The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 6, 1896, Page 1

This Paper not ' to be taken from | the Library. $4ee " VOLUME 'LXXX.—NO. 128. RESND FRE ROM MONDPOLY'S SHACKL Rail Competition Opened to the People of the Raisin City. FIRST EXCURSION OVER THE VALLEY ROAD. Residents of the Fertile San Joa- quin Welcome the Arrival of the Train. THOUSANDS ASSEMBLE TO CELEBRATE THEIR DELIVERANCE. Noisy Greeting to President Claus Spreckels and the Company’s Directors--Parade, Oratory and a Free Barbecue. FRESNO, CaL., Oct. 5—This was a great day jor Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley. It was the day of its liberation from a bondage of high railroad tariffs. Just as the slave snaps his shackles and steps forth a free man, so Fresno broke the chains that have for many years linked her to the Southern Pacific Railroad Com- pany and cast them to the four winds. Even pature was glad. The day was a glorious one. The warm sun, high in “the bending biue,” looked down on a rich and smiling valley, a prosperous, happy, enthusiastic, exultant and free peaple. The feeling of approaching freedom has long been pent up. To-dsy the popula- tion of the valley for many miles around assembled here and gave vent to it in the form of a celebration. So large a crowd was never seen in Fresno before. Ten thousand throats cheered the day. Busi- ness men who have notdecorated their stores before 1n years hung out flags and festoous; phlegmatic people became ex- cited; the small boy turned out with wooden guns; sedate men pulled on red shirts over their heads and stepped into line. Large and luscious melons we‘re pierced by long poles and carried high in the procession by ranchers as proudly as any Cemsar ever carried the head of an en- emy into Rome. 5 These were only a few of the striking features of a parade over & mile long of natural and manufactured products. It all marched under a triumphal arch com- posed of two telegraph poles and a banner “The Valley Road as this also that e San Franciscoand Railroad. bearing the words, Greets You.” the people greeted San Joaquin Valley The formal celebration began with the arrival of the excursion train from Stock- ton at 1:30 o’clock this afternoon. People from San Francisco went to Stockton by {rain and boat the evening before tocatch this train. Among them were the direct- ors and President Claus Spreckels, whose individual subscription of $500,000 after the project had geveral times failed made the Valley road not only a possibility but the welcome reality that it is to-dsy, open and ready for business. The first train and the celebration here to-day have plainly given a big impetos %o the Ban Francisco and San Joaguin Valley Railroad. In leading hotels to- night many business men and ranchers, were heard to say that they would make their next shipments of raisins, wheat, And it lumber or fruit over the Valley Railroad. The first through passenger train over the Valley road left Stockion a few min- utes after 8 o'clock this morning. The train consisted of six handsomely painted and finely furnished coaches and two combination baggage and passenger cars. The passenger rolling stock is painted yellow, much in the same shade as the old yellow Chicago, Burlington & Quincy cars back East. The lettering is in silyer, with a narrow border of black. It was a handsome train, pulled by a brand new fifty-five ton locomotive just out of the Baldwin shops. A large crowd of Stocktonians saw the train leave, notwithstanding the early hour. Stockton has been and will con- tinue 10 be, greatly benefited by the Val- ley road. As the train began to move the crowd cheered for the Valley road and at the last glimp-e had of it from the rear platform handkerchiefs snd hats were still waving in air. And such was the reception all along the 125 miles of the line between Fresno and Stockton. Every few miles was a group of people assembled to see the train go by. All cheered it a hearty weicome. Even the jack rabbits in the brown stubble fields raised up on their hauaches and pricked up their ears at the unusual clatter. There was not farmhouse from which a handkerchief was not waved or a plowman in the field who did not swing his hat. If a wagon road ran along the track any dis- tance the occupanis of vehicles pulled up their horses and cheered. At almost every siding and crossroad was a cluster of glad people. Engine 50, with Engineer Jonn Arm- strong at the throttle and Master Mechanic Rutherford in the cab