Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-04-07
A RAILWAY PROJECT
The Proposed Black Range Railway
Will Traverse a Very Rich
Country.
MINERAL, LUMBER, CATTLE
1t Will Throw Open to Capital And to Set
tiers Second Cripple Oreek-The
Line Will BE 90 Miles
Long.

The New Mexican recently had the
satisfaction of printing an exhaustive
article, carefully and expressly pre-
pared for its columns, on the general
subject of the mineral, timbtsi, grazing
and agricultural resources 9f the great
Black Range region of southwestern
New Mexico. Since then the prospectus
of the Black Range Railway Company
which contemplates tapping Ike vast
and varied wealth of this extensive and
comparatively undeveloped belt of
country, has been printed in the form
of a beautiful pamphlet for the infor-
This prospectus contains plain state
ment of the facts relative to the fea-
sibility of the proposed construction of
line of railway from Magdalena on the
Santa Fe system to Chloride, N. M,
and thence southwest to a point at or
near Clifton, Ariz., together with a
wealth of detailed and authentic infor-
nation, shedding light on the possible
tonnage of the resourceful region
through which it Is projected, and it can
hardly fail to arrest the earnest and ia
vorable attention of contemplating in
vestors.
SCOPE OF THE ENTERPRISE.
The distance from Magdalena, the
terminus of line of the Atchison, To-
peka & Santa Fe railway, to Chloride is
something less than ninety miles by the
route proposed, and the distance from
Chloride, southwesterly down the ella
river, to a point at or near Clifton, is
about the same. 1t is proposed to con-
struct the line from Magdalena to
Chloride first. There are only one or
two places along the proposed route
where the maximum grade is 2ta per
cent and these only for very short dis
tances, the grade over the entire route
being very easy. The grades across the
divide of the Black Range and down to
the Mogollons and the Gila river do not
exceed 21a per cent. Probably the heav-
lest grade is between Magdalena and
Cat mountain, where it is about 21a per
cent in one or two places. The distance
from Magdalena to Cat mountain is
about twelve miles. From Cat mountain
to Durfee's well the country is nearly
level, and plenty Of excellent water is
found at a depth of 30 feet. From the
last named point the route selected
avoids a spur of the San Mateo noun
tains by circling to the west about one
mile, and thence proceeds south ten
miles to what is known as the Point of
Rocks. Here water is also plentiful
Thence the route follows a southerly
direction for fifteen miles over COM
paratively level country to Sullivan's
Hole Thence it follows Canada creek,
with very light grades, for fifteen miles
to Ojo Caliente. Three or four miles
above Ojo Caliente the route leaves
Canada creek and crosses low, rolling
hills that extend down from the Black
Range to the San Mateo, over Wild
Horse creek into Poverty creek, follow
ing the last named into Cuchillo creek,
near the townsite of Robinson, to Chic
ride, distance of twenty-three miles
from Ojo Caliente, and nearly due
south of the last named place. This is
brief outline of the proposed line from
Magdalena to Chloride. The projected
extension to Clifton is quite as feasible
and inviting.
RESOURCES OF COUNTRY.
The resources Of the region through
which the Black Range railway is pro-
jected consist of mineral, timber, live
stock, wool, hides, pelts and agricultur-
al products. The following mining dis
tricts will be reached by the line from
Magdalena to Chloride: Cat mountain,
Gallinas, Iron mountain, Sullivan's
Hole, Ojo Caliente, Black Range,
Apache Cuchillo Negro and Palomas.
The line southwest to Clifton reaches
the great Mogollon mining district, and
the immense copper deposits in the vi
cinity of Clifton, conceded to be among
the richest in the world. All of these
districts have been sufficiently develop
ed to demonstrate that they are i'm
mensely rich in gold silver, copper
lead, zinc and iron ores; but, owing to
their remoteness from railroads and ad-
equate reduction facilities, 1t has here
tofore been impracticable to mine and
ship any but the highest grade ores. Yet
at very low estimate nineteen mines
on the Magdalena- Chloride line, from
development already made, are easily
capable of shipping 450 tons of ore pei
day, and the stimulating presence of {
railroad would unquestionably multipl,
this amount many fold.
LIVE STOCK AND TIMBER.
There are now grazing on the land
tributary to the proposed line 10000
head of range cattle, 125,0OO head o
sheep and about 10000 head of horses
and the capacity of these ranges woul'
justify an increase of the live stool
threefold, or $1,000 head of cattle ant
$4,000 head of sheep. According to tn
! usual estimates, the annual shipment
from the present herds and flocks woul'
be Al 900 head of cattle and $4,000 hea'
of sheep, or 800 standard cars of cattl
and 205 standard cars of sheep. The an
| nual wool clip would amount to 375OO
pounds, or nineteen cars. 1t is estimat
ed that 100 cars of stock would be annr
ally imported for breeding purposes.
The projected railway would tap sew
eral of the most extensive and valuabl
belts of pine timber in the Rocky noun
tains. It's quality Is that most desire
for the manufacture Of lumber and tim
bers for railway bridges and for use |
mines and general construction pur