Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-21
WISDOM FOR COLORADO.
President Charles Francis Adams, Jr.
on Railroads, Mines, and Business in
General

From the DeRosr Tribune.
Yesterday a special train arrived in
Denver over the Kansas branch Of the
Union Pacific railway having on board
Charles Francis Adams, Jr., President of
the company; S. r. Galloway, General
Manager; 5. T. Smith, General SUperin-
tendent, and number Of other officials.
Last evening our reporter called upon
Mr.. Adams.
The object Of my visit" said Mr..
Adams, sis to inspect the property OF the
Union Pacific railway, and, If possible,
hit upon some plan whereby it may be
placed on a better paying basis. AS it is
now, our company is losing money by
operating its lines in Colorado, and we
would be very much better off il the Col
oradO lines could be cut Off-swallowed
by an earthquake or otherwise lost. Ia
fact, l doubt very much II the entire rail-
way system of Colorado is paying oper-
ating expenses. much less making money
for the owners"
TO what do you attribute this great
falling off In businessy Is 1t the fault of
the state or the general depression now
prevailing all over the entire country p
''lo both Tie low market price of lead
and other metals has compelled us to haul
the ores at losing figure in order to al
low the mine owners TO operate their
mines at all. The principal reason for the
depression in Colorado believe to be the
very rapid growth OF the State. During
the boom of 1S79-S2 everything was
prosperous, but, as there was no founda-
tiOn for it to rest upon, it had to fall as
/ natural consequence, and the extent Of
the fall can be estimated by the decrease
in our Colorado business. In 1882 the
business of the Union Pacific railway in
Colorado amounted to $4,000 and
last year it amounted to $l,100, coo, de-
crease of about 60 per cent. While some
of this is due to the natural depression
all over the country, the greater part
is due to causes confined strictly to this
State.
"What / consider to be the paramount
cause Tor the present stagnatiOn Of BUSH
ness in Colorado ia the manner in which
the best resources of the State are neg
lected in the insane search for gold and
silver. The Resources | refer to are iron,
anthracite coal, cOking-cOal, and paving
stone. II the people would turn their at
tention to these industries and let gold
and silver go to the devil they would be
better of. 1t shall be the policy Of the
Union Pacific road to foster and build up
these Industries, and wherever there is a
good bed of anthracite coal or a good
quarry of paving-stOne there branch
will be built.
cat the present time the towns and
cities on and adjacent to the Missouri river
get their paving-stOne from Central New
York, while Colorado possesses as good,
if not better, stone in untold quantities. IL
is on these things, and net the gold and
silver resources, that base my hopes for
! the future. Colorado has the resources
which, when developed, will make her
a great State"
"But there are other industries" sug-
gested the reporter, ''besides gold and sill
| yer. The agricultural and stock indus
! tries a:e not by any means in their in
| fancy" .....
THAT is very true. l do no desire
to be understood as saying that
! Colorado mas no future. AS /
said before. she has a grand future.
/ California struggled along for years on
| the precious metal excitement, but 1t was
not until after the inhabitants took to
raising wheat and fruit that the State
/ ever amounted IL much. Nevada, the
most abandoned State in the Union, began
with the COmstock and glorious visions.
/ Now the few people who are remaining
| are talking about raising cattle in the val
| legs. In short, Il State or Territory with
out any resources except the precious
metals will never amount to much.'
A s the reporter was about to leave Mr..
! Adams said:
"NOw look here, young man, be sure
you write what l have said to YOU in an
| Ineligible manner, and don't make il
nonsensicHl. | have a large number OF
men in my employ, and il you don't do as
/ i tell YOU | will detail some of them u
| shoot you full OF holes"