Arizona silver belt., 1893-01-14
wMY JuE EuHLDHNe OF RaIlnOsD TO
 GLOBE SHOULD BE ESCnURAGED.

mot new m Globe. More than ter
 yeais ago it was a pregnant theme and
 the prospect of it's realization was
 brighter then than at any time since
 until the present. The failure of tho
 Mineral Belt railroad enterprise, tc
 which our people gave substantial aid
 naturally produced apathy among
 them upon the subject of railroads,
 and subsequent schemes were looked
 upon with indifference, if not suspi-
 cion.
 Until recently the advantages of q
 railroad connecting Globe with one oi the great trans-continental lines was
 notso apparent and the arguments in
 favor of it appealed with less force to a large majority of Globe people, The
 heavy decline in the prices of silver and copper has caused a change olsen timent among those who were indifier- ent or openly opposed to the eonstruc- ! ton of a railroad to Globe. With sill verabove a dollar m ounce, and do2- ems of prospect holes each giving prof itable employment to two or three men; with copper selling at 16 cents and over labor well paid and money in free circulation, our isolation from the great highways of travel was not without its advantages. Now how ever, ''the times are sadly out of ioint.p Silvef is so low in price that mining, with rare expectations, hos ceased to he profitable. Copper has also suffered considerable decline and the present agreement among pro ducers is at best only a temporary ex- pedient to maintain prices by the dis couraglng method of curtailing pro duction
 The mining iadu5tgy throUe bout Che West has reached that point where the success or failure of an enterprise is de pendent upon economic conditions and the management of the business in every detail,
 The chief factor in operating min ing enterprise is undoubtedly the ques- ton of transportation. There are hun dreds Of desirable properties idle to- day for lack of rail facilities and favor able freight rates, and Globe district is now in & position where her further development is dependent upon lower rates of transportation and consequent cheapening of fupplies, benehting the mining companies and their employees alike.
 Assurances have been received, and which are not to be questioned that the project +o bUlS railroad from Bowie Station to Globe is a substantial proposition, backed by men of means to whose interest it is that the road should be built and completed to Globe, The portion surveyed from Bowie to Fort Thomas is a most desirable route, free from any engineering difficulties, and requiring but a moderate oxpendi- .ture for construction. The only prob lems to be considered and overcome are encountered west of Thomas and especially between the summit one mile and a half east of Globe to the Old Dominion and Commercial smeit CTS, where tho difioulties and cost of construction will be greatly aug meuted
 With knowledge of these facts it has been suggested that the road might be constructed only as far as Fort Thomas for the present, uuless Globe offers inducements for it's immediate completion. Built to Thomas the rail- road would secure all the uaoc of the populous Gila valley, ana Government transportation from San Carlos, as well as the bulk of the business of Globe, so that in view Of the greater cost involved in the construction of the section between Thcnas and Globe, it is q question whether Thomas might not be made the northwestern term mus.
 This contingency renders it advise ble that an inducement be offered the company to complete the road, at the earliest practicable date to Glob e. This can be best accomplished by ex- empting the railroad from taxation for a certain number of years, which would ,e0uire an act of the legislature, and as special legislation is prohibited by the Harrison act which applies to all Territories, a general law would be necessary, similar to that enacted by the last legislature, and which expired by limitation on the 18th day ofMaroh 1892. We commend this suggestion to the taxpayers of Gila county and to our representatives to the legislature for their favorable consideration