The San Francisco call., 1895-12-01
Only a Small Block of the One
Hundred and Twenty-Five
Thousand Unsold.
GRAND PANORAMA OF SCENERY.
The Route Along the Mountain Will
Present Admirable Advantages to
the Traveller.

MILL VALLEY, CAL, Nov 3O.--A COM
pany will be. formed in few days to build
the Tamalpais Mountain railroad. The
cost OF constructing the road has been es-
timated at 100000, and the operating ex-
penses at $3.50 month.
1t has been fully decided to erect a
power-house in Mill Valley, as engineers
have declared the plan of conducting the
electricity from San Rafael, as was the
original intention. to be impracticable for
the reason that one-fourth of the power is
lost by coming distance of more than ten
miles.
The capital stock of the company will be
$125,000, all Of which, with the exception
OF $4,000. has been placed. The $4,000
worth remaining will be offered to the peo-
pie of Mill Valley, but in case they do not
take it all, then the amount remaining
will be taken up by those who have already
secured q majority of the stock. Neither
the North Pacific Coast Railroad Company
nor the Denahue line will be allowed to
control any of the stock in the road.
1t Is the intention of the projectors of
the Tamalpais Mountain road to be en-
tirely free of control by other railroads,
and it is possible that the original plan to
run boats in connection with the electric
cars will be carried out.
The terminus of the road has not been
decided upon, nor have the surveyors COM
pleted their work; but it is claimed that
the road will tap the lines of both rail-
roads-the North Pacific Coast road at
Mill Valley and the Donahue line at Reeds,
some three miles from here.
III
tain road will be held by the officers OF the
Tamalpais Land and Water Company, and
they will have entire control. Sidney B.
Cushing, representing the electric light
company, will be the next largest share
holder.
E. Steele, real-estate dealer, who has
the placing of the stock in Mill Valley,
said that the people would undoubtedly
take up the entire $4,000 worth that has
been set aside for them.
Gus D. Avery, engineer of the survey
corps, the man who first asserted through
THE CALL that an per cent grade could
be obtained upon the mountain, and
which virtually settled the, question of
building the road, said to-day:
"Our work of running the line is about
co... sted. We have gone over five miles
Off way and have only two miles yet to
runs ~ hch we expect to finish within two
weeks. l do not know where the terminus
of the road will be. We have not run the
line that far yet. Starting from point
Just between the two highest peaks of
Tamalpais, the road will run for one-fourth
OF mile directly north, then westerly
about two miles. On the first quarter of a
10 II = e.,
in length.
This is the only tunnel on the entire
distance of seven miles. and will form a
unique feature of the route, for the traveller
on coming out of the tunnel will catch the
first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. On the
two-mile strip one will oe able to OBTAIN
an excellent view OF the rugged coast of
Marin County for distance of twenty-five
miles to the north and south.
1.-THE road will then turn, and for q dis
tance of three miles run in northeasterly
direction. On this stretch the road will
wind in and out among the ravines and
for the greater part of the distance over
trestles. On this run view of the bay
of San Francisco will be had, while in the
distance Mount Diablo and the Coast
Range will present beautiful background
for the cities and towns nesting at their
bases. San Rafael and San Quentin are
plainly visible from this point, and the
change of scene from the precipitous cliffs
by the ocean to the verdure of the valleys
is one that appeals most forcibly to the
traveller and sightseer.
1.-THE survey corps has already spent
three weeks upon the mountain and we
have had good time with plenty OF work
to keep us busy. We also experienced
number of amusing incidents. The first
night on the mountain it rained and the
ridgepole of the tent was broken by the
force of the wind. We were compelled to
sleep without shelter from the rain. We
dug manzanita roots and with these we
managed to build big fires and keep warm.
1.-THE balance of the survey will not be
difficult and we will probably finish within
two weeks. We are now about mile and
three.quarters from Mill Valley, and our
line will be run toward the northeast so as
to strike the head of Blythedale Canyon,
down which the road will run into Mill
Valley, but 1 do not know just where we
will terminate. Mr.. Cushing and others
interested in the road will probably decide
that"