Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-17

other way. and keeps zigzagging up the
track until 1t reaches the Crown King mine,
one of the big properties In this neighoor-
hood. A dozen more important mines
will be dependent upon this road for the
shipment of their ore, and it will add large
ly TO the wealth of the country, not only by
making them accessible, but by encouraging
the development of other mining properties.
Mr. Murphy built the road. He Is the most
progressive man down this way. No citizen
of Arizona has done more to develop the re-
sources of the territory. He has not con-
fined himself to mining, but has been lead
er in all kinds of useful enterprises. He is
a native of Maine, but was brought up in
Detroit, and began his business career in
the lumber camps of Wisconsin several
years before he became of age In 1873 he
went to California; in 1877 he moved down
to Arizona, and has taken an important
part in the development of this territory
since. He has done all sorts of things
He has cut timber, run stage lines, oper-
ated mines, promoted railroads. organized
banks, built up townsites, managed mercar-
tile establishments, conducted newspapers,
built business blocks and hotels he got ms
first start when, as a representative OF
Diamond Joe" Reynolds of Dubuque, he
purchased the Congress gold mine, south or
Prescott. 1t proved to be one of the best
producers in this territory and has already
paid between seven and eight millions. Ihey
are now taking about $4,000 month from
It, Mr.. Murphy promoted the Santa te,
Prescott and Phoenix railroad, and has been
its president since 1894. He is now engaged
in gavaniZing the ancient mining district OF
Tombstone.
Mr. Murphys railroad connects with the
Santa Fe at Ash Fork and is affiliated with
that system. 1t runs southwark to Phoenix
and every few mile a spur is built to BRING
down the ore from some mine up in the
foothills and take in the necessary sup
plies a few of them are standard gauge,
but most of them are narrow gauge.
Railroads in Process of Construction.
The Santa Fee Company is pushing east
and west from Phoenix. Westward it Is
building low grade line to Bengal, which
will cross the Colorado desert sixty-five
miles below The Needles. and connect with
the Los Angeles branch at San Bernardino.
This will open up new and rich country,
and cut out all of the mountain grades. Az
present the line crosses the mountains at
an altitude of I, 600 feet. The new line will
not reach Il higher altitude than 1000 feet
and will relieve the main line of the heavy
freight traffic, which Is becoming so heavy
that a double track will be necessary soon.
Eastward the road is now in operation as
far as a mining town called Winkleman,
about hundred miles from Phoenix. From
these two lines are being built. One of them
runs south to connect with the Southern
Pacific at Benson. The other runs east
ward to connect with the Santa Fe system
at Silver City, n. M, and from there to
Rincon, which is half way between Al
eastwood a line will be extended to Ros-
well and the Pecos valley, which will give
an entirely new overland route from Chi
cago to Los Angeles and San Francisco,
several hours shorter than any of the
present lines. Instead of following the old
Santa Fee trail through Kansas and Colo
RADIO the trains will be sent south from
Newton. via Wichita. Kans., through Okla
homa, across the Staked Plain of Texas, via
Roswell, Rincon, Silver City, Phoenix and
San Bernardino to Los Angeles. They
tell me here that only about three hun
dred miles of track remains to be con-
structed to close up the gaps between Chi
cago and Los Angeles.
There are several other railway projects
in the territory, both under construction
and contemplated, and within year or
two this section will be as well supplied
with transportation facilities as any of the
northern states The Southern Pacific
Company is stretching out its branches
into all of the principal mining districts;
Phelps, Dodge & Co, who have very large
interests here. are constructing 400 miles or
more of track toward San Diego and it is
suspected that they are intending to con-
meet with the Rock Island system.