Difference between revisions of "South Pacific Coast Railroad"

From PacificNG
Line 25: Line 25:
In steps some mysterious capitalists. Alfred E. Davis had recently completed a three year contract for supplying and managing a fleet of wagons and teams to haul charcoal and ore for the mines of Eureka, Nevada.<ref>''Eureka Daily Sentinel'' July 25, 1875, page 3</ref><ref>''Sacramento Daily Union'' June 19, 1872, page 3</ref>  The completion of the Ruby Hill Railroad had made his freighting business obsolete.  Just a year earlier he sold his stock in the Ophir mine in Virginia City. He was one of the original stockholders in 1862 <ref>''Sacramento Daily Union'' December 18, 1862, page 2 </ref>and sold the stock  at a sharp increase in value.<ref>''The Daily Appeal'' January 14, 1875, page 3</ref><ref name="alfred">''California’s Representative Men'', 1881,  page 219</ref> Back home in San Francisco A. E. Davis was wealthier and looking for a new venture to invest in. The movement of freight was an interest of Mr. Davis ever since his arrival in San Francisco in May 1849 when he had to earn his living by renting a mule and cart to move freight around the city. What he later found out was that he could earn significantly more money moving freight than panning for gold.<ref name="alfred"></ref>  
In steps some mysterious capitalists. Alfred E. Davis had recently completed a three year contract for supplying and managing a fleet of wagons and teams to haul charcoal and ore for the mines of Eureka, Nevada.<ref>''Eureka Daily Sentinel'' July 25, 1875, page 3</ref><ref>''Sacramento Daily Union'' June 19, 1872, page 3</ref>  The completion of the Ruby Hill Railroad had made his freighting business obsolete.  Just a year earlier he sold his stock in the Ophir mine in Virginia City. He was one of the original stockholders in 1862 <ref>''Sacramento Daily Union'' December 18, 1862, page 2 </ref>and sold the stock  at a sharp increase in value.<ref>''The Daily Appeal'' January 14, 1875, page 3</ref><ref name="alfred">''California’s Representative Men'', 1881,  page 219</ref> Back home in San Francisco A. E. Davis was wealthier and looking for a new venture to invest in. The movement of freight was an interest of Mr. Davis ever since his arrival in San Francisco in May 1849 when he had to earn his living by renting a mule and cart to move freight around the city. What he later found out was that he could earn significantly more money moving freight than panning for gold.<ref name="alfred"></ref>  


