Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-02
ANOTHER IN VIEW
Rock island Now Said to be Me-
gotiating for Mexican
Central.
SECOND ROUTE TO THE COAST
Would Add Nearly 5000 Miles to
the System-Notes of the
Rail.

During the week the report has
been in circulation that thu Rock ISL
and has again opened negotiations
for the purchase of the Santa Fe and
that a larger price had been offered
than at first. Now it is reported that
the Rock Island is trying to bargain
for the possession of the Mexican
Central. 1t is stated that \. A. Rob-
inson, president of the Mexican Cen
trail. is now in New York in confer
ence with officials of the Rock Island
upon the terms of sale.
The requirement of the Mexican
Central would place the Rock Island
in the position of a formidable COM
petitor for StilwelPs Mexican Orient
line, as well as prove by developments
an excellent feeder to the system.
The lines connect at FL Paso and ex-
tend from this point to the capital of
Mexico. while several feeder lines tap
important territory.
The Mexican Central already reach
es within few miles of the Pacific
coast and there is little to be done in
case the deal goes through for the
Rock Island to get Pacific outlet.
Branch lines have been started One
extension, projected from Jiminez. if
completed, would place the Rock ISL
and into close competitive contact
with the Stilwell line.
1t is pointed out that by the acqui-
sition of the Mexican Central the
Rock Island would not only get di-
rect route to the Pacific coast, which
will shorten the distance to the Phil
ippines and the principal ports of
Asia, but would acquire an establish
ed traffic with Mexico. The Mexican
Central was subsidized by the Mexi-
can government for $4,000 a mile. 1t
has a total mileage of 2,71O.66. This
subsidy was suspended by the govern
ment in 1885. 1T is now believed that
an effort is being made 70 obtain re-
lease of the claim of the Mexican gov
eminent on the road.
Several Changes.
Trainmaster f. NJ. Jones, of the
Iowa division of the Chicago. Rock
Island & Pacific, with headquarters
'at Des Moines; Master Mechanic Ii.
w. Cunningham, in charge of the Val
ley Junction shops, with headquar-
ters at Des Moines, and Chief Fuel
Agent j. j. Hart have resigned their
positions. All. it is given out. have
been gobbled up by offers of better
salaries from other RAILROADS. Train
master Jones, who was for a number
of years located in this city, has hand
ed i'm his resignation to accept a posi-
tiOn of similar nature with the Hi
nois Central, headquarters being Car
bondale, Ill. With his going the Rock
Island loses one of the veterans in
the service. For the past 80 years.
Mr.. Jones has acted as operator, dis
patcher or trainmaster. When but 10
years of age he was a train caller and
service. his father being lineman
on the. Rock Island. and Mr.. Jones
has become very popular among rail-
New Engines.
The Rock Island has received IS
more 1000 engines for use on certain
divisions. Engines 1916 and 1917 are
already running on the ILL
nois division The Illinois di-
vision will receive about four 1000
engines. There are also about twenty
switch engines at Chicago now that
will go west for certain divisions and
branches.
Orders have been placed to build
large number of new engines at the
Santa Fe shops in Topeka, Kans. In
Guided in the new motive power thus
arranged for are - switch engines
of unique pattern. They will be of
enormous size, with three pairs of
drivers and weighing about seventy
five tons. Experts may be interested
in knowing that the cylinders of these
newest pattern switch engines will
measure 20 by 20 inches. The drivers
will measure 81 inches i'm diameter.
In the same shops several of the So
called '454" class of engines will be
changed into the Atlantic type, SINH
lar to that used in hauling the fast
trains on some of the trunk lines.
They are built for speed.