Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-08-14
About Two Hundred Spectators Watch Mayor
Sparks Weld sledge and Listen to
Eloquent Speeches.
The Santa Fe Central Railway Is Now Reality
and the Capital City Is at Last on
Main Line.

AT 5:17 p. m. on August 13, 1908, the
last spike on the Santa Fe Centra
Railway was driven between Kennedy
and Galisteo switch by Mayor Ishmael
Sparks of the city of Santa Fe. 1t was
historic occasion for New Mexico and
it is hoped, an epoch-making event for
Santa Fe. The ceremony was very
simple one, it was witnessed by less
than 200 persons, yet, it is believed, it
will have far reaching results. 1t was
2:3O o'clock yesterday afternoon when
the special train kindly put at the dis
posal of about fifty Santa Fe business
men, officials and other citizens, left
the improvised depot on the south side
for Kennedy. The train consisted of
S0-ton locomotive No. IS, a tank car, a
flat car, on which seats had been placed
and a large caboose, in which seats had
also been placed and which held the
refreshments that helped along the
spirit of festivity. Unfortunately, Cen
eral Manager w. S. Hopewell could not
accompany the party as an attack of
sciatic rheumatism brought on by
overwork and exposure, had incapaci-
tated him. However, the Santa, Fe
Central Railway Company was well
represented by it's attorney, Hon.
Charles F. Easley, Auditor Frank Di-
bert, Superintendent of Telegraph Per-
cy f. Knight E. L. Critchlow, General
Passenger and Freight Agent B. w.
Robbins and his stenographer Albert
knight, E. B. Field and a number of
others of the office force, while at Ken
nedy, Chief Engineer A. G.. Kennedy.
Superintendent Harris and Land Agent
Clark awaited the arrival of the special.
Santa Fe was represented by Mayor
Sparks and every member of the city
council, Territorial Secretary J. w.
Reynolds, Ex-Governor L. B. Prince.
Colonel George w. Knaebel Colonel j.
Franco Chaves, Major Fred Muller and
about fifty business men, officials and
other citizens. Albuquerque was rep
resented by Land Commissioner A. A.
Keen and Ernest Meyers, while M. I.
Moriarty represented the settlement
which bears his name.
Although the train sped over skele-
+on track it moved very smoothly and
made a number of spurts Of speed that
gave an indication that the time be-
tween Kennedy and Santa Fe will be
much less than the time between Lamy
ard this city, although the distance Is
three and a half miles longer. No un-
toward incident broke the trip. Lo-
comptives were changed near Vega
Blanca, a switch engine taking the spe-
eial to Galisteo switch, where the track
laying machine was still at work when
the party arrived. The process of track
laying proved very interesting to the
party. 1t was 5:15 p. m. when the last
rail was laid and in twelve minutes
more Mayor I. Sparks drove the silver
spike presented by S. Spitz and orna-
mented with the colors of the sElks
given by A. L. Morrison, Jr.
Colonel George w. Knaebel made the !,
of the spike to the Santa
Fe Central Railway Company. He
praised the enterprise of the men VINO
the sinews for building the
road. who had asked no assistance, no
subsidy He told how Santa Fe had
watched the undertaking from its very
beginning. with hope and then with
aonbt and then with hope again, and
then with great rejoicing as the work
was nearing its completion. Hon.
Charles F. Easley received the spike
in the name of the company and gave
assurance, having been authorized so
to do by General Manager w. 8. Hope
we'll that the company would do every
thing in its power tog further the in
terests and the prosperity of the city
of Santa Fe. Abiding to what Colonel
had said in regard to the con-
nection offered by the road with the [,
great Rock Island system, he said that
The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad was
also a connection whose value cannot
be over-estimated and that the new
road furnishes through line by way ,
of Santa Fe between Denver and Ell
Paso. -
Mayor Sparks made brief address :,
in a similar strain and then took the !,
spike and with three taps Of the sledge
hammer drove it into the proper place. /
He concluded his remarks after that, In I,
the cooperation Of the peo-
pie Of Santa Fe with the Santa Fe Gem :
trail in every legitimate way. 1
Judge N. b. Laughlin was the next I
speaker. He referred to the fact that 6
he had seen two other railroads come {
into Santa Fe and was present at the. Z