In the late January 1876 rumors begin circulating that the SCVRR debts are being paid and the locomotive is sold. On February 4, 1876 A. E. Davis and B. B. Minor check into a San Jose Hotel.<ref>''San Jose Daily Mercury'' February 4, 1876, page 3</ref>  Butler B. Minor is a civil engineer with a reputation of assisting business getting started. On February 13, 1876 the ''San Jose Daily Mercury'' restated a report from the ''Santa Clara Echo'' that said the Santa Clara Valley Railroad had a new Board of Directors: H. Bartling, President and General Manager; A. E. Davis, Treasurer; B. B. Minor, Secretary, George Kidd, Director; Carey Pebbles, Director. The home office will remain in San Jose but the Treasurer's office will be in San Francisco. The contract for the locomotive had been paid and rails had been ordered. <ref>''San Jose Daily Mercury'' February 13, 1876, page 3</ref> A. E. Davis seems to have stepped in with funds to rescue the SVCRR.  Then on March 20, 1876 the South Pacific Coast Railroad is incorporated with the following Board of Directors: Alfred E. Davis, President and Treasurer; Joseph Clark, Vice President, possibly an attorney; Edward Barron, a capitalist and former butcher, Seth Cook, a capitalist; George Kidd, President of the Bank of Stockton;  J. Barr Robertson, a former stock holder in the SCVRR and agent of the XXXXX; and Cary Pebbles, former director of the SCVRR and strawberry farmer.<ref name="incorp"></ref> The capital stock of the SPC was established at 10,000 shares with the required 10% initially subscribed. Alfred Davis owned 994 shares of SPCRR stock and the others owned one share each satisfying the laws of incorporation in the State of California at the time by selling at least ten percent of the stock and having minimum of XXX Directors.<ref>''Report of the Board of Commissioners of Transportation to the Legislature of the State of California'', December 1877, page 212</ref>
In the late January 1876 rumors begin circulating that the SCVRR debts are being paid and the locomotive is sold. On February 4, 1876 A. E. Davis and B. B. Minor check into a San Jose Hotel.<ref>''San Jose Daily Mercury'' February 4, 1876, page 3</ref>  Butler B. Minor was a civil engineer with a reputation of assisting business getting started. He was often appointed the Secretary of new corporations.<ref>''Daily Alta California'' October 29, 1871, page 1</ref><ref>''Daily Alta California'' May 26, 1872, page 1</ref><ref>''Daily Alta California'' June 28, 1872, page 1</ref><ref>''Daily Alta California'' July 26, 1872, page 2</ref><ref>''Pacific Rural Press'' August 2 1873, page 80</ref><ref>''Daily Alta California'' September 17, 1873, page 1</ref><ref>''Daily Alta California'' August 29, 1874, page 2</ref><ref>''Daily Alta California'' March 14, 1875, page 2</ref> On February 13, 1876 the ''San Jose Daily Mercury'' restated a report from the ''Santa Clara Echo'' that said the Santa Clara Valley Railroad had a new Board of Directors: H. Bartling, President and General Manager; A. E. Davis, Treasurer; B. B. Minor, Secretary, George Kidd, Director; Carey Pebbles, Director. The home office will remain in San Jose but the Treasurer's office will be in San Francisco. The contract for the locomotive had been paid and rails had been ordered. <ref>''San Jose Daily Mercury'' February 13, 1876, page 3</ref> A. E. Davis seems to have stepped in with funds to rescue the SVCRR.  Then on March 20, 1876 the South Pacific Coast Railroad is incorporated with the following Board of Directors: Alfred E. Davis, President and Treasurer; Joseph Clark, Vice President, possibly an attorney; Edward Barron, a capitalist and former butcher, Seth Cook, a capitalist; George Kidd, Capatilist and President of the Bank of Stockton;  J. Barr Robertson, a stock holder in the SCVRR and the Newark Land Company as well as the Agent for the ; and Cary Pebbles, former director of the SCVRR and strawberry farmer.<ref name="incorp"></ref> The capital stock of the SPC was established at 10,000 shares with the required 10% initially subscribed. Alfred Davis owned 994 shares of SPCRR stock and the others owned one share each satisfying the laws of incorporation in the State of California at the time by selling at least ten percent of the stock and having minimum of XXX Directors.<ref>''Report of the Board of Commissioners of Transportation to the Legislature of the State of California'', December 1877, page 212</ref>


With an infusion of capital the old SCVRR rises from the ashes as the South Pacific Coast Railroad with a mission to build a railroad from Dumbarton Point through the counties of Alameda, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz, on the most practicable route to the town of Santa Cruz with branch lines to Saratoga and New Almaden.<ref name="incorp"></ref>
With an infusion of capital the old SCVRR rises from the ashes as the South Pacific Coast Railroad with a mission to build a railroad from Dumbarton Point through the counties of Alameda, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz, on the most practicable route to the town of Santa Cruz with branch lines to Saratoga and New Almaden.<ref name="incorp"></ref>
Line 31: Line 31:
Through 1878 the Board remains the same with the same stock holdings. In 1879 two things happen which make a change. George Kidd dies and his stock is held in probate for a year. In addition, a new California State Constitution was approved establishing a Railroad Commission.  Reports to the new Commission were not required for the year 1879. The first report to the Railroad Commission in 1880 reports that all 10,000 shares of the SPCRR stock has been subscribed but still to only 7 unnamed stockholders. It is sometime between December 1878 and December 1880 when the remaining 9000 shares of stock were sold.   
Through 1878 the Board remains the same with the same stock holdings. In 1879 two things happen which make a change. George Kidd dies and his stock is held in probate for a year. In addition, a new California State Constitution was approved establishing a Railroad Commission.  Reports to the new Commission were not required for the year 1879. The first report to the Railroad Commission in 1880 reports that all 10,000 shares of the SPCRR stock has been subscribed but still to only 7 unnamed stockholders. It is sometime between December 1878 and December 1880 when the remaining 9000 shares of stock were sold.   


