ELECTRIC ROADS OF SAN BERNARDINO 



COUNTY 



IN the early days of Redlands, about the year 1895, a company was 

 formed to develop water power in the canon east of the city, and shortly 

 thereafter Mr. Henry Fisher purchased an old mule line then operating 

 over a few streets in the town, and about the year 1899 converted it 



into an electric street railway, securing the power for its operation 

 from the Redlands Electric Company, which had been organized and was 

 developing power in the canons about twenty miles away. 



This electric road was operated under the name of the Redlands 

 Street Railway Company for about three years, running through the resi- 

 dential section of Redlands and the business portion of the city, consist- 

 ing of about seven miles of single track. 



In 1901 the San Bernardino Valley Traction Company was incorporat- 

 ed, with its principal place of business in San Bernardino, and the follow- 

 ing year constructed a line from San Bernardino to Redlands, connecting 

 there with the Redlands Street Railway Company, and operated its inter- 

 urban cars over the Redlands Street Railway Company's tracks into the 

 center of town. In the year 1903 the Redlands Street Railway Company, 

 together with the San Bernardino Valley Traction Company and the San 

 Bernardino and Highland Railway Company, consolidated under the name 

 of the San Bernardino Valley Traction Company, with the main office in 

 San Bernardino, the county seat. 



Since that time the company has built additional lines in Redlands, 

 and to the following places, to wit: Highland, Colton, Patton, and Arrow- 

 head Hot Springs; now having a system of interurban roads consisting 

 of about forty miles of track, part of which, between San Bernardino and 

 Redlands, is double track. 



Along the lines of this system, and owned by the company, is located 

 Urbita Hot Springs, one of the most unique interior parks that can be 

 found in this part of California. There is also a one-mile race-track, ac- 

 knowledged to be the fastest track in the State, situated on the line be- 

 tween Redlands and San Bernardino. 



When these lines at the east end of the San Bernardino Valley were 

 projected it was freely predicted by a majority of the inhabitants that they 

 would not pay, and the country would not receive any material advantage, 

 but, as a matter of fact, since the building of this system of electric roads 

 the east end of the San Bernardino Valley has increased materially, and 

 the roads have paid from the beginning of operation. This, of course, is 

 simply a repetition of the history throughout the country of electric roads 

 built and extended into undeveloped and unpopulated districts. 



Within the past year Mr. H. E. Huntington has acquired a controlling 

 interest in this system, and intends in the near future to connect it with his 

 various lines in and about Los Angeles, thereby affording the east end of 

 San Bernardino Valley additional facilities for reaching the metropolis of 

 the South, which without question will enhance the values of property 

 in and around this end of the valley, and offer a further attraction to new- 

 comers to make their homes in strictly residential cities like Redlands, at 

 the same time being within easy reach of Los Angeles. 



An important feature of the late developments in electric traction in 

 interior California is the provision made for moving freight as well as 

 passengers. This is of the greatest possible significance to the farmers 

 who depend on markets within the State for the disposal of their perish- 

 able fruits and vegetables. 



