Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-08
FEOM DENVER.
TIE RAILROAD WAR IN COLORADO
A MATTER OF PASSES.
Denver Newspapers, and How They are
Not Manag gsd-Reporters- Chap
ter on Fatural History

4 piSSShh 10 Nh-uoS' WIN "S-A pSN"SSh
the railroad companies, which are strug-
Cling to handle the trade of Denver and
the smaller towns OF Colorado The main
| fight lies between the Denver and Rio
Grande and the Denver and New Orleans.
The latter road was run to Pueblo by a
number OF Denver merchants at a cost OF
two and half millions of dollars. The
Denver and Rio Grande is stocked in
Boston, New York and Philadelphia for
some forty millions of dollars. and its man
ayers say that it will be pushed through to
Salt Lake by January lst, with a view of
some time making San Francisco connec-
tion, although it is not likely from present
indications that this latter portion of the
programme will be carried out
| The managers OF the road seem
to labor under the impression that
it owns the right of way all over the
State, and for weeks past have been en-.
desvoring to keep the rival road from get
ting its track into the Union Depot. 1t
kept the way blocked by letting dozen
freight cars stand on the track for nearly
a month, and finally as last resort ran one
OF its engines into a Denver and New Or
leans engine, smashing up things generally
and doing about Sl5, 600 worth of damage
This act of unfairness and aggression has
embittered the community against the
Denver and Rio Grande. and the patron
age goes almost entirely to the other road.
WAR OF RATES
Has broken out and the happy passenger
rides down to Pueblo, distance of 100
miles, for 81, while he blesses the beauties
of competition. Some day those who
go off on these cheap excursions
will be obliged to pay IS or $40
to get back, for the rates are lia-
| BILE at any time to go back to the old
| figures, as the roads are losing several
thousands of dollars lay and neither can
stand it long. Freight rates are being cut
in the same reckless way, and the shippers
| glorify the day they came to so favored a
locality. Each road in Colorado has its
| particular newspaper organ, whose business
it is to glorify the scenic beauties of its
own favorite route and tell what swindlers
and frauds run the rival lines.
HOW THEY TREAT THE PRESS.
A few nights ago friend of mine con-
nected with the Eastern press chanced
to meet a ticket agent at the
bar of a billiard saloon. The in.
troductory formalities were no sooner
over than he remarked to the journalist,
Better take a trip over our road. Here's
pass. Finest scenic route in Colorado.
You see the big canyons, go through all
the great mountain passes, and enjoy life. :"
He accepted the pass, and the next morn
ing was introduced to another ticket agent,
whose hand flew at once to the spot where
his pass-book lay as quickly as frontiers
man seeks his pistol. pocket when scenting
danger in the air.
"You mustn't leave Colorado until you
skip over our line.
"Just accepted an invitation to take a
run over the other road, - replied the re-
porter.
| "What That old narrow gauge line
hope you will not be seduced into taking
SO foolish step. Men die there every day
| lust from looking at the monotcnous seem
cry. On our line you will see all the
grandeurs of nature no heat, no dust, and
real ice water in the tanks. Good, square
meals all along tHe llne anu uOL DeuDuS
in the sleeping berths.
My friend finally agreed to go down one
road and up the other, at which the agent
assumed troubled look, and remarked
"All right, if it's the best you can do !;
but it's shabby treatment, all the same, ;"
and handing him pass he turned away as
he remarked, But we'll have you after
the first trip"
THE DENVER PRESS.
l don't recollect how many newspapers
Denver has. I have met about hundred
representatives of the press and been con-
tinually reminded Of some ''devilish good
fellow" who was "at the springs" or
East on pleasure trip. About half the
time OF the Denver journalist is spent in
travel and enjoyment. Hence he grows
bright and companionable and doesn't rust
with overwork. One good thing about
| journalism in Denver is the fact that go far
no attempt has been made there to intro
duce Bohemianism. Your Denver news
paper man lives by paying as he goes,
dresses like gentleman, and is not chad
owed by his landlady. Among the men,
bers of the press is more than the average
per cent. OF good writers, yet out OF all this
excellent material there is not to be
found one first class managing editor.
The papers in size, makeup and general
appearance would indicate town of I00,-
900 inhabitants. They are vigorously
edited, and run with an enterprise born of
rivalry and competition. Two are pub
lished every morning in the week, and are
eight page sheets. A critical analysis OF
their contents, however, reveals the want
in almost every department of some all
controlling, commanding hand to which
all supernumeraries and assistants snail
| bend. Each man runs his own special
column to suit himself, and the
| result Of TOO many head cooks is continu-
ally apparent. The editorial indorses lead
ing politician in the strongest terms, and
in the same issue some reporter has taken
| it upon himself to point out the same man
as trickster, ass and political montebank.
Puffs OF theatrical people are mixed up
with editorisls, and some of the grayest
questions OF the day are freely discussed
by the reporters in the columns which are
presumably devoted to the current news of
the city. Again, the attempt is constantly
made to impress the pablo with fictitious
importance OF small events by loading
them down with display heads. The most
ordinary incidents are treated (typograph-
icallyl as Eastern newspapers might handle
railroad collision on the Erie or the exc.
cution of Guiteau. This is in keeping with
the general tendency of the citizens to put
so much money in cut-stone fronts and
make big displays of the fountains and
ststuary terra cotts) in his front yard.
All-in-all the Denver newspapers are ex.
ceedingly bright and readable, and in their
vagaries only reflect their every day sur.
roundings-just as newspapers do every
where.
A COLORADO INVENTOR.
Cooped up in the hills, near the Sangre de
Christie range in Custer county, 1 STUN
hled IN a Cnlnradn cr-insitu He Wa. an