The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-11
DIRECT LINES
To SAN IA ROSA
Two Sets Of Surveyors
Are Tracing the
Routes.
Stakes of Southern Pacific
Indicate Terminal at
McNears.

Surveys for a railroad from McNears
Landing or California City on the bay of
San Francisco to Santa Rosa via Peta-
luna and San Rafael signify important
developments of the country Immediately
north of this city. There are two surveys
being made. One is for an electric road
from Santa Rosa to Sausalito and the
other for e Southern Pacific line follow
Ing the California Northwestern road
from Santa Rosa to a point one mile
from San Rafael, whence the line runs
across to McNears Landing. The cleo
trio line surveyors are keeping to the
county road and their stakes run from
San Rafael to Petaluma.
There is an impression among men who
are largely interested in Sonoma and
Marin counties that the Southern PACING
IS making a feint in order to get control
BY purchase or lease of the California
Northwestern Railway, but it is the 1udg-
ment of practical railroad men that the
freight and passenger trattic available
will fully justify the construction of an
I ,ln1!5 emo oIrect route, even III the
the road of which Colonel A. w. Foster
is president, and which now constitutes
the only direct line between San Fran
cisco, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Cloverdale
and Healdsburg
The prospect of great activity in the
protection and construction of electric
lines for carrying passengers may have
spurred the steam railway companies to
energetic consideration Of future require
ments. There is certainly a big and
promising field for railway extension in
the section commonly known as North
ern California. Electric lines may con-
tribute largely to the new development.
Observant railway men incline to the
opinion that the first steps in the con-
structton of a great electric system to
bring the urban and suburban districts
close together will be taken on the
peninsula of San Francisco by the ex-
tension of the electric line to San Jose
and be followed by the further construc-
ton of a line from the Santa Clara VAL
ley to Oakland. The Southern Pacific
managers, apprehending competition of
this kind, and knowing by experience
gained in Los Angeles that electric roads
can divert steam railway travel, are pre-
pairing to shorten the time and the dis
lance between the metropolis and the
valley of Santa Clara
Electric railways connecting country
villages with towns and extending from
town to town to important cities have
given the old line railway corporations of
the East something to consider. By trans
ferr1ng from one electric line to another
one can easily go from Boston to Spring
field by the trolley lines. The extensions
in progress will soon enable travellers to
journey on roads of this kind from Boston
to New York. In fact, it is claimed that
the journey can now be made on electric
car lines from one city to the other.
Eastern capital in vast sums is coming
to California for investment. and II would
not surprise practical men if large sums
should be expended in the development
of system of electric lines to bring the
cities and towns of Sonoma and Napa
counties into close relations with the
chief city of the State.
The ample deep water facilities at Nc
Nears Landing will doubtless be utilized
by the promoters of the new steam rail-
way from Santa Rosa to the bay. IF Is
estimated that the ferry boat can make
the run from McNears to San Francisco
in forty-dye minutes.