Williams news., 1906-07-28
MORE RAILROAD TALK


 in the WILLIAMS NEWS recently re- garding the building of a cutoff from Williams or Davenport to Cedar Glade on the Santa Fe, Pres colt & Phoenix road, and the pos sible construction of a branch line from this cutoff to the Verde river and Jerome. The Jerome News says:
 "In building this line the News can see no reason why it would be dropped into the Verde valley near Jerome, where it would end in a box canyon. with no hope of get ting an outlet west or southwest, except by 5000 foot perpendicular climb.
 "As to the removal of Senator w. A. Clark's smelling plants into the Verde river valley, the senator might have, years ago, contempla ted changing their location, but of late years the dump from the mine has been built into what is now considered one of the best smelter sites that it is possible to find, and from the many and permanent i'm provements being made at the plant, among which is the enlarging of the smelter, it don't look as if there was any danger of removal of the same in the near future, especially as an abundant water supply has been developed for use there during the past two years.
 "Jerome cannot reasonably look for a new railroad until the re sources of the Lower Verde and Tonto Basin countries are devel- oped to a stage where they will warrant the building of line*
 Now, the WILLIAMS NEWS did not say that the line to the Colorado could or would be built via Jerome, but we did say, and can prove it, that it is possible for the construc tion of practical route from Will jams to the Verde. Surveys have shown this to be a fact, and if the editor of the Jerome News will come to Williams we can show him a blue print of the survey made some years ago. AS we stated lso, the Santa Fe now has a corps of sur veyors in this field.
 Judging from the damper the Jerome News tries to throw on the proposition 1t must not like the idea of the Santa Fe entering that field, and wishes to discourage that road, hoping some other will come in. As to the proposed removal of the smelling plants, we will say that we were told by one who ought to know, and stands high with the United Verde company, that such were their intentions. For the News information we quote from a letter written by this gentleman:
 q am glad to note that the peo- pie of Williams are taking a keen interest in the matter of the pro- posed railway line from Williams to the Verde valley. We would, of course, be glad to have any rail- road building that would help this section; the reports, however, that the United Verde Copper company, or Senator w. A. Clark, contem- plated building such a line are without foundation, so far. x l believe, however, that discussion of the matter, with presentation of the advantages of opening up the fine timber resources of your sec tion, may be beneficial in interest ing one of the trans-continental railroad lines in this proposition, and to that end I hope you keep up your advocacy of this railroad proposition"
 Does that sound as if the United Verde does not want a line from this point? Then the fact that par ties have been in this section re- gently purchasing ali the available homesteads, even those that have been considered undesirable, owing to the distance from the main line, would tend to show that some one is taking a keen interest, and there is little doubt but that Jerome par ties are back of the deal. Go down to the Verde, Mir. Adams, wash out vnnr nessimiSm no hack fn vo1lr