The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1904-11-24
NHyADA'S NEW RAILROADS.

pect for railroad activity and construc-
ton. For years the statistics of the in
terstate commerce commission, the rail
road journals and various manuals, 10
showing the mileage constructed during
the preceding year. passed the silver
state but to-day all this is different.
When the statistician get bis figures
early in January 1905. 1t will be seen
that the State Of Nevada leads most OF
the western commemorative.
Several pertinent facts are the real
for this activity. In the first place
the present management OF the South
ern Pacific made up of broad minded
men, has come to a full realization of the
Importance of the Central Pacific as the
shortest route across the continent and
to-day the gross earnings of the Central
Pacific are greater than during any other
year In its history and from now on this
will be increased.
The San Pedro. Los Angeles & Salt
Lake rolte as it is known, was started
by Senator Clark but later the Harri-
nan interests bought a half interest 10
the road, giving to the new corporation
all lines of the Oregon Short Line lying
south and west of Salt Lake. These
lines took the Clark road, went Into Me-
vada and now the link between the end
of the track in Nevada and the end in
California is but 65 miles long. As this
line will be the shortest to Los Angeles
shorter ever than the Santa Fe from
Chicago, it will bring through the
southern end Of the State much of the
travel and freight formerly going by the
way Of the two southern routes, the
Sunset and the Santa Fe, while its con-
struction will not in any way effect the
Central Pacific but quite to the con-
trary be a benefit by relieving that line
OF some OF its burdensome trains.
And lastly the dis overy of the bon
anzas at Tonopah and Golddeld, has at
tracted railroad builders to that section,
One road is completed to the older camp
and the other to Goldfeld is well on its
way to a commencement of operations,
These are the facts made apparent b,
millions in expenditure and hundreds Of
men finding employment in counties
which have for years been practically
deserted.
Looking into the future the view il
none the less roseate. First comes the
Western Pacific backed by the powerful
Gould and Standard Oil crowd, unitedl,
the wealthiest syndicate in America
According to published plans this roae
will use the Be,kwith Pass and entel
Nevada north Of Reno, then traversine
the State its whole length, and the con
tract for it's construction was let las
week to NJ. ]. Heney OF Seattle. 1t hal
been said that the Nevada, California a
Oregon will fall to the Western Pacific
n SO it will be a good thing for Rem
and Sparks.
Far down in the southwestern corner
of Lincoln county, the Santa he is pick
iug up and its men are watching da,
and night the passage OF the Salt Lake
route which crosses the Santa FEES Man
vel branch OF Ivanpah, California. Th'
| Santa Fe is waiting for any chance Il
get into Nevada and it has embryoti,
plans, OF it's own for penetrating Lincolr
county and eventually reaching Tono
pah. 1t has been negotiating for a lint
in Tuolumne county and has a pass be
yond Tuolumne county by which |
could create a short line from San Fran
cisco to Tonopah and thence to its owl
line aud to a connection with the Sal
Lake route. Then there is F. NJ. Smith,
railway known as the Tonopah ant
Tidewater railway. which starting from
Ivanpah creek--about go miles south o.
Bullfrog--and will most cssuredly bt
built.
These are but embryotic railroads but
the facts are merely those that have be
come public property through various
announcements But if any person had
said ten years ago that Lincoln count,
would show more new mileage than any
county in the United States In a period
of one year, that the desert around But
Ter would see a railroad and a thriving
town. such a person would have beer
ridiculed most numerically.
Therefore when such we'll known men
az Edward T. Jeffrey, Edwin Hawley
and others get into the Western Pacific
directory it means that it is going tc
amount to something, when the Ameri-
can Smelling & Refining company inter
ests itself in Deep Creek the, deep
Creek Railway" ceases to be "a joke;
when the Santa Fe, the largest railroad
under one name and management in the
world, sends its agents into the forsaken
deserts of Lincoln county, there is rea'
son to believe that something is behind
it.
It certainly looks good for the future
Of Nevada.
Over 300 miles of railroad have been
added to the taxable property in thu
State since the commencement of thil
hoom and the figures will be increased