Update

 I have finally been motivated to write a brief history, with images, on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (Atlantic and Pacific) in Williams, Arizona. The facilities were not as extensive as some towns along the line; however, Williams did play an important part in railroad operations. This changed over time, with expansion of the facilities to serve the Grand Canyon Branch line. More on this later, hopefully I will soon be presenting some of my research information.

UPDATES AND RECENT EVENTS

 Summer has begun in Arizona, which means high temperatures and a great deal of staying inside, where the air conditioning is most pleasant. I just recently read where one European country has a sense of disdain for our fondness for air conditioning. I would think that having the AC on is the ultimate expression of man over nature, a creative means to adapt and overcome the elements. I invite peoples from all nations to come and enjoy American culture, and when you return home from your vacation maybe you can bring some of the best of what we have back to your country, like American hospitality and air conditioning. I am sure Amazon or such like can deliver an AC unit anywhere in the world. 

Enough on the virtues of air conditioning. I have not been able to tread the forest paths due to the extreme temperatures and dry conditions. Monsoons will soon sprinkle blessings upon the land, and once again I can find something interesting in the forest domain.

 I will continue to research the Saginaw and will probably spend some time in the Flagstaff area finding the remains of old roadbeds and rails. In addition, I have become interested in the geology and mineralogy of the region. This has become another hobby to pursue, which might lead to me blogging on the old mines in the northern part of the state that are accessible to the general public. There are some interesting places out there. 

One of my favorite Blogs is "Sidetrack Adventures," hosted by Steve. He and his wife go out into those desert places that are interesting, but where I decline to travel. Desert travel requires skill, research and a great deal of preparation. I feel comfortable in my forest domain and respect his sense of adventure into the desert regions. 

I am not the best at Blog design, having used a standard template available from Blogger. The following is the address of my other blog on Williams, Arizona. The address is hard to find on my main page, so here it is if you are interested:

https://history-williams-arizona.blogspot.com/

It is titled "Williams, Arizona: Crown Jewel of the North Country." 

Enjoy the summer, and the air conditioning in your car.

Ash Fork Research Project

 (The following is some research that I did, voluntarily, for the Ash Fork Arizona Museum. I thought I would share this work with you, even though it has little to do with Saginaw.)

 Ash Fork Museum Research Project: Notes and Observations; November 2025

 Michael Branson

The Ash Fork Museum building is a historical structure in its own right, representing a surviving industrial-type structure from the early to mid-1900s. It also possesses a mystique, as having a connection with the Escalante Hotel complex. However, there has been questions raised as to when it was constructed:

 Was the structure contemporaneous to the Escalante Hotel complex, and if so, what was the building used for? Was the structure built by the State for the Highway Department?

These questions can in part be answered by the structure itself. We only have to listen to what it has to say, by understanding the evidence in the construction

EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Image of southeast corner. This is a good image of the concrete cap and window Lentils. Both appear to be made of the same concrete mix. Note how straight and well-pointed the stonework is at the corner of the two walls. 

The steel doors on the east side. These have well-defined features indicating that they were added after the main building was constructed.

an overall view from the southwest corner.

WINDOWS

The windowpanes are similar in appearance but vary in size depending on their use. 

What should be focused on is the style used in constructing the window frames. Take note of one feature: the dimple on the right frame.  The non-dimpled frame also appears, but as you can see does so along the dimpled frame. This has commonality throughout the windows on the lower structure.

 The next two images are from a photograph on display in the museum, revealing a number of features of the stone station in Ash Fork. 

These windows have a similar metal frame; however, the glass panels are a different size. Probably a larger pane was used for the passenger station to allow in more light. If you look very closely at the window rails, a dimple like feature can be seen. At a minimum, the metal framing, and the dimple feature are contemporary with the museum structure's windows.

The upper windows show a more utilitarian construction; functional, not ornamental. It appears to be like the industrial buildings associated with a foundry, locomotive shop, etc. 

