The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-31
Especial to.The Herald.)

Especial toThe Herald)
Denver, July S0.-The Burlington
road is going to carry out its long
cherished plan of having an outlet to
the coast, and in order to do so is going
to extend its line across Colorado to
Utah.
The plan for extending the line was
agreed upon some months ago, after
General Passenger Agent Francis of
the company made an inspection of the
route, and now work will begin as soon
as the necessary arrangements can be
made. The extension will begin at
Lyons. the terminus of the Colorado
branch of the Burlington, and run
through Left Hand canyon, in Boulder
county to Ward, thence across the
range to Routt county, tapping the
Hahn's Peak region and across Colo
RADIO to Utah. The proposed route of
the new line lies through the most fer
tile country in the world and is in ac-
cordance with old surveys. The Bur-
lington now reaches Lyons, about 80
miles from Denver, and here ii is pro-
posed to take up the work, building the
road through the Left Hand canyon,
which is not difficult of ascent, through
the town of Ward, considerable min
ing section, and then up to the head of
the range, through Boulder pass, on the
other side of the great divide, through
Middle and Egeria parks, to the head
waters of the White river, down which
it will run in order to pass through the
city of Meeker.
PARK CITY AND SALT LAKE.
The road will follow the White river
to the Green, and then through the Ute
Indian reservation on the Titan side,
touching Park City and then to Salt
Lake, from which point connection will
be made with Ogden. Salt Lake being
the objective point for terminal and
the erection of shops.
From Meeker il is proposed to run
branch line to the Hahn'S Peak gold \
fields, just now springing into promi-
hence, and it is barely possible, though
not certain, that the main route NAV
lie through these fields. The White
river route is the favorite with the
company, however, and it will probably
be adhered 10.
AN IDEAL PASS.
Left Hand canyon, through which the
line will pass after leaving Lyons, is
an ideal pass for a railroad. 1t rises
gently from Lyons to Ward. and there
will be no steep grades to surmount.
Beyond Ward and over the range the
road is also good, and On the other
side, there will be very few engineering
difficulties to overcome.
At Salt Lake the road will connect
with the Oregon Short Line and the
Southern Pacific. thus allowing the !
Burlington to tap the entire Pacific |
coast. Passengers can be sent right |
through to the coast from Chicago and /
other eastern cities without change.
After the new branch is built. the I
Burlington will be enabled to compete /
with the Colorado lines. but the Union /
Pacific will feel it's new rival more than
any other line.
Work will be begun in a very short |
time, and the line of the new road will |
present a scene of activity that will |
remind the people of northern Colorado !
of the DAYS before the panic.
UTAH'S RICH RESOURCES.
The Burlington has figured on this
extension for a number of years. but +
in building their line west. veered off /
into wyoming and finally found an out
let to the coast via. Billings. Mont. The
route is not as rich in natural resources
as is the state of Utah, nor can it pre-
sent the valuable considerations that
would be offered in Salt Lake. where
terminal facilities would become the
best kind of an asset that would con-
stantlv enhance in value.
COAL AND IRON FIELDS.
There are other considerations. and
one is the opening of the vast coal and
iron beds of the northwestern part of
Colorado, where it is claimed there
are exhaustless deposits of anthracite
coal This would give it unlimited
quantities of steaming coal. and insure
a steady profit to the road TO be de-
rived from the new country by throw
ing the coal into competition with other
fields of the west.
THE SHORTEST ROUTE.
This new line will form the most di-
rect route across the continent, in that
Il will have the shortest route over the
into the valley of the Great
Salt Lake. and will verify the predic-
ton made when the last spike was
driven in Denver that the Burlington
officials would not be satisfied until
their rails touched tide water on the
Pacific coast.
The contract for the rails will in all
be let TO the Colorado
Fuel and Iron company of Pueblo,
which has capacity for rolling them
is rapidly as may be wanted, and the
building of the road viii serve as
stimulus to business in the entire in
country, recalling the
boom days of ten years ago.
LIVELY COMPETITION.
This new line will give lively compe-
ition to the Colorado roads. At
he present time the Burlington is
rery friendly to the Rio Grande, which,
n connection with the Rio Grande
Western, handles a. considerable traffic
rom the extreme and middle west,
hrowing it to the Burlington. when
and the Burlington likewise
hrowing its westbound freight when
possible to the Rio Grande and Rio I
srande Western.
AS will be seen, the relations of
unity will have to cease with the COM
,letion of the new line. and make of
/ a competitor. dangerous one of ;
he Colorado-Utah lines, with the adj ;
-antage of d much shorter route I
through a country of equal richness, !
nd which it is calculated to be self