Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-05-19
4 RAILROAD FROM PHENIX.
An Agitation of fine subject that may Lead
 to Practical ResuI,s-some Good sug-


 to Practical ResuI,s-some Good su= Eestions.
 , The people Of Phenix seem to be i earnest III their efforts to get railroa } connection with the outside world, aH the narrow gauge road from tucson ai
 lords them an opportunity of securiu an outlet that wlli undoubtedly prov
 highly advantageous to both Tucson ant
 PheulN- The narrow gauge will be bun
 to tAe San Pedro river Dy next Septenl
 Der, and branch through Mesa Cit
 aad Florence to PAeaIx could be easIl,
 and speedily constructed, with ihe as
 distance the latter place would NllnngI.
 render.
 Salt !dver Valley will grow a surplu
 oi 31OJ1OOO p uujs Of grain thls year
 besides the large quantities of fruits an, vegetables. Pima county Is their Latur al market for this surplus, and the mos direct connection with thIs city woul, | prove the most advantageous tU Pheuix
 Mir. M. W. kales, of PhenIx, had i | conference while In Tucson with the uf | ncers Of the narrOw-gauge railroad, anu carries Cack With him definite intOrma uon that will probably crystalIzs lutl l practical results, II followed by active | efforts. That the people of Phenix are | ln earnest ln thls measure, will be seen | by the following extracts from the news. i papers of that city. The Herald of the 10th instant says:
 "N hateyer may be the result of AIr. hales conference with the business men of Tucson respecting the proposed rail Toad, Ire people of Maricopa county eau i a1 rd to offer every nducement to 1 somebody tO give Us d road. The coun- ty Cannot build railroad; 1t can only offer such inducements to capitalists and railroad builders as will justify them ln taking hold of the matter and putting it through. The citizens of the county can subscribe hberally, can give the right oi way through their farms free of cost, and our towns can furnish grounds for depot purposes; and, furthermore, II the road should be built from Mari cooa by blll passed at the last session oI the Legislature, the county can False d fund OI S6J,UJU for Its assistance. The present proposition, however, to build a road to Tucson would not permit the use Oi that franchise, but We can suU- scribe the SUU,OOU, and IJ ought to be Sl60UJU, when beyond d doubt railroad Den would give us road h short lme.'
 As reflex of public opinion, tie above e1trac, SLOWS d Ioeral spirit on the part Ol the people towards the railroad enter prise. The Gazette Of the same date discusses the situation in practical ana OIsiness-lFe way. It says: With tue present prolific harvest pressing close upon tue heels ui the raucumeu. mer- chants aud millers the subject of rapid and cGeap uspOTtatiOu To markets Is .-ltatInE the puulc mIua. Ihls Is the prophec! ot new era, an era that viii add uew prosperity tO an already pros JrroUs cOmmu-IJy. The best possible markets that eau be opened up Go 60 great --rlru.tu-ai c1ul,ry hAe the Salt HIvrr and Gi a Nale.s are those eX- ciusTely mining.
 At the present time the markets most desirable of reaching are those Of Pima and OocnI~e counties, for the reasons, Irst, that they are the largest and Des,, .au seruud, they offer ,nr muIum up- luEtuuIile> for successful competition Iu
 agricultural matters for tuc iuture. A nara8J established there now, Is a mar Ae1 ior ali ilme Co come. Those cOuu- .i-s are almost exclusively pastoral and mineral and never can offer auy serious competition Co the resources of this Q ultry.
 The question Is, how best to reach that -.ul-I.. he shortest route would be D. roaG direct to Maricopa. aud thence over ll- ; ujuem Pacinr. This would urCe-~ita,e but tw nty-ei-ht or thirty mlles of track at ta-thest. Would 1t be aes,: This Is the paramount question. \ Toad lTOm theu,x to Mesa CIty and Florence, thence up the Gila Co the puuth Of the San Pedro, thence up the san Pedro to Benson, will give direct connection with the Southern Pacific and the New N -xIco and Arizona Rail road, with all its Mexican connections. Such line of road will open up the upper end of this valley, aud tap the Dnla at tine best point, and make inter course between large communities not only practicable but easy. lt will largely increase the traffic of the road. an item of first consideration by those who will advance the muney for its con structiou. By following up the San Pedro it will make access to the coal fields of Deer Creek short and easy, and aid il developing the rich mmes of the Galliuro Bunker HilJ and santa Cata- Ina mountains, thus opening up new markets.
 Should, however, 1t be thought best to make Tucson the sole objective point, leaving ont of consideration the points above enumerated, then Mesa City, Florence and Tucs n will constitute the three main supports of the road with small chances of future developments to come in to swell Its traffic and resources. After leaving Florence 1t must run through a practically uninhabltgoie country until 1t approaches the Santa CruZ Valley, at some point near Tucson. The San Pedro Valley on the contrary already has a considerable population, which a railroad would rapidly increase. Tn any event a road from here opening up a market for the products of rhis county We will be Of great advantage tO sou hern Arizona, aud the more nearly a competing line with the Southern paciii. lt becomes, the better 1t VIII be. \ short hue to Marcopa can m DO sense of the term, ever become a com retitar for the business of the valley. lt will be a simple feeder for that road and must SO remain for all time.'