One theory is that the upper structure was not part of the original stone sided building. The other is that they were built at the same time. Evidence shows both possibilities. At the moment, it appears the latter may be more accurate.  

FREIGHT DOORS, SOUTH SIDE OF BUILDING

View of the doors on the South side of the building. There is a concrete Lentil over the doors; stones were used for the bottom. 

It appears that the doors were added after the walls were built. The stonework seems to be disturbed. The stonework was chiseled to recess the doorframe.  Note the top row of stones, which appear to not line up properly, and were repointed. This would indicate they were removed to place the door, and/or settled afterwards and were repointed. 

The doorframes are steel like the doors, except that the frame was welded, and some average hinges were attached to the doors and frame. 

The type of door handle is called "T Handle Door Latch." An unusual piece of hardware today, except for cabinet doors and such. The manufacturer can be determined by disassembling the door mechanism. Vintage hardware like this is somewhat rare but can still be purchased on eBay. 

My general impression of the freight doors was that they were repurposed from another structure (the doors predate the frame.) The welded frame would indicate the work was done when the county used the structure. This would also apply to the main door entrance, and the two sets of doors on the west and east sides of the building. 

THE HYDRAULIC LIFT

    

The hydraulic floor lift. This is an old-style lift that is manually hand cranked. What is significant is that the lift was installed at a later date, after the concrete floor slab was poured. The cut-out portion where the lift was installed can be plainly seen. 

The simple conclusion is that the slab came first. A question arises, when was the floor slab poured, and was it the original floor? although an image is not provided, the concrete work was filled-in around the footings of the steel structure inside the building. In other words, it was overlaid on the footings and possibly on top of an earlier floor. 

ADDITIONAL BUILDING DETAILS

A travel hook, one on each side of the main bay, suspended by a simple track on the structure's steel framework. Why?

  

An image of the construction techniques used to assemble the steel frame. There are no indications of the use of rivets; the fasteners are round head bolts with square type nuts. 

The exterior siding. There is a small cutout hole, probably where a light was once installed. This reveals that the roofing and part of the siding is double sided. 

According to Wikipedia, corrugated sheet metal was invented in 1829, by Henry Robinson Palmer. It was originally made of iron but was soon replaced by sheet steel in the 1890s. Although a date was not provided as to when it was started, the sheets were hot dipped in a galvanizing process. The corrugated sheet metal on this structure was probably replaced at some time. 

An image of an access hatch, located on the central floor area. This was likely a sump installed in the floor at a later date. It appears to have a metal frame, and that the hatch is removable. It is possible that by removing this hatch, the floor structure will be revealed. This would help in determining if there were several prior floors, or that the existing slab was original to the building. 

STONEWORK

 The stone blocks are of the same thickness, which is consistent with the rest of the walled structure. The length of the stones varies. The joints are staggered to provide greater strength to the wall and minimize cracking along the joints. 

Arizona Memory Project

This is the East side of the Escalante Hotel complex. I over pixilated the image on my computer and was able to determine that stonework was used to build this side of the hotel. It was cut stone, that appears to be of the same dimensions as that in the museum walls.

This image was copied from the internet and used solely as a reference. This is the Atlantic and Pacific Depot (freight and passenger) located in Flagstaff, Arizona. As can be seen, the stonework has the same general appearance to other structures on the railroad. This was built prior to the Ash Fork structures; however, it is possible that the same quarry and stone masons were used for a number of years. The Santa Fe system maintained strict specifications for building structures, with few exceptions. It is reasonable to assume that the Escalante had to meet these standards that were developed from prior years' experience. 

The windows appear to be sliding windows, and possibly of steel frame construction. If similarities in design can be found, then it would be further evidence that the museum structure was built by the railroad. Further field work investigation will be required.

There is an excellent post regarding the quarries in the Flagstaff area on the Arizonarailsruinstrails.blogspot.com site. It also references several other books and articles regarding the local quarries. This would be an interesting aspect that requires further research. To quote from the article:

"Moenkopi sandstone, also known as Arizona or Flagstaff Red, was quarried locally beginning in the 1880s."

