The herald., 1897-04-25
SOUTH CALIFORNIA RAILROADS

commenced at both ends. From the Sar
Francisco end the work was gradually
extended, until finally 1t reached Sar
Luis Obispo.
Work was also started from the Los
Angeles end Of the line to build north
ward The old road was utilized for the
coast line from Los Angeles to Saugus
Junction 32 miles from this city. This
line reached Elwood station in Santa
Barbara county in December, 1887, hav'
ing reached Santa Barbara on the 10TH
day of August of that year.
There Is now gap of only Sc miles tc
be covered by rail, when the favorite line
of travel from Los Angeles to San Fran.
cisco along the coast will be completed
This will be particularly favorlte route
during the hot summer months as the
coast line will be near the ocean nearly
all the way and much of the way withlr
sound of the surf.
SMALL BRANCHES
In 1888 the company constructed an.
other branch, starting at Mirifiores, TIVE
miles southeast of Anaheim, crossing the
Santa Ana river, and running nearly due
east to the foothills, to Mcpherson, and
thence south to Tustin, reaching thai
place September Is, 1888. This line Is II
miles in length, and most of the way taps
rich country.
During this same year the branch tc
Whittier was also built, leaving the An.
aheim branch at Stude ebaker and run.
ming via Fulton Wells to Whittier, a dis.
tance Of 6 miles from the main branch
Whittier was reached on the 18th ol
March, 1883.
During the year 1888 the motor line
was constructed from San BernardinC
to Redlsnde, being completed on the Isl
day of June of that year. This road was
afterwsrd sold to the Southern Pacific
company on the 14th of March, 1892, ant
has been operated by that company evei
since.
During the year 1887 the motor railroad
was built by Col r. w. Button and as.
sociates from San Bernardno to River.
side, via Cotton, and was operated by
the Southern California Motor Railway
company. and afterward by a receiver
until July 23. 1896. when the Southern
Pacific company 'hased the same an6
has since operat / This road has
been remodeled ewhat and made
more suitable for a genuine steam rail.
road, with view to having 1t form 9
part of line that will eventually rur
from San Bernardino to Cotton, to Riv.
erside, thence to South Riverside, thence
to Chino, thence to Pomona, to connect
with the line already built from Pomona
via Covina to Bassett. a station on the
main line. just east of the San Gabrie
river bridge. This latter line was com.
nlafad IN the
Goth of August, 1896.
During 1887 Judge r. NJ Widney and
associates, under the name of the Lons
Beach Railroad company, built shor,
line to connect the Wilmington branch
of the Southrn Pacific with Long Beach
This line was only three miles in length
aud on the Goth of February, 1888, it was
purchased by the Southern Pacific COM
pany and has since been operated as a
portion of the Southern Pacific system.
In 1892 a short line was constructed
from Redlands Junction to Redlands and
thence to Crafton--a total length of sew.
en- miles. This line was completed March
IA, 1892.
During the year 1891 a branch wal
built from Ontario to Chino. a distance
of six miles, in order to handle the bust
ness of the Chino beet sugar factcry
which, during a portion Of the yes g
amounts to many carloads per day. T.
line was completed on the 18th day VI
February, 1891.
During 1892 a short branch to Declcz.
vile. three miles in length, was built, ir
order to reach the stone quarries at thai
place. This line was completed on the
last day of that year.
The Santa Monica line was extended
to the new big wharf at Port Los An
geles, and that wharf was completed or
the 1st day of April, 1893.
During the year 1898 the Chatsworth
Park branch was built up through the
western portion Of the San Fernando
valley. This branch leaves the main line
at Burbank, is 21 miles in length, and
was completed on the 23d day of August
1893.
Valley Rapid Transit Railway company
built narrow-gauge road from Los An
geles to Monrovia. This line was after
ward changed to a standard gauge, and
on November 25, 1885, 1t was purchased
by the Southern Pacific company and
has since been operated as part of that
system.
On the 30th of October. 1895. the shori
branch from Shorb to Pasadena was
completed. Its length Is Az miles.
The last line built by this company in
Southern California was the Los Ala
mitos branch extending from Anaheim
to Los Alamitos. the new beet suga,
town. This line is miles in length and
was completed on the 21st day of Octo-
ber, 1896 1t was only fifteen days in
building.
A careful estimate of the lines owned
company in Southern California south Of
Mojave shows total length Of 626 miles
an average of twenty-five miles of rail.
road building each year in Southern Cal.
ifornia by this company for twenty.
FIVE years.
THE SANTA FEE SYSTEM
In 1881 the California Southern r. R. Co
was formed for railroad building In
Southern California. Frank A. Kimbal
of National City. who with his brother
Warren Kimball, owned the Nationa
ranch, donated one-half Of their ranch
to the Santa Fe company as an induce
ment for them to complete their trans
continental line and make National City
the Pacific coast terminus.
Work was commenced In 1881. The
machine shops were partially built u;
National City, but afterwards they were
abandoned and others were built in Sar
Bernardino and Los Angeles.
The road was built up along the coast
ord fhvovrub Tho TornaCu1a cQnXon