The San Francisco call., 1910-06-04
RAILWAY WILL RUN
TRAINS into CITY
Opening of New Line Points to
Early Building of Passen-
ger Station

The Dumbarton bridge has been COM
pleted and it VIII be opened to traffic
in a few weeks. This viii mark the
beginning OF a new era in San Fran
cfsco's railroad history.
TransoOntinental freight and passen-
gers can then be landed in the city
without the slow. tedious process Of
ferryage At Benicia and across the bay
from Oakland.
At first only freight trains viii be
brought across the Dumbarton bridge.
After the approaches TO the bridge
over the marsh lands get well settled
passenger trains from the san Joaquin
valley and bay points probably viii be
brought IN this way 1t VIII not be
ions. in the opinion Of many who have
studied the railroad situation closely,
before trapscOntinental passenger
viii be brought over the Dumbarton
bridge and landed Ia the heart Of the
CITY
It is necessary TO look at a map to
see the fun significance OF the Dunn
barton bridge. II is apparent al the
first glance that 1t cuts of big detour
around the south end of the bay, saw
-ai = 40 t-A-AI7 Ae AlAr RANf l0Ao Ell0l LtEl
route and considerably more by way OF
san Jose.
By detouring transcontinental trains
from Sacramento round by way Of
stockton and Tracy the eferryage at
Benieia and Oakland can now be
avoided.
ANOTHER LINN NEEDED
But there is another link TO he COM
pieted before the final scheme OF trans
continental service viii be completed
Heading due south from Sacramento
is = short branch line the Sacramento
Southern. This nominally is headed for
Walnut Grove, and the railroad off,
cials announce that il will be con-
structed 70 that point soon. It is gen
orally known, however. that surveys
have been made clear through to Anti
och and that that is the real destina-
tion Of the road.
This road viii form an important
cutoff. Trains could be brought from
Sa era nento over this line by way Of
Danvilie and Pleas .nton and the
Dumbarton bridge directly into san
Francisco. avoiding all ferrya ge.
From san Mateo in there is already
provided the fine double track system
via the Bay Shore cutoff. with five tun-
nels recently constructed al great ex-
pense. Thus IL viii be seen how every
thing fits into the Southern Pacific's
general plan for leading transcon-
tinental traffic directly into the city.
This may eIucidate many points long
in doubt in the public mind
PASSENGER STATION NEEDED
The question naturally arises. What
is the Southern Pacific going to do
about 3 new passenger station TO take
care Of the greatly increased traffic
that viii be brought into the city?
The Third and Townsend streets sta
tion is notriously inadequate even for
present passenger traffic. TO say moth
ing Of acting as a depot for traffic
from san Joaquin valley points and
from the coast. On the subject of a
new depot site the Southern Pacific
off7cisls are absolutely noncOmmittal.
Some OF the leading real estate men,
who have watched the trend OF real
estate purchases, believe that the
Southern Pacific is behind the recent
big transfers Of land between the foot
Of Market street and the Third and
Townsend streets station. IN the last
two years l6 complete blocks have
been bought IN q direct line in this dis
trict at an expense Of s5,000,000
PROSPECT OF CONCENTRATION
II is argued that this points TO the
location OF q passenger station near
the ferry house. and the concentrating e
Of al the railroads freight and pas
senger business in that section. II is
thought that this locality has been
chosen so that union station may be
built by the Santa Fe anJ Western Pa
cifc in conjunction with the Southern
Pacific The other two roads would
thus come in to bear a share in the
large. expense of getting the land and
building the station. 1t is estimated
that. S5.000.OO0 more will have to be
spent in buying land to carry out such
q program.
other keen real estate men are in
.slIned TO the belief that the location Of