The stonework at the museum site has been referred to as Moenkopi stone, and the source would have most likely been from the quarries located in the Flagstaff area. There has been some speculation that the quarry was located in the Winslow area, however, this places it closer to Ash Fork, in the same time period when the Atlantic and Pacific R.R. was being built.

This is a repeat of an earlier image, this time focusing on the stonework. 

A major difference between the museum and the station windows is that the station Lentils were made of stone, whereas the museums are concrete. The stonework is similar to the museum walls, with the same thickness and random lengths. 

A bridge abutment located west of Williams, Arizona. The use of this type of stonework style would date from the time period when the A&P was under construction. The stones are more random in size; however, the rest of the masonry techniques are similar the buildings in Ash Fork and Flagstaff.

Interior image of the museum walls. It appears that random stones and left-over pieces were used as fill in the interior part of the wall, and that the technique of applying mortar between the joints left something to be desired. This would not be acceptable on a structure such as the hotel but would prove sufficient for a secondary building like a warehouse or shop. 

The map shows the general layout of the spurs in Ash Fork. They changed over the years but generally were located in the same area.

General Conclusions: The stonework at the museum is consistent with the general appearance of the stones used on A&P and Santa Fe structures. These stones could have and were probably quarried in Flagstaff. 

The windows have the appearance of being consistent with that of the railroad structures, when metal framed windows were used. Different time periods seem to use the same standardized techniques in frame construction. 

The concrete floor holds several mysteries, which could be answered by uncovering the foundation. This could be done by the access panel in the floor. 

ASHFORK, ARIZONA MUSEUM RESEARCH PROJECT PART II: ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND CONCLUSIONS, JANUARY 2026

 (The following is some research that I did, voluntarily, for the Ash Fork Arizona Museum. I thought I would share this work with you, even though it has little to do with Saginaw.)

ASHFORK, ARIZONA MUSEUM RESEARCH PROJECT PART II: ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND CONCLUSIONS, JANUARY 2026

Michael Branson

(Amateur Historian)

I want to take a moment to discuss the process of studying and understanding of history.  A number of resources are used to define and understand the past. These include field research, prior documentation from other sources, artifacts, and oral explanations of traditional history. These are only to name a few of the techniques used for study, yet this short list is adequate for the amateur historian. 

We are more than just rational beings; personal feelings and strong beliefs are often challenged by new revelations; if not handled with sensitivity and respect, conflict can be the outcome. Keeping in mind the dynamics of human nature, the author will do what is best to keep harmony in the social order.

Strong opinions exist as to when the building was constructed. There are oral traditions supporting the views that the structure was built by the railroad, or that the County erected the stately edifice. These views need not be conflicted, instead to some degree both can be true. 

In Part 1, the author's original theory was that the stone walls of the museum structure were built from left over stones from the Escalante Hotel. However, new evidence indicates that the walled structure dates from an earlier timeframe.

******

   There are a number of plaques on the museum grounds, two of which are used as resources for this document. In addition to these, the Museum website and a published book provided additional information.

PLAQUE #1; WEST WALL OF STRUCTURE      PLAQUE #2, NORTH OF THE STRUCTURE

   

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

1882          ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC REACHES ASH FORK, ARIZONA

1883-4      ASH FORK IS DESIGNATED AS A FREIGHT AND PASSENGE DISTRICT,

                 ALLOWING THE TRANSFER OF PASSENGERS AND FREIGHT.

                

                WOODEN DEPOT AND EATING HOUSE WERE BUILT SOON THEREAFTER.

1893        STONE DEPOT IS BUILT

1903        WOODEN STRUCTURE EATING HOUSE, HOTEL AND DEPOT ARE DESTROYED 

                IN A FIRE.

