Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-06-25
Cogsnt Reasons Why Such a
Route Would Be Better Than
Antonto Line.
POPULATION
AND TRAFFIC
The Denver & Rio Gfands Railroad
Company Would Do Well to Build
as Indicated.

Recent Associated Press dispatches
convey the intelligence that deal is
pending between the Denver & Rio
Grande Railroad and the Santa F'e Cen
trail Railway which contemplates the
absorption of the latter road by the
Rio Grande system. Should such deal
be consummated it would mean much
to New Mexico and the Capital City as
it would doubtless soon be followed by
an extension to FL Paso and the very
early change in the route between this
city and Colorado. Upon this subject,
probably, the best posted person in the
Territory, is George B. Paxton of Taos
County, who controls valuable mining
interests near Red River and as such
has given much thought to the sub
iect Of transportation for northern
Taos County. Mr.. Paxton is an engin-
eer as well as a successful business
man and his ideas and opinions are de-
serving OF more consideration than
those Of the casual observer. He is
stopping in the city for few days
and when broached upon this subject
talked very freely and convincingly of
why it would be of interest to the rail
road company and to the advantage of
the Territory to make the suggested
change of route. He said:
Just why the engineer who located
the Rio Grande road from Santa Fe to
Colorado should have selected the
route traversed by that road is more
than any one acquainted with the topo-
graphy of the country can explain.
suppose they had some good reasons,
but certainly at this time they would
not be cogent to railroad engineer
sent out to locate a line of modern
railroad.
"The tortuous way and heavy grade
between Santa Fe and the river. could
be changed to line through Tesuque
and Pojoaque to EsDanola which would
be shorter and all heavy grades would
be avoided and the road would traverse
a rich and prosperous agricultural
country along the streams mentioned.
The present line of the Rio Grande
from Espanola to Embudo is splen-
did route and most of the distance
traverses fertile valley, but from EN-
budo to Antonito it passes through
country which is devoid of anything
visible to the casual observer, which
would make man happy or railroading
profitable If instead of taking this
route, the road would continue along
the west side of the canon OF the Rio
Grande it would follow an easy grade
and five miles above EmbudO, pass the
fertile valley at Rinconada. Five miles
further up the canon it would pass the
new and prosperous mining camp OF
Genwoody, thence six miles further
north it would reach the little settle
ment of Ciengulla, just above which,
the road would cross the river and en-
ter Box Canon Of the Rio Grande
which for grandeur Of scenery is uneX-
celled in all the western country.
About five miles above Glen
iguilla, the road would pass the mouth
of the Taos River, where a station
could be built to accommodate the
town Of Taos only eight miles away,
thence north twelve miles is the outlet
of the Arroyo Hondo and the Wamsley
Hot Springs, which if improved with
modern buildings, would soon be much
patronized as a health resort. Here
also would be located station to ac-
commodate the traffic from Arroyo
Hondo. Arroyo Seco Twining and the
other mining districts lying near the
source of the Rio Hondo, twelve
miles away. Thence about ten miles
north, the road would leave the RiC
Grande Canon and enter the Red Riv
er Canon which it would follow for six
miles, to Questa a prosperous village
of nearly 1000 population.
'To this point all traffic from the
several mining camps of Red River
La Belle, Anchor, Midnight and Ca
bresto, would come and from my foul
years experience in that district,
firmly believe an immense traffic
would soon develop if transportation
line were brought this near Then on
1y six miles from Questa is the famous
Cabresto Lake, which to my mind, Ii
the most delightful of all "beaut.
spots in the Rocky Mountains ant
certainly the fishing there is not ex
celled anywhere. Again, beginning a
Questa and continuing north to the Col
orado line about 20 miles, is trac
of about $4,000 acres of land which i
unexcelled in fertility and productive
ness when irrigated. At present tn
land is virgin soil and classed as ari
land, but active measures are now ur
der way to irrigate the entire trac
from the never failing waters Of tn
Red River and Cabresto Creek Whel
this is done, what is now range 70
antelope. will be a prosperous con
pu--;...- cf c?t less than 10000 peor''