Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-05-11
CAPITAL CITY and CoCHITI.
Projected Railway from Santa Fe to
Bland Substantially Backed
and Assured.
Rio Grande Will Be Harnessed at
White Rock Canon, Where Reduc-
ton Plants Will Be Built.

A few days ago the New MEXICAN brief
ly announced that the Santa Fe & Cochit
Railway company and the Rio Grande
Electrio-Po & Irrigation company had
filed articles of incorporation with the
territorial secretary. As mere paper en-
terprises, without substantial backing or
doubtless the announcement of the for
nation of these two corporations was
carelessly passed over by many readers
without even faint realization of their
important bearing upon the future growth
and prosperity of Santa Fe and the great
Cochiti mining district. Hence concise
disclosure of the work contemplated by
the companies mentioned, together with
some of the salient reasons why success
is assured, seems timely. Preliminary to
this work NEW MEXICAN reporter was
specially detailed to make careful in
vestigation regarding the bases of these
notable enterprises with view to ascer-
tanning whether they were solid and sub
stantial. His report was satisfactory.
PRACTICALLY ONE CORPORATION.
At tho outset it may be mentioned that
the two corporations are practically one,
having the same promoters and the same
general objects in view, and upon the
success of one depends the success of the
other. just as the mammoth gold-bear-
ing lodges of the Cochiti district are of
comparatively little value without con-
venient transportation and reduction
facilities, 40 railway connections with the
mines would not be profitable without
suitable and adeq uate reduction plants at
the river, nor would reduction works at
the river be of any value without rail
way to the mines.
The two-fold plan of the promoters of
the Santa Fe e. Cochiti railway and the
Rio Grande Electric-P Power & Irrigation
companies contem plates, first, the con-
struction Of railway and telegraph or
telephone line from Santa Fe westward
by the most feasible route to point on
the eastern bank of the Rio Grande nearly
opposite to the mouth of the Canon de
Cechiti, and thence, crossing the river
and continuing IN a westerly direction, to
Allerton and up Pine canon to Bland,
which is located at the very heart of the
Cochiti mining district. The distance
from Santa Fe to the river is about
twenty miles and from the river to Bland
is about fifteen miles. This projected
line OF railway of only thirty-five miles is
nearly straight line due east and west
from Santa Fe to Bland; can be cheaply
built, since it passes over gravelly
mesa to the river, and thence by a gradual
Bland, only two bridgss--ops across the
river and another across the Cochiti
canon-being required; whereas else
where on the west side of the river, for
miles on either side of this projected
line of road, the country is broken up
with mountain gorges and deep canons
from the mountain SUBMITS to the river,
and railroad building is practically i'm
possible.
PURPOSE OF THE ROAD.
The principal purpose Of the pro-
posed railroad is, of course, the cheap
and rapid transportation of ores from
the Cochiti mines to the river, where,
power, water and fuel being unlimited,
extensive reduction plants can be erected
and operated at a minimum cost to all
concerned. II is estimated by those who
have made thorough study Of the sub
ject that the Cochiti mines are capable
of producing at least 1000 tons of ore
per dav, and that the haul from Bland to
the river can be profltably made at from
$1.50 to 81 per ton. This great saving
in transportation charges alone would
render it possible to mine, ship and re-
duce the lowest grade ores of the district
at profit.
The next feature of the plan, which in
vites attention, comes under the head OF
the "Rio Grande Electric-Power Il Irriga-
tion company" This company has in
contemplation the construction Of two
dams. The lower of these two dams is to
be at the mouth of White Rock canon or
about the point where the proposed rail-
way will GROSS the Rio Grande. Here
abound timber, building stone, lime rock,
fire clay and other useful materials.
Thousands of acres below can nearly all
be watered and rendered fruitful by the
method adopted by this company. More
than this and still more important, all
the power needed for driving the machin-
cry of the mammoth reduction works,
operating the railway between the river
and Bland, lighting and operating the
mines and other kindred purposes can
readily be generated by harnesslng up the
Rio Grande at White Rock canon, where
unquestionably exists the most mag.
nificent water power in the southwest.
ONE OF NATURES BooNs TO MAN.
White Rock canon is stupendous
gorge, from 800 to 1000 feet deep and
from 200 to 1900 feet wide, through which
the Rio Grande flows for distance oil
about twenty miles. At the mouth OF
his canon, nearly opposite the mouth OF
Cochiti canon, the river is only about 800
feet wide with almost perpendicular walls
from 800 to 500 feet high on both sides
Thus it viii be seen that, by blasting at
this point, dams with proper spillways
can be cheaply and quickly constructed
to any height required. The dams pro.
iected would form two immense reser-
voirs, each from eight to ten miles long
from ons-quarter to one-half mile in
width, and hundreds of feet deep, and
besides affording unlimited water for
irrigatlng the lands for miles below
would furnish indefinite power for the
generation of electric energy as already
suggested.
The incorporators of the companies
that have undertaken these important
and feasible tasks are Alexander H
Handlan, jr., and Thomas W. Murray, Of
st. Louis, Levi Ellis, of New York, all
wealthy men, James H. Purdy, well