                 STONEWORK FROM ORIGINAL DEPOT IS USED TO BUILD MUSEUM STRUCTURE

1907        ESCALANTE HOTEL IS OPENED. 

1922 (1926-27) STONE STRUCTURE (MUSEUM) PURCHASED BY THE COUNTY, BECOMING

                 ASH FORK MAINTENANCE CAMP #1 

1968        ESCALANTE DEMOLISHED

    The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad reached Ash Fork in 1882-83. Ash Fork became a freight and passenger district to better serve the junction of the transcontinental mainline, the branch line to Prescott, Arizona, and the stage lines to the Grand Canyon. It is established that a wooden station and eating house were the original railroad structures, followed by the building of the stone Depot in 1893. 

    According to two sources, the Depot was built from either Red Coconino Sandstone, or Moenkapi Sandstone. Either sandstone could have come from a local quarry, or from several other that were established in Flagstaff and Winslow (this was covered in Part One.) It was a significant and dignified structure, atypical of western railroad design. It was functional, built with pride in craftsmanship, and made the statement that the railroad was here to stay.

Tragedy struck in 1903(5), when the wooden structures and the depot were gutted by fire. This necessitated and provided opportunity for the building of the ESCALANTE complex, one of the growing numbers of Fred Harvey hotels.    

    This brings us to a discussion of the Museum structure. The "Ash Fork Route 66 Historic Museum" website states that after the 1905 fire, the stones from the original fire-damaged Depot were used to build the current building. This is also documented by an author in a book on the Ash Fork community. The exact references used for the prior statement is not quoted here.

    The author has no reason to doubt prior research efforts, or to contradict oral history. Instead, physical evidence will be presented to support these statements as to the origin of the structure. The following images are the result of a recent visual survey of the structure:

STONE STRUCTURE; GENERAL EXTERIOR OBSERVATIONS

                                         

                 *****

The stonework shows several areas where chisels have been put to work. The left image shows a square cut, the right image a diagonal cut with tool markings 

                 

The left image shows a purposely cut grove; the right image shows another with tool marks.

        

There are a number of blocks with this distinctive cut into the stone. The width of the notch is four inches, which is consistent with the dimensions of a standard 2x4 wooden framing stud of the time 1883-1907.) In contemporary times, lumber dimensions were standardized to 1.5x 3.5 inches, due to drying, sanding and processing of the wood.

Unusual edging, found on each corner of the structure. This appears to have been chiseled into each corner block at the time of construction of the walls. 

   

Close-up views of the unusual corner edge. 

    The stones are of a high quality, varying in length but consistent in width. The front face of the stones has the same general appearance, that of a a rough but appealing texture consistent with other such stones in similar railroad structures (see Part 1.) Although other structures were built at different times and locations, they all have the same general appearance consistent with specifications you would expect from a railroad, such as the Santa Fe.

    The original mortar-work was done with care and professionalism, indicating that experienced stone masons were at work. Although they were using recycled stones, the final product was functional yet attractive; an expression of someone who took pride in their work.     

    The placement of the stones appears to be random; the chiseled modifications don't have a consistent pattern (with the exception of the corner edges.) Specifically, they have all of the appearance of having been recycled from another building. 

    The cut grooves, as can be seen in one of the images, measure four inches in width. If these stones were repurposed from the original Depot, then it would be reasonable to identify where they were placed.

    One of the defining features of the stone Depot was the use of corbels to support the roof, where it overhangs the walls of the building. Given the dimensions of the cuts in the stone, it is reasonable to assume that the stones were once placed behind the corbels, then notched to provide a flat area for a tight fit on the wall. Remember, the stonework had a textured surface; recessing the corbels would be necessary for a tight fit. 

Image on display at the museum.

The corbels that supported the roof are visible in the picture

    The interior surface of the walls was backfilled with various sized stones, which would be consistent with maximizing the use of odds and ends. This helped to buttress the outside stonework. The interior finish work was more basic but served the purpose of providing a secure workspace. 

     With any enclosed building, a roof is a necessity. the original stone building had a roof constructed of wood, similar to other railroad-related buildings scattered about the Ash Fork townsite. It is a speculative and somewhat presumptuous to assume this, however barring any invasive research techniques into the foundation of the current structure, admittingly little to no evidence is available to support this assertion. 

