Arizona republican., 1902-03-07
RIGHT OF WAY ASKED FOR
A. M. P. Railroad Company Wants to
 Lay Tracks on Madison Street.

At the meeting of the city council next Monday night there will be pre- sented a petition, drawn by s. w. Pur- cell of Tucson, asking the council to grant to the American Mexican Pacific Railway company a right of way for the construction of standard gauge railroad track and all necessary side tracks through the city of Phoenix along Madison street from the corpo- rate line on the east to the corporate line on the west.
 Mir. Purcell is the attorney for this railroad company, and he forwarded his petition some days ago. hoping it would arrive in time for the last coun- cil meeting. but the recorder did not receive it till after the council meeting was held. Subsequently the mayor and one member cf the council received communications from MT. Purcell ask ing about the fate of the petition. As yet it has. of course. had no fate, and no one can predict what the council may do in the matter. though it is to be presumed that TO hasty action will be taken. The property owners along Madison street will have to be heard in the matter. and as it is almost en- d upon at all. it is not unlikely that the property owners will ask for some as surance that a railroad which will ben eft them approximately, is actually to be built The council too has shown itself to be not over-willing to give away franchises unless good showing can be made Warranting such action.
 The American Mexican railroad com pany is not an enterprise that has sprung into existence in a night. On the contrary. it is one of the oldest "paper railroads" that have beer projected in Arizona, upon which ~un- struction has not yet been commenced. The petition is accompanied by a printed report of Chief Engineer Lyman Bridges which announces that the main line of the road is to run from Phoenix through Tempe, Mesa City and Florence to Tucson, then almost di- rectly south to Nogales. Hermosillo and Guaymas, or possibly San Jorge bay on the gulf, or perhaps to both places. Other branches to important districts are projected, and from Phoenix it is intended to push the line straight west to California, with branches from l and north to Needles.
 report oi third vice president and secretary, General R. G. H. Minty. of Tucson, is also accompanying, giving an estimate Of the probab ble business freight and passenger that the road could expect immediately On its conl- pletion as we'll as estimates of the bus mess in undeveloped fields.
 Some of the gentlemen connected with the enterprise have held high and responsible positions and their personal standing would suggest their earnest ness and candor in the attempt to build great railroad line. But the fact that the enterprise has dragged so long produces feeling on the part of the public that efforts are being made to secure franchises for some later pur- pose, else that there is a lack of the capital necessary for such an under taking A little less than two years ago Mrs. J. Nelasquez Beard. who pur- ported to be the moving power in the enterprise, spent some weeks in this city, and for a time worked up great enthusiasm among those she met, but since her departure the railroad talk with reference to this project, has sub- sided and until the filing of this petition ] 1t was supposed the company had given up it's former plans.