The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1893-02-16
THE pIoonE A>o MILFORD ROAD.

The completion Of the Phoebe branch
of the Union Pacific railroad has b come
a matter of interest to the people cf salt
Lake City since the great copper smelter
is assured to the town. At special
meeting of the board of directors of the
Chamber of Commerce, Wednesday, the
following resolution was introduced and
adopted
Whereas, The people of Salt Lake City
pay to the Union Pacific railway COM
pany several millions of dollars annually
for transportation of freight and passen-
gers; and
Whereas, The extension of the Union
Pacific line to Phoebe, Ney., would do
much at the present time to make of
Salt Lake City what Nature intended it
to be-a great manufacturing and distri.
buting center; and
Whereas, The citizens are exerting
themselves to the utmost of their fnan
cisl ability to secure copper smelling
and refining plant; and
Whereas, The extension of line to
Phoebe could be made the means Of sup
plying copper for this plant as well as
lead finxing ores for our shelters; and
Whereas, Mr.. S. H. H. Clark is re.
garded by the people of Salt Lake as an
advocate of such improvements as will
better their material condition and as
us,ng true friend to Utah Territory,
Resolved, That it is the sense OF the
hoard of directors of the Salt Lake
Chamber Of Commerce that the officials
Of the Uuion Pacific Railway Company
.hould be, and are hereby pstitioned to
make necessary railroad extension to
bring about the above results.
Resolved, That copy Of these resolu.
tions be sent tn Mr.. s. H H. Clark, pres
dent of the Union Pacific Railway Com
pany, at Omaha.
W. E. Hubbard, President
s. w. Sears, Secretary.
The Salt Lake Stock and Mining Jour
nal has the following forcible article
on this matter, and states the facts from
personal knowledge, the editor, Mr.. W.
G. Higgins, having visited this section
last year and made an inspection OF some
of our mines:
ave are glad to see that steps are
being taken to hasten the building OF the
Phoebe branch of the Union Pacific road.
The roadbed on this line has been com
pleted all the way from Milford to Phoebe,
and all that is necessary now is to put in
culverts and lay the ties and rails. BY
finishing this branch one Of the richest
mineral portions of Nevada would be
made tributary to Salt Lake City. No
one, unless he has visited this region, can
form the faintAst conception of its great
mineral wealth; and yet the once thrifty
and prosperous city of Phoebe, with its
great mines its smelters, reduction
works aud short line OF railroad that
connects the town with the big producers
at Jack Rabbit, is now as quiet as
graveyard. The improvements made
there during the early days, by their
magnitude aud number, is an evidence of
what would now be the general character
Of the mining camps of the west if silver
had not been ruthlessly demonetized; and
to-day, with the vast amount of high.
grade and concentrating ore in sight in
the mines of this camp, these by.gone
times of prosperity might be recalled, if
railroad facilities could be secured. This
whole country is one vast mineral deposit
of silver, copper, lead and gold. but the
cost of transportation is so great and the
value of silver and lead 30 low that the
expenses eat up the profits on all but the
highest grade of ores, and then on this, it
is not deemed wise or expedient to rob a
mine of ore, whenit will keep indefinitely
or until railroad communication will en-
able the mine owners to reduce the ex-
pense of the long haul by wagon to the
nearest railroad shipping point.
By finishing this branch, the ore and
bullion receipts in this city would be al.
most double, while commerce in other
lines and branches of trade would be
greatly augmented. 1t would take but q
comparatively small amount to finish and
equip this branch; and we sincerely hope
now that the Salt Lake Chamber o.
Commerce has taken an interest in THU
matter, that we will soon have the salts
faction of seeing the chief city of south
eastern Nevada connected with the CAPT