The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1879-05-31
The Hreat Railroad strife.


Within tie undevcloped region lying
| west and southwest of the Mississippi
river Is 10 occur an activity for the next
twenty-five years of which that on the
Pacific Coast will prove to have been but
the precursor. The Atchson, Topeka and
santa Fe Railroad, now traversing Kansas,
Colorado and New Mexico, is to be a
trsnscontinental road, with an outlet at
Guaymas, on the Gulf Of California. The
Southern Pacific Railroad is to be another.
On. Is cushing on with Mi possible speed
westward, and the other is coming east al
the same rate, and having already advanced
nearly two hundred miles Into Ari-
zuna will at FL Paso, five hundred
miles eastward, 10y next year. From ooth
of these trunk roads there will necessa-
rily be laterals, Or feeders, runring north
and south, and having for their grand uiti-
matum the control Of the trace with Mex
leo. The eight millions Of People iniiao-
itiny that country will naturally prefer a
close commercial Intercourse with the
United States, which they will have by
railroad connection such rs the current
schemes involve, tn the slow, costly and
circuitous intercourse by sea with Eng
land and Germany. The Union Pacific
and Kansas Pacific Railroads are headed
off by the superior activity o! the Atchi-
son. Topeka and Santa Fe, WHICH has
already pushed down to Las Vegas in
New Mexico, and will be at Albuquerque
before the close Of the year. This road
has absorbed the Denver and Rio Ora. de
narrow gauge, and will make its rapid
way through New Mexico into arizona to
Tucson, at the lower end oi the Santa
Cruz Valley where it will meet the South
rrn Pacific, already nearly at that point,
on its way to FL Paso. From Tucson the
route Will be south, up the Santa Cruz
Valley ana through Sonora to Guaymas,
| on the Gulf Uf California
Al the head OF this rich valley, and II
the ceutre Of he vast district Whose min
cral products are soon 70 astonish the
,,,fs5 ..lth their yastuess. II located the
.tuc.pleu, Guy Of CalabasaF, yet 10 be
known to fame. through this !elty, wh"oe
climate is described as that ofAtaly, tbs
southern Pacific will unquestionably pAss
ON its eastward way from Tucson to Fl
Psso in New Mexico, while the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe road, taking more
commemorative name as it enters Arizona,
will construct tine Mexican and Guaymas
Railroad through the same valley and city
into Souora to the Gull of Calitornia ut
Guaynas. That will constitute It's base
line of operations in moving upon Mexico
and its tr .de. Millions of dollars worth
of trade passes up and down that valley
To and from Sonor;. to-day. The con-
ccaled but well-known mineral wealth OF
Arizona, then, together with the rich
traffic of Mexico, heing the objective point
and grand aim Of these two transcont'-
mental roads, it is natural that eachshoind
struggle with all it's might 10 see which
shall occupy the commanding position III
The coveted field. The route known as
the tbirty.second parallel is, as 1t has been
from the beginning, the object q. desire
among powerful railroad corporations
The Southern Pacific likewise threatens
the Union Pacific, in it's current designs.
| The owners of the Central Pacific are the
hui .ders or the new Southern Pacific. In
! order therefore, to obtain y southern out
let on the Pacific, instead Of being limited
| to the one now granted it by the Central,
the Union Pacific will push the Utah
Southern ruad suuthward across Central
A, izona "a San Diego, which is one of the
only three great Pscific harbors belonging
to the United States. This will make
| transcuntinental route number three.
Thus will the Union Pacific break AVA,
from the restraints of the Central Pacific,
and the latter, owning the Southern Pa
citic, will escape from those of the Union
Pacific on its way east-R. F STRAINE, III
the Boston Post.
a LETTER received from blackberry,
| Nohaye county, dated the Doth, contains