The San Francisco call., 1896-04-10
Information Given by a Well
Informed Attache of the
Southern Pacific.
THAT SHORT ROUTE TO BADEN
It Will Be the Consummation of
Plan Long Favored by the Late
Senator Stanford.

Among the contemplated projects OF the
Southern Pacific Company is evidently
one to establish depot at Seventh and
Market streets. This it has no immediate
intentions of doing, but all its plans IN
connection with bringing in the Southern
Pacific Railroad trains on this side OF the
bay indicate that such is its hope and aim.
From one high in the councils comes the
information that bears on this matter.
The statement that such is the purpose of
the corporation is not a direct one. The
idea is one that is apparently not new 10
the railroad magnates, and the plans lead
ing to the desired end are being developed
in the most perspicacious and least alarm
ing manner.
In the course of an interview with an
officer in the service OF the Southern Pa
cifc Railroad Company yesterday con-
siderable new information was obtained
concerning the future plars of the COM
pany relative TO the new route to Baden.
He began by saying:
"The chart, as produced in Yesterdays
CALL, was absolutely correct. OF course,
the company will not yield its right TO the
grant of tideland given it by the Legisla-
ture without a struggle. 1t belongs to the
company by right. 1t is in its possession
and has been improved at the expense of
thousands of dollars, and TO now ask the
company TO give up possession TO the peo
ple-who, by the by, have not asked for it
would be an act of the grossest injustice.
This company does not give up any
thing that it gets lawfully without
struggle.
1T NAV be that the clause of expending
S200,(00 has not been complied with to the
letter. But in view of the fact that suit
able outlet from these terminal grounds
had not been settled upon, the company
did not know what class OF improvements
would be necessary at the time that it &C.
quired possession. Since then, however,
the condition OF affairs has changed, and
to-day the company has pretty good idea
of its necessities in this direction. The
construction OF the coast line to Los
Angeles and its connection with the New
Orleans line leaves no doubt as to the alb
solute necessity of having a suitable depot
on this side OF the bay.
"To this end the site at the foot Of
Seventh street has been definitely settled
upon as the proper place to locate the
dSpOl LIE pIOpOScu llIlt dS ldlu out
connection at Baden will prove that the
Seventh-street site is the only suitable one
upon which to erect depot.
This same idea had been entertained by
Governor Stanford for years before his
death, and since his death the present
management has not seen any reason for
change OF plan.
"a glance at the City map will show how
completely the Southern Pacific COMPANY
has the proposed depot site connected with
the numerous lines of the Market-street
railway system-canle and electric. These
run north and south along Third Fourth.
Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth streets,
and east and west along Townsend from
Third street, where the freight sheds are
located, along Bluxome from Fourth to
Fifth, along Bryant, Brannan, Howard.
Mission and Market streets Thus there Is
not ghost OF show for any other street
railroad to come anywhere near the section,
which will be in all probability one of the
busiest of San Francisco when the inten-
tlons OF the company are fully and finally
consummated.
Now there is yet a scheme in the minds
of those who control the machinery of
this great corporation that has not here.
tofore been made public. 1t is this:
You will observe that the new Postoffice
will be built on Seventh and Mission
streets. To get the material TO that place
from Townsend street, where it necessarily
Will be brought from mill and quarry, a line
of track will be laid on Seventh street
from Townsend to Market street. Along
this street the Southern Pacific Company's
street railway ally holds franchise for a
cable road.
This will no doubt be changed to an
electric line, which will be constructed
upon the same gauge as the Southern
Pacific Company's regular track. so that
the cars containing the Postoffice material
can without trouble or loss OF time be
switched onto the electric line and pro-
PEELED to its destination. But"
Here the gentleman stopped and with a
significant glance and smile added:
ut may be that such would be the ton
mage OF the material that an electric motor
would be unable 10 move the cars. In
that case, and inasmuch as the contract
with the United States Government would
admit OF no unneces sary delays, it might
become absolutely necessary to hook on
steam engine to haul the heavy cars
1hls hauling could be done during the
night when there would be no passengers
to be carried.
80 you can see that if the company
once got the use of Seventh street for
steam service ii might be able to demon
strate the great benefit of having pas
senger depot at or near Market street
close to the General Postoffice. where
mails could be received and delivered
without the necessity OF transmission in
express-wagons, as is now being done.