Tulare County
History
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California - History by Eugene L. Menefee and Fred A. Dodge - Historic Record Company - Los Angeles, California, 1913
CHAPTER XV
THE RAILROAD DREAM
In 1861 a mass meeting was held in front of the courthouse for the purpose of considering the project of building a road to San Simeon. The proposition was endorsed and William G. Morris, A. H. Mitchell, S. W. Beckham, Thomas Baker and E. Jacob were appointed a committee to view the route and solicit subscriptions.
The board of supervisors also took up the matter and appointed A. O. Thorns, H. Bostwick and A. J. Atwell to view the routes and estimate the probable cost. Altogether, eleven men, including ex-Governor McDougal, went on this expedition. The Delta of the time says: "They will probably be gone from two to three weeks and have taken all the necessary provisions and refreshments for a trip of that sort."
BIDDING FOR THE RAILROAD
A railroad meeting was held in Visalia on the 10th of December for the purpose of hearing the demands of the Central Pacific railroad. The meeting was addressed by J. Ross Brown and William M. Stewart, senator from Nevada. Tulare county was asked to issue seven per cent twenty-year bonds as a gift to the railroad company, at the ratio of $6,000 per mile, an aggregate of $378,000. The road was to cross the county via Visalia, a distance of sixty-three miles, and it was agreed that the railroad should be taxed at the rate of $5,000 per mile. The average time in the receipt of merchandise from San Francisco was fifteen days and the rate $60 per ton. The railroad was to do it in eight hours and at the rate of $10 per ton. There were about three thousand tons of freight leaving Visalia for the north and about five hundred coming in annually. On account of the increase in taxation and the reduction in freight it was figured that the bonds would pay for themselves in seven years.
Resolutions were adopted approving the project and pledging assistance in the construction of the road. The committee was composed of Dr. W. A. Russell, A. J. Atwell, B. G. Parker, Hugh Hamilton, T. J. Shackleford, F. W. Blake, Y. B. Stokes, A. H. Murray, Tipton Lindsey and J. B. Hockett.
Popular sentiment was in favor of the issuance of bonds, and the legislature passed a bill authorizing Tulare and other counties to issue bonds, but it was vetoed by Governor Haight. The people of Visalia were still confident that the road would pass through the town and speculation and prediction of the exceeding prosperity that would ensue were rife. Prices of property soared, and it was therefore a most crushing disappointment when the survey of 1870 was made, which passed through Tulare county at a point about eight miles west of Visalia.
Shortly after the road reached Merced, in February, 1872, another effort was made to induce the railroad to pass through Visalia. A meeting was held and a committee consisting of Tipton Lindsey, R. E. Hyde, Elias Jacob and T. L. B. Goodman were appointed to obtain the right of way to the route through Visalia. The rights of way were quickly obtained and the committee visited Sacramento, where they were told to await the action of Engineer Montague. On a subsequent visit to Sacramento in April, at which conference they were prepared to offer a large bonus, the committee were informed by Governor Stanford that he could conceive of no inducement that lay in their power to grant sufficient to influence a change in the route. This was by reason of the fact that the railroad was entitled by act of Congress to the alternate sections of unoccupied land lying on each side of the right of way. Should the route be changed to pass through Visalia, in which neighborhood nearly all the lands were deeded possession, the railroad would be forced to relinquish this immense domain.
Hyde and Jacob, the members of the committee attending the latter conference, telegraphed to Visalia: "Ephesians, chapter two, verse twelve." Reference to this disclosed : "Cut off from the Commonwealth of Israel."
It now being an established fact that they were to be cut off from the main line, the people of Visalia called a mass meeting on May 11, 1872, to take measures of last resort. At this meeting, Tipton Lindsey presiding, S. C. Brown. introduced the following resolution, which was adopted: "Resolyed, That it is for the best interests of the people of Visalia to take steps looking to the construction of a branch railroad leading from the town to the main trunk of the San Joaquin Valley railroad at its nearest point to this town."
This was the inception of the Visalia and Goshen railroad, articles of incorporation for which were filed May 19, 1874. The directors were R. E. Hyde, S. A. Sheppard, E. Jacob, S. C. Brown, Tipton Lindsey, John Cutler and Solomon Sweet. It was completed and put in operation in the following August, amidst great rejoicing. The first depot of this road was in the western part of the town, but subsequently moved to the present Southern Pacific depot. This road continued to operate, but upon the completion of the San Joaquin Valley railroad, now the Santa Fe, the company sold out to the Southern Pacific. The latter company then extended the road from Visalia to Exeter, making through traffic in 1898.
