco"