The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-18
SECURING RIGHTS OF WAY
Work Will Soon Be Com
menced on the Livermore
Electric Road.
VERY LITTLE OPPOSITION.
No Bonus Is Being Asked, but a
Free Right of Way Is
Expected.

The interior of Alameda County is
showing a great interest in the electric
road that will shortly be operating be-
tween Oakland and Livermore. The pro-
motors of the road are not delaying mat
tiers because of the appeal to the Supreme
Court regarding the validity of their fran
chise, but have already made pre- parations
for progressing at rapid rate.
The opposition to the new road which
was from the Hayward electrics line has
been overcome, now that the Haywards
liue has not been awarded the franchise.
Many of the property-owners along the
proposed route from Oakland to San
Leandro had signifed their willingness to
give rights of way before the franchise
was granted, but later representatives of
other lines prevailed upon some of them
to go back on their promises Now, how
ever, the matter has been satisfactorily ar
ranged and very few are holding back.
Mr.. Vandercook, the holder of the fran
chise, returned to Oakland to-day from a
tour of the interior of the county, and he
states that his company wants right of
way thirty feet in width, and he expects
this to be given without any cost When
the Haywards road was built there was no
need to ask for any rights of way from pri-
vate property owners, as the entire route
is along the public road. But the COM
pany did ask and obtained some substan-
tial bonuses. Mr.. Vandercook will not ask
| for any bonus, but expects to be given the
right of way, the company to make good
any damage to trees or fences.
The franchise granted by the Supervisors
gives practically clean line over county
roads, but Mr.. Vandercook says it is his
Il nof,r 10, lol- hn DC n a. no
sible, and an effort is being made to secure
the shortest possible route, and If these
rights be secured, but little of the county
roads will be required.
The new company will build the road as
soon as possible, and Mr.. Vandercook
states that about four months after rights
of way are secured the road will be COM
pleted. The agreement signed by property
owners who give land provides that the
work shall be completed within one year
after operations are begun. 1t is not the
intention of the company to resort to con-
demnation proceedings, as it is felt that
such ought not to be necessary.
The farmers and others through whose
land the road will pass freely concede that
| the ultimate benefit to them will more
than pay for the right of way. When the
right of way cannot be obtained the route
will be changed so as to cut through prop
erty whose owners are willing to have it.
According to the proposed route the
road vii! not pass through Haywards, but
will strike Castro Valley about mile and
a half from the center of town. a branch
from the main line will be run into
Haywards.
1t is stated that T. NJ. Leland, who
recently resigned from the Haywards
road, will enter the employ of Mr.. Wander
cook. Mr.. Leland is one of the most ex-
| perienced superintendents on the coast,
and under his management the Haywards
road has paid dividends almost from the
start. A few days ago the Haywards road
run the road on a cash basis. The terri
tory through which the new road will pass
is rapidly developing, and the route will
terminate at the coal mines near
Livermore.