Daily Arizona silver belt., 1907-01-15
FIGHTING FOR
 RIGHT 0F WAY
Southern Pacific and Phelps, Dodge Company After Route from Nacozari to the Pacific Coast-Latter Went to Sleep on Valuable Concession.

Rumors that the Southern Pacific and the Phelps, Dodge interests will engage in a big battle over right of way along the Moctezuma river refuse to down.
 The Southern Pacific has the inside track inasmuch as they have secured concessions entitling them to the ex elusive use to the right of way for ten years The Phelps, Dodge interests, however, appear to hold the upper hand at the town of Nacozari.
 The Southern Pacific road--the Can anea, Yaqui River < Pacife-will have two lines paralleling each other. Be tween the two lines will be an impassi ble mountain barrier These mountains have some of the richest mineral depos- its known and the district extends from Nacozari to Alamos.
 The Phelps, Dodge people, who own the Fl Paso X Southwestern railroad, as well as the branch to Nacozari, have recently been given concession for railroad from Guaymas eastward to the mineral district. Branches from the main line which will likely ultimately reach Naeozari, will connect with liar mosillo the capital of Sonora, and with Ures, the former capital.
 Speaking of the matter, the Bisbee Review says, in part:
 This region is vast and in the noun tains, hills and mesas, lying as dor mant as it did ten thousand years ago, is mineral wealth enough to pay the debts of hundred nations. In the valleys and on the llanos are rich agri' cultural lands capable of supporting a vast multitude of people. The heart of Sonora is teeming with uncovered riches and it is the prize the Harrimans and the Phelps, Dodge people are now stren- uously seeking. Both know the value of the region; both want it. Who will get its
 The Phelps, Dodge people, controllers of the Fl Paso & Southwestern system, formerly held a federal concession of the right of way for railroad from the mouth of the Moctezuma river and other points, to Nacozari. This eonces- sion expired on June 30, 1906. The Southern Pacific people were on the alert and watehful. When the eonees- sion expired immediately Mir. Mckay, the Southern Pacific s right hand man, gobbed it for his company under the Mexican law, and thus the Harrimans obtained the right of way north to Nacozari They found the Phelps, Dodge people asleep, and sharply took advantage of their slumbers. But this does not end the matter by any means. The Moctezuma Copper company holds large mineral and ether concessions from the state of Sonora and these con sessions also give them the right to build and operate railroads. This con cession was granted by the state of So nora to the Msetezuma Copper com pany. While the Nacozari Railroad company has lost its rights from the Mexican government, the Moctezuma Copper company still holds its rights from the state of Sonora. The Phelps | Dodge people own and control the Ma cazOri Railroad company and the Moe tezuma Copper company. The soul and body of one is the soul and body of the other The difference is in name only The city of Nacozari, at the south end of the railroad, is owned by the Phelps Dodge folks absolutely, and James s l Douglas is the man in command. ln and about Naeozari the Phelps, Dodge outfit own six square miles of land un der a paid concession. While they, tC certain extent, admit that the South ern Pacific people now have the right of way from Nacozari to Moctezuma they most emphatieally deny that they can lay track into Nacozari and operate and maintain a railroad without cross ing and conflicting with their property | interests