El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-09
Of The Sierra Madre To The
Coal And Copper Pro-
perties
A RUMOR RUN DOWN
And a Discovery Made That
Reconnaissance Has Been
Made For The Propos-
ed Extension

| Railroads and rumors of railroads tC
the coast increase in frequency, but
the latest and most important develop
ment in this connection is the actual
preliminary survey by party cent out
| by the Sierra Madre officials, of a line
! from their road westward to the coal
| and copper properties of Sonora, and
western Chihuahua,
This party, sent out under direct Or
ders from Foster Higgins, president of
the Rio Grande, Sierra Madre, &
Pacific, has just returned, and it may
be authoritatively announced that re-
port will be made which will favor
the early extension of the road to the
westward.
The party left Corralitos station, on
the Sierra Msdre road, on February 5,
just two weeks after the Britton Davis
Morgan Jones party, and spent five
weeks in the reconnaissance.
J. Fewson Smith, chief engine er of
the Sierra Msdre road, was in charge
and conducted the survey.
THE ROUTE FROM CORRALITOS.
From Corralitos, the route taken was
in a westerly direction through the
properties of the Corralitos company.
ranch, and the next at the OJitos
ranch, owned by Lord Beresford.
From there the party proceeded
through Ermston's ranch to Las Feras
Canyon, and the main divide of the
Sierra Madrs was crossed through
Pulpit Canyon.
The distance from Corralitos to the
main range is eighty miles, and the
country proved to be of a sort we'll
adapted to railroad building, reason
ably level, end showing many thous-
ands of acres OF fine grazing lands.
which have not as yet been granted to
any individuals or companies by con-
cessiors.
Much of the time was spent in ex-
ploring the many canyons, in the effort
TO find the best and most feasible line
over the range.
The truth of the matter Is that Pull
pit Canon is the real STUN bling block in
the road Of the proposed route. 1t is
known that when the Jones party was
down in that country it was decided
that the cost of constructing four
miles of road through this canyon
of business which could be expected at
present from both ends.
The probable route then will be
through the Canon MADEIRA, fifteen
miles north, thence dropping down
into the Canon Geronimo, as il is called
by the cowboys near by, and thence
southwest to the Cuchuverija ranch.
The probable present terminus of the
road will be at Campas, where the
Yaqui trade could be controlled.
BEYOND BABISPE RIVER.
Twenty miles across the divide
brought the party to the Bsbispe river,
and to the town of OaXaca, and from
there a northeasterly line WAS fol-
lowed to the Batepito river, distant
about twenty-five miles. From this
point the direction taken was south
westerly TO the Fronteras river and to !
the town of Fronteras.
''From this place on to Naccsari," |
,aid one who knows, sis the COM |
ng copper and coal country of the
great southwest. All through the !
section there are copper prospects, but !
rom Fronteras to Nacosari there is @
Won derful mineral belt, rich in copper,
If comparatively low grade it is true,
,ut In such vast quantities, as to be !
in iss richness.
MILLIONS IN SIGHT.
SIN a single mine, just beyond Ma
ossri, there is practically in sight /
i35, 900, ,000sworsh of ore. This mine is I
'wned ty the Copper Queen COM
,sny.
This company is making every ef- /
ort to reach this valuable property, |
md Is miles west of Fronteras we mot a
,arty OF surveyors. who are making