Once the company settles down to the work of railroad construction the officers and Board of Directors changes slightly. B. B. Minor moves on to other things and George H. Waggoner takes his place as Secretary, Auditor, and Paymaster.  Mr. Waggoner is A. E. Davis's nephew-in-law having married Alfred's brother Sam's daughter Louisa.<ref>1880 U. S. Census for Newark, California</ref>
Once the company settles down to the work of railroad construction the officers and Board of Directors changes slightly. B. B. Minor moves on to other things and George H. Waggoner takes his place as Secretary, Auditor, and Paymaster.  Mr. Waggoner is A. E. Davis's nephew-in-law having married Alfred's brother Sam's daughter Louisa.<ref>1880 U. S. Census for Newark, California</ref>


====Bay & Coast Railroad Company====
====Bay & Coast Railroad Company====

Revision as of 08:47, 19 June 2020

This page under construction

SPCRR Advertisement

The South Pacific Coast Railroad was incorporated on March 20, 1876.[1] It operated until May 21, 1887 when it and it's various leased lines were consolidated into the South Pacific Coast Railway.[2] The SPCRwy stock was sold and transferred to the Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker and Collis Huntington on August 1, 1887[3] . These gentlemen then leased the SPCRwy to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. The information on this page is for the independent 1876-1887 South Pacific Coast Railroad.

Route of the SPCRR

Brief Description

A trip on the three foot narrow gauge South Pacific Coast Railroad began in San Francisco where two ferry slips on the south side of the ferry building at the foot of Market Street served the railroad. One slip was for passenger travel and the other was for freight. Three ferryboats, the Newark, Bay City, and Garden City operated between the San Francisco Ferry building and Alameda. Between 1878 and 1884 the Alameda ferry terminal was at Alameda Point. In March 1884 a new Alameda passenger ferry terminal opened out in the Bay via a 2.75 mile long trestle.[4] Freight continued to be handled at the Alameda Point freight ferry slip.

From Alameda the railroad went down the east side of San Francisco Bay to San Jose passing the communities of Alvarado, Newark, Alviso, and Santa Clara. From San Jose the railroad began its trek over the Santa Cruz Mountains with a gentle grade up Los Gatos Creek passing Campbell's and Los Gatos before traveling through the first tunnel and tackling the steeper grade to Wright's. At Wright's the railroad passed through a 6,157 foot tunnel to Highland (later Laurel) and through a 5,793 foot tunnel to Glenwood. Then traversing a short tunnel came out on Zayante creek where it traveled downgrade passing through another short tunnel before reaching Felton. Crossing the San Lorenzo River at Big Trees it joined the Santa Cruz and Felton Railroad for the trip down the narrow San Lorenzo River canyon to Santa Cruz passing through three more tunnels along the way. Two major branches were constructed. One between Felton and Boulder Creek to serve the redwood lumber industries and one between Campbell's and New Almaden to serve the Quicksilver Mines and the farmers and vintners along the way.

Corporate History

South Pacific Coast Railroad Company

Incorporated March 20, 1876, [1] Newark to Big Trees, 44.9 miles[5]