THE VISALIA AND TULARE RAILROAD
The Visalia and Tulare railroad was built by local capital in 1888, at a cost of $130,000, and proved a great convenience to the inhabitants of the two cities. It never proved profitable, however, and after the coming of the Santa Fe in 1897 its usefulness was over. In 1898 the rolling stock and rails were sold and the enterprise abandoned.
EAST SIDE RAILROAD
On December 5, 1887, the Southern Pacific, the successor to the Central Pacific in the San Joaquin valley, commenced what is locally known as the East Side Line. This road runs east from Fresno to Sanger, then southeasterly through Dinuba, Lindsay, Porterville and connects with the main line at Famosa. Work on the road was pushed forward rapidly and completed in November, 1888. The road is about one hundred and four miles in length, of which sixty-eight are in Tulare county. It passes about eight miles eastwardly from Visalia and is the only road through the rich citrus country.
THE COMING OF THE SANTA FE
In 1895 when the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley railroad was organized and the project of building a road from the northern metropolis to Bakersfield was set forth, Visalia residents determined at once to put forth every effort to get upon the route.
A mass meeting was held in the old engine house and S. Mitchell, Harry Levinson and William H. Hammond were appointed a committee on finances and depot sites and Ben M. Maddox a committee of one to secure rights of way. Tulare city also eagerly undertook to help and agreed to secure rights of way from a point midway between Visalia and Tulare south to the county line.
About $12,000 was raised in Visalia, and with this sum, after a strenuous labor of over a year, all rights of way of a present probable value of a quarter of a million dollars were secured.
Construction work was commenced in 1896 and on Admission Day, September 9, 1897, the road was completed to Visalia and a monster celebration in honor of the event was held. Excursion trains from Fresno, Hanford and other points, carrying upwards of two thousand people, came; residents from the most remote sections of the county, as well as those from the nearby towns, crowded to see the first real railroad train enter Visalia.
A significant coincidence of the occasion was that on that day the first Southern Pacific agent to set foot in Visalia also arrived. A short time previous the Visalia-Goshen railroad had been purchased by the Southern Pacific, and at once, upon the completion of the competing road, active efforts were made, through betterments of service and equipment, to retain a share of the public's patronage, and in a very short time the Southern Pacific expressed itself as desirous of extending its road to Exeter to connect with its branch line. George W. Stewart and John F. Jordan were appointed by the Visalia Board of Trade to assist in this matter. These gentlemen worked heartily, soon secured all rights of way and the road was built the following year.
Soon after the Valley railroad passed into the hands of the Santa Fe. A singular fact in connection with the sale of the little railroad from Goshen to Visalia was that R. E. Hyde, its principal owner, believed that the coming of the Valley railroad would render his property practically valueless, and considered seriously offering it for sale for $30,000, about one-fifth the sum he received from the Southern Pacific. There is no record, however, of the latter company regretting the bargain.
THE VISALIA ELECTRIC
In 1906 the Visalia Electric railroad was commenced. A corporation with Mr. Crossett at the head was formed to build and operate an electric road from Visalia to Lemon Cove, by way of Exeter. The tracks of the Southern Pacific between Visalia and Exeter were used. From Exeter the line was extended along the foothills through some of the fine orange orchards, and in 1907 reached Lemon Cove. The road has since been extended up the river to the property of the Ohio Lemon Company, and it is expected that it will soon be extended up the river to Three Rivers. Leaving the main line a short distance northeast of Lemon Cove, a branch was constructed, crossing the Kaweah river near McKay Point, and thence extending westerly to Redbanks, with a spur running north to Woodlake.
THE PORTERVILLE NORTH EASTERN
In 1909 a company was formed with the avowed purpose of constructing a railroad from Tulare City to the town of Springville by way of Woodville and Porterville. F. U. Nofziger was president of the company and Holley & Holley of Visalia the engineers.
The people all along the way were anxious for such a road, and very little trouble was offered to the securing of the rights of way. Work was immediately commenced on that portion of the project between Porterville and Springville, called the Porterville North Eastern road, and it was pushed vigorously. On the 9th of September, 1911, the people of Springville celebrated the completion of the road. It was a great day for the little town. There were crowds of people from the other towns in the county, from Fresno and from Bakersfield. The road has been absorbed by the Southern Pacific, and is now run as a part of that system.
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.