The Valley road (illustrated) a history of the Traffic Association of California, the League of Progress, the North American Navigation Company, the Merchants' Shipping Association, and the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway. With portraits of representative men that advocate California's progress and industrial supremacy. Photos by Taber of San Francisco and Spooner of Stockton. San Francisco: Issued by the Wheeler Publishing Co., 1896. 25.2 cm (octavo), pp. [1-5] 6-224, flyleaves at front and rear, 12 inserted plates, other illustrations in the text, maps, original three-quarter brown leather and cloth, front, spine and rear panels stamped in gold, marbled endpapers, marbled edges. First edition. A history of the successful effort to break the monopolistic control of freight rates by the Railroad Commission which favored the Southern Pacific Railroad. Includes lists of San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway officers, stockholders and subscribers. Many photographic portraits, a sort of memorial "mug book" for prominent California businessmen -- those who actively participated in the campaign to introduce competitive freight rates for the San Joaquin Valley and promoted and financed the construction of the railroad. The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway (1893-1898) ran from San Francisco to Bakersfield (southern San Joaquin Valley terminus) by way of Stockton (northern San Joaquin Valley terminus). The major backer of the railroad was its chairman, multimillionaire Claus Spreckels (1828-1908), founder of California's sugar beet industry. Southern Pacific's rival, the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe Railroad, bought the SF&SJVRR in 1898. The end of the Southern Pacific's power in northern California came when Hiram Johnson was elected governor (1910) and proceeded to remove railroad supporters from state offices. Cloth scuffed at edges, a very good copy. (#166004).
Price: $550.00
No statement of printing.