WHY WAS IT BUILT AT THIS LOCATION?

    As stated on both plaques, this location is at the junction of the two highways. The railroad junction for the transcontinental and Prescott lines was located nearby. According to one of the maps, and early tax records, this property was owned by the railroad. This site presented a unique access point to the regional roads, was well-placed to be used as a warehouse, and was within a short distance to the Escalante Hotel. 

    Once the railroad was in mind to sell the structure, the road department realized its value and purchased the property. Therein begins the second life of this unique structure. 

  

Courtesy Google Maps

View of the area. The ESCALANTE was located in the upper right corner; the museum building is just off the image in the lower left corner.

The colored lines indicate various spurs, at different times cris-crossing the area. The Santa Fe once owned the area to the north of the road, and to the southwest where the building now stands. This view provides a good idea as to how close the museum structure was to the hotel and other buildings.

.

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING?

     Given the strategic location of the building the railroad would not have endeavored to construct such a structure without some significant purpose. They spent considerable time and effort recycling the original stonework and shaping it into a large building. There were a defined purpose and importance in the design. 

    According to Plaque #2, the building was used as a warehouse for the Fred Harvey restaurant. As a warehouse structure, it was centrally located to be supplied from the roads and the railroad, which was a short distance away.  The plaque asserts that a spur connected to the building; however, evidence as yet does not confirm this point. It is well known that railroads would often place a temporary spur to a site. It is possible a temporary spur existed; additional evidence may someday be forthcoming. The area around the entryways have been disturbed by decades of use, and as such may never reveal their secrets. 

    When embarking on a large-scale construction project such as the Escalante, additional structures must be available for the use of the workers, craftsmen, and engineers. This would have provided a safe and secure area, where: building plans can be studied and modified; people of various crafts produce their works of art; and that supplies can be stored without the occasional "appropriation" of materials by persons unknown. They needed a clean and secure workplace. 

    The construction of this building would fulfill this need. It had ample lighting from all of the large windows, was within a reasonable distance from the construction site, and projects could be left for the next day without being disturbed. 

    Once the hotel was completed, the building could be used for storage of dry goods, furniture or additional supplies that would be needed by the Escalante. 

1922 (1926-27:) THE SITE WAS PURCHASED BY COUNTY ROAD MAINTENANCE, BECOMING ASH FORK MAINTENANCE CAMP #1 

    There is a discrepancy between the two plaques as to when the building was purchased. One states circa 1926-27, the other 1922. For the sake of simplicity and harmony, the earlier date will be used. 

Image is on display at the Museum. The original was taken circa 1940s. This shows the addition on the southeast corner of the structure. Note also that the two vents near the windows have not been installed. You can also see the sign and double doors located on the south side of the structure.

        

The concrete pad located on the southeast corner of the building. The slab is sloped, allowing water to run to the center drain (second image.)  This addition in all probability dates to 1922 and thereafter, when the County Road Department purchased the building. This was probably a washroom or a locker area for the workers, or possibly other uses. The original stone wall shows a large hole for a pipe, large enough for a waste line or waterpipe.  

    (Note also the concrete capstone on the walls; this was poured at the same time as the large doors. Was the capstone done in 1905, or added in 1922?  Are the large doors original to the building, or a hybrid from both time periods? Another study, for another time.)

    

     As per the plaque #2, additions were made over the years, mostly simple structures to fit a particular need. These included a blacksmith shop, sleeping quarters, garages, etc. There was a large shed constructed on the northside of the building and appears not connected to the structure.

 The need for this addition, and the others mentioned in the plaque, raises a question: if the building in its entirety was constructed by the road department and was purpose built to meet their needs, then why the additions? 

     As has been shown form Part One, the interior floor had been modified for the installation of a manual jack system. It also appears that at one time there a concrete "float" was done on the floor, covering the footings of the steel structure. It is possible this was done to provide a smooth surface over a pre-existing foundation.