much of the time, did herself proud, notwithstanding the fact that this was the first time she had been really tested with a heavy train. No. 50 was gvaly decorated with ropes of flow- ers and the brass railings along her boiler were entwined with red, white, blue and yellow streamers, which fluttered gayly in the breeze she made by her own swift pace. The other day No. 50 was taken out and warmed up in a trial spin with two coaches behind her. She ran more than twenty-one miles, from Kscalon to Stock- ton, in twenty-one minutes, which is an example of the kind of rolling stock the whole Valley road is equipped with. A fine new station, costing $3000, is now being built at Escalon. The directors and the officials of the road got off the train and inspected this and other im- provements along the line, completed or in progress of construction. The party inciuded: President Claus Spreckels, Vice-President Robert Watt, Directors A. H. Peyson, Isaac Upham, James B. Stet- son, John A. Hooper, Thomas McGee, It j,f’ 1 h 'y B.sTETSON wa Trustees James 'D: Phelan, Lovell White, Secretary Alexander Mackie, Chief En- gineer W. F. Storey, Chief Assistant En- sineer W. C. Eads, Wiliiam Rutherford, Division Superin- tendent E. A. McFarland, General the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, Dr. F. H. Fisher and wife of San Francisco, E. 8. Van ‘Pelt, E. H. Fonticell, A. W. J. Master Mechanic | Goldsworthy, Henry Earl, City Commit- teeman J. L. Martin, Horace Vincent, A. W. Simpson Jr., Harry Hewlett, Arthur Solicitor E. F. Preston, L. W. Storror of | Withoit, Benjamin Holt, A. J. Hahn, the Pacific Postal Telegraph Company and F. W, Van Sicklen, representative of the Wholesale Grocers' Association of San Francisco. ‘While inspecting the fine new bridge at Berneyville Ferry, James D. Phelan tore a ‘considerable rent in a pair of new trousers while crawling through a barbed wire fence. Director Phelan lamented the fact that he was interested.in the rail- road and could not sue it to recover dam- ages. g Nearly every person aboard, when the train left Stockton, wore the fluttering yellow badge of the Stockton Commercial Association. The badge bone these words: “‘Stockton rejoices with Fresno.'” The members of the association aboard were: City Councilman Frank Burton, City Cierk J. M. McCall, C. M. Jackson, J. Cobn, D. C. Shepherd, Thomas Fitch Jr., Sheriff Cunningham, Chief of Police M. H, Kingsbury, Arthur L. Levinsky, John Perrott, County Auditor and -Recorder A. G. Keagle, F. D. Cobb, C. L. Ortman, George Maguire of the Imperial Hotel, Supervisor 0. J. Hemphill, County Super- intendent of Schools Gecrge Goodell, L. Hausen, Antonio Galgiani, W. W. West- bay, Joseph Fyfe, Willlam Inslis, G. W. Tatterson, Captain J. W. Smith, City Councilman J. J. Quinn, L. T. Ward, ‘W. R. Hughes, A. E. Brooke Ridley of San Francisco, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Stir- ring, Supervisor Orrin 8. Henderson, H. E. Adams, M. D. Eaton, Charles Ber- trand, George Dohrman, Burt E. Hooper, H. 8. Olney, John Hammond, Jacob 8i- mon, Supervisor James Brown, F. E. Codle, C. L. Ruggles, A. W. Cowdery, D. 8. Parsons, A. C. Olney, L. W. Teaby, C. E. Perkins, B. F. Stacy, J. R. Dixon, Charles Ratsloff, W. Frank Pierce of San Francisco, M. P. Btein, F. E. Valentine of 8. M. Spurrier, Jonn Sexton, I. 8. Hains, Andrew Wolf, C. E. Williams, C. V. Thompson, Mayor H. M. Baggs, Street Superintendent George Bidwell, B. W. Moore, President William Niles of Los Angeles, C. C.; President P. A. Buell of the Stockton Commercial Association, M. Goldstein, Frank 8. Boggs, E. Frank Wellington, H. ). Louis, Joseph Breiden- bach and F. E. Manchester. The following people from Modesto drove seven miles and boarded the train at Clauston: County AssessorJ. F. Camp- bell, Supervisor George Toombs, County Clerk A. 8. Dingley, Sheriff R. B. Purvis and wife, and Deputy Sheriff Weill Dallas and wife of Stanislaus County. Conductor Peter Farrell was in charge of, the train. The train stopped at nearly every bridge and embankment of considerable size to giva the directors and the excursionists an opportunity to inspect them. The track is just as good as the rolling-stock. Firm tie-plates—the first in California— are under the rails to prevent them from cutting into. the ties. The roadbed is re- markably smooth for a new road; even the engine rides the rails smoothly, Next year the roud will be ballasted with .gravel. It will then be the best roadbed in the State. The road