Bisbee daily review., 1910-03-31
SAN CARLOS DECISION
 0F BIC INTEREST
(PhOenix Republican,

ervoir site, will greatly interest the
 people of Phoenix and the Salt Riv-
 CT valley. It means that the secre- | tary of the interior. if he follows
 the findings of the engineers, will approve the application of the Ari-
 zona Eastern railway for a right of
 way through the Gila canyon.
 What it will mean to this com
 munity to have the construction of
 the Arizona Eastern assured, is pret- ty generally appreciated. If the rail
 way is enabled to build through this canyon Phoenix. Tempe and Mesa
 will shortly be on a Southern Paci- . fic transcontinental line. From Yu- ma to Lordsburg there will be a new and level line-so that from Demiug. beyond Lordsburg. to Yu- ma. there will be a railroad having no gradient greater than one-half of one per cent, as against two per cent grades on the present line of the Southern Pacific. In the railway
 world. if not among people general ly. the Cila canyon route Is now conceded to be tho most attractive . for traascontinental traffic in all North America. This canyon offers the best pass through the Rocky Mountain range that exists anywhere between British Columtia and Cen tral America. It Is really inexpli- cable that railway builders were 50 slow to grasp the importance of this pass.
 To be sure. Mir. Murphy many years ago recognized it as of su- preine value for transconinenta traffic; and so did Col Randolph. And after Col Randolph-as was his duty to his chief-had pointed out to Mir. Hartman the incompar- able value Of the Gila canyon pass fo- transcontinental business as well as for strategic purposes in protect l ing Southern Pacific territory. Mir
 Hartman did not stop until he had
 wrested from the Santa Fe interests
 the Phoenix & Eastern. which Mir Murphy was building toward the canyon. In order to get into a posi- ton to carry out this coup. MT liar
 riman had invested so many millions
 in Santa Fe shares that he was able
 to force the Santa Fe directors 10 relinquish the Phoenix & Eastern to him. And now that the Southern
 Pacific influence has been eliminat- ed from the Santa Fe directorate.
 1t is no secret that the Santa Fe ! people deeply regret that they lost
 the Phoenix G Eastern, and with it the best of all transcontlnental
 routes.
 Not only will we gain a trans continental line by the construction
 of the Arizona Eastern through the
 Gila canyon. but a line from the
 Salt River valley to Denver, under Southern Pacific-Union Pacific con ] trol. For. as soon as the right of way controversy is settled in favor of the railway company the con- struction of the proposed line from Globe to Pennington and Durango will begin. Incidentally. this line will bring central Arizona into direct communication with the greatest and best coal fields in all the west thus assuring cheap fuel for the people of the territory
 Also profoundly interesting is the admission of MT. Walter Douglas that the Fl Paso & Southwestern has at last taken up seriously the question of building into Phoenix. Construction across a gap of scarcely more than 200 miles would bring that road here. By starting from. a point south of Fairbank and running northwesterly to the Santa Cruz valley, thence through Tucson and Florence to Phoenix. this com pany could have a line from Fl Paso to this city on which there d grade. Early in September last, the Republican pointed out to the mer- chants of Phoenix that very little effort on their part would show that it was possible to secure the Fl Paso & Southwestern. Following that announcement, some co-respon- dence between the Commercial club and Mir. Douglas was had, and since then. as now developed, the Phelps Dodge people have had under con sideration the project of a line into this valley. For all practical pur- poses the coming of the Fl Paso & Southwestern brings with it the great Rock Island system.
 And while Nr. Douglas, of course, states tAe c-lct fact when he says his company coes not at this time contemplate reaching the Pacine coast. a logical cersiooment of the future Will be traffic agreement between the Fl Paso & Southwest srn and the Santa Fe interests which will enable the Fl Paso & Southwestern to run trains into San Francisco or los Angeles.
 In about sixty days more the Ari- l zona & California railway will be completed. when Phoenix will have | a Santa Fe airline to San Francisco !! and a short IIne to los Anoa1os