Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-03-10
SAN DIEGO R.R.
SURVEYORS
At IMPERIAL
Big Task Now To Get Down
Out of the Mountains From
An Altitude of About $500
Feet.

| TUCSON, March 9.-Imperial this
| week became the basis of supplies Of
the San Diego and Arizona raih~--
| which is now in the hands OF the en-.
gineers, though actual construction
is under way from the western ter.
minus.
George Holmes, purchasing agent OF
| the railroad and Of the other Spreek-
els interests and mayor of Coronado,
and S. n. Witt, in charge of the sur
vey Of the new road, were in Impe-
rial for several days. The camp is
now forty miles from Imperial.
Naturally, neither of these haen
would talk freely regarding the worn
they have in hand, but it was learned
| that the present point on the road is
210O feet above sea level and the
most difficult task in making the
survey is still before them, that of
getting down to the level of the
| desert.
They are at an elevation OF 200 feet
higher than that of the Richards
survey made for the San Diego and
Eastern, and it is expected 10 re-
quire fifteen miles in making the
| descent to the desert, a longer stretch
1Aoh "SS ACH0ASd W 1AC 1NaStesA u .
surVes.
In making this descent, it win be
necessary to swing back and forth
across the foothills, and it is believed
that four or five months will be re-
quired in finding the most desirable
route.
Mr.. Witt declined to hazard any
guess as to the point at which he
Ah,&
as soon as he got down to the proper
level he would more directly for
Yuma.
Those who know every part of the
foothill country feel satisfied that the
descent will bring the surveyors down
at a point a little north Of west or
Imperial, as was the case with the
Richards survey, and that the direct
line from that point to the gap in the
sand &ilIs through which the road
will probably pass viii be through
Imperial and Holtyille.
An additional engineering force is
on its way from San Diego to Dos
Cabesos, and work will be carried on
with an increased Vigor.
While a survey has been made
through Mexican territory, because
that affords easier grades, between
Tia Juana and Jacumba, re-entering
the United States at that point,
new survey is being made entirely
in the United States, and it is not
yet certain which route will be fol-
lowed, but in either event the road
will lead to Clarissa canyon, and from.
that point to the desert
San Diego men of prominence give
1t as their opinion that the road is.
independent OF the Southern Pacific
company, though admitting that there
are certain points which make It look
like side issue Of that company.
They believe, under any circum-
stances that the road will traverse I'm
periaI valley east and west and will
mot simply connect with the valley
line and follow its tracks through to-
Yuma
They hold that the great traffic
afforded in this valley makes it highly
desirable that there be such a li1e.
The yigor with which the work on
the new road is being pressed now
indicates that within q year and a
half or two years Yuma and Imperial
valleys will have direct connection
with tide water by route only half as
long as that of the present and that
San Diego will become serious com
petitor OF Los Angeles for the trade
of this section.