The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1910-01-08
THE BRISTOL WAY.

The terrible castrophe which has
occurred within the past week in the
Meadow Valley wash, entailing
loss of many millions of dollars, agai
emphacizes the fact that the San
Pedro. Los Angeles & Salt Lake rail-
road company made most serious
mistake when it chosethe route down
the narrow canyon between Caliente
ard Moapa for it's transcOntential
line of track.
This was pointed out to Senator
Clark and his associates by an en-
gineer employed on the work of Sc
lecting route for the Salt Lake
road across Nevada to southern Cal
ifornia This engineer, who was a
man of many years experience IN
railroad work, in his report to Sena-
tor Clark, laid particular stress up
on the inevitability of washouts in
the Meadow Valley canyon; as well
as the probability of recurrence OF
them season after season. The con-
cl. sion was based upon the fact that
tho canyon being narrow, could not
afford drainage for the tremendous
area of country which 1t does. on
either side, without entailing great
danger to a railroad IL built that
way. He claimed, at least that 1t
would mean the expenditure Of enor-
nous sums to make the roadway alb
so]utey immune from the ravages Of
the spring freshets, or the floods fol-
lowing cratic clOu6burStS,
But other engineers employed on
the location surveys favored Mead
ow Valley and that route had the
preference.
True, there are few difficulties
which engineering skill cannot sur
MONT. But in the face of all the
misfortunes which have befallen the
Salt Lake Route. will its officials
have the courage to rebuild the
r ad through the wash again?
There. Is another way to look at
the proposition.
For nearly one hundred miles, the
railroad follows a canyon from which
no traffic Of consequence is derived.
Railroads usually look into the matter
Of local traffic when they build lines
of steel rails into new country.
But when the Salt Lake road enter
cred Lincoln county, or through what
IL now Lincoln county, this feature
was not given the serious considera-
ton. perhaps, that it should have
been given.
Had the line followed the survey
ptsu Int nv
Crestline: thence to Panaca. Phoebe
and Bristol Pass. into the broad Dry
Lake and Pahranagat valleys and on
to Las Vegas In almost straight
line, it would be deriving income
from country immensely rich In
mineral, agricultural, fruit growing
, and. other resources
With the main line at our very
doors, the effect would be to great
~ stimulate interest in mining here
1t Phoebe. The result would be the
same In the Highland and Stampede
Gap districts; while Bristol. a camp
which only needs the hand OF cap
ital to make 1t greater than either
Bingham or Tintic. would soon become
bt ehive of mining activity.
Old Delamar would be revived. The
new gold camp Of Atlanta would be
brought within easy reach; land it
Is worth reaching out for by any
railroad in Nevada) Hike, Tempiute,
Silver King and score of other good
mining districts, whose prosperity is
being held In allegiance only because
they lack transportation facilities,
would become steady contributors of
revenue.
Here is something else for the man
agement of the railroad to take into
consideration. By choosing the Bris-
tol Pass way for a change of route,
the proposed Ely-G oldfeld line would
not be to exceed 40 or As miles away
Possibly it might work to the ad-
vantage of the Salt Lake Route to
build to connection with this road,
making an excellant cross-state route
Ito east and west, as we'll as north
and south.
The patronage that would be de-