Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-08-23
THE FLAGSTAFF ROAD.
D. M. RIORDAN TALKS WITH LOCAL
 BUSINESS MEN.
TIain statement of the Prospects For the Railroad and the Necessary PrcIiminaries to Its Construc-
 ton.
Pheuix Republican.

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 A number of local business men met yesterday afternoon at the Commercial Hotel to confer with D. NJ. Riordan upon the steps necessary to secure for this val ley the speedy advent of the Central Ari- 2Ona railroad.
 Mir Riordan talked very plainly in re gard to the proposed road, laying bare every obstruction that would be met and not mincing the fact that it's construction would be at great expense.
 "rhe amount of road yet to construct" of which distance seventy miles lie within the County of Maricopa. The cost would be not far from Sl,O0O,OOO. Now, l am in a position to say this to the people of Salt River Valley: 1 am assured by those in the East, in whom l have perfect re- liance, that if the people of this county will guarantee the building of the south en end of the line, say the 100 miles be- tween here and Payson, and could assure the road the necessary traffic to pay the interest upon the cost of construction at six per cent, the portion of the road from Flagstaff to Payson would surely be built, and without unnecessary delay; and no doubt the money could be obtained for the portion between Phenix and Payson. But, of course, some such assurance must be had before investors in the East can be induced to put money into railroads in Arizona.
 q am, on behalf of the lumber mills at Flagstaff, prepared to furnish such a guarantee as far as Payson, from the other end of the road.
 "rhe amount of traffic required to pay such interest from here would have to be sufficient to yield S150,000 net earnings, over all expenses, sper year. Can your valley furnish that amount in freights?
 "lf such guarantee can be made" con tinued Mir. Riordan, "I have no doubt but the arrangements for building the road will soon be under way.
 'The main difficulty in such work as this Is to plainly demonstrate to capital ists that the enterprise will be a paying one. l have made frequent trips to the East during the last few years in this be- half and believe that l now have matters in good shape"
 Much further discussion was had on the subject. the local gentlemen speaking of the amount of grain, hay and fruit that would be shipped from here north, to which would be added cattle and ores from the broad ranges and rich mines of the country. The freights would be large, all our lumber, certainly, and the hardware, wagons, beer and almost all other eastern supplies now received over the more round about way of the South ern Pacific.
 To bear out their assertions, Messrs. Kemp, Ainsworth, Hine and Fowler hand ed Mir Riordan a tabulated statement showing the development, valuation and products of MaIicopa caunty. The larger portion of the products being available for export, Mir. Riordan's close knowledge of the consumption of such products in Globe, Flagstaff and along the lines of the northern railroad, will, of course, give him a good idea of the business, this val ley might give to his railroad.
 He leaves this morning for Florence, thence going to Globe and home.