The San Francisco call., 1896-02-17
COAST EXCHANGES.

OanUd CldIa county Is having an ex-
traordinary boom in railroad building.
Mention has been made in these columns
Of the steam road which is to connect San
Jose with the Bay of San Francisco and of
the electric road between San Jose and
Saratoga. The San Jose Ne,ns now comes
out with the inform alton that John Center,
a San Francisco capitalist, backer of r. II.
Quincy, who owned a controlling interest
in the road connecting San Jose and Alum
Rock, has been com PEELED to take the
property and is determined to put it on a
frst-class footing. The road has barely
paid interest, but if properly developed
ought to be made valuable enterprise
Our contemporary, quoting well-in-
formed citizen, says this of Mr.. Centers
intentions: 81 understand he will build it
up-put on new rolling-stock, equip it
completely, furnish electricity as motive
power, if necessary, and operate it by the
overhead system" The Nems adds that as
Mr.. Center is not railroad man he will
put the property on the market as soon as
he has completely equipped and estab-
lished it. This is an important line, as it
connects San Jose with its beautiful park
and hot springs in the mountains seven
miles to the eastward. and passes through
q charming section OF the valley.
While all these things are going forward
the Newman (Stanislaus County, Tribune
is urging that the residents of that county
extend the Mount Hamilton wagon road
over the mountains into the San Joaquin
Valley. This is an old project, but it has
been almost forgotten for years 'tSanta
Clara County," says the Tribune, ''has
already built to the county line, and on
our side the road runs several miles up the
Orestimba creek, leaving a gap of only
about twenty miles to build. Little trou BILE
would be experienced in the matter of
right-of-way, for when the matter was
talked of couple of years ago some of the
settlers offered to not only give the right i.
of-way, but would build the road through
their own land, so anxious were thev to
get communication with the towns" AS
stated by the Tribune, the two great points
of interest IN the State are the Yosemite
Valley and the Lick Observatory, and as
the Santa Clara end of the road now runs
by the Lick Observatory, but short time
would elapse before stages would be run
ming from San Jose TO the Yosemite Valley
via the observatory. The Mount Hamil-
ton road, twenty-six miles long, was built
by Santa Clara County at cost of SS3, ,0OO
1t is admittedly the finest mountain road
in this part of California Its extension
over the range into the San Joaquin would
make it one of the grandest and most use
fnl scenic roads in the country.
The petroleum industry of the State is
staggering ahead on untrled legs. The
price at the Los Angeles wells has been
advanced to 80 cents barrel, and the Los
Angeles Journal makes this important an
nonncement: "It is believed that the
Standard Oil Company will be in the field
within a few days as purchaser of the en-
tire surplus at as good figures as so cents
per barrel in well tanks. That company
is expending between $25, 900 and $4,000
for tanks and other equipments"
1t adds: Putting fragments of infor-
nation into ineligible form, it seems not
improbable that oil may advance to 60 or
70 cents per barrel within few weeks
The Standard Oil Company bases prices
upon units of heat, and 1t is we'll known
that oil of far superior gravity is obtained
from the lower sands, but it takes money
getting into the hands of conservative
business men. During the last three
months eighty-six wells have fallen off
one-third in product; there is an abun.
dance of oil in the lower strata, but prices
must materially advance before more
money will be expended in development"
The Whittier oil industry is advancing
satisfactorily. Of it the Journal says !:
"The new refinery at Chino is only twelve
or fifteen miles distant; and the Whittier
product being of very light gravity the
refinery will make an important market
for all the petroleum thatcan be produced.
1t is reported that several drilling rigs
may be taken from the Los Angeles field
for development work in that promising
territory. The highest gravity reached is
above 80 per cent; the Los Angeles field
runs from II to IS per cent in first sand
There is a strong market for lubricating