To Sacramento from the Pacific Tourist, 1879

Your Guide Book to the Pacific Railroad, 1879

Stations in California

SACRAMENTO
    The capital of California and an important railroad center, second only to San Francisco. Here is the terminus of the California and Oregon Railroad, which uses the main track of the Central Pacific Railroad to Roseville, and is completed 170 miles north to Redding.
    The California Pacific runs to Vallejo, 60 miles, at the head of San Pablo Bay. There steamers connect, twice a day to San Francisco.
    On the upper Sacramento, steamers of light draft ascend 240 miles to Red Bluff, or by the Feather River, from its junction with the Sacramento, 65 miles to Marysville.
   The California Steam Navigation Company have a daily line of steamers leaving Sacramento at ten o' clock A. M. and reaching San Francisco about six P. M. The distance is 108 miles. The river does not present the picturesque scenery of the Hudson, but the tourist will be interested at every point. Mount Diablo is nearly always in view.
    You pass the United States Arsenal at Benicia, once the rival of San Francisco. The United States Navy Yard, on Mare Island, overlooked by the town of Vallejo.

TRACY JUNCTION
The Junction of two routes, the Old Overland and the New Route. We follow the Overland.

ALTAMONT (56 miles to San Francisco, elevation 740 feet)
The traveler will see numerous gray squirrels standing erect at the entrance to their homes.
As the train descends into the Livermore Valley, a truly picturesque scene is presented. The level valley is spread out before one in full view. It contains hundreds of acres of the best land in the State, much of it moist, vegetable land. From Altamont, it is 8.1 miles to

LIVERMORE (47 miles to San Francisco, elevation 485 feet)
The Livermore Valley was once an inland sea. In 1836, Mr. Livermore found the bones of a whale on the surface of the ground, near the town which bears his name.
This is a live town with 1,000 inhabitants, a seminary of learning, beautifully nestled amid sturdy oaks, a Presbyterian and a Catholic church, a steam mill, newspaper, saloons, stores, and several large warehouses. Nine miles south, and at the head of Corral Hollow, are five veins of good coal, yielding 100 tons per day. These are probably an extension of he Mount Diablo Coal fields, which have been worked for many years. Six miles down the valley is

PLEASANTON (41 miles from San Francisco, elevation 353 feet)
A village of 300 inhabitants, with several stores, a large warehouse, an abundance of good water, and a rich beautiful country on the north connecting with other valleys and extending to Martinez.
In June may be seen, near Pleasanton, high above the grain, the yellow blossoms of the black mustard. In former years it stood 12 feet high, and so thick it was difficult to force one's way through it.

NILES (30 miles from San Francisco, elevation 88 feet)
    Here are a store, hotel, warehouse and mill. A stage runs from all trains to Centreville, three miles distant.
    The San Jose Branch of the Central Pacific Railroad runs from Niles.
    As the train passes down 2.8 miles to Decoto, the eye is pleased in April and May to see wildflowers, so numerous that often from twenty to a hundred varieties may be gathered from one spot.

HAYWARD'S (21 miles from San Francisco)
The town has churches, public schools, and Hayward's Hotel, still kept by Mr. Hayward. It is a popular place of resort for those who seek a good and quiet home without removing from business in the city.
Stages leave this station for Alvarado, Danville, and Walnut Creek.

SAN LEANDRO (15 miles from San Francisco)
Formerly a county-seat. It has a population of 1,000, a large factory for wagons and gang plows, a Presbyterian, a Catholic and a Methodist Church, stores and saloons.
In the mountains opposite, and on a creek of the same name, is located the reservoir of the Oakland water-works. The water is collected from the winter floods and is 65 feet deep.

BROOKLYN (9 miles from San Francisco)
    It is now called East Oakland, a delightful suburb of San Francisco. The land rises gently almost from the water's edge.
    From the abundance of the evergreen oaks, one may quickly conclude that pleasant parties will find there a balmy retreat. On Sundays the boats and trains are crowded with thousands seeking recreation and enjoyment there.
    Brooklyn is a splendid home resort for travelers. The comforts of so nice a hotel as Tubb's are worthy of appreciation.

OAKLAND (2 miles from Brooklyn)
    The population in 1879 was 47,000 and increases rapidly.
    It is beautiful for situation, and boasts a climate much preferred to San Francisco; the trade-winds from the Pacific, which are fierce and cold, and often heavy with fog there, are much softened in crossing the bay. This has attracted many to make it their residence, though obliged to do business in San Francisco, and about 10,000 passengers daily cross on the half-hourly and splendid ferry boats.
    There are three savings-banks, two national gold banks, four lines of horse-cars, three flouring and four planing mills, an iron and brass foundry, two potteries, one patent marble works, a jute bag factory and other establishments employing many mechanics.
    The State University is within its city limits. Its site, which has been named Berkley, is on the northern border of the city and has a direct ferry to San Francisco.
    The University is open to students of both sexes, and tuition is free. The number of students exceeds 300. By special law the sale of intoxicating liquors is forbidden within two miles of the University.

Our journey by the Pacific Railroad from Omaha, Nebraska has ended. We have arrived at the

Oakland Wharf.

Please leave the train and board the ferry for our trip across...

San Francisco Bay

Time Table