The South Pacific Coast Railroad was built upon the bones of the bankrupt Santa Clara Valley Railroad. The SCVRR was an attempt to create competition with the Southern Pacific’s peninsula line from San Francisco to San Jose. San Jose farmers were fed up with the SP’s monopoly and high freight rates. Attempts to build a railroad between San Jose and Alviso, with shipping via water to San Francisco, were unsuccessful as unbeknownst to everyone the Southern Pacific in 1871 had quietly purchased the shipping rights from all of the south bay landings.[6] The SCVRR was organized by the farmers with the help of outside capitalists to bypass the south bay landings and build a narrow gauge railroad between a landing at Dumbarton Point, on the east side of San Francisco Bay, and Santa Cruz via San Jose.[7] The initial construction between Dumbarton Point and Santa Clara began in October 1975 and continued through the fall and winter. As construction was started so did the law suits from local property owners. The suits included an injunction to stop construction of a drawbridge on Dumbarton Point.[8]As grading got underway a contract for ties was signed with a supplier in the Santa Cruz mountains dependent on the newly opened Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad. The winter of 1875-1876 was a wet one. In December numerous slides closed the SC&FRR and the tie order could not be shipped.[9] The rains also washed out the newly graded roadbed of the SCVRR. The Baldwin Locomotive that was ordered had arrived and payment was due.[10] The Carter Brothers had begun construction on rolling stock with payment due on delivery.[11] By the end of January 1875 it was clear that the SCVRR was bankrupt. Attempts for new financing had failed.

In steps some mysterious capitalists. Alfred E. Davis had recently completed a three year contract for supplying and managing a fleet of wagons and teams to haul charcoal and ore for the mines of Eureka, Nevada.[12][13] The completion of the Ruby Hill Railroad had made his freighting business obsolete. Just a year earlier he sold his stock in the Ophir mine in Virginia City. He was one of the original stockholders in 1862 [14]and sold the stock at a sharp increase in value.[15][16] Back home in San Francisco A. E. Davis was wealthier and looking for a new venture to invest in. The movement of freight was an interest of Mr. Davis ever since his arrival in San Francisco in May 1849 when he had to earn his living by renting a mule and cart to move freight around the city. What he later found out was that he could earn significantly more money moving freight than panning for gold.[16]

In the late January 1876 rumors begin circulating that the SCVRR debts are being paid and the locomotive is sold. On February 4, 1876 A. E. Davis and B. B. Minor check into a San Jose Hotel.[17] Butler B. Minor was a civil engineer with a reputation of assisting business getting started. He was often appointed the Secretary of new corporations.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] On February 13, 1876 the San Jose Daily Mercury restated a report from the Santa Clara Echo that said the Santa Clara Valley Railroad had a new Board of Directors: H. Bartling, President and General Manager; A. E. Davis, Treasurer; B. B. Minor, Secretary, George Kidd, Director; Carey Pebbles, Director. The home office will remain in San Jose but the Treasurer's office will be in San Francisco. The contract for the locomotive had been paid and rails had been ordered. [26] A. E. Davis seems to have stepped in with funds to rescue the SVCRR. Then on March 20, 1876 the South Pacific Coast Railroad is incorporated with the following Board of Directors: Alfred E. Davis, President and Treasurer; Joseph Clark, Vice President, possibly an attorney; Edward Barron, a capitalist and former butcher, Seth Cook, a capitalist; George Kidd, Capatilist and President of the Bank of Stockton; J. Barr Robertson, a stock holder in the SCVRR and the Newark Land Company as well as the Agent for the ; and Cary Pebbles, former director of the SCVRR and strawberry farmer.[1] The capital stock of the SPC was established at 10,000 shares with the required 10% initially subscribed. Alfred Davis owned 994 shares of SPCRR stock and the others owned one share each satisfying the laws of incorporation in the State of California at the time by selling at least ten percent of the stock and having minimum of XXX Directors.[27]

With an infusion of capital the old SCVRR rises from the ashes as the South Pacific Coast Railroad with a mission to build a railroad from Dumbarton Point through the counties of Alameda, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz, on the most practicable route to the town of Santa Cruz with branch lines to Saratoga and New Almaden.[1]

Through 1878 the Board remains the same with the same stock holdings. In 1879 two things happen which make a change. George Kidd dies and his stock is held in probate for a year. In addition, a new California State Constitution was approved establishing a Railroad Commission. Reports to the new Commission were not required for the year 1879. The first report to the Railroad Commission in 1880 reports that all 10,000 shares of the SPCRR stock has been subscribed but still to only 7 unnamed stockholders. It is sometime between December 1878 and December 1880 when the remaining 9000 shares of stock were sold.

