Semi-weekly herald., 1908-06-01
Southern Outlet Z
for Durango

and Aoffat railroads has occupied such
papers that the public has been prone
to disregard the more important fact
that the development OF the country
west OF the Missouri river during re-
cent Years has been possible princi-
pally through the construction of
southward main lines and feeders.
The ssouthward railways have made
Kansas city a metropolis OF a vast
region and developed Oklahoma from
a Wilderness into a magnificent com
monwealth within eighteen years by
furnishing competitive European rates
via the porth of the gulf of Mexico,
Old Nevada had become almost a de
serted waste when The great mineral
discoveries around Tonopah attracted
now attention TO the state. These dis
coyerics were rendered profitable only
by the construction of southwark rail-
ways--the Clark road from Salt Lake
to Los Angeles. the foad from, Las
Vegas 10 SearebIigbt, and the railway
extending from the old Central Pacific
spur southwark to Goldfield and other
Bonanza regions of the new Nevada
Even Phoebe, famous even in the IOs
as The abode OF great mines, has with
in the last year been connected with
the world by railway, after waiting
and hoping for railroad for genera
tion. AS Colorado has received as lit
tie aid from the southward construc
ton of railways during the last decade
Is near the lime when Durango may
hope for an early realization of its
long dream Of railway connection
with the vast mineral, grazing and
agricultural regions of New Mexico
| and Arizona.
| In 1897. after had completed a
| rather extensive inspection of the ei-
ganticf resources of the mining camps
newspaper article designed to show
| that Durango with a railroad conuec-
| ion with the Santa Fe system In New
| Mexico would soon snrpass Pueblo in
! population and industrial Importance.
That idea has ever since dominated
my view of the ultimate development
| Of the vast. unrailed empire north OF
| the Santa Fe railway system in the
co and embracing a large portion of
southeastern Utah. There must be a
| great industrial and commercial me-
| tropolis for this tremendous region
of the San Juan, which surpasses
| southern Nevada in its wealth of en-
during metal mines, rivals Pennsyl-
vania III its wealth of enduring coal
| beauty and richness of its irrigated
| valleys. No other region has more
| water for power and agricultural pur-
poses; no other mining region has
ores and no other region offers such
opportunities for competence and in
diligence, and wealth for those who
| wish homes far away from the great
oyercrowded tenement house districts
ol the great cities where poverty hangs
over them like a dark cloud, all along
the pathway OF life. That the people
of this vast and little developed em
its pioneers is due principally to the
fact that IL has a very insufficient
narrow gauge railway connection with
the rest of Colorado and but few
miles of railway connection with New
| Mexico This question of railway ex
tension from Durango is so stale that
it's discussion is apt TO provoke amuse
ment among old residents who have
waited so many years in vain AS
STOOD on your principal street the
other day | viewed your many sub
| stantial business structures and en-
| joyed The grandeur of your surround
ing hills. ] felt that nowhere had
nature designed more beautiful spot
for a city or one more capable Of easy
drainage and sewerage. AS | con
templated the future greatness of Du
range with a railway connection with
| the southern portions of Arizona and
| New Mexico as well as with Old Mex
leo, CHANGED to see the cemetery on
the lovely hillside. | then felt that
perhaps my idea of great metropolis
here might be but a dream--that II
| was also the vain hope of the brave
| pioneers whose hearts have ceased to
throb and whose eyes have long since
lost their lustre in the grave. And
| then / thought of the long starless
night Of despair through which Phoebe
had survived 70 enjoy at last the ori'
ent rays of the dawn--a, new life of
activity and prosperity long since the
| mere dream Of the trail blazers who
had made the Comstock world re.
| nowned and the Old Nevada famous; /;
and then | took fresh hone that soon
Durango might enjoy the benefit of
southward railways and thereby a
larger importance in, the development
of y long neglected market ;, ....
who would be free themselves must
mi -.