The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-30

extension is now assured From the
interviews secured from the officials
at this place, everything portends a
new road for the great southwest.
I'm consequence OF the movement
real estate has gone to high price
and mortgage lifting is raising a dust
in which prosperity is written in large
gothic letters"
CONFIRMED.
In the same issue Of the News is the
following dispatch from Chicago, dated
July 49,
To-day, upon being shown your dis
patch stating that surveyors of the
Rock Island company left Liberal yes
terday and admitted that they were
headed for FL Paso, an official at the
general office of the company said the
report was correct. There is today no
longer any secret about it, he said.
We do not tell of railway plans in
advance of q determination, for OBJ
vious reasons. But the extension from
Liberal has been fully determined
upon and the route Is in general way
settled, although variations may he
required by the survey now being
made. We had surveys made many
years ago for a line to FL Paso, cross
ing the Pecos valley near Eddy. In
fact, the Liberal branch was designed
for the southwest, with the view of
getting New Mexico, Texas. Arizona
and c lifornia business. Then a
change of plan was made that hung
up that line and sent us down to Fort
Worth and Indian territory.
There was once thought of ac-
| quiring the Texas and Pacific line
west from Fort Worth, but that idea
was abandoned and we no longer need
or seek that route, since We have the
| chance given us to get the through
! business desired without buying a line
and by building an extension through
q fine stock country that will furnish
a paying local business. We are no;
| going to build to El Paso, but have
an agreement to go to a common
| point, presumably Clayton, New
| Mexico, where we will interchange
business with the FL Paso and North
eastern railway, which will be con-
structed to that point. The matter is
simply a traffic arrangement, mutual.
! ly satisfactory, by which passengers
and freight business will be handled
as II by one line and the proceeds di-
vided in the way usual to connecting
lines.
| "'Our wide reaching lines extending
into Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota
South Dakota, Illinois, Missouri, Ne
braska, Iowa, Kansas, Texas and In.
dian Territory will carry business tc
Southwestern Texas, Mexico and the
| Pacific coast through the gateway Of
El Paso as the spout of a funnel car
ries from the spreading mouth. We
will not have trackage rights, but oul
freight cars will run over the connect
ing line and theirs over ours, anC
through sleeping cars between Chi
cago or Kansas City TO FL Paso anC
perhaps to the City of Mexico an'
California, will be run.
NOT PLANNING TO ABSORB.
"'No, We are not planning to Absorb
the FL Paso and Northeastern rail
way. 1t Is not for sale; it is a payini
line and has not been offered to us
But Mr. Parker went into that terri
tory months ago and saw the stua
tion in regard to El Paso, the advant
age of entry there and the outlets iron
that mart. The agreement to build t
common point was virtually com
pleted several weeks ago, as the direc
result of the efforts of Presiden
Charles B. Eddy, of the FL Paso line
who came here with c. d. Simpson, o
Scranton, Pa, president of the Ne,
Mexico Railway and Coal company
Their road has made a wonderful rec
ord for the first year, by reason G
local resources.
1.-The local trade that now goes I
Ell Paso may be cut off to some eX
tent but FL Paso will gain hundred
fold more than she loses by the eX
tension. 1t may be that the tendenc
OF roads to consolidate may result
the Rock Island eventually ownin
the connecting line, but that is nc
now thought Of With the advantag
of from 200 to 225 miles saved betwee
Ell Paso and the east, under the mile
age of all other lines. and good terri
tory for local business the two line
could fear no competitor
NO OBSTACLE IN SIGHT.
"'But will not the Santa Fe-PecC
Valley combination head you off o
this?' was asked.
mo was the answer at the be'
they can only play even II they run
line from the pecos valley to Fl Pas
as surveyed. l think most likely OF
move will force the Santa Fe to eN
tend the Hagerman line, but that wi
not alter our plans in the least. W
have been rlvalling each other in e,
tending lines in Oklahoma. We hay
a good country and so has the COZ
Meeting line, for local traffic. We hay
weighed the chances and are ready
go ahead, as soon as our survey
ready Both lines will grade throug
the winter and lay steel next sprin
We ought to get to CLAYTON approx