The herald., 1893-09-18
BOLD BUT A FEASIBLE PROPOSITION.

he gave q detailed description of the
country lying between the Mohave dee
ert and Phoebe, on the line OF the survey
made fos projected railway. He points
out the fact that the proposed line and
that Of the Nevada Southern, which
reaches from Golf to Vanderbilt is at
some points over two hundred miles
apart. and that the territory through
which the projected road would pass is
rich in minerals. in soda and borax de-
posits, IN hematite iron ores, and in
agricultural and horticultural lands.
Some of the mining districts on the
route have already been tested, and the
only reason they have not been more
extensively developed is by the absence
OF transportation facilities. He points
out number of these districts which
are rich in gold mines, that have been
thoroughly prospected, and which would
become busy hives OF industry if there
were railroad transportation available
to get the ores to points where they
could be reduced in smelling works. In
some of these places the owners OF min.
ing property are patiently waiting for
the coming of tbs iron horse to enable
them to prosecute the work OF develop
ment.
The distance between Mohave and
Phoebe is something over $50 miles, aud
the character of the country is such
that roaGbed for railway could be
laid at the very minimum OF cost for
such bsaic structures. The grading for
road would involv no difficulties
whatever, for nearly the entire length is
over level country, with extensive
stretches where the surface is hardpan
and natural roadbed. When Col. J.
U. Crawford, seventeen years ago, was
wae the intention of the eenator to ex
tend from Los Angeles to Independence
made superficial survey OF the route
east from the Mohave desert, he drove
over the entire distance in 8 buggy and
reported that the cheapest roadway in
the United States could be laid along
the entire route clear to Utah. He was
prof1se in his praiass of the country
through which he passed, and like
Colonel Brooke, he said that all the ma
terial for croesties, ETC., could bs secured
at wooded points on the route 1t was
nothing but the financial pauic which
shot across this state in 1876 which pre-
vented the construction OF this road to
Independence at that time, and it is
needless to say that the road would not
have stopped at Independence. but
would have been long since carried out
to it's logical connection with the roads
that reach into southern Utah.
We have always he'd that the open
ing OF this rich country would give to
Los Angeles tributary territory OF
great extensiyeness and of incommen.
surable commercial value. 1t would at
once open to Los Angeles the shortest
natural gateway from the western states
to the Pacific coaet, and place US in
immediate proximity to some of the
finest coal measures in the United
States. 1t would give to Los Angeles
the very things she needs to become q
great manufacturing center-cheap coal
and inexhaustible deposits of iron.
Salt Lake City has always been alive
to the advantages, commercial and in
other respects, of direct rail com muni-
cation by this route with Los Angeles,
and when we fairly take into consider
alton the fact that such a connection
would open to US the trade of the
great American basin, the rich mining
districts that now lie dormant between
the two cities, and the vast mineral
treasures that abound in the interven-
apathy which has for so many years
kept this rich and extensive country in
'state of desuetude." II the same
appreciation OF the value of this exten.
sive territory were held by the progress
sive people of Los Angeles that has been
shown by the enterprising business men
of Salt Lake. the road would long since
have been an accomplished fact.
We are proud that our city, during
these times of universal depression,
bAOWp up 81 GPAOhoiuiy III tuO WcChly
clearing house reports, but in order to
continue to hold our fine prestige as q
business center we should take advan-
tage of every "coigne Of vantage which
our admirable situation holds out to US.
What grand thing it would be for US if
Los Angeles, during these times OF
gloom in other parts OF the country,
should boldly take the lead in opening
up this splendid back country by the in
auguration of railroad from Mohsve to
Phoebe! II few of our most enterpris-
ing men would open the ball by organic
ing a company for that purpose they
would find that the movement would be
a most popular one. Let them get sub
scriptions enough TO build the first ten
miles of roadway, and that would insure
all the means necessary to build and
equip the rest of the road. But above
all, such an initiative of the enterprise
would secure to Los Angeles all the pres
tige and all the benefits that would