The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-06
THE VALLEY RO AID.


Full Details OF the Big Preliminary
Meeting at Fresno.
The meeting of Fresno citizens and
business men assembled to arrange for
q MACS meeting of all the middle coun-
ties, an sccoun. OF which was published
in the telegraph columns of THE HER
AID, is thus detailed by the Fresno Re-
publican of January 1st:
although but little notice had been
given, number of gentlemen distinct-
ly representing the business interests of
Fresno assembled in Fulton G. Berry's
office last night to discuss the latest
proposition Tor a competing railroad
through the valley. 1t wss in many ro-
spects an agreeable departure from a
number OF meetings that have been
held here of late. in connection with the
problem Of cheap trans portation. There
was no attempt at concealment or Sc.
crecy. The newspapers wers treated
with courtesy, and reporters were freely
permitted to take notes OF the proceed
ings.
Before opening the business OF the
evening, q number OF extracts were read
from Los Angeles papefs, showing the
keen interest aroused in that city by the
expressed sentiment of leading residents
of Fresno in favor of looking southwark
for aid rather than waste further time
in dallying with Mr.. Leeds and the
Traffic association. The gentlemen
present expressed their full apprecia-
ton OF the good will shown the people
of Los Angeles.
Among those present were Supervisor
r. B. Butler. Gen. M, W. Muller, Mayor
Firman Church, O. J. Woodward, presi-
dent of the First National bank; I. @.
White, G. B. Noble, and w. D. Noble,
Sam jackson. F. w. Haber, and +. g..
Berry.
A number OF expressions Of opinion
from leading citizens OF Los Ange les
we're read, all holding out the right
hand of fellowship to Fresno in her
struggle for emancipation and many
ndorsing the proposition that in the
event OF division OF the state Fres no
would be heartily welcomed to the
sunny south.
The meeting was organized by elect
ing Mayor Church chairman and It. Is.
Noble secretary.
7. @. White was called on to state the
objects OF the conference. He said that
| in a general way it was to get few oil
the representative business men oil
| Fresno together to talk over the project
OF competing road and decide on the
best policy to pursue, especially whether
they should look to San Francisco oil
Los Angeles for aid, and lastly whether
they should favor division OF the state
as we'll as competing road. II seemed
to him that Los Angeles had taken @
greater interest in the building OF the
competing road than San Francisco
The San Francisco people had said in
vague sort of way that they would like
to have the road, but it was in way
that seemed TO say. "If Those people
want to build the road let them build
it and we will have the benefit of il
when it gets here" He believed the
present agitation was going to result in
something of benefit to Fresno county
and that at all events the people OF Sar
Francisco would get move on. II
would be good plan to aend com.
mittee to confer with the Los Angeles
chamber of commerce and get prom.
ise OF support from them. There had
been a suggestion that committee O.
fifty leading business men and repre-
sentative citizens from the counties
of MERGED, MADEIRA, Fresno. Kings. Tulare
and Kern should 20 to San Francisco
first aud ascertain whether or not San
Francisco is going to raise the $3.50. 0OC
promised, and when she will start in
| II no satisfactory assurance could be OBJ
tanned, then the valley counties were tt
20 to Los Angeles and build the road te
that point. He did not undertake TO soy
which was the better proposition; tina
was for the meeting to determine.
Fulton Il. Berry defended the sugges'
ton of sending delegation OF 30 to Sar
Francisco, on the ground that a large
delegation would command bette
hearing and some definite answer would
be assured. II that answer WAS unsat'
isfactory they would 60 to Los Angeles
The people of that city have taken hold
of the competing railroad movement
and given it more attention and more
encouragement than Francisco ever did
Fresno has never asked Los Angeles fol
aid in building the road, aud in thu
event of the state being divided this city
and county should hitch on to the south
ern end OF it.
After several of the members hat
voluntarily agreed to communicate with
the leading men OF the valley countie!
and stir up an interest in the coming
mass meeting in this city, o. ]. Wood
ward spoke forcibly en- the advisability
OF ignoring San Francisco altogether in
the railroad matter and dealing with
| Los Angeles alone. He said that in hit
own experience as . real estate sgenI
nearly all the immigration into thil
county came by way of Southern Cali
fornia. He would give $4,000 any tint
to build road to Los Angeles and tina
was 10 times more than he would give
to build road to San Francisco. III,
believed that the construction of a com
petng railroad by way OF Los Angeles
would increase the value of land il
Fresno county $40 an acre. He was il
favor of dividing the state and going il
with the southern county.
General Muller observed that il onct
they started to build to Los Angeles the
San Francisco people would soon come
down. but not before. He moved thai
a committee OF three be appointed tt
visit the valley counties and make ar
rangements for a mass meeting to bt
held in Fresno during the second week
in January.
An amendment prevailed by which
the committee was increased to five, anC
Fulton G. Berry, o. j. Woodward anC
Mayor Church were appointed com.
mittee to choose the five from the lead,
ing merchants of the county, and 9th.
ere.
The matter of ignoring San Francisco
and taking up Los Angeles only was set
tied by motion made by 0. j. Wood
l.. Al 4