The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-07-04
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
Journey Over the Completed and Pro.
jeeted Lines Of the AtehiSOn, Topeka
and Santa Fe, and Southern Pa
cifc Railroads.
Mineral and Agricultural Resources q
New Mexico and Arizona.

A few days ago the Bulletin announced
the arrival in San Francisco of Samuel
A. Kingman, of Topeka, and ]. G. Pang-
born, of Kansas City, and mentioned
the continent by the southern route.
Knowing that the object of their trip
was TO acquire all the information avail
able concerning the resources and nature
of the country which the Southern Trans
Continental Railroad will traverse, the
Bulletin applied for just such knowledge
as they possessed.
These tourists left Kansas City April
18th, and came in the cars of the Atchi-
son, Topeka & Santa Fe To Otero, the
present terminus of the road. On leav-
ing the railroad they took a blackboard
and travelled through New Mexico and
Arizona until they reached the end of
the Southern Pacific track. They de-
parted occasionally from the survey lines
of the two roads mentioned, and alto
gether made journey of 900 miles on
the blackboard.
In reply TO the question, "Where is
the present terminus of the AtchisOn,
Topeka IL Santa Fe rOad?" MIR. Pang-
born said:
At Otero, New Mexico, though prac-
ticalIy at Las Vegas, the track being
completed to that point, and preparations
made for grand time there on the for
NAL opening of the road for business on
the Fourth of July. The New Mexico
and Pacific extension of the Santa Fe
does not run through Pueblo, Colorado,
but DIVORCES from the old line at a place
known as La Junta, some eighty miles
east of Pueblo. From there the new line
runs almost due south to Trinidad, Col
orado, direct, crossing the Ration noun
talns Just in front of that town, and
passing over the New Mexico line near
the summit. A tunnel four-fifths of a
mile long is being pushed through the
mountains, but in the meantime switch
back is used, and trains have been run
ming regularly to OterO, New Mexico
(Which is 81 miles from Trinidad) for
some months. Las Vegas is 102 miles
south of Otero. Contracts have been
let recently, / learn, for the construction
of the division from Vegas to the Rio
Grande, 100 miles, and it is expected to
be completed about the first of the CON-
ing year. The road will not run nearer
than 10 miles to Santa Fe, owing to its
position in the mountains and the i'm
mense cost of building road to the city
direct.
THE NORTHERN TRANs-CONTINETAL
ROUTE.
The line of road will follow the Rio
Grande something over two hundred
miles, leaving it and bearing Off west
ward fifteen to eighteen miles below Pc
tomas. 1t will run about thirty miles
south of Silver City, and the first point
of general fame reached will be RalstOn,
the scene of the big scheme of 1870, when
RalstOn, Roberts, Treadwell and other
prominent operators of San Francisco
organized the $30,O00,0O0 company,
a.. III
market. Ralston, or Coronado, as it is
now called, is at present controlled by
St. Louis parties, and preparations are
being made for its development on a
large scale. 1t is 10 miles from the
point where the road leaves the river, and
fifteen miles from the Arizona line. A
preliminary survey or reconnaissance has
been made by the Santa Fe, from the
Arizona line to Tucson via San Simon
Valley, Railroad Pass and the San Pc
dro, 125 miles. This would make the
total distance from Trinidad to Tucson
574 miles, or from Chicago to Tucson
about 800 miles. The Southern Paci-
fic is'completed 20 Casa Grande, 66 miles
co. Aggregating these distances and you
have 2,7S0 miles via the southern route
from San Francisco to Chicago. 1t will
be something over $50 miles further than
via the Central and Union Pacific, but
will have the advantage of much lighter
grades, no necessity whatever for snow
sheds, and no distractions from snow or
storms during the winter. There is no
question as to the possibility of making
the same time as made now by the north
| ern route, Notwithstanding the increased
distance. The Southern Pacific, l am
informed, intends reaching Tucson by the
| first of the year, and the Santa Fc, L I'M
derstand, expects to reach the Rio Grande
about the same time. The gap between
the two roads would then be but 450
miles and the character of the country
such as to readily permit its being closed
by the first of the year 1881. The pres
ent gap is but GIG miles.
"Where will the two roads meet y
That's a thing which Just now no fellow
can find out You will understand that
what have said as regards the Santa
Fe is by no means authoritative. Prior
to starting, the chief engineer of the
road, Mr.. Robinson, very kindly gave
me access to the reports of the surveys
made under his objectionable details,
distances, estimates, etc.-and in making
| the trip we have followed the line of the
main survey as closely as possible. /
do not know that the Southern Pacific
intends meeting the Santa Fe, certainly
nothing in the advertising matter of the
road would indicate il. Still l do not
for a moment question the connection of
the two roads, or that 1t will be made
later than from eighteen months to two
years. The Texas Pacific has reached
only to- Weatherford, 35 miles west of
Fort Worth, and as the prospect for gov
eminent aid at this session of congress
appears slim, the chances are that the
h,,sll
this year at least. AS things now stand,
the gap between the Southern Pacific
and Texas Pacific is fully twelve hun
dred miles, and with il closed up, the
two roads would constitute but a north
and south line, whereas the people in
much of the country traversed, and
through which have passed, all clamoT
for an east and west outlet. With Just
half the distance to build to close the
gap with the Santa Fe than with the
Texas Pacific, the speedy establishing OF
u second transcontinental route and the
possession of two instead of one, strings
to the bow, will it appears TO me settle
| the question with the interest CONTROL
ing the Southern Pacific. Butjust where
the two will form junction is another
thing entirely. The Southern Pacific
has its surveying party out now in New
| Mexico, and the Santa Fe is unQuestion
ably preparing to build clear to Tuscon
| if necessary. The Santa Fe is possibly
today the strongest non-stOck jobbing
cooperation in the east. The company
is solid, old conservative institution OF
Boston, the common stock having nc
market out side of Boston and such lit
tie as gets on the board selling at 1T IL
1171k. Those controlling the road have
millions at their back, and they can put
it just about where they please. The
Southern Pacific is in precisely the same
happy circumstances, and two great gi
ants can make things spin if they SC
choose. The chances are excellent how
ever, that an amicable understanding
will be reached in good time and my
humble, insignificant guess is thai
the meeting of the two roads will bt
somewhere on the San Simon fiat any.
where from fifteen to thirty miles thi:
side of the New Mexico line.
NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA.
"What sort of a country does the line
traverse in New Mexico and Arizona -
In New Mexico by long odds the bes
IpOrtion of the territory; in Arizona
leaving out the mines, the worst. There
isn't much of Arizona, outside of hel
mineral wealth-that is, comparatively
and if ever that is developed to an,
great extent she will have New Mexico L
thank for it. There can be no question
of the existence of mineral to q most re
lmarkable extent in Arizona. The hill.
and mountains are full of it, and il
many places wonderfully rich. Unfor
tunafelv however there is an excead