Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-05-14
Rock sand as Well as Gould
interests After the Santa
Fe Central.
AN INTERESTING
SITUATION
The { Paso & Southwestern and the
El Paso & Northeastern May Also
Change Hands.

A significant dispatch from New
York says:
THE Denver & Rio Grande, accord
ing to report may buy the Santa Fe
Central and extend it from Santa Fe
to FL Paso. The Santa Fe Central now
extends to Torrance, point on the
Rock Island system.
Surveyors in the Gould interest are
now Al work between Torrance and
Ell Paso Should the Goulds buy the
Santa Fe Central and extend it along
the lines now talked of, the Denver
& Rio Grande system would practically
parallel the Rock Island and the Santa
Fe into El Paso. 1t is stated that the
Rock Island people are awake to the
situation, and that vigorous resistance
will be made from that quarter to the
absorption of that branch
"The Santa Fe Central is now large
ly owned by Pittsburg interests. Ar
thur Kennedy is chairman of the
board W. H. Andrews of Santa Fe
is president, and Francis J. Torrance
of Pittsburg is first vice president. The
Offices cI secretary and treasurer of
this road are both in Pittsburg.
"Perscns familiar with the situation
assert that if the GOulds want to buy
the property they will have to bid for
it against the Rock Island, and that
the present owners are not disposed to
let it 90 cheaply. George J. Gould, it
is affirmed, approves of General Pal
mer's plan of extension to Ell Paso, and
if he can secure the Santa Fe Central
he will build new line, change the
Rio GTanle between AntOnitO and San.
ia Fe to standard gauge, and give
the Denver & Rio Grande system a
broad gauge road clear from Denver
to Ell Paso. A party Of RocE Island
officials will make trip over the
Santa Fe Central within few days
Under the head Rock Island Sc
cures outlet to the Pacific" the ST.
Louis Globe-Democrat Says:
president Loree and other high Off
cials OF the Rock Island Road arrived
at Ell Paso after an inspection of the
Ell Paso & Northeastern Railway to Ell
Paso, and they at once left over the
FL Paso & Southwestern road for the
west. IT is believed in railroad circles
that the Rock Island is to take over
the Southwestern line, which will be
extended to Yuma from Benson, Ari
zona. there to connect with the pro-
posed sSan Diego and Eastern, which
will terminate there. In fact, it is ac-
knowledged by railroad man in po-
sition to know that the deal is practi- |
cally concluded for the Southwestern
line, and that the Rock Island will thus
be able to get to the Pacific coast
without the aid of the Southern Paci-
fic. 1t is understood that the Rock
Island will spend a great deal in i'm.
proving the port of San Diego and
when the Galveston wharves are COM
pleted the road will have connection
from the Gulf of Mexico to the Paci-
fic. and will have the Southern Raci-
fic almost paralleled for the entire dis
tancH 1t is known that engineers
have been in the field surveying line
from the present terminus of the |
Southwestern at Benson to Yuma, and
as the Southwestern's present manage |
ment denies any intention of extending !
it gives color to the Rock Island pur
chase story. The Rock Island officials
refuse to, deny the story. The San
Diego and Eastern proposition, gener
ally understood to be backed by |
the Rock Island. The Rock Island is
also negotiating for the Ell Paso &
Northeastern but the Goulds are also
after it as it's connection with the San
ia Fe Central would give the Denver
& Rio t1rande direct outlet into Ell
paSC