Arizona republican., 1909-07-10
THE STORY OF THE HALF
 THROUGH LINE.

We suppose that all who lived in Phoenix at the time of the agree ment under which the Phoenix & Eastern was transferred from the Santa Fe to the Southern Pacific are familiar with the terms of the agree ment and the circumstances imnedi- ately preceding and immediately fol lowing the transfer
 But for the edification of those who were not then here we will briefly review the proceeding Under the Santa Fe the Phoenix & Eastern had been built with considerable rapidity to it's present terminus at Winkel- man It was the intention of the Santa Fe to carry it on to Benson and more remote plans contemplated another extension to a Santa Fe con nectfon in southern New Mexico
 Months before the transfer took place there were rumors of it and it was understood that Mir. Hartman was forcing it. It was not then gen orally believed that the Santa Fe could be induced to surrender it. Shortly before there was a definite announcement that the Southern Pa cific would take it over. construction work, which had been proceeding un- interruptedly. was stopped. Then came the announcement which was regarded in Phoenix as a story of disaster, which was somewhat softened by statement on the authority of South ern Pacific officials. printed by The Republican the following morning
 According to this announcement the Southern Pacific was 10 carry on the work to some point either on it's main line or to San Carlos on~ the Gila Valley, Globe & Northern. The Santa Fe was to complete the Arizona & California to Bengal on the Santa Fe; the Southern Pacific was to have trackage rights over the Santa Fe west of Wickenburg 10 it's own lines in California and the Santa Fe was to enjoy similar rights over the east ern extension and the main line of the Southern Pacific to its own line in New Mexico or Texas.
 We believe there was no time set for the fulfillment of this agreement. but it was evidently the understand ing of the Santa Fe that it should be done as expeditiously as. possible for it hurried along with the A & c. to Parker and more than two years ago had completed its more than a million dollar bridge across the Colo rado at that point.
 About that time the popuIistic agi- tation throughout the country made it difficult to get money for railroad construction, and work which could have been completed in six months ceased. Beside. so far as the through line was concerned. the lack of op- eration on the Phoenix & Eastern made any further work on the A. & C. at that time useless. But on the eastern end nothing was doing. and l nothing has since been done. The | front" of P. 6 E. construction is precisely where the Santa Fe left it when it surrendered that road. Not shovelful of earth has been turned; not rail or tie has been laid
 Hardly a month has passed since then in which our ears have not been regaled with stories of the Winkleman country and the Box Canyon swarm ing with surveying parties. They or their descendants. we understand, are still in that country and we have been almost daily assured through the last three years that we are about to hear something drop.
 We do not mean to, say that the Southern Pacific did not enter into that agreement in good faith and we do not believe that the Southern Pa