Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-11-20
THE MARROW GAUGE.

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 The officers Of the Narrow Gauge rail road company have made to the boar, ot supervisors a proposition relative t, the release of their bonds now in th, hands Of tue county treasurer, and tn, matter will be held under consideration until such time as the sentiment of ou people can be learned and the measur, ot its justice determined.
 To fully understand their proposition brief review of the conditions involved h tue building of the road ss well al the aid extended by the county, to gether with the results to be reached, il necessary.
 By an act of the legislature, the county of Pima was authorized to exchange its bonds for those of the Narrow Gsug, railroad to the amount of Sj0,00O foi every five miles of road constructed, mol to exceed s200OO0. Of this amount Sl5O.OOO have been So exchanged, leaving s5O,0OO still subject to the conditions of the law.
 Upon this showing, together with ex- PecsCd and promised aid from other couutles to De benefited. contracts were entered into with eastern capitalists f,,r funds to build the road, and work was commenced, over ten miles of road con struced and thirty miles graded.
 The act Of Congress prohibiting aId m Territories to railroad construction, has made 1t impossible for the company to fulfill their agreement with the syndi- cate furnishing the money. as GiIa coun- ty cannot legally aid them according to previous understanding. however will ing it may bs to do SO. Therefore other methods must be adopted if the road is to be built.
 The county of Pima has been very liberal h its encouragement oi railroad enterprises, and excepting Tn this single instance 1t has proffsred its ald 6s a bonus without exacting any security or reimbursement. Yet, strange to say, the Narrow Gauge i. the only one that has shown good intentions and accomplished anything. It Is now hsmpered by re- striciious that cut off the nec=sssry mar gin to induce investment and finds it necessary to changeIts plans l. there fore asks the board of supervisors to sd- vertIse according 10 law, the railroad bonds 1t holds, and sell the same to the company for cash or the colnty's bonds. for twenty-five cents on the dollar. In other words, the coun. ty IS asked to give outright the Sl50.0O0 In bonds now held by the company and to destroy the other S50.OOO not yet is sued.
 In consideration of this favor the com pany will build and equip its road for & distance of sixty miles out of Tucson to a point where it can divert all the vast freight and business of Globe. and will acc omplIsh all this before the coun- ty gIves upits bonds. The end sought m aiding in construct ing the roBd Is to bring a greater volume of business t. this city and county, and l to add tO the taxable property the value of its road and rolling stock. The eI- ,hanae of bonds was the easiest and l best method of doing thls, although had | the company asked the bonds as a gift l 'here would have been no objections | raised. Under existing circumstances | sn indefinite delay must ensue ID its l while the proposed plan | Sill obviste all that and soon put the I toad in way to materially benefit us, going into Globe as originally l intended: aud. so far as Pima county IS the object of the encourage nrnt given will be accomplished. It therefore rests with the people to say shether they will give their support to he board of supervisors ID an effort to make The best out of the unfortunate cir and to acquire the greatest possible benefit from the outlay already made, with the certainty that very arge proportion, If not all. the advsn- ages wIlI accrue to our city years in ad- ,ance of that promised by the other horn ,f the dilemma.