Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-10-29
SOME RAILROAD CALCULATIONS.

.IuK III IuE III \ ANQfA
viii Immediately after It's completion
become part OF another trans-continent
al system In conjunction with the
Rock Island railroad, by the extension
Of the latter from Liberal, Kansas,
soulhwesterly acros the Texas pan-
handle, thence through Union county,
N. NJ, passing close to old Fort Bascom
and Liberty, and thence westerly to
and crossing the Pecos river just above
Fort Sumner, and EDWARDS to White
Oaks TO effect a junction there with the
Ell Paso Northwestern railroad.
Ia the event OF such an extension
being constructed. the Pecos Valley
railroad will undoubtedly be pushed up
tue valley of that river on easy grades
and across open, fertile lands to q con-
nection neal Fort Sumner with the
Rock Island. Tho distance would be
about e~ighty-fve miles construction OF
the least costly kind the whole scheme
an excellent one Tor the benefit Of the
Pecos valley. The Rock Island would
then have an additional feeder, besides
capturing all the freights OF lower
Union, eastern San Miguel, and nearly
ali Ct Guadalupe county. Las Vegas
will suffer accordingly for this addi-
tlonal deprivation of tributary CONNER
cial territory, as the invading railroad
would pass about Ninety miles distant
at the nearest point, and p~uIlthousands
Of dollers away from this place.
There exist the strongest indications
that the Rock Island railroad will be
extended, as above mentioned, and II
SO, it might well be gwen the new
name Of "Chicago-El Paso air ine."
Then operating N harmony with the
5 southern Pacific, and the Mexican
Central companies, q full share OF
p aci6c coast and Mexican business
would fall to the '.air line"
But what most concerns Las Vegas,
is the possibility and %probability Of The
Rock Islands extension towards Ell
Paso. II it occurs, 1t will hurt us; SO
u people should take time by the
forelock, rise TO the necessities of the
hour, and at oIce commence active
preparations to stem the food that
threatens most seriously a d~eclination
n commercial Importance that Las
Vegas has hitherto always maintained
10 exalted supremacy.
The OPTIo has already pointed out
the way 10 hold and maintain this
supremacy. by means of railroad con-
nections being formed with Taos, via
Mora.
Mountainous country railroad con-.
nections are always more desirable
than those with low lands, simply be-
cause there are more people to supply
and do business with, o products to
DO marketed, and more natural re.
sources TO be developed.
IL is stated, by reliable authority,
that the Mora valley will. as a result OF
this years harvest, send out nearly
is, COO, coo pounds, or $500 tons, OF
Oats-just that n product alone
aud that every other crop there is pro-
p%ortionately great, this year.
The Taos valley will show an equally |
Joe harvest, and those two places
,ould each produce a much larger
onnsge, IL an outlet was provided.
We hope the various editorials that
appeared in this paper recently
will make people here put on their
linking caps, as they have been
for that purpose, and HE
JPTIo has no axe to grind In this mat
er, further than to become a partici-
'ator In the general Improvement that
would inevitably come to Las Vegas,
I her CITIZENS decide to advance their
by needed and aggressive ac-
ion 10 this particular line, and now is
he proper time.
let US not be regarded as Iaggards.
All Of New Mexico is fully awake to
he amended condirIohs that prevail,
md our place must be in our old-time
oca'ion, the van ofthe procession.
The initiative step in this matter ..of
uture railway connections should be
aken by those directly interested, but
o dictate OF whom they might consist
II what they shall do, comes not with