is not yet open for regular passenger traffic owing to a lack of depot facilities, but it will be in a few weeks, The principal stations on the 125 miles of road number fifteen and are as follows: Stockton, Burnham, Fscalon, Clauston, Hughson, Elmwood, Merced, Geneva, La Grande, Marguerite, Sharon, Miller, Lankershim, Patterson and Fresno. Clauston is named after Claus; Spreckels. It was and still is the original intention to extend the road from San Francisco to Bakersfield. A freight-shed now under The first Board of Directors and also the Executive Officers of the Valley Road. Louis Gerstle was for a short time a member of this Board, but, retiring, was succeeded by Leon Sloss. The officers in the group, other than the Directors, are Alex- ander Mackie, the first Secre- tary, and W. B, Storey Jr., the Engineer, Mr. Preston was the first attorney of the road. These gentlemen all hold these construction at Fresno will cost $5000. There is a plat of five acres for depot grounds near the center of the ecity. A passenger station will be constructed later. ‘When the train slowly entered ¥resno— only twenty minutes late, notwithstand- ing the many stops—there was cheering from the people from the city limits to the depot grounds. The crowd there was so dénse and the cheering so enthusiastic that'the train had to make its way along the rails almost inch by inch. It seemed as though the entire S8an Joaguin Valley had turned out on foot, a-horseback and on all descriptions of vehicles to receive it. Some of the more enthusiastic onas went wild and acted as though they had never seen a train before. SALTLEAL L L FEATURES OF THE PARADE. Story of the San Joaquin Valley’s Emancipation Told in Banner and Float. FRESNO, CAL., Oct. 5.—The grand pa- rade was awaiting the arrival of the excur- sion train from Stockton. “It'scoming to a stop,” was the signal for the parade to start. The procession was nearly a mile and a halflong and possessed some unique and beautiful features. There was load after load of wool, wagons piled high with fresh fruit or boxes of raisins, mountains of melons on wheels, little girls in white, representing the States, chiefs, digm- taries, State officials and prominent citi- zens, vats oi wine, cargoes of lumber, moving pyramids of wheat in sacks, drawn by teams of twelve mules or horses, and from one end of the procession to the other were almost numberless banners ex- pressing the joy that the valley people feel at their freedom from the thraldom of excessive and oppressive freight rates. | Many of the banners read like thi: “Qur first carload for the Valley road, ©A royal welcome from the little ones,” “A royal welcome from the young ladies,” who rode on horseback and looked very chic in their white dresses and balloon P4 Departure of the First San Joaquin Valley Railroad Excursion Train From Stockton, En Route to e the Fresno Cdebrafion. 3 N sleeves. * The boys with their wooden guns fired at imaginary enemies and ‘yelled ti.eir delight at being free to yell to their hearts’ content. ‘‘Ready to ship on the Valley road” was the banner of several vineyards. A fife and drum corps in a Yosemite stage shrieked its welcome. The display made by Clovis Cole, a big wheat- grower of this vicinity, was nearly a quar- terof a mile long. The parade moved in the following order: FIRST DIVISION. Marshal Woy and mounted police. * Fulton G. Berry, grand marshal. C. L. Walter, chief of staff. Grand Marshal’s aids. James H. Budd, commander-in-chief. A. W, Barrett, adjutant-general, Governor’s staff. Mathew W. Muller, bri ier-general, com- manding the Third Br:gade, N. G. C. Colonel T.J. Hay, adjutant of staff. Justy’s Band. Lieutenant-Colonel 8. S. Wright and regi- mental staff. Ninth Battalion, Sixth Infantry, Third Bri- gade, N. G. C., Major C. Chishoim, commanding. Company H, Captain Graham, commanding. Company F. Captain Jones, commanding. Company C, Captain Duncan, commanding. Company E, Captain Ward, commanding. | Wawona Division, Uniform Rank, K. of P., * Captain Fisher, commanding. Hanford Division, Uniform Rank, K. of P, Captain Musgrave, commanding. SECOND DIVISION. Division Commander W. G. Chrichton. Aids H. W. Skinner and W. D. Nelson. Visalia Band. Officers of the city and county of Fresno. Chamber of Commerce. Hundred Thousand Club. Civic organizations. Citizens on foot. ” Boy cadets. Car of State—Forty-five girls representing the forty-five States of the Union. Kohler & Chase, musical dispiay. Fresno Fire Department. THIRD