The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-01-25


tiles placed an undue burden on the
whole community, including the mer
chants, manufacturer, producer II
consumer.
And furthermore, all these invest
ments and establishing If any sort
of business was upon the assumption
that such rates of freight must aid
would De established as are just and
reasonable, not merely from the stand
point of the railroad interest, but in
the interest of the public as well, to
the end that a new n prosperous
country, possessed of all these 1atur-
al advantages should enjoy reasonable
and Notwithstanding rates and
have a fair opportunity for develop
ment and prosperity. 1t was the fond
expectation and belief that every aid
to develop i industries of this fer
tile valley would be given by the rail
road, and so believing, the people of
this valley have built it up and laid
deep the foundation of a greater pros
perity for the railroad as well as
themselves if they a have fair rates
of freight on their supplies and thus
reach tae markets of the country,
which need and can use their products
and can by tine aid of reasonable rates
establish those industries which the
LcIuIC VI IIC COuII1 dhu Is P1OooN
demand.
About the year 1901 the line of rail-
road aforesaid was bought by the A.
T. e S. F. Ry., and since that time has
been operated as a part of thai sys-
tenn, connecting through Amarillo,
Texas to the north and east with the
other lines Of the Santa Fee system to
Kansas City, Chicago and Denver and
the Pacific coast, n to Galveston
and all the intermediate points; also
furnishing connections at Amarillo
with the Rock Island AID Colorado
and Southern systems of railroads
and through connecting lines to all
commercial points. There is no rail
road eastward until T. & P. is reached
"a distance of $50 miles or more,
nor westward to the C.. r. /. & P. Ry..
a distance of 100 miles or more. Thus
the Santa Fe system a had ever
since said purchase, and now has, an
absolute monopoly of all traffic tribu-
tary to the Pecos Valley and towns
named. The merchants, traders, and
dealers of these towns on all sorts
of merchandise n supplies have
been enabled only to establish trade
with farmers and ranchmen in the
country who must buy from them,
~ l. - O
trade still further so as to reach and
supply the trade which by reason of
favorable location in point of dis
lance ought to and would trade with
them, but for the excessive rates
hereinafter complained of. These mer
chants and traders have been and are
circumScribed in their business by the
fact that excessive rates of freight
complained of so add to h cost of
all heavy articles in particular That
many ranchmen and others who would
trade at these towns go further dis
lance from. their ranches to towns on
the Texas and Pacific Railway to
trade.
Undue burdens are placed on those
who must buy at these towns on all
merchandise n supplies brought in.
By reason Of unjust rates, and indeed
prohibitive rates, complained of, farm
crops and fruits often al not be mar
keted at all, and in all cases the pro-
fits are cut to sue a point or destroy
ed that business is undesirable; and
they are unable to compete in markets
with producers IN Colorado, Texas
and elsewhere having more favorable
rates. The incentive to bring more
land under cultivation being thus de-
stroyed, settlement is retarded to the
injury of all property values.
That at the beginning of the estab-
lishment of the construction of the
Pecos Valley lines there were no lines
of railroad between the Texas and Pa
cific extending westward from Fort
Smith and Dallas, Texas to Ell Paso,
Texas, aid the A. T. & s. F. Ry-, ex-
tending from Kansas City through
Trinidad, Colorado, to Albuquerque,
thence south to Ell Paso. The road
which is now the Colorado and South
ern and the Fort Worth n Denver
Railway extend from Trinidad via
Amarillo to Fort Worth and the line
of the Santa Fe, known as the South
ern Kansas, from Kansas City to Pan
handle City, Texas, had a connection
with the Fort Worth and Denver at
Washburn near Amarillo. The terri
tory described must be supplied from
one of the lines mentioned and the
nearest railway station to the Pecos
Valley between Roswell and Carlsbad
were from 100 to 200 miles. There
were no settlements of any conse-
quence and a very limited use of the
ranges for live stock.
The first line was built from Pecos,
Texas, to Carlsbad, thence from Am
arillo, Texas, and Carlsbad tae lines
were built so as to make the present
through line, and after construction
were operated as an independent line.
That by reason of the requirements
of the Texas laws a separate corpora
tioa with its general offices in Texas
had to be provided for the nominal
ownership and construction of those
parts of said lines in Texas between
Pecos, the state line, n between
Amarillo and the state line.
That the Santa Fee line from Hig-
o;-- TNn~n- RI Donhond1n ~hurn
and Amarillo for like reason had to
be owned AFT least nOminally by the