Arizona republican., 1891-04-07
THE RAILROAD AT YUMA.
That Place Not to Be sidetracked, Bu,
 Benefited by Changes Proposed. From the Yuma Times

That Place Not to Be sidetracked, Bu,
 Benefited by Changes Proposed.
 From the Yuma Times.
 The San Francisco Eraminer of March
 "A contained an article concerning the
 proposed change in the line of the South.
 ern Pocitic road. and intimating very
 strongly that Yuma was to be abandoned
 entirely by the company.
 | The Southern Pacific road can not
 orosa the Colorado river without run
 ming near the town of Yuma. At least,
 not at a reasonable expense for construc-
 ton. Yuma is the only point for miles
 on the river where bridge and it's ap.
 breaches can be maintained.
 In order that readers may thoroughly
 understand the proposition, the situation
 Will have to be explained. The Colorado
 for several miles above and below Yuma
 flows due east and west. On the Ari-
 zona side, below the point where it re. celves the Gila, is situated the high ridge on which is situated the Territorial Peni. tentiary and usually known as Prison
 Hill. Directly opposite on the Cali iornia side is' another hlll or ridge of equal height on which are the old build- lhgs of Fort Yuma. Between the two ridges flows the Colorado, through a pass about six hundred feet wide. The distance from Fort hill to the mesa is about three miles, the ground being overtiowed at high water. Westward from Prison hill fo, half mile is val ley in which is, or was. the town of Yuma; thence westward for another half mile bluffs line the river bank, quite high and steep in places. The present line of road leaves the California mesa six miles west of Yuma, runs over the river bottom on trestles and fills, and after crossing the river strikes the | eastern edge of the bluffs, running along the western side of the town. It does | not take q practiced engineers eye to | see that Yuma is the place to bridge | the river. The only other place any where near is Pilot Knob, where the present line leaves the mesa. The | ground on the west side is favorable. but the eastern side stretches away in low overilowed bottom lands for ten miles.
 The plan which has been recom- mended to the company by Chief En- slneer Hood is to leave the old line near Pilot Knob and continue along the mesa to point about three miles north )f Fort Hill; the intervening space of low ground 10 be crossed by trestle; the -iyee to be spanned by steel bridge of improved pattern between Fort and Prison hills. This will simply put the 'allroad on the east side instead of the vest side of Yuma, as at present. And lere Is where the interests of the com ,any and the town are common: from he south end of Prison hill the town wants leree Tor protection against the Iiia. This would be exactly where the ailroad would have to go also. Should he railroad company be given right of vay on the levee they would no doubt ,ladly help in building it and agree O keep il in repair. This done, the own would be perfectly safe for the eason that the levee would have o be higher for railroad purposes han It would be to keep ont the Gila { The remainder of Engineer Hoods plan to keep on the me sa through the , Iraby valley, cross the Gila mountains | { some practicable point and strike the Id inc of road near Adondo. As a mat. 'r of course this means rebuilding forty [ liles of railroad east and west of Yuma. | ut when once done the company would . ave no more trouble with wash1uts and 'nsequent delay of traffic. "The best g
 the cheapest" V The above facts were communicated s resident of Yuma who had an inter- s ew with Mir. Hood in San Francisco. n r. Hood further said that the article
 the Erdminer was SO absurd he did U ,t consider it worth his while 10 pay " attention to it, and that the people q
 Yuma could rest assured the com D my had no intention of so changing e line of road that the town would, be It out in the cold. IT