The herald., 1895-02-20
THEY Do NOT FAVOR T
Opposition to the Valley
Railroad
SILT lake ROAD MORE Valuable
Those Who Think the Game Not
Worth the Candle
THEY HAVE MANY EXCUSES
The Expense of the Extension Would Be
Too Great
What Some of the Bankers and Merchants
Say About 1t
The Expense of the Extension Would Be
Too Great
What Some OF the Bankers and Merchants
Say About 1t
Answers to The HeraId's Inquiries: What 1ast
Los Angeles Do? What VIII You Give TO
Gain the Southern Terminus?

There was time, not long ago, when
the citizens Of Los Angeles seemed to
favor the building Of a railroad from Los
Angeles to Fresno for the purpose of Civ
ing the Fresno and Tulare shippers an
outlet to the Eastern markets--and Incl
dentally, to make Los Angeles the great
distributing point for the produce of the
great San Joaquin Valley
The citizens OF Los Angeles seemed to
be in dead earnest about it; SO much so,
in fact, that the San Francisco merchants
at last grew alarmed, and Spreckes
rose as a Moses to deliver the slurians
from the bondage OF the octopus
and save them from the commercial ag-
gressiveness of the Los Angeles mer-
chants. So that now the San Joaquin
Valley Railroad is in fair way to be
built, at last
Then the question arose: Shall Los An
geles make ain effort to become the southern
terminus OF the new road? This question
has been brought home to the citizens OF
Los Angeles. Following are their an
swers:
J. II. kocpfii
THE road is bound to come. said ]. o.
Koepfi, of Bishop Il Co. II believe that
the Spreckles syndicate can not afford to
remain at Bakersfield, but must ultimately
build through To Los Angeles. AS far as
the benefits are concerned that would be
derived from such a line they will be far
greater for the merchants of the San Toa-
quin valley than to us here. AS it is now,
when the Spreckes line is built to Bakers
field, the merchants of the valley will be
again at the mercy OF the Southern
Pacific the moment their goods reach
San Francisco. They will have
gained absolutely nothing. In
order to gain any benefits the San Joa-
quin people must come to Los Angeles We
have never made any money in the val
ley. The road we want is one connect
ing San Louis Obispo with Fresno. Then
we will be able to send our travellers
around the coast and back through the
San Joaquin valley. Now we have to send
them to Santa Barbara and they have to
return here before going on to the san
joaquin valley and back again. We have
to pay double mileage and that sort OF
travelling is very expensive and does not
pay for the little trade we get. We can
because they can make the round trip ON
single mileage -
Morltz Meyberg
81 do not favor Il railroad connecting
this city directly with Bakersfield" " said
Moritz Meyberg, of Meyberg Brothers.
eve have absolutely no territory between
the latter and Los Angeles that can bene-
fit our merchants one iota The road
would have to be built through the Mo-
jave desert and no town would be en-
countered until it reaches Bakersfield.
Then again the business men in the San
Joaquin valley will continue to trade with
San Franciscof whether or not there is a
competing line to Los Angeles, because
the distance is in favor OF San Francisco.
My opinion is that the only practical road
TO he built in the interest of Los Angelo,
merchants is the road that will connect
us with the Coast. If we could get road
that will connect with the road at Hue
meme to tap Ventura, Santa Barbara and
San Luis Obispo we will get a new field
and one that will be of Importance to us
AS far as the financial support of this COM
munity is concerned toward line as YOU
suggest, | will say that | do not believe
that the money necessary to build the
road could be raised here Our firm.
am confident, will subscribe to a fund, if
one is started, the same as other mer-
chants will"
fIayor Frank RAIDER
Mayor RAIDER was not enthusiastic about
a railroad from Los Angeles to San Fran
cisco. There is no doubt the road will
be of great benefit to San Francisco, - he
said, 'but where will the benefit to Los
Angeles come in, | would like to know.
The scheme is not nearly as good one
as the Salt Lake road. It is eastern con-
nections we want, not northern. The
country between this city and Bakersfield
is not very productive one. and
soon we will have two railroads
between the north and south. ANYWAY.
The Salt Lake road means opening up
vast and productive stretch OF country.
the wealth Of which will come to Los An
gees. do not favor bonding a county or
city to build railroad. | have seen too
many counties in Kansas, Nebraska and
other Central and Western states.paralvzed
and killed almost, by such methods.
Neither do l believe that private subscrip-
tions could be gotten to build a railroad to
Bakersfield "
John e. Platter.
Equally positive in his expressions was
John e. Platter, president of the Los An
geles Savings Bank. 81 do not favor the
building of the San Joaquin Valley Rail-
road, y lie said, ''and will do nothing to
aid it. If Los Angeles builds railroad
at all, let it open up the country east, but
am satisfied that any project looking to
the building of a railroad by private sub
scripton will fail. The score of men here
who are always called upon to go down in
their pockets have got weary and propose
TO stop it. No, sir, say for me | will do
nothing personally to aid the San joaquin
Valley road"
M. w. Newmark
Mr.. Newmark, of NJ. A. Newark & Co.,
said; Being asked for our opinion re.
garding the advisability and proba biity of
> competing line being built by Los Ange-
les merchants between this point and