The herald., 1896-06-06
Valley Road Directors Discuss
the South Extension
RIGHT OF WAY IS WANTED
Before the Road Will Be Constructed
Beyond Fresno
Questions Regarding Route Are Not Answered.
The Line Of the Road Depends
on Free Roadbed

Associated Press Special Wire.
FRESNO, June 5.-The committee
from the directors of the Valley road
this evening arrived in Fresno and met
the committee Of ten and a number of
citizens, as well as committees from
Kern and Tulare counties, and discussed
the building of the road south from
Fresno.
The railroad officials were Robert
Watt, president; A. H. Payson,
John D. Spreckels, Thomas Magee, w.
r. Storey, John Moss and M. Samuel.
State Senator Smith and Mr.. Dinkel-
spiel represented Kern county, and Mr..
Thompson Tulare county.
In reply to a question by Mr.. Smith
as to whether the road would be built
south from Fresno, President
Watt stated that 1t has all along been
the intention and still is the intention
of the company to push the road through
to Bakersfield, but that the company
does not propose to take any chances on
rights -of-way. In other words, the
rights-of-way must be donated to
the company or the road will
stop at Fresno for the present. Mr.. Watt
stated that the company has contracted
for sufficient material to build the road
to Bakersfield, and will do so on which
ever route is first given the right-of-
way; but in case no right-of-way is
given by the time the road reaches this
city, the road will stop here, and the
material will be used in building the
road from Stockton to San Francisco.
The company prefers to build to Bak
ersfield first and hopes to be able to do
so; but the fact was eInphatically stated
that the matter rests with the people.
Questions as to which route the COM
pany prefers-that by way of Hanford
or by way of Visalia-failed to receive
direct answer. However, it was inti-
tod f1o hn 10 oil tn
route are accomplishing more in the
matter of rights way. Mr.. Watt
stated no preference for either route.
The visitors from the counties south
of Fresno expressed themselves salts
fed that they would be able to offer sat
isfactory terms to the company.
Tomorrow morning at o'clock the
visitors, in company with members of
the committee of ten, and other citizens,
| Will start by team for Reedley. Six
miles east of Fresno a meeting will be
| held with a number of property-ow
along the proposed route. At Del Rio
! Rey vineyard they will take lunch and
at 2 o'clock will meet the citizens OF
Reedley and vicinity. They will return
to Fresno about p. M, tomorrow.
A NEW PRESIDENT.
soA. seftezb4lRsKFa 41lpe lhe heA A. r e R4h'f 8 f.
RailWay company, has accepted the
presidency of the st. Louis Il San Fran
| cisco railroad
| RAILROAD TAXES.
| DENVER, Col, June 5-A special TO
the Republican from Albuquerque. N
M. says: In the matter of the inter.
Hwenlng petition of the territory Of New
Mexico, for an order on the receiver in
the case of the United States Trust COM n. :
Pany of New York VS.. the Atlantic &,
raclnc company and others, to nav
taHes the court this morning filed an
opinion In the case overruling. the con-
tention of the receiver and the railroa,l
company, that the station house, depots.
switches and all improvements erected
on the right-of-way by the railroad
company as well as the right f-wav
are exempt from taxation. The court
nolos That the bare land constituting
tne r1ght-of-way is the only thing ey.
empt from taxation under the second
sectlon granting the charter to the rail-
road company by congress. The taxable
value of this property claimed to he
exempt by the railroad comnanv
amounts to considerably over $500, 600.