Arizona republican., 1902-09-19

The Phoenix and Eastern railroad is a certainty. What is still better. it's immediate construction is a certainty. This was settled at a conference in the ordinary of the Hotel Adams yesterday morning between Presient F. M. Mur- phy and the right of way committee and a large number of business men. At the close of the conference MT. Murphy announced that bids would b4. invited at once for the construction of the first twenty-five miles of the line. and that there would be no delay in beginning construction after the letting of the contract. This announcement was based on the assurance which had just been given him that the right of way committee would hurry to com plete the work of getting deeds in es- crow and would lose no time in com pleting the work of pledging the money necessary to pay for the deeds
 MT w. D. Fulwiler presided at the meeting, and upon taking the chair stated that the meeting was held for the purpose of conferring with MT Murphy, advising him of what had been done, and assuring him that the people of the valley were prepared to carry out the pledges made last spring that the money to pay for the right of way through the valley would be forth coming from popular subscriptions Mr. Fulwiler then stated that the work of obtaining subscriptions had dragged somewhat on account of so many pee pie being away during the hot weather, but total of some $S,5GO had been pledged, and he had no doubt the re- mainder would be forthcoming
 MT. Murphy stated that he was ready, as he had been ready through out the summer to let the contracts for construction as soon as the right of way was assured; that what the rail- road company desired was to see the deeds for the various tracts placed in bank at the earliest possible moment. He urged haste, for the reason that mo- body could predict the future of the money market with certainty. He di- rected attention to the high rate for call money now prevailing in the east. and suggested that there might arise stringency which would make it necessary to defer the railroad project; the road would cost several millions, and that as matters stood at present he was in shape to go ahead, and it was highly desirable that contracts be let and that all details be settled while the financial skies were bright He said he did not ask for the personal and legally binding pledges of those pres ent, but would be content with their formal assurance that deeds for the 'en- tire route through the valley would be negotiated for and placed in escrow at once, and that the promises made him at the mass meeting last spring would be promptly carried out. He stated that 1t had been intimated, he had heard that he was looking for an excuse to throw up the project and he added, with a smile, that the proper way to settle that point was to "call'' him 1 was for the valley to do as 1t had [ agreed. He then added with much | earnestness that the matter of the rail- | road rested entirely with the people | here-they could have it, and have it al | once, if they wished it, and to obtain | it they had merely to provide the right | Of way while he was in a position to ! build the line
 After a general exchange of views and remarks by Mayor Talbot, B. Hey man, James Bark, L. H. Chalmers and MT. Richardson and other gentlemen from Tempe, the following resolution was offered by MT. Chalmers and unan-
 
 Be it resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that the right of way committee be instructed to go ahead and get the right of way deeds in es- crow, in accordance with their own plans, and that it is the further sense Of this meeting that every member of this meeting will join the right of way ! committee with his earnest support ] and will not rest until the money is ! raised to pay for the right of way, and | the deeds are in escrow"
 It was after the passage of this reso- luton that MT. Murphy announced that | MT. Drake. chief engineer of the pro- posed line. would be instructed at once ! to invite bids for construction of the first twenty-five miles.
 Just how long it will be before dirt is flying on the Phoenix and Eastern | depends only on the length of time | required to let the contracts and get men and teams on the ground. Mr. Drake stated yesterday afternoon that he thought construction would be un- der way within twenty days
 An incidental feature of the meeting of much interest was the discussion of the proposed wagon bridge in connec- ton with the railroad bridge. As ex- plained heretofore, and as Mir Murphy repeated at the meeting, except as to its general interest in the welfare of Phoenix and the valley, the railroad was indifferent as to whether the wagon bridge was made part of the