Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-01-09
SOUTHERN RAILROAD BUILDING.


range and the territory to be travers-
ed by the proposed Arizona & Colo |
RADIO railroad. There is such thing |
as killing the goose that lays the |
golden egg. This southwest section
has been handicapped so many years |
that II seems foolish to throw any |
stumbling blocks in the wheels OF
progress. We understand that at
Pennington last night the request OF
the Arizona 4 Colorado road, for right
OF way was turned down, or postpon-
members to Mr. Mcconnell TO the con-
trary. From the information at hand
ii seems that the Phelps-Dodge peo-
pie were granted right of way as re-
quested and In turn members OF the
company urged the council not to
carry out the program as planned for
the first mentioned company, claim
ing the people back of ii were OBJ
structionsts. This was certainly in
bad taste. AT least It so strikes The
Herald. The Herald can state positive
ly that MIR. Mcconnell and others act.
ing for the Arizona & Colorado road,
have not spoken disparagingly of the
opposition line. In fact. at Farming
ton Mr. Mcconnell spoke encourag-
ingly, stating the concern was com
posed of good people and to do the
right thing by the company.
Now let The Herald state in positive
terms-the Arizona L. Colorado road
is an assured fact It's coming TO Du'
range It's backed by the Southern Pa
cifc. 1t does not have to pass through
Pennington or Aztec. 1t can build a
line and lay ont its own townsites
and here is where the established
| towns can get the worst of it,
The Herald can state positively
hat the Arizona 4 Colorado company
has spent upwards of $4,000 in the
matter Of survey alone. with Durango
as headquarters, the money passing
! through the Smelter State Bank Not
a favor or concession has been asked
and at this time the company has
six sets OF men at work surveying
and cross-sectioning the line. The
company has filed its articles of ih'
corporation for 5000 900 in this state
as well AZ in New Mexico While
there Is talk Of other lines no papers
have yet been filed in this state. And
let us say further that the writer
has been shown letters and indispu'
table evidence OF good faith on the
part of the company and to meet with
the rebuff as reported at Pennington
| last evening is not encouraging.
So far as The Herald is concerned,
we want both roads and every posi-
BILE inducement should be held out TO
them. II Denver was in Durango's
place meetings and proffers OF all
| kinds would be the rule of the day
in way of extending aid and informa
| ton. OF course it is well for corpOr
ate towns to safeguard every home
| interest. but do not do anything that
will cause bad feeling or set up rival
| towns
And it stands Durango in hand to
take hold Of the railroad situation
and help along the grand movement
The Democrat. as might be expect
et attempts to throw cold water on
| the building of certain broad guage
| lines 10 the south OF MS and takes
exception to the remarks in yester-
days Herald. In the first place The
| Herald desires TO state in emphatic
terms-that ii does not favor one line
above another and In commenting on
the action of the Pennington council
1t had no intention to disparage rival
| hA OF IL tod
facts. that Pennington should have
cut ont favoritism and granted the
| Arizona & Colorado road the same
| privileges 1t granted the Phelps
to the knocking of any competing
| line. We are more than pleased over
\ the prospects OF the Phelps-Dodge
people building to this section and we
believe they are going to do it. This.
| latoording to present outlook, will be
in conjunction with the Denver 4
| Rio Grande. 1t il supposed the two
lines have made trafic agreements.
and will connect either at or in the
vicinity of Pennington. At least up
10 date the Phelps Dodge people have
not filed articles OF incorporation in
Colorado, No matter how the build
ing Of the line may be brought about
The Herald extends cordial wei
come and Durango should do every
thing possible to encourage the same
| And this applies TO Aztec and Farm
| ington and the Pennington council
did the right thing in granting the
Phelps-Dodge road right of way. What
The Herald complains OF is that the
agreement made with the Arizona a
Colorado representatives was not
carried out. the members of the board
evid9ntly being carried away with
statements made that cannot be
borne out. We would very much re
gret TO see the Arizona a Colorado
road leave Pennington out of the
deal, starting another town near by
Now that the future is SO bright for
our New Mexico neighbors we do not
want 10 see any obstruction. The
| Arizona A. Colorado road is hacked