Arizona citizen., 1879-05-30
TRIP TO YUKA.
Some Observations 6y tbe Way.

EEAAAAI0 AADAAA tL AA Y " eNAANA A- '--A 70
 ma, we sought and obtained what fol
 lows regarding the new and swift
 means of making that once dreaded journey:
 The trip was made for health, curl
 osity and whatever pleasure could be had from the luxuries brought by the railway Left Tucson at p. m-, 24th and got back at same hour on 21th- making exactly three days, and had a rest at Yuma from 30 ?. m. to 2 30 6. m. The stage regularly makes the distance between Tucson and the rail way terminus inside of fourteen hours. Arrive there from here at , a. m. and leave for Yuma between 6 and !; get to Yuma between 4 and and start back next morning at ', San Francisco tiRe, the arriving time at Casa Grande being S:10 San Francisco time, but the actual arrivals vary from that till 2am. The trains are miXed-that iS they haul water. freight, railway ma terial and passengers. There is a mail and express car, and one for baggage and passengers - the latter in two parts. The average speed Is about twenty miles an hour This is a high average, under the circumstances, as the train supplies nearly all gangs of workmen and animals along the line with water and other necesSaries, which requires lengthy stops. The track is in good condition to this side of Maricopa Summit, and the work of ballasting is going on. The perma- nent bridges or trestles are completed to Gila Bend, where there is a full force of builders at work. There is about 6000 feet of trestle work requir- cd between Yuma and Tucson. The average grading has been light, though the work has been considerable at. Gila City canyon and at Mohawk and Maricopa summits. Except at these three points, the track is straight as an arrow for long distances.
 The improvements in the way of section houses, are limited. At Gila City, Adonde, and just west of Mo hawk summit and Texas Hill, there are comfortable section houses with one at each place for residence. All are built of lumber and painted rail road brown, and the residences have double shingle rOofs-with one foot of space between-and are said to be very comfortable With cheaper lumber, Tucson may get hint from the eXpe- rience of railroad employees living in these houses. Near Rattle Snake, a I water tank is building where the track i hugs the river; another is built at Texas Hill and water is brought to it !. from the river, distance of four miles. l Here is large coal bin; it is also the | dinner station both ways, and very soon a new dining hall will be built at the water tank a mile west of present site. The next tank is at Maricopa | and the next at Casa Grande. Ii is | understood that artesian machinery ! will soon be brought to Gila Bend 1 and a well sunk
 Of side tracks there are twelve; the | first one at AdOnde; second at Mo hawk Summit; third at Texas Hill, ! tank and coal bin; fourth just a mile eastward at eating station; fifth at a point opposite Stanwix; sixth opposite Oatman Flat; seventh, south of stage road pass between Oatman and Ken yon called Sentinel" eighth, Gila Bend; ninth, east Of Maricopa sum init; tenth, Maricopa; eleventh, Sweet water; twelfth, Casa Grande The one at Texas Hill eating station will, doubt less, soon be taken up.
 The track follows the valley from Yuma nearly to Mission Camp, and there takes to the mesa and never again touches the valley, and but here and there can the green cottonwoOdS he seen. This avoidance of the valley was necessary on account of high water and the Inability of heavy rains to destroy the track at sharp gulches and washes on the rim of the mesa but the trip would have been made much more cheerful and a better i'm pressicn left upon the traveller had the track been mostly confined tO or with ! Tn plain sight of the continuous line of umbrageous cottonwoodS and other trees. But the air of the mesa k per l haps more refreshing and there Is less dust upon the average than in the val !. ley.
 Taken as a whole the fact that this | long line of road k built at all is sure l ly a wonder to all but persons familiar with the country il passes over and . the value ,he road will soon have as new and short overland line between 1 Pacific and Atlantic waters. IL is true . there are side-tracks between Yuma . and Maricopa (167 miles,, but there is . not passenger or freight depot Pros ! pecting has been greatly stimulated in . the mountains to the SOuthward, and . at some points with success. In Mev- CTS and Silver districts south of Giia' Bend, immensely large and rich ledges '. have been found, and therefore buSi- ! ness will soon be created so as to de . mand a freight and passenger depot for 1t. The undeveloped wealth of the 1 mountains along the line will be slow ! ly but surely opened and made toI swell the business of the road and . give labor to many thousands of peo- | pie. NIT. George Tyug, editor and proprietor of the Sentinel, recently !. spent six weeks in the mines south of Gila Rpnd and hp says u-bat r,ar,-I