The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-09

Construction TO Be Commenced
When Rights of Way Are
Secured.
Several Property. Owners Block the
Way by Asking Exorbitant
Prices.

FRESNO, CAL, Jan. S.-The construc-
ton of the Valley road south OF Fresno
by way of Hanford will probably be COM
menced within two or three weeks. The
only condition to this important and well
come news is that the right of way, COM
plete, shall have been secured in that time
and there is good ground TO hope for this
result.
That matters have reached such salts
factory stage was evidenced by the arrival
of several prominent officials of the rail-
road company in this city to-day. They
came on the passenger train over the new
road, reaching Fresno shortly before noon.
That their visit is one of Importance is GER
tain, because they announced their inten-
ton of remaining IN the city three or four
DAYS.
Those who constituted the party were:
Vice-President Robert Watt, Captain a.
II. Payson, the director; Chief Engineer
w. B. Story Jr. and Attorney E. f. Pres
ton. RIght-oi-Way Agent G. S. Young
has been here for several days past.
The main purpose of the visit of the
officials is to try to effect a satisfactory
settlement with certain proper:y-owners
along the line OF the survey who have
been holding out for what are considered
unreasonable considerations for right of
way. Agent Young and the ommittee
have been working quietly but deter
m inedly for several weeks past and they
succeeded in making satisfactory arrange
ments for deeds for over three-iourths of
the distance between this city and Han.
ford.
With the owners of the remaining %
per cent OF the distance they were not so
successful and II is to deal with these
that the officials have come from San
Francisco.
The principal difficulty has been en-
COuntered in trying to get right of way
out of Fresno and through the colonies.
There are also property along
the entire line at various points who are
holding out for prices on their land which
are eXorbitant III the eyes OF the company.
In the aggregate these obstTuct1onlstS own
The land along nearly 25 per cent of the
distance between Fresno and Hanford.
Through Hanford and Kings County
everything IS clear, little difficulty being
met IN securing the right OF way. As
soon as the ground between this city and
Hanford is secured the construction of
the road will be pushed southwark with
out further interruption.
The company is DESTROYS of having the
g
next season, TO take advantage OF the
summers ireighting. The people along
the line are equally anxious TO see the adj
vent OF the road as soon as possible.
The question of whether the road will be
put through Tor next summer or not de-
ponds upon what is accomplished by the
officials on their present visit in regard to
settling the difference between this city
and the river. II they are successful in
cosing the contracts for the right of way
then the road will be built as Jar as Tulare
at least for the coming season.
II satisfactory settlements cannot be.
made Immediately, however, the contin-
uation of the competing road south of
Fresno will be matter of conjecture, for
several months at any rate. In order to
ComTlete the road to Tulare by next
summer the work of building from this
city must be commenced at once.
But the company is dete rmined not TO
turn another shovelful Of earth until all
right-of-way matters have been settled.
It's experience thus far in this line has
decided it on this poii.t.
This is the situation which presents
itself to Haniord and Tulare, and the
people along the proposed route. All
depends upon the disposition of the
property-owners who are holding out
against the new road between Fresno and
Hanford.
Vice President Watt was interviewed at
the Hughes Hotel this evening, and he is
the authority Tor the statement made in
this dispatch.
''Of course" he said, 1--WE cannot tell if
we shall be able to settle up the right-of-
way matters, and if we find that the only
resource VII be condemnation proceed
lngs the construction of the road south of
Fresno will be delayed for some time.
mot until we have the title or the con-
tract for 1t, for every foot OF ground ahead
of US will we commence Work. There are
about half dozen non. conserving owners
between this city and Hanford, and thew
own the land for about a quarter of the
distances.
Concerning the right-of-way matters
along the Reedley route they have not
progressed as fGyora bly, as on the Hanford
survey, and things do not look very bright
in that quarter. Through Tulare County
everything is in readiness for the road
but serious STUN bling block is being met
between Fresno and Reedley. For the
present we are directing our attention to
the Hanford route.
I'VE intend ultimately 10 build on both
these lines, and in fact are anxious to do
so as soon as possible. But we do not
propose TO get ourselves into any more
predicaments as we have done, and will
proceed carefully. Even if we begin to
construct the track southwark by way of
Hanford within the next two or three
weeks, we cannot hope to get it farther
than Tulare for next seasons business.
But then We would be glad to do this"