Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-09-15
TIE D. 4 Z. @. IN NEW MEXICO

The Denver Republican has come to a
very sensible conclusion regarding rail-
way communication between Denver and
New Mexico points, and in discussing the
subject it has touched upon a suggestion
that the press of this territory, aided
by the Denver press, can we'll afford to
agitate.
Heretofore the Republican has wasted
much space in advocacy of the extension
OF the d. & R. q. line down the river
direct from Espanola; it would have had
the narrow gauge built long ago through,
that barren white Rock Canon, ignoring
Santa Fe, with her fruits, the Cash Entry
camp With her lead and silver, Cerrillos
with her coal, coke and ores, and San
Pedro with her copper and gold, and
iron and lead carbonates. All these
the Republican would have forever shut
out Of Denver, together with the trade
interests that attend their development.
But, presto change The Republican
has now been brought to see the error of
its ways, and it prints this timely cdi-
torial:
The New Mexico papers are disposed
to look with favor upon the project for
the extension of the penver& Rio Grande
railway by way of Albuquerque, Socorro
and Las Cruces to FL Paso.
There is no doubt that if this subject
were fully discussed between the people
OF Denver on the one hand and the people
OF Santa Fe and the leading cities of the
Rio Grande valley in New Mexico on the
other, it would bring to light strong SEN
timent in favor Of improved railway con-
nection between Denver and the New
Mexico cities referred to- Denver needs
closer and better rail connections with
the towns OF the southwest, and those
places need the same kind Of connection
with this city.
THE original plan OF Gen. Palmer in
projecting the Denver 4 Rio Grande rail-
way was to follow the valley of the Rio
Grande from Alamosa south to FL Paso.
His aim in this was to secure Il connection
with railroad which he had projected
from FL Paso to the City of Mexico along
the route low occupied by the Mexican
Central. His plan was in part defeated,
because he failed to get concession
from the Mexican government for a rail-
way along that route. The concession
which he secured led, ultimately, to the
construction of the Mexican railway from
Laredo south to the City of Mexico.
But, in go far as Denvers relation to
New Mexico and FL Paso is concerned,
the plan is as good now as it was when
It first took shape in ten. Palmer mind.
The valley Of the Rio Grande presents
just as favorable route for a
north aud south Rocky Mountain
railway now as it did then. A railway
could be constructed down that valley at
q comparatively small cost 1t would put
Denver into close communication with
some OF the best cities OF New Mexico,
and by a system of branch lines, tribu-
tary traffic could be established with a
large number of mining camps on either
side of the valley,
"When the line down the Grand river
to Grand Junction and the one which Mr.. |
Otto Mears is constructing along the west
ern slope of the San Juan country shall
have been completed, the Rio Grande |
system will cover nearly all of the avail |
able territory for it in this state. If the |
purpose be to still further extend it, the |
owners will have to look toward the south |
There they will see the rich and inviting
field of New Mexico waiting for an ex-
tension of the system which would be in |
a measure repetition of their Colorado |
system"