in 2001, george watson took a look at southern pacific and how it changed the bay area. oakland incorporated as a city in 1864 but would remain a sleepy city until 1869 when the train came. the side of sps western terminus. the steam locomotive would forever alter the concept of time and distance. now the power of steel and steam forcing over track late across endless prairie through seemingly impossible would altar the course of a nation. here in california, especially in the bay area, by the beginning of the 20th century, the southern pacific railroad was at the top of the pyramid. the rest of america came here on steel rails of the sp. >> it was said at the time in the 1890s and early 1900s that the capital of california was not in sacramento but what was other at the southern pacific's railroad office in sacramento. >> these were people with holdings, tens of thousands of employees, thousands to tens of thousands of equipment running on a schedule. it's something americans had not experienced before. >> reporter: it would dictate the manner, time and place in which w

delving into our ktvu archives we've added many interviews from eyewitnesses preparedded by george watson in 1950. >> reporter: by 1906, san francisco had already gone by one amazing transformation. it had grown from a gold rush harbor town into a bustling city that was the cultural and financial city of the west. it was the newest and brightest jewel in america's crown of great cities. it's 400,000 citizens were prosperous and considerably content. they had not planned for the unexpected and the unexpected hit shortly after 5:00 a.m. the morning of april 18, 1906. >> the thunder is never as loud as that noise we heard that morning. it was a crash that came from everywhere. it took our beds out in the middle of the room. and we got out of bed and it threw us back and pulled us back into bed. >> the bed went up to the wall by the window. my mother quickly grab me. the next thing my dad comes running up and says get your clothes on, quick get your clothes. >> my mother was very level headed and my grandmother was also. and they put us under the table because my mother would not get out of b

as george watson reported in the weeks following the crash the flight had been broadcast by a man who was eventually bent on revenge. >> on december 7, flight 1771 took off from los angeles. it was bound for the most routine kind of flight. a routine commuter flight to san francisco. they all fell victim to a plot of murder, revenge and suicide. 43 of the people who died on that flight the very least deserve an explanation of who killed them and why. who were the 43 strangers who would find a common bond in death? they were just ordinary people. a woman had stopped off in los angeles while returning from new york. a bank manager was on a trip. a psa pilot on his way back to san francisco. a bank president and stewardess on her first flight. just normal people. but a message on an airplane sickness bag would have a letter. hi ray, i asked for leniency for my family. i got none and you will get none. the man who wrote that note was carrying a bullet so powerful. authorities believe that david burke smuggled a gun on board the plane and subsequently caused it to crash killing everyone on

we go back to 1984, george watson filed this report on the key system. >> it was born and grew up withthree and one quarter mile pier built into the heart of san francisco bay. there is not much left today, but in 1903, it was considerably more substantial. operating under a series of different names over the next 20 years. this was the birth of the key system. first train rolled out to meet a connecting ferry boat in october of 1903. the hookup was 20 minutes shorter than the southern pacific run and 20,001,903 commuters decided the key was the way to go. for the first time, serious transit competition. the key system pier rebuilt in 1916 probably reached its peak in 1924 when 800 trains aday were past the ferry boats. southern pacific and the key system often ran down the same street with a third key system local train on a third set of practices, all on the same route. they stood up the competition admirably. big red cars were introduced. southern pacific was a giant conglomerate, but the key survived and flourished, but it disappeared -- tracks have long since disappeared. ruins of

watson tweedy yesterday that she has not been able to concentrate some she heard about mitchell being hospitalized kevin bacon boy georgeers. joni mitchell was found unconscious in our home to the nine taken to hospital by ambulance she was later in intensive care and are undergoing tests there has not been any further word on how she is doing. >> reporter: you whether is next coming up when the warning bells continues after this break. he purest honey ..and, it only takes you 3 minutes to enjoy it. perhaps we made it too delicious nature valley, delicious granola bars made with the tastiest ingredients from nature. nature valley, nature at its most delicious. >> reporter: and were back now time is 644 a m one give you some update about the wild fires in southern california your thumb their mopping up the smoldering remains this morning the one and 85 a. blaze near vector rio victorville is 95 percent contained no homes were threatened. the fire began tuesday afternoon as a controlled burn to remote remove weeds from riverbed at san bernadine no county regional park shifting winds blow the flames out of control and the