The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-27

place for railroad building ct this time. While
her industries are extensively developed, they
are yet in their infancy, Many thousands of
acres of land now unfmproved will be planted to
fruit and vines, and within the next three to
five years 1t is safe to say that the products of
Santa Clara County will double. possibly quad
ruple. AS has been shown by Mayor Austin
there is sufficient freight and passenger traffic
now to pay large dividends on the road now in
existence. Our people are very anxious for a
competing road. They have large fruit ship
ments to make, and this road would come in
for very large share of the business. Besffes,
gentlemen, l urge you to secure the right of
way now, because 1t will grow in value each
year, and would cost many thousands of dol
lars more if delayed for even year from
to-day.
zee that the Governor has just signed the
bill giving terminus in what is known as
China Basin. If you build the road down
through Santa Clara Valley you would natur-
ally obtain a right of way down through the
southern part of the city of San Francisco, and
1t would be practical and feasible plan to run
branch line along down the coast, reaching
Santa Cruz and opening up much new country
on the western side of the mountains. This
might be considesed as one inducement toward
building in that direction, as you could use the
same terminal facilities for this branch line as
for the line that would run through our valley,
and, outside of the great benefit to the State in
general, as have stated, and one of your OBJ
jects, the upbuilding OF San Francisco, this, as
you would see, would give direct communica-
ton with this rich, growing country to land its
wonderful products into your city and take
from here many goods that they consume.
The passenger traffic would naturally be
large coming in on the land side and give
opportunities for people living in the valleys
to visit the metropolis and do business with
your San Francisco merchants. l am satisfied
our people will do their part in obtaining the
right of way and also in subscribing to the
additional stock. And l urge this board to
adopt as one of their routes at least the one
extending down through the valley of Santa
Clara and through one of the passes into the
San Joaquin Valley to connect with the line at
Stockton.
You will notice that the subscription list
already signed by the people of Santa Clara
County eVinces a most liberal support, and
that they do not attach any string to their
subscription other than that the road be built
through their valley. They are liberal, pro-
gressiye and generous people, and this board of
directors may depend that they will meet this
board at every point and give 1t every assist
ance which could be given by any people.
AS to the feasibility of route our secretary
Ar. Wooster, is better posted and can give the
board more definite information thanI /.
The board then invited Clarence M.
Wooster to give his views and to speak of
his trip down through the valley of Santa
Clara and on into San Benito and Monterey
counties. Mr.. Wooster said:
The people along the route evinced an inter
est in the new road and expressed their will
ingness to aid it in every way. AS to the line
to be adopted would like to indorse what has
been said with reference to the Santa Clara
Valley and call the attention of the board to
the fact that practical route had been sur