Save railroad history 

(Letter to the editor)

THE RAILROAD is such an important part of Fremont's history -- the last spike was driven here when the rails were put into place so many years ago. 

We taxpayer-citizens must support the Pacific Locomotive Association's goal to bring the 1904 depot (the original building was destroyed) back to its original site in our Niles District from its temporary site on Mission Boulevard. 

The Railroad Club's members spend many hours of hard work, with no financial support by the government, to authentically preserve its fascinating history for future generations. 

We have the old depot and baggage storage buildings. Accurate preservation is the keynote. To ignore the splendid original buildings of our past and choose to build replicas is a colossal mistake. 

Europe's historic buildings -- some are hundreds of years old -- are beautifully preserved where they originally existed. Our East Coast has carefully preserved to open to the public our treasured U.S. historic structures dating back to the 1600s. 

Why are we being so careless with the few remaining examples of our short history on the West Coast? The concerned citizens of our community should not stand by and watch as our irreplaceable structures are permanently lost. 

Express your opinion to Mayor Gus Morrison, Fremont City Hall, 39100 Liberty St., Fremont, CA 94538, phone, 494-4811; or to City Manager Jan Perkins at the same address, phone 494-4800. 

Pat Reeves-Lloveras
Fremont