Gentlemen

        Through the press, we are informed that a formal application has been made by the Yosemite Valley Railroad Company, with Headquarters in Los Angeles, for abandonment of their line, running from Merced, California, to El Portal, California, and that this matter is now before your commission.

        At a meeting of the Directors of the Merced City Chamber of Commerce held Wednesday, September 13th, 1944, the Directors, by unanimous vote, decided to formally protest the abandonment of this railroad, our protest being based on the following reasons

        FIRST) This railroad was completed about 1907, for the purpose of furnishing transportation into Yosemite National Park, and for the past thirty-seven years, has been operated more-or less profitable.

        SECOND) At the time this road was built. Congress passed legislation, removing certain lands from the park to permit construction over public and private lands to the present terminus at El Portal, from which point, a highway was constructed about twelve miles in length, to the then established valley entrance, the road following the general course of the Merced River to what was known as Yosemite Village.

        THIRD) When this road was promoted and constructed, the general manager stated it was for the purpose of carrying passengers to the Yosemite Valley, and other purposes were subsidiary, and that no consideration was given to the establishment of industry along its lines which passed through an important mineral belt.

        FOURTH) During the life of this road, there were no attempts to develop any but passenger business, and the fact that the Yosemite Lumber Company did open up the timber belt adjacent to the park, and did build and operate a lumber mill at Merced, that certain outside interests taking advantage of the rail outlet, did open up quarries, and that the Yosemite Portland Cement Company did, as a result of available rail transportation, establish a cement plant at Merced, purchase property at or near Emory, Mariposa County, and open up a limestone quarry for supplying this Merced Plant, that the National Lead Company opened a barium mine, also contiguous to, and dependent upon the Yosemite Valley Railroad for service. Besides, other industrial development was not in any way, a determining factor in the construction of this road line.

        FIFTH) Population was not considered as a possible income producer for this road. In fact, the local fares were fixed at a discouraging level, so that local travel would be practically eliminated, and no effort was made to build up a friendly feeling among the peoples adjacent to this line - that business might be increased, and subsidiary business built up as a supporting factor for the road's future, and local freight and passenger business was in no way encouraged.

        SIXTH) The increased business from traffic, and the consequent increase in the needs of the concessionaires operating in the valley were not apparently any incentive to the management, and complaints of poor service, or lack of service, were pushed aside as not offenses, but rather as nuisances, in so far as the railroad was concerned.

        SEVENTH) The natural result of all these acts of management and disavowed of responsibility was evidenced. The travelers to and from Yosemite, and those who required freight transportation brought about the construction of the Merced-Yosemite All Year Highway, and this was the major factor as a return for the railroad's independent and disinterested attitude, and with the loss of the tourist travel without supplemental business, began to seriously affect the railroad's income. Travel by rail resolved itself into a minor part of the company's income, and even then, no effort by the management was made, to build up the contiguous industrial area, that the loss from passenger travel might be met. We can only reach one conclusion - that with the loss of the passenger business, the management was unable, because of incompetency, to revive the project, and are now trying to take the easy way out, not considering the damage to all that area so dependent on the rail service, to aid in the development of one of the greatest mineral belts in the west, not to speak of the damage to the Government, by lack of rail service to the world's scenic wonderland, and the increasing need for transportation for those still maintaining industry, established on the expectation that they could depend on rail service. Every investment will be jeopardized, should this abandonment be permitted.

        If any consideration is given to the loss of intermediate population, this cannot be substantiated by any facts. The population served by this road, if and when that population is encouraged, is many times greater than when the road was built. Where no industry was located along the line, several now exist, and others can be established, when the present world war is over. Tourist travel can be restored to the railroad, under proper and adequate service, and in one case alone, by the construction of two stock loading pens, approximately 350 carloads of live stock can be transported to market.

        We protest the abandonment of this road, as a deliberate attempt to wreck a county and its people, because of lack of interest in anyone's behalf, but a few speculators who ave milked the cow dry, so far as they have any interest, and are now ready to sacrifice all who depend on this road for needful service.