Santa Barbara County History

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

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Source:
A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara,
San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California
by Yda Addis Storke
Published in 1891 in Chicago by the Lewis Publishing Co.


RAILROADS. 

From time to time movements have been made in Santa Barbara to secure the running 
of railways, of various lines, through this section. Meetings had been held, resolutions 
adopted, and memorials drawn up, but all to very little, in fact to no, purpose. 

Only when it was clear that self-interest was thoroughly warranted, when further delay 
would positively divert an important and desirable revenue into other channels, when 
the rich products of this section guaranteed freight shipments to warrant extortions, the 
railroad at last condescended. 

On the afternoon of Friday, August 19, 1887, the first regular passenger train pulled 
into Santa Barbara, with a large number of visitors from Los Angeles, Ventura, and 
other neighboring cities. At the same time arrived a special excursion train from San 
Francisco, with a load of railway officials and other parties interested in Santa Barbara. 
Altogether, it is estimated that about 5,000 people visited the city during this railway 
jubilee celebration. The hotel accommodations proving inadequate, the houses of the 
citizens were thrown open in generous hospitality to the visiting strangers, who were 
met the station, with bands and conveyances, and driven about the city. In the evening 
was given at the Arlington a grand banquet, at which sat down fifty of the guests, with 
fifty of the leading citizens. Also there were read many letters and telegrams of regrets 
from prominent State officials and railway magnates. Speeches and toasts were offered, 
and congratulations on this event for Santa Barbara. The next day, Saturday, August 20, 
there was a grand parade at 10 A. M., in which participated the public  organizations of 
Santa Barbara and other points in the county, as well as many features of individual 
representation. The procession was headed by the Presidio Band, of San Francisco, and 
the local bands followed at intervals. One of the most interesting features 
was the illustration of the successive stages of progress in land transportation � the 
pack-mule, the stage coach of 1860, and the Pullman car of 1887. Many of the  designs 
displayed upon floats in the procession were developed in the flowers for which this 
section is justly famous. At noon, the procession moved to Burton Mound, where the 
Santa Barbara ladies served a complimentary luncheon to the citizens and the visitors, 
after which this large and enthusiastic throng listened, before adjourning, to other 
speeches. 

At different periods efforts have been made to secure from Congress appropriations 
for a breakwater at Santa Barbara, but all such movements have been tentative or 
initiatory only, and leading to no practical result.