Families faced with asking prices of ten times or more of the initial value more often than not had no choice but to vacate their homes and farms , in the process losing everything they worked for ; often it turned out to be a railroad employee who had purchased the property in question . A group of immigrant San Joaquin Valley farmers formed the Settlers ' League in order to challenge the Southern Pacific 's actions in court , but after all of the lawsuits were decided in the favor of the railroads , one group decided to take matters into their own hands . What resulted was the infamous Battle at Mussel Slough , in which armed settlers clashed with railroad employees and law enforcement officers engaged in eviction proceedings . Six people were killed in the ensuing gunfight . The Southern Pacific would emerge from the tragedy as the prime target of journalists such as William Randolph Hearst , ambitious politicians , and crusade groups for decades to follow . Leland Stanford 's term as Governor of California ( while still serving on the SP 's board of directors ) enhanced the corporation 's political clout , but simultaneously further increased its notoriety as well
Battle at Mussel Slough
Mussel Slough Tragedy
History of rail transportation in California