The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-02
RIPLEY MAKES
A QUIET MOVE
Completes His Plans for
Yosemite Connec-
tons at Oakdale.
Santa F'e to Build a Line From
Claus to End Of Sierra
Railway.

The Santa Fe Company is quietly pre-
pairing to reach the Yosemite Valley by
way of Big Oak Flat and thereby place
itself on an equal footing with the South
ern Pacific Company in the competition
Tor the valley traffic. 1t has been learned
mat its agents have been at work for
nearly year and have formed alliances
ana combinations which will permit the
achievement of this project at compar-
lively small expenditure of money.
A company composed of men in no way
loentihed with the Santa Fe road will be
incorporated in a short time for the pur-
pose Oh constructing a new line from Oak
Gale, the southern terminus of the Sierra
Railway Company where it meets the
Southern Pacific line to Claus, a small
station on the San Joaquin Valley road,
above MERGED. With this small stretch of
track, less than thirty miles, the Santa
res western system will be brought in
dhect connection with the Sierra Rail-
ways main line and over the latter pas
sehgers VIII be transported to the Yo-
semitic Valley by way of Big Oak Flat
which is admitted to be one of the best
available routes into the great scenic re-
sort
Great efforts have been made by the
santa &c officials to keep their plans a
secret, but like the majority of railroad
undertakings this one was soon discov-
cred. 1t has been known for several
weeks by the officials of the Southern
Pacific, who have already begun to throw
OBSTACLES In the way of its accomplish
ment.
RIPLEY ON THE GROUND.
A year ago President Ripley and his as
soclates in the management of the Santa
Fe system foresaw the necessity of gain
ing a f1rmer foothold in the vicinity of
the Yosemite Park. Vice President Ken
na the general solicitor of the road, and
Vice President Kendrick joined with Vice
President Paul Morton in suggesting to
President Ripley the idea of negotiating
| with Prince PoniatOwski and the Crock
| ers, who control the Sierra Railway, for
the purchase outright of that line and
connecting it with the San Joaquin Val
ley road and 1t was with that purpose in
view that President Ripley on the occa-
sion of his last trip to California quietly
slipped into the Yosemite Valley, coming
out on the Big Oak Flat side, where he
was met by S. d. Freshman, assistant
general manager and treasurer of the
Sierra Railway. Freshman by an ap-
pointment arranged between his brother
| ln-law, I. S. Bullock, the manager of that
| road, and President Ripley through Paul
Morton, who was then in this CITY. had
special car in waiting for Ripley at
jamestown and in it he pioted the head
of the Santa Fe Company over the entire
system of the Sierra Railway Company,
finally landing the president at Oakdale,
where he boarded the Southern Pacific
Company's train and came to this city
BIDS FOR THE ROAD.
For several days thereafter Ripley and
the representatives of the Sierra Rail-
way held conferences in this city but
the negotiations for the sale of the road
were never effected. Although Ripley
was willing to make the bargain an invit-
ing one to the owners of the road, it was
explained by them that they were not in
a position to sell. owing to traffic and
other entanglements with the Southern
Pacific. which were of a very binding
character.
When the Sierra Railway Company
first undertook the construction of its
road from Oakdale to jamestown it seems
that c. P Huntington, then president of
the Southern Pacific Company, con-
cefved the idea that the Crockers and
Prince Poniatowsh were planning a dan
gerous opposition to his line in that sec
ton of the State and in his peculiarly
shrewd manner the famous railroad man
made an open threat that he would par
allel the new line with one of his own by
extending the branch line from Milton to
the terminal point contemplated by the
Crockers and Poniatowski. AS a result
of this threat the heads of the two roads
got together and entered into an under
standing in which it was agreed that the
Huntington corporation would let the in
FAINT corporation have the use of rolling.
stock and otherwise foster the enterprise
provided its projectors did not at
tempt to interfere with Southern Pacific
business or give aid to a rival corpora
ton.
OBSTACLES IN THE WAY.
Eventually the agreement between the
two roads broadened into a general traf-
fic alliance and finally resulted in the