The question of water which may be obtained at John Rogers, Station 9700 is another factor which clinches the decision without further choice.

From John Rogers to the end of this division there was no reason for running any other lines, the located line being in my judgment unquestionably the best that can be obtained, excepting one or two places where slight changes might be made.

Main Line 1.8 grade	Opposite "M" Line 1.8 grade
Commence at Station 8640	Commence at Station 8640
Ends at Station 8934.30	Ends at Station 8926.30
Length 394.30 feet	Length 386.30 feet
Curvature 343 degree 23 minutes	Curvature 312 degree 36 minutes
Ascending grade 354.78 feet	Ascending grade 330.2 feet
Estimate.......................... $25,238.70	Estimate.......................... $37,882.45
By Dif in Estimate ............$12,583.75	By 31 degree curvature @ $7.00=.........$ 27.00
	By in 20' Rise and Fall..... @ $71.52=$1,430.40
	By 800' dist. @ $10.18 = ..................$8,144.00
	To balance against this .......................$2,792.35
Total................................$12,583.75	Total................................................$12,583.75

Other than this difference in favor of the Main Line it has this advantage. Should the company ever intend building to Prescott, the Hells Canon route would probably be followed and this line would be one and one quarter miles nearer than the "M" line.

In this comparison I have not entered into the extra details of cost of running a pusher Enginer, but as the 2.6% grade must be used above here and either a heavier engine or a pusher used, the increased expense must necessarily enter into the account. For this comparison we will add one mile more of line from Station 9102 to 9155 which line is common to both the "N" and the "1.8% Grade" lines, but the grades have been laid so as to make less work on the 2.6% grade than on the other, there is a difference of $3,000. in the estimate in favor of the "N" line", altogether then, there would be $160,801.00 in favor of the "N" line not counting the Pusher. Assuming the cost of running pusher at 25 cents per mile and the increased cost of maintenance of way at 15 cents per mile, we have 10.55 miles x 6 trains x 2 for round trip x 350 days x 40 cents gives $17,724.00, capitalized at 7% gives $253,200.00. This less $160,801.00 leaves us $92,399.00 in favor of the long line of 1.8 grades. This I consider a very fair estimate. I do not agree with Wellington in the cost of Maintenance of Way due to a pushing engine, viz 20 cents per mile or 47 cents as the entire cost of pusher per mile.

page 200 Splinters Volume 14 transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump

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