Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-07-28
THAT DURANGO RAILROAD

That journal of ill-founded compacency, the Fl Paso Herald, by deving into ancient his tory, has found alleged occasion for rejoicing in the fact that 1t once stood sponsor before the public for a prophecy that has since come true, namely, the building of a line of railroad between Lordsburg, or Bowie, Arizona, and Durango Colorado The Herald exults further in the fact that its far-seeing correspondent, some nine or ten years ago, reviewed the riches of western New Mexico in such graphic Ian guage that the poor benighted public and, also, the many railroad officials of the country had their attention called, for the first time to the wealth of this region. This section referred to by the Herald is included between the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fes California line.
 The Herald smugly asserts also, that by dint of its Illuminating articles on western New Mex. leo and other efforts equally potent it inaug- urated a movement for railroad extension through the 'fabulously rich'' section in ques ton But the Herald, continuing, pantively remarks, Conditions were not ripe for it at that time' Most decidedly not, and it is also certain that the time for such railroad building is still unripe not that such line is not greatly needed but that line to Durango by some what different route is much more necessary and is far nearer to being reality than the one advocated by the Herald as being an imminent sure thing.
 The reason for building a road from Durango southerly through New Mexico is held to be the development of the great timber and farm ing resources of that country. Hence, the Her aid argues, by some manner of dubious logic that the completion of this road will afford an outlet and market for the mammoth supplies of fuel found in the big coal fields west of Durango and purchased some four years ago by F.. H.. Hartman. Now it is not made clear how a farming country, however fertile, or for that matter timber region, is going to utilize any stupendous quantities of coal But it is unde- niably sure that a great mining region does de- mand vast and unfailing fuel supply. So if we take geographical review of the country lying between Durango, Colorado, and either Lordsburg or Bowie. we find that the great known mineral deposits are found far to the west of New Mexico or, to be explicit, in the great region bordering on line drawn from the Grand Canyon thorugh Flagstaff and Pay son and from there through the immense stretch of territory intervening between that town and the city of Globe. Along the route thus laid out are countless mines of proven richness; timber lands of vast extent and virgin growth fertile valleys of incomparable farm ing; and ranges that support thousands of cat tle The development of all these resources awaits but the coming of adequate transporta- tion. And naturally enough the arrival of the railroad, despite the subtle skill of the namiablc Fl Paso Herald in railway promotion, is now a certainty.
 It is with great compassion and reluctance that we also deprive the Herald of the honor accorded to true prophet in his own country, for the Silver Belt, in its issue of April 9, 1909, first laid down in detail the line of the proposed railroad to Durango from the south. And strangely enough if one chooses to so regard it. this railroad is not to have its beginning at Lordsburg, nor Bowie, but Globe, utilizing. in that way the 124 miles of rails already very much used for transportation to and from