The San Francisco call., 1896-08-01
CHECKS ON THE
VALLEY ROAD,
It May Be Compelled to
Stop Construction at
Fresno.
BLOCKED BY RESIDENTS.
They Demand Damages, but Re-
fuse to State the Amounts
of Their Claims.
CHEAPER FARES IN PROSPECT.
Passengers Will Be Carried on the
New Road in About Six
Weeks.
CHEAPER FARES IN PROSPECT.

Unless there is a radical change at Fres-
no, all construction work on the San Fran
cisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad
will be suspended in about two weeks,
and between 300 and 400 men will be
thrown out of employment. But the eff
feet on the employees of the road will be
but trifiing in comparison to that on the
broader and more important interests of
the producers of the upper valley, south
of Fresno, who will be deprived of the
competition of the Valley road and the
lower rates that have thus far followed
closely on the progress of the peoples
line.
For many weeks now negotiations have
been in progress with the owners of prop
erty bordering the right of way of the
Valley road through Fresno, along @
street, for the settlement of their claims
for damages alleged to have resulted from
the proximity OF the tracks of the new
railroad. But despite the fact that they
have been asked to formulate and present
their claims, they have refused to do so,
for reasons that are not apparent.
Until the road is in actual operation no
actual damage can result and the pro-
jectors of the enterprise so much desired
and prayed for by the people of the San
Joaquin Valley do not propose to become
involved III unnecessary and expensive
litigation. They state that they stand
ready to do all that is fair and to push the
construction with the utmost rapidity
consistent with economy and justice to
the stockholders.
The grading of the road is now virtually
completed to within half mile of the
northern end of the town of Fresno and
tracklaying is now going on with all
dispatch to that point. This work will all
be completed in about two weeks and
then further construction will come to a
halt until there is an untrammeled and
unobstructed pathway.
Not only is the advance of the railroad
blocked by this stand of the Fresnoites,
but the prosperous growth of the town
itself is checked. 1t is the intention of
there, to erect fine, large and costly
depot, and to establish repair-snops, and
for every day that the town is deprived of
these improvements, there is q loss to it
of all the business and stimulation to en-
terprise that would follow their advent.
Meanwhile that portion of the road al
ready constructed will be put into the
best possible shape for operation, bat not
another foot will be graded untii there is
an absolutely clear path ahead.
From present indications passenger busi-
ness will begin about the middle of Sep
tember. BY that time the passenger
coach es of the road will be here, and all
the locomotives will be set up and ready
for use. While the passenger tariffs have
already been prepared. they will not De
made public until actually put into force.
1t is known, however, that the fares will
be on the whole lower than those now pre-
vailing on the Southern Pacific lines,
which parallel the new road, and assur-
ance is given that in no case will they ex-
ceed 8 cents per mile. The road will be
operated to Fresno.
But even if they should be no lower out