ELECTRIC TRACTION IN SONOMA 



COUNTY 



C M. VAN FRANK 



THE Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway Company was organized in 

 1903 for the purpose of constructing an electric railway from Peta- 

 luma northward, through the berry and fruit producing district of 

 the famous Santa Rosa Valley, to Sebastopol; thence easterly to the 

 city of Santa Rosa, and northerly to the town of Graton and Forest- 

 ville. The operation of the road began in the latter part of 1904, conduct- 

 ing a regular passenger and freight business. In order to afford an outlet 

 for freight to San Francisco, the steamer "Gold," together with canal, 

 landings, and warehouse at Petaluma, was acquirpft 

 steamer was added to the run between Petaluma and San Francisco. 



The railroad proper comprises some thirty-five miles of standard-gauge 

 single-track road, using seventy-pound steel rails, and three thousand ties 

 to the mile, and is rock-ballasted throughout. The average schedule speed 

 of passenger-cars is twenty-five miles an hour, including stops. The dis- 

 trict served by this railroad comprises one of the most productive sections 

 of the State, and the development along the line, due to rapid, frequent 

 and cheap transportation, has been remarkable. 



At the time of the great fire in San Francisco plans had been perfect- 

 ed for the extension of the road southward to the bay, and thence by 

 ferry-boats to San Francisco, and also northward from Santa Rosa to 

 Healdsburg, together with several branches or feeders. The calamity of 

 1906 put a temporary stop to these extensions, but it can be said that at 

 the present time the outlook for additional construction along similar lines, 

 as well as other construction in Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Lake, and Medocino 

 counties is bright. 



Various propositions looking to the construction and operation of a 

 comprehensive scheme of electric railroads have been and are under consid- 

 eration, and from present indications it seems probable that within a few 

 years this portion of the State will enjoy a system of interurban railways 

 that will compare favorably with any other portion of the United States, not 

 only as to character of construction and equipment, but also as to extent 

 of territory covered. 



A great need in this section of the State at the present time Is rapid 

 and frequent transportation to and from San Francisco, such as can be 

 afforded only through the operation of up-to-date electric railways, and it 

 is safe to predict that the development of the counties lying north of and 

 adjacent to the Bay of San Francisco will be wonderfully accelerated by 

 the construction of such a system as above mentioned. 



It Is the history of all interurban electric railways which parallel older 

 steam railroads that the passenger travel enjoyed by the electrics is from 

 five to ten times the passenger travel formerly enjoyed by the steam roads 

 which they parallel, and that the gross earnings of the older steam rail- 

 roads are increased rather than decreased through the construction of 

 electric roads, because of the development of the country which immedi- 

 ately follows electric railway construction. It is therefore to the best inter- 

 est of all concerned that the building of electric roads be encouraged as 

 much as possible, and at the present time in many parts of the United 

 States steam railroads no longer oppose the development of electric 

 traction. 



Fresno, San Bernardino, Stockton, San Jose, and other electric-traction 

 centers in the State unite in testifying to the enormous increase in sub- 

 urban values following rapidly upon the Installation of trolley service con- 

 necting outlying tracts with town. 