Once the company settles down to the work of railroad construction the officers and Board of Directors changes slightly. B. B. Minor moves on to other things and George H. Waggoner takes his place as Secretary, Auditor, and Paymaster. Mr. Waggoner is A. E. Davis's nephew-in-law having married Alfred's brother Sam's daughter Louisa.[28]

Bay & Coast Railroad Company

Incorporated May 1877[29] Alameda to Newark 24.8 miles [5]

Oakland Township Railroad Company

Incorporated Alameda to Oakland 4.1 miles[5]

Santa Cruz & Felton Railroad Company

Incorporated Santa Cruz to Felton 7.1 miles[5]

San Francisco & Colorado River Railroad

Incorporated Alameda Mole to Alameda Point 3.0 miles[5]

Alameda & San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company

Incorporated survey only

Felton & Pescadero Railroad Company

Incorporated Felton to Boulder Creek 7.3 miles[5]

Almaden Branch Railroad Company

Incorporated Campbell's to New Almaden Station 9.6 miles[30]

Consolidation to the South Pacific Coast Railway Company

The Transfer to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company

Stations and Line Side Industry

San Francisco Ferry Building

Alameda Ferry Terminal

Alameda Point

Operation

Passenger

SPC Timetable No. 30
SPC Timetable No. 30 Chart

Commuter Service $.015 (1880 dollars) with inflation $3.77 (2020 dollars)

BART Embarcadero station from Lake Merritt station $3.70, from MacArthur station $3.95

Through train Parlor Car service an additional $0.50

Excursions

Freight

The Tunnels

Locomotives

Rolling Stock

Ferryboats

Newark

Bay City

Garden City

Freight boat, tracks on deck

Encinal

Passenger and Freight boat, tracks on deck Ordered by the South Pacific Coast Railroad and delivered to the South Pacific Coast Railway


  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Proffatt, John; The Law of Private Corporations, 1876, pages 208-210
  2. ↑ Daily Alta California, May 26, 1887, page 6
  3. ↑ Daily Alta California, August 2, 1887, page 1
  4. ↑ Oakland Daily Evening Tribune March 15, 1884, page 5
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 South Pacific Coast Narrow Gauge R. R. Timetable No. 30, March 28, 1886
  6. ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury September 16, 1874, page 3
  7. ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury October 5, 1875, page 3
  8. ↑ Daily Alta California December 26, 1875, page 1
  9. ↑ Oakland Daily Evening Tribune December 4, 1875, page 3
  10. ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury January 23, 1876, page 4
  11. ↑ Daily Alta California November 6, 1875, page 1
  12. ↑ Eureka Daily Sentinel July 25, 1875, page 3
  13. ↑ Sacramento Daily Union June 19, 1872, page 3
  14. ↑ Sacramento Daily Union December 18, 1862, page 2
  15. ↑ The Daily Appeal January 14, 1875, page 3
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 California’s Representative Men, 1881, page 219
  17. ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury February 4, 1876, page 3
  18. ↑ Daily Alta California October 29, 1871, page 1
  19. ↑ Daily Alta California May 26, 1872, page 1
  20. ↑ Daily Alta California June 28, 1872, page 1
  21. ↑ Daily Alta California July 26, 1872, page 2
  22. ↑ Pacific Rural Press August 2 1873, page 80
  23. ↑ Daily Alta California September 17, 1873, page 1
  24. ↑ Daily Alta California August 29, 1874, page 2
  25. ↑ Daily Alta California March 14, 1875, page 2
  26. ↑ San Jose Daily Mercury February 13, 1876, page 3
  27. ↑ Report of the Board of Commissioners of Transportation to the Legislature of the State of California, December 1877, page 212
  28. ↑ 1880 U. S. Census for Newark, California
  29. ↑ Sacramento Daily Record-Union May 3, 1877, page 3
  30. ↑ South Pacific Coast Railroad Timetable No.33 April 2, 1887
Retrieved from "https://www.pacificng.com/w/index.php?title=South_Pacific_Coast_Railroad&oldid=161"