The interior steel structure is very robust, as if built to handle large loads that need to be moved about the central bay area. This would be in line with the needs of a road department, that used large vehicles and needed to move parts about the area. This is one indicator that the framework was designed to be installed within the original walls.    

    As part of the author's theory that the steel structure and roof were added to the original walls, more research needs to be conducted on the steel components. There are some differences in the window designs, and the steel frame does not appear to be imbedded in the original walls. Dating the timeframe when the steel was made would be a step forward. The large chain and hook mechanism possibly hides a stamped date, which requires some daring skills to reach the object in question. 

    

It is the author's conclusion that the stone walls were built at the time as the ESCALANTE, possibly predating the hotel by one to two years. It is also proposed that the steel structure was built at a later date.

It is the author's assertion that the building, in its' present form, was the amalgam of two distinct construction timeframes: circa 1905-1907, when the original station stonework was used to build the walls; circa 1922 or 1926-1927 when the structure was modified with the robust steel construction by the new occupants.   

SAGINAW SOUTHERN: RECENT END-OF-THE-LINE FIELD RESEARCH; APRIL 2026 PART I

SAGINAW SOUTHERN: RECENT END-OF-THE-LINE FIELD RESEARCH, April 2026 PART I

I have traveled and hiked over a number of old grades, and forest roads that were once part of the Saginaw empire. Sometimes the only way to identify them are from old maps or features common to a railroad grade. Most of these grades have little or no artifacts, as these have disappeared over the past 120 years. 

After the railroad had abandoned the old grades, the Forest Service was more than happy to appropriate them for forest access. Often it was a simple matter of removing the bits and leftover pieces and tagging the new road with a number. This process included the main branch lines and spurs that threaded through the forest. 

The Davenport Tank area is no exception to the aforementioned principle. There is no doubt that the Saginaw Southern reached this location; it is a question as to where they went, and at what point did they end the line. This area is not exempt from the lack of physical evidence

I still had a desire to find the final end of the Saginaw Southern. Time had erased the usual indicators of the line, such as a defined roadbed or artifacts. In order to understand where it may have progressed, I had to rely more on the subjective, such as the location of Forest Service Roads and the assumption that at least some if not all were used by the railroad. 

I was able to explore FR354 Bear Springs Road, that leads to the Davenport Tank area, and FR57A, that diverges to the south (see map.) This appeared to be a plausible answer as to where the roadbed once existed. FR57A takes you to Bear Springs Tank and continues on in an easterly direction.

I must mention a word of caution: The forest roads in this area are extremely rough, and fraught with hazards. A 4x4 is a must and carry additional supplies in case you get stuck. I did not drive the entire way, having to walk down to the creek bed. Discretion was the better part of survival. Use your good sense; if you have to walk down a hill, you must come back the same way.

 From the intersection, I followed the road to the south, taking great care. It is extremely rough, however a high clearance 4x4 would have an easier time traveling this route. I drove as far as where the road begins to descend to the tank area. From that point, I hiked down the road (bring a backpack and extra water.) The descent was not that difficult, but the road does turn several times and there are several steep spots. 

A great deal of time and effort was put into building this road. Although steep, it could have been traversed by geared locomotives. For an old man, the descent was acceptable, and the return trip was challenging, but I made it. If I made it, so could a steam engine, shoving loaded log cars up the grade. 

The Forest Service invested time and effort into this area, as there were remnants of signposts and possibly camping areas. 

At one point, I stopped to check my location on the cellphone. I heard a distinct "Huumph!" to my right. Thankfully, it was just a cow making its self-known to me. It was one of several of the bovine species in the area. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings; I could have easily ended up as seal meat to a polar bear. Lesson learned; be aware of the forest denizens.

Location of FR354, and the intersection with FR57A.

FR57A to Bear Springs Tank

FR57A continues on, where it intersects with a spider web of forest roads.

  

The area is dotted with old stumps and left over logs, similar to the early methods used by the Saginaw. There are also stumps similar to harvesting at more contemporary times, using chainsaws. It is not unusual to see multiple harvests spanning several decades, in one area. 

