The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-24
SENATOR CLARK EXPLAINS HIS
RECENT RAILROAD DEAL.
TO Be RE-IRoNED
Will Establish Fast Service Between
Salt Lake and the Coast
The Terminals.

New York, April Ex-senator w. A.
Clark of Montana tonight said that
he desired to correct certain material
errors which had crept into his inter.
view of yesterday relative to the new
" organized San Pedro, Los Angeles
4 Salt Lake railroad.
Senator c'ark's Statement.
"The transaction" said Senator
Clark. "has been described as a lease.
On the contrary, l and my associates
have purchased all OF the lines OF the
Oregon Short Line company south OF
Salt Lake City and will construct
about 400 miles of road from Cali
entes, Utah, southwesterly through
Cajon pass to Riverside, from which
| point the road will soon be completed
to Los Angeles.
'The San Pedro, Los Angeles &
Salt Lake Railroad company has au-
thorized $50, 900, 900 of bonds and has
$25, OOO, 900 capital stock. 1t has pur-
chased the Oregon Short Line system
south of Salt Lake to Calientes, en-
bracing $40 miles of road and, in add
ton to the main line, has taken over
several shorter lines. Most important
is the bennington cut of, extending
from Salt Lake City to bennington
Utah. This cut off was recently built
and is only III miles long, besides
having the advantage of lower grades.
West from Calientes l have al.
ready had 40 miles of grading com
pleted. The road will go through the
Meadow Valley wash, the dry channel
OF an old water course, which consti-
tutes the only available route. At
Cajon we meet a grade OF 1O6, but
aside from this the maximum grade is
but 70 feet. The cost will average
$4,000 a mile.
"This portion OF the Oregon Short
Line system which we have purchased
, will be relaid with IS pound rails and
t the equipment will be the very best.
From San Pedro to Los Angeles and
=, Riverside the road now has the best
Pullman passenger equipment, which
will be extended to the system. In
southern California, tributary to the
line, 25, 900 carloads OF fruit were rails
ed last year and there are existing
orchards, which in less than five years
will have an annual output OF $4,000
carloads. The new line will swiftly
move trainloads from that section in
to a cooler altitude, an important de
sideratum in handling such perishable
stuff.
= prom Salt Lake City to Los An
geles by this new route is 500 miles
!. which we intend to cover with Limited
trains in "a hours.
;, cat present traffic from Salt Lake
City can only reach Los Angeles viz
Sacramento, a distance OF 1900 miles
h "At San Pedro the government. il
a building a ,breakwater to cost $4,000,
j, 600 and Wilmington bay is being deep
"a ered by dredging SO that it will form
a fine harbor. Near Riverside we ar
= constructing across the Santa An
river a great concrete bridge wit
eight spans of 100 feet each and a.
- extreme height of 20 feet.
"We have made arrangements wit
70 the Oregon Short Line company for
&. Joint use of their terminals for
', period OF SO years. Tributary to tn
At new road are vast deposits OF iro
and other minerals that only await de
IN velopment..
w 'No bonds have been issued on tn
Los Angeles road so far complete
10 and 5000, 900 of the $50, 900, 900 bon
&c ed debt will be held in reserve in tn
"a company's treasury to be applied I
&c. the construction of branch lines. w
ia expect to have the through line full
a. completed within two years."
IN
TO MARRY A WIDOW.