The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-23

VI ponus OF NOT. 1here are many enter prisss
In whlcn return OF d per cent could De mace
on capital invested, but prefer this project,
as 1t Will tend to develop the State to an ex-
tent greater than anything else that could be
zone Dy pubic or private enterprise. nave
no doubt that when the roadbed is properly
Dallasted there will be no trouble at all IN
running trains at the rate OF sixty mlies an
hour. 1t is one of the finest roads ever built,
as all the materials and trimmings are CT the
best and latest make. 1t now remains with
the people to decide whether the road shall be
has already transpred have every conhden ce
tnat we have now, and shall always continue
10 have, the support OF the people. Iney, as
we, am sure, fully realize tnat our interests :
are one The greater the patronage EXTENDED
to US the lower will be our rates, for we are
pledged, as they know, not to charge more
than Will return & per cent OF the money III
vested in the road
When We take into consid GRAFTON the TACT
that during every year there is, or heretofore
has been, paid out of the county OF Kings np-
wards OF 100000 for freight alone we can
begin to comprehend in some slight degree
the enormous profits which accrue 10 any com
pany having a monopoly OF the carrying
traffic OF the great San Joaquin Valley
The Valley Road is being constructed anu
fully equipped at cost of about $2O.OOo a
mile. The Southern Pacific, or, more properly
spea king, the Central Pacific. between Goshen
and Latnrop, is bonded for 1000 mile lis
original cost TO the company was probably
not lie than $40, 600 a mile. As 10 how these
matters came about it is hardly time nor tne
the question OF o charge or rate OF ''aai the
traffic will bear" II Will readily be seen tnat
II costs much more to pay interest on $o dVo,-
600 than IL does to pay interest on $20,o00.
The advent of the Valley road has already
reduced treights and fares about one-tnlru'
How many OF us, the people OF Kings CounIy'
are there who fully realize that the construc-
ton OF the new road means saving 70
Kings County Of about 100000 per annum,
or nearly three times the amount paid each
year for taxesY How long this condition OF
affairs Will continue Is for the people 10 ue-
termine. Mr.. spreckels, the president OF the
road, truthfully says:
1.-THE peoples interests and ours are one
We are pledged, as they (the people) know,
not to charge more than VIII return per cent
on the money invested in the road !"
We all know what have been our rates LOT
the past twenty years; we know what they are
now, and we also know the source whence
our relief came. Our rates for both trelgnts
and fares are now at very reasonable OASIS.
The time Will undoubtedly come When the
present ates will be cut. Should the Valley
road receive the patronage to which. II Is Just
| ly entitled its competitor will, IN all prope-
bility, endeavor to cripple the business OF It's
rival by cutting below living or paying rate
on the carrying traffic. Then will come the
test, and the question will be submitted 10
the people, as all questions OF this klnd finally
are to determine whether the valley ROAD
shall be main tanned at paying rate OF per
cent on the capital invested, or whether II Will
be compelled to form a combination with its
com petitor for sel-protection ana put the
ley road was dreamed OF.
Whenever the shipper or producer awaits
himself OF al opportunity to ship his GOODS
for less than the actual cost OF shipment, by
reason of the cutting of rates upon the part
of rival transportation companies. he may ex.
pect to more than make it up in the long run
if he is regular shipper SO II the competl-
tor OF the Valley road cuts below paying
rate, and by reason thereof you haul your
freight there to save a few dollars, don't make
a great fuss If you compel the roads 10 COM
bine .sgain and put on All the tra1hc VIII
bear"
But we look for better hings. Once more,
to use the language OF the president OF the
Valley Railroad Company: ave nave every
confidence that we have now, and shall always
continue TO have. the support OF the people"
With that support nothing but success can at
tend this enterprise both on behalf OF the
company and the people as well.
Vice President Watt was called upon to
speak in behalf of the road. He did SO
briefly, expressing first his deep regret ct
the absence OF President Spreckels.
when we came here year ago, !" he
said, "you promised to lend your aid in
granting us q right-of-way, and in re-
Spouse we said we would bring the road
here and we have done so. The warm ex-
pressions OF welcome mantle here
to-day would indicate to US that the reia-
tionship of the railroad and the people
will be mutually gratifying"
The speaker said be would give way to
Mr.. Preston, the solicitor of the company.
Mr.. Preston made short address. every
word of which was to the point. He said
that the spirit of California was strong
and progressive, and no bands even OF
railroad steel could confine it.
Another epoch II the history of the
State had been marked when the San
Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Rail-
road had opened pathway from the
fertile plains of the San Joaquin Valley to
Gods free highway, the sea. Continuing
he said:
And it has not been done for gain. would
impress upon you this fact that the men who
are men such as you are yourselves-mer-
chants and manufacturers They did not
build it because they wanted to build and
operate a road. They built it because they
felt it duty TO their State. 1t was forced upon
them; they built it out of the misery OF Cali
fornia.
do not say this in any spirit of prejudice
against the other company. Railroads are not,
built usually through motives OF philanthropy
but when the pressure of monopoly becomes
snch as to check the natural growth of a State
or people, the bonds will at last burst. and,
released, they will proceed on to their natural
des tiny. AS have looked over this fair State
of ours and saw how, despite lis splendid re-
sources, it has languished and grown faint,
noted that its course tended downward
rather than on and up, have fretted and
grown impatient as you have. AS q Califor-
MAN have been eager to see the day when
the great State should be free to work out that
destiny that IS hers by right, and feel 1t to be
the best fruition of my manhood that have
been part OF the active agency in bringing
about tne era of its new life.
1t is for you now to do your share. Your
own prosperity under the new conditions lies
with you. The new road is something OF the
commonweal; it came from the people and is
with the people; it is going to merit the peo-
pies confidence. How often have you ex-
pressed q doubt that this road would ever
reach here? How often have you said it would
never be competing road-that ii would be
sold out? Let me ask you, are your railroad
than they were? Have you not better accom-