Overland Road Trail

This Trail is marked by rock cairns, which follow the road for some distance. Trail parts from the road where the road begins to descend to Bear Springs Tank. 

  

Remains of a fence and gate, made of local material. This was possibly a very old stock pen. Ranching was a major industry in the area, with thousands of sheep or cattle being moved to and the high country.

The road descends to this open area, which is just above the creek.

     

  

The creek bed, and what appears on the map as the tank. The road crosses the stream, and continues to the east, as shown on the maps. 

The road, having reached the area of the tank, continues onward to the southeast. I decided to return to the car and left exploring the road for another day. The hike back was challenging, but an experienced hiker should be able to do so, taking care to rehydrate and take frequent stops. 

My impression was that this road could possibly be part of the Saginaw Southern. It is plausible that the Forest Service took over the old roadbed and made the area accessible to hunters and the like.

 

*******

    Later on, after returning to the comforts and modern conveniences of my home, I decided to do some exploring using my maps. This was a rewarding experience, as I began to look at the region in entirety, instead of being focused on one feature. I began to notice patterns 

May Tank is highlighted with the blue arrow. This is the area identified as the farthest reach of the Saginaw Southern.

    This region that spans from the south to the east of Bear Springs Tank, is dotted with numerous other tanks, such as Wild Horse and Last Tank, to name a few. All of them are interwoven with numbered forest roads, with others less important and rarely traveled. All of these features form a net that covers the area. 

   Having taken the time to ponder the map, I wondered if my original idea that there was a defined ending point to the Saginaw, was not aligning with the physical evidence. Could it be that the end of the line was not one defined feature, but an area laced with spurs that blanketed the area? To quote from one of my previous postings:

"With all hopes of expansion having been quashed, the operation reverted to the everyday mundane task of a logging railroad. It is also possible that people (including the newspapers) continued to refer to the old line by its former name, long after the legal identity had ended. The length of the line fluctuated, until in 1904 when the line was first reported abandoned (Glover; Stein, 31.) The rail bed reached no further south than section 29-T20N, R2E. This would be in the area of Deadman Wash and May Tank. (Stein 31.)" 

     Once the quest for a connection with Jerome was abandoned as a fruitless folly, they turned their attention to taming the newfound forests in this region. The farthest point south was exploited by web of grades, seeking to harvest the quality timber in the area. Once, this was accomplished, the grades were abandoned, and eventually the Forest Service exploited them for roads. The tanks that once filled thirsty steam engines were now expanded, allowing for the vast herds of sheep and cattle to migrate in greater abundance to the high country. 

*****

One further thought to ponder; why was the Saginaw Southern as a class I railroad created?

Over the years, I leaned towards the belief that the line was created to get to Jerome and exploit the line as a new north-south line. Certainly, the Saginaw would benefit from a direct connection to the mines in Jerome, and Jerome would have access to regional timbers for their underground diggings.

Having been involved in researching the railroad and the lumber companies, I am contemplating a new theory: the Saginaw Southern's main purpose was to exploit the vast timber reserves as quickly as possible. Opposition for a lumber railroad being built south of Williams was evident, with one particular homesteader refusing to sell. 

With the creation of the Saginaw Southern as a legal entity came a number of benefits, such as the ability to exercise imminent domain. With that authority, they could claim private land, and petition Congress to cross federally controlled landholdings. In order to create the railroad, there must be a beginning and an end point- thus Jerome. Old maps do confirm that this was a valid proposal, although the true purpose was vailed in secrecy.

 This theory has credibility, in that the helter-skelter, poorly surveyed route would later be criticized as the most inconceivable one could imagine. Added to that, is the purported end of the line just happened to terminate at the edge of the pine forests ("coincidences happen with great forethought and planning;" the author.)

The owners must have feigned frustration once it became obvious that they would not reach Jerome, however they must have toasted each other in reaching the true objective, the vast timber holdings of prime Ponderosa Pine forests.