The Phoenix herald., 1879-06-07
STATE OF SONGRA. An interesting Article on our Southern Neighbor.
kfucn Prosperity hooked for in the Near F Future,

. -
 The following article appeared in
 recent number of the Mining and .SclentiJfc Press 1t was written by
 Mir. Schuyler, Assistant State Engi- neer of California, and brother of the
 gentleman of that name, who Is To- eating the railroad from Guaymas to Tucson
 The attention of San Francisco merchants and capitalists is being d. rected more strongly year by year to the importance of establishing com mercial intercourse with the northern and western States of Mexico The i people of that section, particularly of ! Sonora, where they are far removed from and have little sympathy with | the revolutionary intrlgUes of the na- tiuDal capital, and sdo not partaHe so strongly of the national jealousies of 1 the" Gringo's" are becoming eager for the establishment of commercial relations with the United States, as they realize that American goods for which they have use, are superior to those of English or German manufac- ture Our calicocs and other cotton fabrics, our agricultural machinery, wagons, domestic and general hard ware, cutlery. etc, are of J quality so much better adapted 10 their wants that the Mexican people will not buy the European articles offered them if they can get those of American pro duction. This is condition of af- fairs that only requires fostering to bear abundant fruits to American en- terprise Sonora, therefore, is ripe for an interchange of trade with Cal itornia. The inauguration of rapid means of communication and ready facilities for transportation will affect this object certainly and surely. As means to this end
 THE SONORA RAILWAY
 And telegraph line, projected from Guaymas to some undetermined point o1 the southern border of Arr zona, will be a most important factor The Mexican government has mani fested its desire to encourage an en- terprise of this kind by granting to several individuals, resident in San Francisco and Mexico, a concession whose terms are exceedingly liberal, comprising exemption from import duties, and State and general taxes for term of years, free right of way, a land grant of p, eco acres per mile, and other important advantages. The road will be commenced within a year, and will doubtless connect with the American system of railways at more than one point, as, in addition to the main line as laid down, q branch line is projected, starting short distance south of the Arizona border,and running eastward through Mexican territory, across the lower Sierra Madre to tie Rio Grande at Of near Fl PasO, connecting with the AtchiSon, Topeka and Santa Fe, the Denver and Rio Grande, the Texas Pacific railway, or some other of the lines stretching out toward that focal point. The line under present con siGeration, from Guaymas northWard, passes through the heart of Sonora, a Stale whose mineral and agricultural resources, but partially developed are superior to those Of California, with climate of great salubrity and an abundant rainfall to mature at least one crop a year, without irrlga- tiOn The distance from Guaymas to the border by the easternmosJ of the three surveyed routes is 265 miles, and the cost for a broad gauge road is estimated at about S3,5OO,000, or an average Of but little more than S13,- GOO per mile. This low estimate Is based on the exceedingly favorable topography of the country through which 1t passes, tine cheapness of Mexican and Indian labor, (which is less than the Chinese labor of Califor- nia), the low cost of importing mate rial under the exemption of duties granted by the concession and other favorable circumstances.
 THE HARBoR OF GUAy9IAs.
 The terminal point for the railway on the Gulf of California, l,550 miles by water from San Francisco, is emi- nently the best on the western coast of Mexico, being much superior to either San Bias or Mazatlan, and be cause of the trade winds, particularly desirable as a port for the trades of the East Indies and China. The bay consists of an inner and outer one, in all fCur or five miles in length almost completely sheltered from the winds by the bold nights of PajarOs on the east, and the islands of Terra Firma, San Vincent and Petayas on the west, leaving the channel narrow betweea them. The tides are irreg- ular, being governed by the winds in the Gulf, seldom rising and falling more than five feet. The depth of water is from two fathoms at the moat, to eight tathoms in the chan nel. The harbor is capaple of giving good anchors ge to 200 vessels. The town of Guaymas contains some TOGO inhabitants, and has an active trade, as it is the port of entry for the whole State, while the large quanti- lies of four and other produce of the interior are shipped 10 other ports