The San Francisco call., 1897-12-19
1t Will Develop the Re
sources Of TuOlunne
and Calaveras.
HISTORY OF A GREAT EN-
TERPRISE.
The Opening of the Line on Novena
ber 10 Cause for Popular
Rejoicing - Some Inter-
esting Facts.

On November 10 last, in the little
| burg of Jamestown, Tuolumne County,
California, an event of great import
ance to that and adjoining counties of
! the Sierras took place. This event was
the formal opening of the Sierra Rail-
way which extends from Oakdale in
StaniSlauS County to jamestown, a dis
tance Of forty-tWO miles. The formal
dedication of the new railway was
ceremony that attracted no less than
$500 people to jamestown, so that the
day marks a distinct epoch in the his
tory of Tuolumne County. 1t was
/ gala event, of which the residents of
jamestown did not fail to make the
most.
The lack of railway facilities in the
Sierra counties has for years been felt
by the mine owners of that section of
the State. Although some of the rich
est mines in California are located in
Tuolumne County, their development
on a large scale was seriously hamper
ed because of the lack of transporta-
ton facilities. The hauling of ores
across the mountains to the nearest
railway points had been for many
D y
the loss of much valuable time. In
/ consequence of this many mines of un-
| doubted value remained undeveIoped,
their owners preferring to await the
| hour when improved hauling facilities
| were inaugurated, to resuming opera
tionS on their premises with inevitable
| loss. 1t will thus be seen that the con-
! Struction and operation of the Sierra
| Railway will be an important factor in
the development of the country which
it traverses, and that it will be the
means of increasing the wealth of that
section a hundred fold.
The Sierra Railway Company was
incorporated under the laws Of Cali
fornia in January, 1897, with an au-
| thorized capital stock of S., ,000, 900, di-
vided into $4,000 shares of 500 par
value each, of which $4,000, 900 had been
subscribed. The directors are: Prince
Andre Poniatowski, president; S. D.
Freshman. vice president; John M.
Bonner, secretary; Hall McAllister and
Frank Pierce. First mortgage bonds
of $1,000 each, amounting to $630,000, and
! representing $4,000 per mile, were at
once issued. These bonds are dated
April II, 1897, and bear 6 per cent in
terest, payable semi-annually on April
IL and October II.
Income bonds for the same amount,
$500, 900, to serve as a preferred stock,
were also issued. Whatever surplus
remains after operating expenses and
interest on the first mortgage bonds
have been paid, can be applied as in
terest on the income bonds.
The work of constructing the road
began at Oakdale on March "a, and
was prosecuted with the greatest vigor.
| The nature of the country for twenty
| two miles in an easterly direction is
such that the work was speedily pros
ecuted. For the distance mentioned
the road passes through fine wheat
and fruit farming country, but for the
rest Of the distance it is grazing and
mineral lands. Twenty-nine miles
from Oakdale is Don Pedro, and when
that place was reached on August 10.
the road was Immediately opened for
| business. The extension of the road
to jamestown was at once proceeded
with and the work finished on Noyem-
ber s. Two days later the formal dedi-
cation of the road took place as stated.
Among those who took active parts in
the exercises were Prince Poniatowski,
L. S. Bullock, S. d. Freshman, W.
Frank Pierce, Samuel Sussman, Hall
McAllister, George P. Sperry, w. d.
Bourn, and the authorities of James,
town.
The names of the stations along the
line of the Sierra Railway from Oak
dale with distances are as follows: Oc-
cidental, miles: Paulsell, IL miles:
Warnersville, Is miles; Cooperstown, 20
miles; Rosascoes, 26 miles; Don Pedro,
90 miles; Chinese, 35 miles; jamestown.
Al miles. AT all stations except Occi-
dental, Paulsell, Warnerville and Ro-
sascoes are station agents, but at those
mentioned, there being no agents, all
freight destined thereto must be pre-
paid.
Freight and passenger vehicles meet
trains at following stations for interior
points:
AT Warnerville for following points.
distance from Warnerville as shown:
Miles. Miles.
Knights Ferry. 74sl Curtins .1l1k
At Cooperstown for following points.
distance from Cooperstown as shown:
Miles. Miles
La Grange ....... 61ai Sellack's .9
HayWardS ....... Coulterville .....27
At Chinese for following points, dis
tance from Chinese as shown:
Miles. Miles.
Chinese Camp. Groveland ....13
Montezuma -. Coulterville ......20
Jacksonville 49, Yosemite - go
Big Oak Flat. Ii
AT jamestown for following points,
distance from Jamestown as shown:
Miles. Miles
quartz Mount. liz SoulsbyvilIe 12
Stent .....-...... 212l Cherokee .........13
sonora ....-.-.... Summerville lib
SGLuttIetown 49,. 4 Arastraville .....14
ShaW Fiat -. Confidence .......16
SpTlngneld ..-.-- Angels Camp ...14
Columbia ....... Altaville X
JenersonvtHe =. Murphy's ........lS
1t will be seen by the foregoing that
the opening of the Sierra Railway has
resulted in quick communication with
all of the mining sections of Tuolumne