Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-03-13
LINE To ROSWELL.
Santa Fe Decides to
Build.
Line Will Be Completed BY
Fall.
1t Will be Fifty FIVE Miles Shorter
Than the Rock Island.
ROSWELL TO PUERco.

Albuquerque Is to have an eastern
outlet and connection with Roswell
and the Pecos valley country by fall
This will be by the Santa Fe and from
an unquestionable source it is learned
that the plan has been decided upon
and work will begin at once.
The loss of the big mail contracts
which have been taken by the Rock
Island and which now are by way OF
Southern Pacific to FL Paso and thence
east over the Rock Island. has stirred
the Santa Fe to instant action and II
will attempt to get these contracts
back by fall. It will mean that through
mail trains and limited trains will not
be run through Albuquerque. but good
connections will be made and the city
will be benefited by the increase which
will necessarily follow at the shops
and by the opening up of the ROSWELL
and Pecos valley country by direct
connection. The company will at once
build a line from Roswell on the Pecos
Valley line direct across to Rio Puerco
on the Santa Fe Pacific. probably pass
ing through Los Lunas. This line will
give to the Santa Fe line from Chi
cago and Kansas City to the Pacific
coast shorter by fifty-five miles than
the Rock Island-El Paso-Southern Pa
cific line. BY making this connection
the heavy grades north of here are
avoided, and the Santa Fe officers are
confident that by diverting the mail
trains and limited trains to the Pecos
Valley line and over the new cut
on, II will have by several hours the
shortest line from Chicago and Kansas
City to Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco.
1t is no longer matter of specula-
ton, but has been fully determined
upon and work will commence at once.
1t will be pushed through and the
Santa Fe officers are determined to
have the new line in operation by fall.
The inroads on Santa Fe business by
the Rock Island have put a stop to con-
sideration of the question, and have
forced action.
The road will come through Abo
Pass and within the last week the
Santa Fe has secured possession and
control of the pass. It is the only nat
ural opening in the mountains and
should any other road desire to use 1t,
arrangements will have to be made
with the Santa Fe hereafter. The pass
is twenty-five miles from Belen and Is
about a quarter of a mile wide. A
natural foundation is found for the
tracks on narrow ledge of granite
and the slope on both sides is very
gradual. An experienced railroad en-
gineer says the grade at no place ex-
ceeds ~ per cent.
The Santa Fe has gone quietly about
this plan, but it is now an assured
fact.
HOW BUSINESS GOES.
b. B. Spencer, OF East View. one of
the pioneer merchants and ranch men
of Valencia county, is now here. 81 am
glad the Santa Fe will come through,
said he, but there is nothing else left
for 1t to do. Up to this time all the
business of that region has come to
the Santa Fe here. Now every bit of
1t goes to the Rock Island. While II
has been dry there, the cattle are In
good condition, and the outlook is
bright This new line will not only
give the Santa Fe chance to hold its
share of the cattle business, but 1t will
go through a country in which there is
some timber. There is some prospect
ing for copper but mining is in it's in
fancy and will now probably be devel-
oped The chief thing from the rail-
roads point of view is the sheep busi-
ness and the wool shipments. These
are heavy and the Santa Fe has al
ways had it out of here. AS things
now are. every ounce of wool will go
out by the Rock Island. for it comes
through the very heart of the wool
country. II is up to the Santa Fe to
! either lose all of that business or put
line through. | am glad 1t is set
tied