Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-11-03
RIO GRANDE BROAD GAUGE.
Improvements Contemplated to Keep Up
With Business.

Mr.. Jeffrey announces that the stand
ard-gauge train service for Alamosa will
not be inaugurated until one week from
next Sunday. There have been snow
storms over there" said the Rio Grands
president, (which have delayed arrange
ments and l wired Superintendent Ly-
don this forenoon to postpone the ar
rangements until next Sunday week.
There is no longer any question but
the Rio Grande will extend it's broad
gauge system to Creole next year. The
matter keeps coming up until the COM
pany begins to look upon it as a n%ecessi-
Jy and the subject will be taken up at
the next meeting of the directors in
New York, to decide when the work
will be commenced.
just whether the company will also
extend the broad gauge line into New
Mexico territory from Alamosa is not
known at this time, but it has been up
on several occasions. There is a de-
mand for the road on account of the
heavy sheep and wool trade IN that Sec
ton of the country, and the line could
be built, but Mr.. Jeffrey has a reputa-
ton of keeping his expenses within the
limit, that is, he doesn't spend his
money until he gets it, and the proba-
bilities are that it may be another year
before that part of the narrow gauge
line merges into the broad gauae sys-
Jem.-Denver Times.
This extension is n of the most i'm
portant undertakings of the railroad
company for some time, and will be a
great benefit not only to themselves. but
to the country which the extension
~traverses. Long ago the Rio Grande
made the discovery that the route which
they were using v e Veta pass had
been chosen with very poor judgment.
There was altogether too much grade
to handle trains readily, and the route
was rather out of the way.
For a long time there was talk of
building a new extension and abandon
ing the old one, but not until a few
months ago was anything done Now
the new road is practically all complet-
ed, and will soon be in active operation,
The new extension has any number of
advantages over the old route, the prin-
cipal one being that the grade Is far
better. The old Veta pass line was not
ed for it's beautiful scenery and was a
great attraction for tourists, but it is
said that even in this the new route
| equals if not excels the other.
The extension is twenty-eight miles
long, running from La Veta over Veta
pass, furnishing a shorter and more de-
| sirable route to Alamosa and the Sar
Luis valley. The rails used in building
the line were 65 Founders, and there are
| 5000 ties to the mile. 1t Is standard
gauge. The roadbed Is a most magnifi-
| cent one, as good in fact as can be found
anywhere in the state. The line taps
a prolific coal mining country, and the
Rio Grande's business will be greatly
increased in that respect.
Recently a number of the directors Of
the road made a trip of inspection ovei
the extension, and all seemed very
much pleased with the way the work
had been done. 1t is estimated that the
total cost of building the line was $3.50,
900, including the cost Of material, Ia
Dor. etc, AS stated above, the first trains
| will be run over the new line on the
18th of this month.-Pueblo Chieftain.