El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-15
CHAMBER IS ALIVE
BUSINESS MEN WANT PHELPS
DODGE RAILROAD
Urged Chief Engineer Wombaugh to
Extend His Line To FL Peso and
Showed Him the Many Advant-
aces That VIII Accrue.

the railroad meeting last hight
1t was an informal gathering but was
attended by nearly one hundred busi-
ness men OF the city, and during the
entire session no differences of opin-
ions We're expressed.
The meeting was called by President
Prudential at the suggestion of U. 5.
baugh the intentions of the Phelps
Dodge company with reference to
building their railroad into Ell Paso-
Mr.. Prudential opened the session
with a short address in which he stat
ed that he understood that the
Phelps-Dodge company was building
a railroad in the direction of Ell Paso
and that he thought this city might Of
fer sufficient inducements to bring the
road here. He said he voiced the SEN
timents of every one in FL Paso when
he stated that this road would be of
more Importance to this city than any
thing entertained here for many years.
He said:
We will have TO look to Arizona
and New Mexico for our trade in the
future and as this road would give Ell
Paso direct connections with probably
the richest mining country in the
world. too much stress on the import
ance of it cannot be placed
He was not sure that the road want
ed to come here but if it lid Ell Paso
would do it's part.
With this he explained that Mr..
Wambaugh. the chief engineer of the
company was present and had consent
ed to tell what the company was doing
and as nearly as he could what it in
tended to do in the future
Mr.. Wambaugh expressed his thanks
to the audience and gave out some in
formation about his company. He said
he felt indebted to the newspapers of
Ell Paso for the many complimentary
notices they had given the mining
country in which his company was in
terested. and would assure them that
they had made no errors in so far as
the mining was concerned. Turning to
said that the papers had been giving
the desires of the people here instead
of the facts. The company he said.
had not thought of building their line
into FL Paso. They were building a
line to Nacosari in Mexico and would
build one from a point near the nation
al line to Separ on the Southern Pa
cific. This he said was TO give them
| a cheap haul from the mines to the
Southern Pacific and Santa Fe roads
| iness. He insisted that his company
was a mining company and not a rail-
road company and when they built a
railroad they did it as they would put
up asmelter or any other machine in
connection with the mines
While they have never thought OF
coming to FL Paso," continued Mr..
Wambaugh. they might do it if they
| thought il would be to their interest
They are business people and will do
| anything that will he best for them.
| | know they have not considered the
question of coming here but if you can
show them where it would benefit them
| believe they would come
Mr.. Wambaugh explained that the
company now had satisfactory arrange
ments with the Southern Pacific road
and did not anticipate anything diff
ferent. He said however, if the other
| roads that are projecting this way
/ from the east were to come in il would
be an inducement to his company to
come here but as il is now there would
be little gained by the extension. The
distance from FL Paso to Separ. where
! the line will terminate. is 135 miles
and on the route here there is absolute
| ly nothing for the road to gain
Adolph krakauer replied to Mr.
Wambaugh and made an enthusiastic
talk:
! He said the benefit to he derived
: from the road was not a question. II
would he worth more than any other
: road and the only question is how to
, set i. He said FL Paso could give
100000 or more but il it would not
benefit the road to come here no offer
would bring il. He was in favor of
making an offer. however. and if pos
sible getting the company to thinking
of the advantages I'll aso offered and
| lose no time in doing it.
| After considerable discussion Mr..
| krakauer made a motion that the
| chamber of commerce take the matter
Il
l ,Cnpfipnai nn Enprth