The San Francisco call., 1897-05-14
ACTIVITY ON THE
VALLEY ROAD
Regular Trains Will Be
Running to Hanford in
a Few Days.
On May 22 the Event Will Be
Formally Celebrated by
the People.
That Day Is the Anniversary Of the
Birth of Kings County - Great
Demonstr Promised.

The work of extending the Valley rosd
i. going forward bravely. The gradin g
between Fresno and Hanford has been
finished and trackiayers are rushing the
JOB OF putting down the rails, so that
trains over the line may run into Hantord
on the 22d inst.
Chief Engineer Story yesterday an
nounced that the work would be COM
pleted on this section by MAY 22-which
is the day appointed for the great cefebra-
ton in Kings County.
The ceiepration will be double- header,
May p is the birthday of Kings County,
and the thousands of farmers who viii as
semble at the county seat on that day to
Commemorate the anniversary of the coun-
tvs birth will also celebrate then the COM
plesion OF the Valley road to that city.
Many prominent citizens of San Fran
cisco, among them several promoters OF
the railroad enterprise, are max ng prep
arations TO attend the celebration. Claus
SpreckeIs, president of the San Franci- co
and San Joaquin Valley Railroad, may
not be able 10 attend. The warm weather
in the valley at this time of the year is
not conducive to his health, still the hope
is expressed that he will attend the
demonstration. The people of Kings
County recognize the great service that
be has rendered to the State in general
and the San Joaquin Valley in particular,
and are therefore anxious that he shall
| De with them on this eventful day.
The graders who were so actively en-
gagged few days ago on, the line from
Fresno TO Hanford have been transferred
! to the line from Fresno to VisaIia, and
| work on the latter section is now going
| ahead with vigor. The track is now laid
on tie VIsalia extension to Kings River.
| Six weeks timeimay be required to con-
| struet the important bridge to span this
stream. It should be understood rhat the
road forks st Fresno, one line going to
| Hanford and the other to Fissha. At q
| point twenty miles south OF the latter
| place the ferKs will unite. The prong
| supplying the greater traffic will be classed
1 as the main line.
| In the work of construction the con-
| tractors, Grant Brothers, do the grading,
| and the company looks to the work OF
| track-laying. II is the opinion OF City
| Eueinee Story that the track-laying will
reach Hsnford by the Goth inst. Some
| work may be necessary around the yards
| 10 accommodate the celebration trains,
| bat everything will be in readiness by the
22d.
Alta conference held Tuesday between
| Fice-President WatE, Director Payson and
| Traffic Manager Moss it was decided TO
run two excursion trains from Fresno TO
| Ranford on the I'D. One of these will
| make close connection with the regular
| train from Stockton, and the other will
| simply run the thirty miles between
Fresno and Hanford- Special rates will
! he N ade for the round trip.
/ Thereafter a regular service will be es.
| tablished between San Francisco and Han
| ford via Stockton, and two trains will be
| operated, one leaving Stockton ana one
Hanford each day.
While the passenger equipment that the
| Valley road now possesses is adequate for
| the service, four additional passenger
coaches have been ordered and will be put
| into service on their arrival.
Advices received by the company con-
cernfng the crops IN the San Joaquin
| Valley This season are to the effect that
| the yield of wheat will not be as large as
| the first estimates contem plated. The
| yield OF fruit Will be large, and the COM
| pany has made low rate to encourage
| shipment OF the orchard product.