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Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA
Newspaper Page Text
Southern Pacific Main Line to Run Through Imperial Branch Line of Southern Pacifiic System to Run From Imperial to San Diego. The Old Line Through Flowingwell to be Abandoned. Important moves in the Railroad Ch« ss Hoard of Southern California are being made of the greatest In portance to the Imperial Settlements. Tin- following dispatch from San DiegO to the LOS Angeles Herald of April 2»;th Indicates the general char acter of these new mows, although probably not accurate in all its de tails. The readers of the Press can be assured, however, that before the close of this year Southern Pacific trains will be running through Im perial. Following is the Herald dispatch: SAN DIEGO. April 25.— Sensational information regarding railroad affairs THE VIRGIN SOIL .JUST BEING PLOWED FOR THK FIRST TIME NEAR BLUE LAKE IN THE IMPERIAL SETTLEMENTS UNDER THE IMPERIAL CANAL BYBTEM. THIS SOIL WITHOUT WATER IS ABSOLUTELY OF NO VALUK AND WITH WATER IS THE MOST FERTILE TO BE FOUND IN THE WORLD. leaked out from sources of the first character today. It has been learned that the Southern Pacific Railroad is to abandon about one hundred miles of its main line west of Yuma. follow ing the south, instead of the north line of the Colorado Desert, forking at Imperial, with a second line to San Diego over the survey of the San Diego and Eastern road, or in the neighborhood of that survey. This implies absorbing the Imperial and Gulf Railroad, now being graded. Aside from the importance of this move to the towns of Southern Cali fornia, it has an indirect effect on transcontinental business, as the road will pass for a short distance on Mexican territory, thus relieving it from control by the interstate coin merce commission. The Southern Pa cific road will be placed in the same position as the Canadian Pacific road. which for years has been a disturbing element in transcontinental traffic. The Southern Pacific has already set a force of men at work on the sur vey for the new line, and as the coun try is perfectly level, it will take but a few days to make the run from Yuma. passing the Salton Basin on the west, instead of north, to a point near Walters, where the new road will again connect with the old road bed and continue into LOs Angeles through Indio. Harriman Decides on Change. It cannot be definitely stated that the Southern Pacific has made a deal with the San Diego and Eastern road. That may not be the case, but wheth er it is or not. the Information is to the effect that when President Harri man was in Southern California a few days ago it was definitely decided that the company would make the change in its roadbed at once and build to this city, which will require but \'2~> miles of additional trackage. The reasons for making the change are numerous. The most important is the fact that on the western side of the Colorado River there is a chain of sand hills about fifty miles long, extending from a point in Mexico to the northwest, where they approach close to the foothills of the Chucka walla Mountains. Any road coming west from Yuma is forced to choose between the narrow pass north of the sand hills and one entering Mexican territory south of the hills. The Southern Pacific Company took the northern route but it has seen those hills drifting steadily further to the north, until it has become a question of but a very few years when it will be forced to abandon the pass, as it is practically impossible to keep the right of way clear of the drifting sand. The company has appropriated $500,000 to lay heavy rails across the desert, and. realizing the necessity for changing the route soon, this is found to be an opportune time for doing so. To Anticipate Other Roads. Another factor in forcing the com pany to the change is the movement on the part of several roads toward the southwestern coast, and that of the people of San Diego, in making the survey for their road, the San IMPERIAL PRKSS Diego and Eastern. Naturally. If any Other road passes south of the sand hills it will have the tirst choice of the ground, and the Southern Pacific does not propose to let another road have that desirable tirst choice. If the Hock Island or any other road in tends to build into San DiegO from 7uma it Will find that the Southern Pacific's new line is about seventy five miles nearer this city than Yuma. This is also, therefore, a strategic move against coming rivals, and pos sibly against the Santa l-Y whose ex clusive territory it will Invade by en tering this city. Still another point is the fact that the half -million acres being plac, d un dor irrigation in the Imperial country Will become S rich region for any road to traverse, While the Southern Pacific by making the change, can get rid of fifty miles of irreclaimable desert and substitute for it at least an equal distance through a rich pros pective farming country. As it is at present, the company is in danger of losing all the business of the Imperial region, which is already large. The building of a branch from Im perial to San Diego by the Southern Pacific will be welcome news here, for that country is now tributary to Los Angeles, although in this county. It is about 125 miles from hero and nearly twice as far from Los Angeles, and with railroad communication. San Diego people expect to control the trade of the country. Another Statement. The Los Angeles Times of April 86th also publishes the following In formation. These two accounts do not agree in details, but the main facts sufficiently agree for all practi cal purposes. Following is the Times' statement: Arrivals from down in the country, which has heretofore been known as the Colorado Desert, report that it is blossoming as the rose of Sharon, it' not as the lily of the valley. People are doing things down there. Those in control of the Imperial I -and Com pany have a big bunch of mules "humping themselves" grading the roadbed for a railroad north from ltn : to Imperial Junction, B station Of the Southern Pacific a short dis tance west Of Plowing Wells. Then it is well known that the San Diego people are really moving in their own behalf; that they ha\e or ganised s company to build a road eastward from San Diego to Yuma. There is said to be local capital en lugh In sight to grade the roadtx d, put In the bridges and get it ready for laying the ties and rails. The stir \.v of the line has been made at a cost of $"'!>. t»(H>. New York capital is thought to be secured to buy bunds to iron the road and put on the equip tnent. Hut where is the Southern Pacific" Net asleep, one may be sure The lit tie road up from Imperial to Im perial Junction to connect with the big octopus would not dis turb anyone. It would be sim ply a feeder which could easily be taken care of in any way desired. It would be only about thirty miles long But it is intimated that a Southern Pacific right of way man is on the ground at Pilot Knob, a Sta tion a little west of Yuma. and just alvout Where the San Diego enter prise would strike the Southern Pa cific. ll«> is looking about and seeing what could be done. The distance to Imperial is not much farther than from Imperial Junction, and a line run there would compete directly with the San Diego line, which it would parallel at no great, distance apart. That may be the pnrposo of start ing a road so much farther from Los Angeles than the one going down from Imperial Junction. What effect such, a road would have on the plans of the San Diego people is not en tirely apparent, it. is quite In the scope of the possible that, should the big road start to build from near Pilot Knob or Cactus to Imperial, about forty miles, then the San Diego promoters might find new capital a bit shy about getting into schemes which would mean a big fight with the octopus. Hut that the Southern Pacific would go on and build to San Diego is not a sure thing. There is not much just at present In the country lying between San Diego and [mpeiial. Then if the Southern Pacific were to build In San Diego it would be getting into the preserves of its friend, the Santa i-v. Tin re does not appear to be much room at the present time for a mis understanding in thai quarter. Doubtless the eiptains of industry believe they are entitled to it because the people seem to like it. Usually the chief difference between preaching and practice is in the amounts of the salaries. 9