The Topeka state journal., 1902-02-15

imaginative newspaper correspondent
Probably some time the extension
will be built. but do not believe that
anything is to be done just now Sur
Veys of the territory between Roswell
and FL Paso were made by the Pecos
Valley people before the Santa Fe
bought the line, and it was the original
intention that the road should be eX-
tended through to Ell Paso. These sur
Veys of course came into the possession
of the Santa Fe, and the possibility of
extending the line has not been lost
sight OF.
Il do not believe that for the present
the amount of business at FL Paso JUS
titles the construction of another line
there, though of course the way is open
whenever it seems advisable to Dulld." "
The statement concerning the pro-
posed extension, as reported Friday in
a dispatch from Ell Paso, was as fol-
lows:
THE vice president and general man
ager of the Pecos Valley railroad has
semi officially announced that the San
ia Fe. owner of the Pecos Valley road,
will construct line from Roswell. N.
NJ. to Ell Paso, $50 miles. to compete
with the newly completed Rock Island
route, which made a cut of 222 miles
over all lines now touching here"
Avery Turner is the general manager
of the PecOS Valley, and it is probable
that the dispatch refers to him as the
authority for the statement.
The report of the extension aroused
great interest in both. Santa Fe and
Rock Island circles. The Rock
Island is interested because it
has just completed it's Ell
Paso line and now has the shortest
line from Kansas City to FL Paso by
over 200 miles. If the Santa Fe should
construct the FL Paso extension from
Roswell. it would beat the Rock Island
into FL Paso by 30 miles
The total length of the Rock Island
line from Kansas City to FL PaSo is now
947.5 miles If the Santa F'e should build
its Roswell extension it would cover the
distance over the Emporia cutoff and
the Caldwell branch, in a total of 915.5
miles; The proposed extension has great
possibilities.
1t must be remembered, however. that
the PecoS Valley line is not the same
sort of road that the main line of the
Santa Fe is 1t has not been worked as
much. and is not. in railroad terms.
well established" 1t is not capable oS
sustaining so much travel. or such heavy
travel as is sent over the Santa Fe main
lines. 1t would involve a large outlay
if the Santa Fe We're to send its Ell Pasa
business via the Pecos Valley and the
proposed Roswell extension.
If nothing else. the humor of the de-
cision to build the extension serves 10
menace the Rock Islands present
claims to supremacy in the handling OF
Ell Paso traffic from Chicago and the
east.
in the truth of the report that Santa Fe
officials have just completed the inspec-
tiOn of the Rio Grande and Sierra Ma
dre from El Paso to Neuva Casas
Grandes in New Mexico, and a deal is
pending for its purchase
The impression seems to be among
railroad authorities that the Rock ISL
and will make the alliance with the
Mexican Central and this adds color to
the rumOr that the Santa Fe is in the
field TO buy the Casas Grandes line.
which if extended from its present ter
minus, to Consepcion. and thence over
the Sierra Madres to the harbor of To-
polobampO. would give an equally eff
ficacious outlet to the Pacific coast and
the Orient. besides taking the Santa Fe
into the great corn belt of Mexico, and
into the coal fields and richly mineral
ized country known 70 be waiting a rail-
road or railroads, beyond the Sierra Ma
Dire mountains. There is a prophecy
from the east that the movement of the.
CasaS Grandes road will take place
within the coming fortnight