Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-05-20
ARIZONA NOTES.
Thorough Railway Progress s-Arisona Now on
Her Mstal-The Hcrald's Special Excur.
sion Correspondent on the Situation,

MARIcoPA, May 10th.
EDITOR HERALD: Two hours af-
ter yesterdays sun had "wrapped
the drapery of his couch about
him." I dropped anchor in this
haven, the future "hub" of Arizo.
ma. Maricopa, by gaslight, had to
me weird look; but perhaps that
was not strange, considering that I
had all day been watching the
wires Of the splendid telegraph
line constructed by the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company along
its track. At early daylight Of the
following morning I was on hand
for observation and notes of the
situation, and found about a bakers
dozen of tents erected to adminis-
ter to the necessities Of travel and
traffic. Among them was the Ho-
tel de Kleine, where I breakfasted.
This is a two.story structure. The
first, on the ground floor, contains
office and kitchen, and bedroom
and dining.room, all in one, save
tho canvas partitions. The second
story about the establishment
IL that it is the best hotel in
town. The frame Of moro pre-
tenlious establishment is up. 1t,
like the former, is two stories, but
a third Is to be added, viz. after
the travelling public gets q taste of
the landlords bacon aud beans. A
tsstefully designed and spacious
depot is nearly completed. Good
water, raised by steam from we'll
sixty feet In depth, is abundant for
all domestic purposes. The town
is well laid out, and provision Is
made for a future Capitol, Court
House, etc. AS the place is to be
the connecting point with the rail-
road for the freight and passenger
traffic of PhJenix, Prescott and
Northern Arizuna, I incline to the
opinion that it will grow into a
place Of considerable Importance,
and that 1t will possibly become
tho town OF the territory.
You are aware that the work on
the extension Of the road Is sus-
pended at Casa Grande, a point 26
miles east of here, which place will
bs the connecting point for Flor
ence, Tucson and Picket Post and
Globe districts. The track-layers
have returned To California, and
the host Of Chinese graders have
folded their tents, like the Arabs,
and silently stolen away, probably
to pay their respects to Kearney.
The company will rest from their
labors until the cooler days of Ne.
vember come along.
In pushing the road to Its pres
ent terminus the constructing COM
pany has shown its characteristic
ability. 1t has conquered all obsta-
eles, constructed everything first
class, and done 1t all in a very
short space Of time. Track k-laying
was commenced at Yuma Novem-
Der 10, 1873, and suspended at Casa
Grande, distant 1872 miles, May 13
Deduoting Sundays and about
| LWcivc uuyo titno iOSb WaitluS IOf
material, and we have q total Of
eue hundred and thirty-nine actu-
al working days, and an average
of about one and one-third miles Of
track laid per day. This must cer-
tainly be considered great work.
Some of the difficulties under
which the constructors have la
bored will be understood when it is
stated that the country through
which the road Is run furnished
nothing in the way of material or
supplies for road, or man, or beast.
Material has been been brought
from points ranging from two to
Ave thousand miles distant, and the
provisions and forage from two
hundred and fifty to one thousand
mi es. The earth for the road-bed
has been oil that Arizona conld
contribute to this magnificent i'm
provement. Not even had abe
serviceable water at hand between
Yuma and MaYlcopa. AT Adonde
water was obtained, but 1t could
! not be used, and at Texas Hill a
supply could only be obtaiued from
the river, four miles distant, where
lit is pumped by steam to an eleva.
, tion sufficiently high to run 1t to