The herald., 1898-05-19
NEWS OF The RAILWAYS
DOUBT AS TO THE PERMANENCY
OF THE STEAMSHIP LINE
THE TERMINALS EXTENSION
San Gabriel Valley to Be Given Elec-
trio Road Service-Surf Line Gap.
Notes and Personals

It appears from information received
from New York, that the Santa Fe's pro-
posed line of steamers from San Diego to
the Orient Is more Of a temporary arrange
ment than anything else, caused by the
war conditions which AFFECT round-the-
Horn shipping as well as Transpacific COM
merce from this coast under the Pacific
Mail steamers flag. The clippers which
ply from New York, and vessels on this
coast flying the American flag, will Of
course be subject to marrying by Spanish
vessels, and the conditions are such as to
materially embarrass merchants who have
been using these lines. The Japanese flag
however. would be all right, particularly
as the Spanish authorities would be chary
Of interfering more than was absolutely
necessary with that powerful maritime
people. While the war lasts the line will be
maintained, and perhaps after that but
the negotiations which have led to It's
establishment were brought about by the
war and 1t is possible that when the tight
Is concluded they wIll be fophd not sufic-
lent to cause the continuance of the traffic.
Terminal Projects
II is said on what should be good author
ity II the Terminal railway secures the
franchises it has asked for for its proposed
electric system, that 1t Will undertake a
very extensive system Of roads. covering
the San Gabriel valley completely. 1t il
thought that the Altadena line will be ex-
tended eastward so as to reach number of
residence localities, and that another
branch will be built from the region Of
South Pasadena to and through Alhanbra
to San Gabriel. Representatives Of the
company have already announced that the
trustees Of South Pasadena will be asked
for a franchise over certain streets in that
city for the purpose Of carrying out the
latter extension, and there have been such
expressions from the council as removes
any doubt as to their willingness to grant
the request.
Tie route as outlined includes Fair Oaks
avenue, Mission street, or Monterey road.
to Garfield avenue. running south to AL
hambra on the latter thoroughfare. There
Is some objection to granting the use of
Fair Oaks avenue for railway purposes as
ward. However, as there are many ways
Of attaining the same result desired by
the company without intruding on that
thoroughfare. an agreement can easily be
reached.
The Surf Line
The people Of Santa Barbara, under the
aggressive action of Edward Ivison, who
Is the chairman of the citizens commit
tee, have been stirring UP G. P. Hunting
ton again. anent the construction of the
Surf line gap between Elwood and Surf.
The company recommended the work on
the line with great activity some weeks
ago, but since then have relaxed their
efforts. and it appeared for a time that they
were going to stop all pretense of trying to
complete the line In the twelve months
promised.
Huntington, however, writes to Mr.. w.
son with great cheerfulness, and his usual
absence of anything definite in the way of
information, that he has come to the con-
clusion that the completion Of the line
would not only be of benefit to the city,
but to the company as well, and that
what I can do toward getting this gap
closed up / shall try to DO, for believe
that It's completion would not only be
boon to Santa Barbara people, but that it
would be good business on our part to ger
the two ends Of the coast line connected rs
soon as they reasonably could be"
This may mean a whole lot or nothing,
a characteristic Of Huntington's utter
ances.
Possible Rate War
Every day the San Francisco papers
contain interviews with Southern Pacific
officials apropos OF the Canadian Pacific's
naughty conduct In cutting overland rates.
and threatening that similar action will
Immediately follow from San Francisco
and Los Angeles There has been some
reduction in rates from San Francisco
cast, consequent upon cut made by the
Northern Pacific, to protect itself from
the Canadian lines slashing but there is
no present indication Of the wars extend
ing to this part of the state, as far as any
information obtainable from local officials
goes. If the Southern Pacific commences
the cutting 1t will be with the consent
and participation Of the Santa Fe.
A Disinfecting Expense
A new item of expense in railway oper-
alton is the required disnfection of cattle
cars every time that they are used for
Interstate shipments. At present the
Southern Pacific is shipping immense
numbers of cattle, and the Santa Fe is do
ing an equally large bushes of the same
kind A federal law which is now being
rigidly enforced, requires that all cars used
for this purpose must be thoroughly dis
infected before every trip, and tie cost
of this is no little matter However, the
shippers have to pay 1t in the end.
Fighting the Valley Road
The Southern Pacific Company does not
intend to let the Valley road have an
easy time of it, now that the latter has
entered Bakersfield, and Is ready to do
business in that region. The former com.
pany has just completed arrangements
to open a commercial office in that city,
and has put a corps of very efficient men
in charge. C. H. Fairchild is the chief of
the office, w. V. Matlock is placed in the
freight Office, and T. M. Young and Harry
Libby complete the roster. There win be
a lively rustic for shipments after the
9th. when the Valley road will commence
regular train service.
Notes and Personals
The Southern Pacific is shipping hun
dred car loads of cattle from the Suey
rancho in San Luis Obispo county to
Omaha.
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