Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-04-21
TO MEXICO CITY RAIL LINE IS NOW IN PROSPECT
Claims Against Mexico Now In Settlement To Be Used In Building 100-Mile Link Declares President Tit comb.

Present prospects favor a direct railway line from Phoenix to Mexico City according to H. B. Titcomb, president of the Arizona Eastern and Southern Pacific de Mexico railroads.
 When this connecting link is com pleted Phoenix will be brought more than 500 miles closer to Mexico City by railroad and will be offered the facilities of through Pullman cars without change, declared MT. Titcomb.
 This stretch of railroad which will bring Phoenix into close touch with the capital of a nation just beginning to realize the possibilities of its un- developed wealth is being planned from Topic to LaQuemada. It will connect the terminus of the present Southern Pacific de Mexico line with main line road into Mexico City.
 Now in Settlement
 Negotiations are now under way with the Mexican government to pay claims which the railroad holds against it for $7,5O0,0O0 and depreda- tion claims of $S,5OO,O0O", President Titcomb explained. "The proposal has been advanced that if this money is paid to the railroad the Southern Pa cific de Mexico will spend all that which is paid in claims on building this 100 miles of railway lines and to rehabilitate our present lines."
 President Titcomb called attention to the fact that. during the rsvolu- tion in Mexico 394 bridges on the rail way line were burned or destroyed. These, he said, have been replaced temporarily pending a settlement of tn claims against the government.
 "In the meantime we are rehabili- tating our lines as fast as the reve- nue from the road warrant" he added, with the suggestion that at the present one might enjoy very unique trip from Nogales to Topic as the road now has 94 "shoo- flies" in that distance. In railway par, nee the "shco-fly" is a stretch of track which dips down from the bed of grade ;rto the bed of a stream and rises on the opposite bank giving the passenger something of the roller coaster effect.
 Illustrating the possibilities which Phoenix may enjoy from closer touch with Mexico, President Titcomb gave few figures to show the nature and quantity of shipments being made from thewes coast country served by the line he represents.
 Cantaloupes were started from Empaime for New York city with a shipment of 46 carloads on April r. Before California has started pick ing, the West Coast of Mexico will have 450 carloads of these melons on the markets in this country.
 At the present time the tomato crop which ranks close to first on the west coast, is being moved with every in dication the United States will receive about 1050 carloads of them
 There will be 600 cars of very fine cane sugar shipped from the same district this season; 60 carloads of graphite, about 70 carloads of dye woods; 25 cars of garbanzos, 75 cars of raw alcohol; 30 cars of fibre for rope; 25 cars of watermelons, and 40 or 50 cars of rice.
 In connection with the shipments of rice MT. Titcomb said this grain is being raised on the west coast of Mexico now without the use of arti- ficial irrigation. He explained that a sufficient quantity of rain fell dur ing the summer months to insure a good crop of rice.
 The commodities mentioned em- brace only a small portion of years