The San Francisco call., 1897-09-10
V[SAL[A IS
NOW ON
THE MAP"
Close of Monopoly's
Rule Welcomed by
a PopulaCe.
FIRST VALLEY ROAD
TRAIN.
Cheering Thousands Greet Its
Arrival Over the New
Railway.
BRINGS PROSPERITY TO
THE CITY.
From Dawn Until Midnight Joy Is
Attested In a Merry
Reyel.
Cheering Thousands Greet Its
Arrival Over the New
Railway.
BRINGS PROSPERITY TO
THE CITY.
From Dawn Until Midnight Joy Is
AtteSted In a Merry
Reyel.

VISALIA, CAL, Sept. 9-The San Fran
cisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad is
now in Visalia. The first train arrived
from Fresno to-day at IL o'clock with
twenty-five passenger-cars. Hereafter vi
salia, which has been station off the
main line of the Southern Pacific. will be
one of the principal stations on the
tn rough line of the Valley Railroad. For
some time to come it will be one OF the
southern termini OF the road. In the Ian
guage of the people of the town, "Visalia
is on the map"
The day has been one of extraordinary
rejoicing. Visalia had put itself en- fete
for the occasion and it celebrated it with a
vim and spontanety that surprised itself.
Admission day had been sel apart by the
officials of the railroad at tine request OF
the citizens of the town and vicinity for
the cele bra ton of its com pletion to this
point, and it had been arranged that the
first train to enter the city should be
holiday special. Preparations had been
in progress for several weeks and pro-
posed observances had been widely adver-
tised. Reedley, Del Rio Rey and Parliers
station, which had not e independent
celebrations of the advent of the railroad
to their respective localities, joined with
Visalia in the preparations
Inasmuch as tnis section of the San
Joaquin country has been without direct
rail road for M ore than twenty years, the
final com ple;ion of a through line is the be-
ginning OF a new era to the inhabitants.
Throughout the day people have lone
their best 10 impress the importance OF
the occasion upon their visitors. The
town has been thronged until the capa-
cious streets have been scarcely paSsabe.
Ten thousand. including Visalia's own in
habitants, is not an excessive estimate OF
the mum ber of people W ho have partici-
pated in the day S entertainments.
1t has been pleasant coincidence that
this was the payday of the Valley Rail-
road. Twenty thousand dollars was dis
tributed along the road south of Fresno,
and of this amount Visalia got by far the
larger share. Many monthly paydays
when similar amounts will be disbursed
are anticipated by the local population.
Public parades, bail games, athletic
sports, band concerts, speeches and
grand ball have been the features of the
celebration. The officers OF the Valley
road have honored the town by their
"
the railroad by the town, and congratula-
tions have been reciprocal. The officers
were received in a manner to excite the
en- nifty of all builders of public works.
and every detail of their reception was as
spontaneous as if the officers had been
old frieLds returning to family home.
They were at liberty to express their own
choice of entertainment.
No accidents occurred during the day.
Good nature was ct the top, and sobriety
fooled it's more boistercus associate by
hiding the drunken man in the crowd.
Mavor w. H. Hammond, Judge Gray,
Banker Adams, all the city and county
officials, the well-known business men OF
the city, the lawyers and all others Join
in transmitting through The CALL their
most cordial greetings TO tue balance of
California, and wish to all fellowcitizens
in their respective abodes the good tor
tune, at an early dale, of a competing
railroad.
Beginning tomorrow the Valley Rail-
road will have daily train service be-
tween Fresno and Visalia, arriving at and
departing from Visalia in the noon hour.
There will also be a freight train, which
will carry passengers who desire to leave
early in the morning or to arrive late in
the afternoon. The fare to Fresno will be
81 25, to Stockton $4 85 and to San Fran
cisco S.. The latter fare is less than that
of the Southern Pacific. The painful
transfer at Goshen or Tulare is done away
with, and the Southern Pacific need no
longer gouge the unlucky traveller TO the
extent of so cents for ride of seven
miles. The commercial value ofthe newim-
provement in railway connections is too
great 10 be computed. The benefits have
been felt at this early date in an access of
new business propositions. Slmultane-
ously with to-day's cele bration certain
portions of the main street have been
blocked with building material for new
buildings and alterations in old ones.
The railroad with its great first train
arrived this morning an hour later than
schedule time, but nearly half again as
full of people as had been antici pated.
On starting from Fresno at 1858 o'clock in
the morning 1t had been intended to run
through to Visalia in two hours and carry
only 140O passengers, but at every stop
from Fresno southwark the crowd OF men.
women and children not only eager but
determined to get to Visalia was 80 great
that the origincl intentions were aban-
doned and everybody was allowed on
board. AT Del Rio Rey and Parliers deco
rated cars were IN waiting to be taken on
TO the train, and these had to be coupled