Weekly journal-miner., 1917-04-04
MESA-CLARKOALE ROAD WANTS ID
 ISSUE BONDS
PERMISSION SOUGHT OF THE CORPORATION COM MISSION INDICATES CON- SEDUCTION OF LINE WILL SOON BEGIN.

What is said 10 be the most arnbi- tious railway venture yet planned ir Arizona railway circles and one which means, indirectly, the placing of Phoenix upon a main line as well as effecting q direct connection be- tween Mesa and Clarkdale, was pre- sented to the Arizona State corpora- ton commission Saturday. It means, say some authorities, that the dream of 20 years for main line for Phoe- nix may be realized within the year because those who are authoritatively informed believe that the Tucson. Phoenix & Tidewater will have its lines into Phoenix before another year has passed.
 It has been rumored for months that it was planned by group ot Arizona fnanciers, at the head of whom is James s. Douglas, of Doug las, to build a railroad between Clark dale and Mesa, giving the new smell ter town a direct outlet to the East. Douglas is the principal owner of the United Verde Extension at Jerome. for the benefit of whose smelter the line between Clarkdale and Mesa will be built. It is said that in order to have the new line make proper con- nections it will be necessary to build the Tucson, Phoenix & Tidewater up to Mesa, and then into Phoenix, where it will have an outlet to the coast over the Parker cutoff of the Santa Fe railway.
 Rumor Becomes Reality.
 The rumor that the line was to be built between Mesa and Clarkdale be- came reality when the Arizona Ex- tension Railroad Company filed a pe- tition with the corporation commis- sion asking for permission to issue S4OOO,OO0, par value, of its capital stock and $4,O0oO0O gold bonds to be secured by first mortgage or trust deed to be executed in proper form. The company states in its petition that it is organized under the laws of the State for the purpose of building a road on a direct line l6O miles in length between Mesa and Clarkdale, with branches extending to the pro- posed smelter and reduction works of the United Verde Extension Mining Company.
 The petition states that it is the in tention of the company to start opera tions at once: in fact the major DOT ton of the right of way has been se- cured, together with ample terminal facilities in Mesa and Clarkdale.
 There seems to be no doubt in the minds of State officials and others who were made aware of the petition but that it means main line for Phoenix Ii was pointed out that the Parker cutoff of the Santa Fe is not doing any great amount of business There is a S3,0O0,0O0 bridge across the Colorado, which is not carrying the traffic it was intended for, and the fact that Douglas is friendly with the Santa Fe all seemed to indicate that when the Tucson, Phoenix & Tide water IS built north from Tucson through Florence, thence to Mesa and Phoenix, this would be the logical route for that line to make its outlet to the coast. Then, too. it was point cd out that the former Spreckles line, now part of the Southern Pacific, which is being built through the Inn perial valley to Yuma, will reach the latter place in a short time. It might be possible that it is planned to ex- tend the Tucson, Phoenix & Tide water out through the Buckeye coun- try, tap that rich farming district and thence south to Yuma.
 Stock and Bonds Necessary.
 In the petition asking the corpora. tion commission for permission to is. sue the s8OOO,OO0 in bonds and stock, it is stated that it is the intention of the company to build a railroad from a point at or near Clarkdale in Yav- apai county thence south by the most practicable route to connection with the Arizona Eastern or Tucson, Phoe- nix & Tidewater at or near Mesa, a distance of 160 miles, with branch line from Clarkdale in a westerly di- rection by the mouth of the proposed tunnel of the United Verde Extension Mining Company on to the town of Jerome, a distance of seven miles, with another branch line or extension of the main line from Clarkdale to the site of the proposed reduction ,,-orl,e oF tho TT,;toj NarJo E-.a,r:..,