Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-23
OAKLAND GREETS
WESTERN PACIFIC
City Gives First TranSContinental
Train of New Line Great
Ovation
THOUSANDS THR0NG STREETS
Schools and Business Houses All
CIoSe-Mayor Mott Wei
comes Railroad Men
THRoNG STREETS
Associated Pressl

OAKLAND, Aug. 22.-With every
steam siren and whistle in the city
shrieking a welcome, with the business
houses and schools closed and the
streets lined with thousands of people
Oakland greeted the first transconti'
mental train to reach the Pacific coas'
over the Western Pacific Railroad com
pany's tracks late this afternoon
Bands played, bells rang and the mul'
titude cheered as the big express en-
gine drawing the special train upor
which the officials of the road and the
newspaper men were riding rolled into
the depot at Third and Washington
streets.
Mayor Frank K. Mott received the
railroad men on behalf of the city an6
H. c. Capwell and Col. John 2. lrisf
addressed the crowd at the depot
Speaking for the company, Attorney
Max Thelan responded to Mayor Motifs
words of welcome.
ADDRESS BY MAYOR MOTT
In his address of welcome to the
Western Pacific, Mayor Mott said;
"This is notable day in the annals
of Oakland. We are assembled to
give greeting and welcome to the rep
resentatives of a new and great trau>-
continental railway system. Their
presence upon the first regular train to
enter the city over the rails of this
completed line marks another epoch in
commercial and industrial achievement
which will stand among the foremost
events in our history. The Western
Pacific came to us in the guise of a
friend. We met it on that basis and
I believe that we shall never regret
that we accorded its representatives in
those days a fair hearing.
1.-THE Western Pacific was the first
great corporation in the country to
recognize the city's right to its har-
Dor. 1t is through the Western Pa
cific that Oakland today controls the
wharfing outright on its water front.
This new system opens up new coun-
try and gives stimulus to the develop
ment to come of the richest lands of
California. We Oaklanders need to
profit by the enterprise here shown.
We need to take part in cooperation
with this great railroad system in the
new field of activity which its coming
has opened. This is for us to do as
our part in the upbuilding which the
Western Pacific will help to push for
ward. We have a peculiar interest
in making todays welcome one for the
thoughtful consideration of our citi-
Eens.
ADVANTAGES FOR INDUSTRIES
fTOlIl the BldleIldl SlU6 TIE SllIppeIi
the manufacturer and producer see
special advantages to themselves in the
competition of a new line of railroad
But there is another side and this will
appeal to our visiting guests today as
strongly, / believe, as it does to our
selves. I refer to the influx of new
population which will follow the COM
pletion of lis road, and in which we
will share. For many months now,
Oakland has been putting herself in
order for homebuilders and for tour
lists. One city for some time has been
busy developing along the lines of her
many natural advantages and 1t has
been one of the prime aims of the mu-
niCipal administration to make our
city SO attractive that hOmeseekers and
travellers will be compelled to come
here.
This assemblage today, I take it, is
evidence of a desire of both the peO-
pie and the railroad to meet on terms
of mutual regard. I am one who be-
lieves that a new view point as to the
duties of a railroad to the public is be-
ing slowly, perhaps, but surely chosen
by the men in control of these sys-
TENS of transportation.
NEW RAILROAD Is PRAISED
"That the Western Pacific is one OF
those great arteries of commerce, we
are made well aware of today. That
you gentlemen who come here in a
representative capacity to inaugurate
this big enterprise will be met in a
spirit of fair play and justice by our
citizens 1 have not the slightest
doubt. You hav shown by your
splendid accomplishment a great faith
in our future. We believe that your
faith will not be shaken. 1t is with
sincere Measure that onrCOnal1y y al
officially, welcome the Western Paci-
fic railroad to Oakland. l speak as
mayor of Oakland, without a question
as to the attitude of our people he
cause their attitude has been tested
and tried many times since you made
the first move in Oakland to make
this city the western continental termi-
mum of your system. We greet you
as friends and as our guests today
and we ask you to accept without re-
serve the hospitality of our citizens
We congratulate you upon the success
full Inauguration of traffic, of the COM
pletiOn Of this great undertaking, and
we offer you our best wishes for the
future of the Western Pacific"
When the ceremonies at the station
had been concluded the men who haG
crossed the Sierras in the company
pioneer train We're taken in autOmO.
a monster industrial and civic parade
through the streets. Decorated auto
mobiles, floats and handsome equip.
ages formed the parade line which re-
quired an hour and a quarter to pass
a given point.
When the procession was broken the
guests of the city were taken for q
sightseeing tour through the business
section of the city At p. m. the au-
tomobiles drew up at the Claremont
Country club and their occupants
gathered at a banquet. Following the
dinner the railroad men continued their
journey to San Francisco over the
Western Pacific ferry, so as TO com
plete the wafer extension trip.
Leaving Salt Lake City at O'Clock
Saturday morning the train reached its
destination at 4:27, II minutes late
without even the slightest mishap any
where along the road. From Oroville
which was left at a, m, the special
was greeted all along the road by hun
dreds Of people from fields and fac
tories alike.
THOUSANDS CHEER NEW