DIVISION. Division Commander W. F. Rowell, Aids Alex Smith and E. Gower. Giil Band of Easton. Ladies and children on horseback. Floats representing the business houses of Fresno City. The Eisen Vineyard, St. George Vineyard, the California Fruit and Raisin Com- pany andHome Packing Company. FOURTH DIVISION. Division Commander Clovis Cole. “wges Ailds W. N. Rohrer, R. B. Harlan and H. A. Shields. Colored band of Fresno. J. W. Cate & Son, display of mill products. The Sperry Milling Company, display of mill 3 products. Clovis Cole’s six twelve-mule teams and eighteen wagons. Mounted horsemen. The procession arrived at the depot grounds on schedule time and rested on Tulare street, just before reaching the rail- road crossing. The ciowds that accompa- nied the parade took up positions under neighboring . shade trees and along the || track for several blocks. There was an eager craning of necks to catch some sign of the approach of tue train, but nothing could be seen until the majestic front of the big locomotive made. the turn from Diana street into Q street. - A wild cry of “There she comes!” went up, and was fol- lowed by cheering. (OVATION TO MR. SPRECKELS "Tfils, Is the People R;IIroqd," He Declares to the Applauding Thousands. - FRESNO, CaL., Oct. 5.—As soon as the parade had been reviewed the excursion- ists alighted and proceeded to the speak. ers’ stand. This was erected about 200 vards from the track, John Reichman. " ICHARLES HOLBROOK. president of the local celebration commite tee, presided over the assemblage. He in« troduced Arthar Briggs, president of the Chamber of Commerce, who delivered the address of welcome. The Valley road officials occupied seats on the platform, and to them in particular and the crowd in general Mr. Briggs addressed his re- marks, spéaking in bebalf of the people of Kresno. Said he: Whhn I look at the earnest faces of this great number ot people congregated here for & single purpose—men and women of mature years; young men and young women in the Pprime of life; yes, even the children—I cannot doubt that thisoccasion is one of more than ordinary importance to the city and to the central part of the State. That the occasion is not local in its intetest or significance—in the sense of Fresno County alone—is shown by the large number who are here from other towns and from the adjoining counties to participate in this demonstration and to rejoice with us in the good fortune ot this city. This is substantial indication that good fellowship optains in this part of the State, and that the fact is recognized that whatever affects Fresno County and promotes its welfare, bv reason of close relation come mercially and industrially, affects also the people of the whole valley. And what is more appropriate than thatom this holiday, dignified by the name of Labor day, this gathering of the people should ba had? In this extreme portion of the conti- nent we are all laborers, and therefore have a direct and personal interest in upholding the dignity and supremacy of labor, which is the recognized basis of ali development, of all wealth and all happiness. The thought of encouraging and sustaining labor is near to the heart of every loyal Ameri- can, whether native or foreign born; so that gnything that widens the opportunity for profitable employment, or which tends to de« velop, increase and multiply our industries, or gives better facilities for handling and gete to market the products of labor, whether in the department of agriculture or manufac. tures, is vitally interesting to us, as it exciteg he hope of improved industrial conditions. The speaker pointed out the opportunity for the growth of the San Joaquin Valley. He believed that the. construction of the -Valley road was but the beginning of what was to come. ‘‘Instead of one line con- trolling the freight ana passenger traffis hereafter,”” said, ‘‘two roads will vie with each other in the carrying trade.” Cons tinuing, Mr. Briggs said: To you, gentlemen of the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway Company, our hearts are open to-day.. The voice of welcome resounds from one end ol this valley to the other, and bears to you evidence of good fel« lowship and appreciation of your work. “With' charity to all and malice toward none,” we are here to express to you a wels come as genuine as it is spontaneous. We bring to your door as evidence of our appre- ciation samples of the produets which have waited your coming. Memorable to us is the