Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-11
RAILROAD GIANTS IN
STRUGGLE FOR
RICH PRIZE
STAKE IS THE UNBOUNDED
WEALTH OF SONORA
Southern Pacific and Phelps
Dodge Interests Clash in
Northwest Mexico Both
Hold Concessions From
Government,

80 ~ NthN
orn Pacific railroad, and James S
Douglas, general manager of tho Ma
cozari railroad company. and the Moe
tezuma Copper company, will, hgur.
atively speaking, bump heads oyeI
the right-of-way for a railroad from
about the point where the Montezums
river flows into the Yaqui river, north.
ward to the Nacozari. but Mr.. Ran.
dolph and Mr.. Douglas are only ma.
jor generals in the field. Behind Tho
Southern Pacific leader are the Harri-
man forces. Behind Mr. Douglas /.
the Phelps-Dodge outfit. and both
parties are looking for supremacy
over the fabulous bodies of wealth
that must sooner or later open up in
the Yaqui river country. This re.
giOn IS vast and in the mountains.
hills and mesas, lying as dormant as
il did ten thousand years ago, is min
cral wealth enough to pay the debt
Of a hundred nations. In the valleys
and on the llanOs are rich agricultural
lands capable of supporting a vast
multitude of people. The heart Of
Sonora is teeming with uncovered
riches and it is the prize the Hartman
people and the Phelps-Dodge people
are now strenuously seeking. Both
know the value Of the region: both
WANT IL ~ Will get II
Already sharp skirmishing has COM
menced. There is much activity in
the field. secrecy of movements and si-
lent tongues on the part of those in
high places. But certain trails and
tracks have been left and the news
hunter has patiently followed them
and here they are:
The southern Pacific company has
a railroad in operation from Benson.
on its main line in Arizona, to No
gales. a port o~f~entry. and from
thence to Guaymas on the Gulf of
California. in southwestern Sonora. A
road has been surveyed from Quay
mas to TORN, and from thence south
ward to Mazatlan on the east coast of
the gulf, and from thence to Tepec.
and Guadalajara. This line viii tap
the heart Of Mexico and connect the J
Southern Pacific with the ocean and
the Orient.
From Guaymas TO Torrin the line
is in operation up'the Yaqui river and
also from Torrin to Bucna Vista. I
From this point the line has been sur
veyed up to the Yaqui river to San
Antonio, a town about six miles above
and opposite Zomchi, near the mouth
of the Moctezuma. Buena Vista Is
about fifty miles south of the junction
OF the Yaqui and the Moctezuma river. 4
From Buena Vista to San Antonio the
contract to build this division Of tho.
road has been let to French brothers,
with rders to hurry its completion.
This part of the road Is expected to
be in operation by midsummer.
From San Antonio northward To
M0ctezuma only preliminary surveys
have been made and here begins the
tug of war. The Moctezuma river is
a stream to its outlet; but
the Southern Pacific people have out
lined a road that viii follow the
stream south for about eight or nine
miles from the city of Moctezuma,
thence it will swing off to the eastward
over the malapai plains and finally
join the part that is now creeping
north to San Antonio.
The Phelps-Dodge people controls
ers of the Eel Paso & Southwestern
system, formerly held "a federal con-
cession for the r~ight-of-way for q rail
road from the north Of the Moctezuma
river. and other points, to N~acozari.
This concession expired on the 30th
day Of June, 1906. The Southern Pa
ciic people were on the alert and
watchful. When the concession eN-
PRED, Immediately Mr.. Mckay, the
southern Pacidc's right hand man.
gObbled it for his company under the
law and thus the Harrimans
obtained the right-of-way north to
Nacozari. They found the Phelps {
Dodge people asleep and naturally |
took advantage of their slumbers. But [
his does not end the matter by any {
means. The Moctezuma Copper COM t
holds large mineral and othci I
toncesSions from the state of Sonora {
ana these concessions also give them {
he right to build and operate rail- a
-oads. This concession was granted
the state of sonora to the Moctc- T.
Copper company. While the i.
Nacozari railroad company has lost 9
Is rights from the federal govern i
nent, the Moctezuma Copper company p
.till holds its rights from the state Of q
The Phelps-Dodee people -
and control the Nacozari railroad 81
'ompany and the Moctezuma Copper "a
'ompany. The soul and body of one II
$ The soul and body of the other. The 4
Inference is in the name only. The u
NY Of Nacozari. at the south end OF &
he railroad, is owned by the Phelps n
folks absolutely. and James 5.
is the man i'm command. IN III
M about NacoZari the Phelps-Dodge
mint WI six square miles of land n
a paid concession. While they, 81
Q a certain extent. admit that
ne southern Pacific people now have
De right of way from NaCOzari 10
l0ciezuma. they most emphatcallN
eny that they can lay a track into
'acozari N operate n maintain "a
aliroad without crossing and conflict
with the property interests OF the
lpctezuma Copper company. The
.heips-Dodge people win oppose the
iatrimans at all points of the COM
ass on this proposition. The canyon
ear Nacozari. through which the
river flows on its waf
,uth. Tor a distance of about fifteen
lles Is narrow and f~Orbidding. With
the expenditure Of many millions
dollars only n road can be run
rough a. Both parties claim inc
snt-of-way through this rock and
nuntaiu-bound pass. Both parties
we suroveyed the route D az hiS
ile he southern Pacific people have
laiFe corps of surveyors within Two
'iff ~ Nacozari and on nirini-
~ the MOctezuma copper conn
.ni CONTRACTS FOR ties hav been az
ui't AZ both ends Of the disputed
southern Pacific clss of Huup
'# picks % shnpels arc now ln
ft ready fur use in fhn work 30
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