Arizona republican., 1893-12-29
THE MAIN LINE.
RumOr of an Important
Railroad Movement.
ABSORPTION Of the Mari
COpa & Phoenix.
The Southern Pacific to Take
Full and Absolute Control.
Incidents, Causes and Advantages
of the Contemplated Change of
Policy Toward Phoenix.

For the last two days rumor has
been current upon the streets that the
Southern Pacific would fully absorb the
Maricopa & Phoenix and oper ate it as
part of the system instead of as branch
or incidental line as heretofore. 1t was
also stated that the connection OF Col.
Masten, the present manager OF the
Maricopa & Phoenix, would be severed
on January Is. The rumor as to Col.
Masten's retirement touched upon the
unfortunate affairs of the Hartford bank,
of which he was president and in which
the Maricopa & Phoenix had deposit
amounting to $40, 1000 secured by late
mortgage. which was afterwards released
in the interest of other depositors.
The taking of the Maricopa q Phoenix
into the Southern Pacific system was
said to include numerous and important
changes which would be highly accept
able to the people of Phoenix. In the
first place the road was to be greatly
improved and the accommodations
greatly increased. The service was to
be doubled, that is, there would be two
trains each way instead of one so that
there would be no delay OF passengers
at Maticopa.
Tickets would be sold from Phoenix
and baggage checke d to all points, and
freight would be billed to any des-
tination witho at the present inconveni-
ence of rebilling at Maricopa. Phoenix
trains, sleepers and day coaches, would
be transferred from the main line at
Maricopa without any other change
than that of an engine which would be
in waiting.
The Maricopa & Phoenix line would
be suitably equipped with through cars
to be transferred at Marlcopa, which
would become a train transfer point,
instead of terminus or junction, and
in effect Phoenix would be given the
position and advantage of an import
ant point On the main line.
This contemplated project of the
Southern Pacific, it was said, was pre-
cipitated by the near approach of the
Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoenix, whose
ercroachments upon the territory could
be met by no other course, which, If
carried out, will make Phoenix the chief
and in fact only competing point on the
Southern Pacific between Los Angeles
and Ell Paso.
The rumor also included a change in
the management of the Arizona Tele-
graph company, which will pass into
the hands of the Western Union.
Col. Masten was seen by REPUBLI-
CAN reporter with reference to the
rumor. In reply to question as to its
foundation he said he knew nothing
about it. He had received no intima-
ton from headquarters or from any
other source of his own retirement
from Office and had not resigned or did
not contemplate resigning. Neither
had he been Informed of any plan by
the Southern Pacific to take the Mari
copa & Phoenix into any closer relation
than it now held. He wrote to San
Francisco last night to ascertain upon
what basis the story was built.
The relationship between the South
srn Pacific and the Maricopa & Phe-
nix is not well understood. Many
stockholders in the former also own
stock in the latter, the heaviest owner
being N. K. Masten. brother of the
manager of the road. It has been gem
orally supposed that there was no other
connection between the roads than COM
mon holdings of stock. During threat
ened litigation, growing out of the Hart
ford bank troubles, it was said that if
the suits came to trial it would be
shown that the Maricopa & Phoenix
was really Southern Pacific property and
was being operated as separate line
only for purposes of convenience.
Whether 80 or not, it is believed that