Arizona republican., 1909-12-28
The GiIa Canyon Controversy.

road and the reserNoH peopie tV make recommendation to the sec retary of the interior in the matter of the Gila canyon controversy, the hearings and investigation which the directors of the board are giving in the premises ought to be convincing to everybody that, so far as Phoenix is concerned, nothing but a square deal is wanted by the people of this community.
 The Arizona Eastern Railway com- pany. for itself. and Mir. Sligh, on be- half of a reservoir project in which he with others is interested, have con- flicting applications before the de- partment of the interior for a right of way in what is known as the Gila canyon. west of San Carlos. The railway company asks the right of way. in order that the 100-mile line locally known as the Phoenix & East ern may be extended from Winkel- man, its present terminus. to the sta tion of San Carlos, on the Gila Val ley. Globe & Northern railway. The reservoir people object to the railway companys application. and have asked the department of the interior to re- ject it. Delegate Cameron has filed protest against granting the right of way to the railroad. The reservoir people have filed maps of their pro- posed reservoir with the department. and ask that the right of way be granted to them.
 The interest of Phoenix in the two projects is direct. of course. The con- struction of the Arizona Eastern would be of incalculable benefit to the city of Phoenix and to the Salt River valley It would fill an inn portant gap in the greatly desired main line of which we have heard so much. Between Yuma. Arizona and Lordsburg New Mexico, the ex- isting Southern Pacific line encoun- ters many heavy grades, which add lIlHltilStlN lD lllt COSI pI trains. For a long time the Southern Pacific company has had in contem plation the construction of a line which would avoid these grades. This can be done by constructing a new road. It is intended to begin at a point a short distance east of Yuma
 
 to Phoenix. From Phoenix eastward 100 miles of the proposed line being already in operation, the new con- struction would embrace the Yuma Phoenix road just mentioned, and the Arizona Eastern line from Winkelman to San Carlos. and ultimately an ex- tension from Solomonville to Lords burg; although for awhile the exist ing line from San Carlos via Solo, knoxville to Bowie on the Southern Pacific main line would be utilized
 With the projected road from Yuma via Phoenix to San Carlos. the South ern Pacific would have a dead-Ievel 'iht <tiiLoild
 The advantages which would ac- crue to this city from being on a transcontinental railroad are so mani- fest that they do not require emu meration. They would be only second in value to the Roosevelt reservoir, now nearing completion, and infinitely l.n.. l.r.
 On the other hand. the construction of storage dam on the Gila river, as projected by Mir Sligh. would also be vastly beneficial to Phoenix if, as he and his associates claim, they would irrigate from their reservoir 100000 acres in Pinal county in the Florence-Casa Grande district. That country is directly tributary to Phoc- nix. One hundred thousand acres un- der irrigation would create wealth to the amount of at least. s1O, ,OOO, 900 inn mediately. and ultimately as much more.
 Now for the meat of the contro- NNASS oNti liit TlSlll or way. The statements made to the board of trade by some of the railway people and by the reservoir advocates are strangely contradictory It is conceded by both sides that the projected railway route through the Gila canyon is through the most inviting transcontinental pass in the whole Rocky Mountain region-on the i line surveyed, and for which right | of way is asked. the railway can be | constructed on gradient of less than | one-half of one per cent. So much l is admitted by both the railroad and | the reservoir representatives But here the opposing contentious | come in. It is insisted on behalf of the rail- ] way company. that if it be compelled | to abandon its projected line through