Gilpin observer., 1902-07-24
HOLDING THE CANON
MoFEAr RoAp MAKES SEIZURE.
Denver, Northwestern & Pacific VIII
Try to Gust Denver, Utah & Pa
cific In South Boulder Canon.

Denver, July 22.-Ihe RepuDllc0n
this morning says:
Twenty-Five men have taken posses
sion of the right of way and grade Of
the Denver, Utah & Pacific railway, In
a narrow canon one mile east of Rol-
linsville in Boulder county. and are
holding 1t for the Denver Northwest
ern & Pacific railway. Two new par
ties of surveyors left Denver last
night for Rollinsville, and work will
be rushed in the vicinity of the canon
and at the tunnel. The twenty-five
men will remain on the ground until
relieved by the forces working toward
them from Denver. Their instructions
are to hold the canon.
The territory that has been occupied
is very valuable. as ii is necessary to
the Moffat line as it is the best for a
short line to Salt Lake City, and was
held by the Denver. Utah & Pacific
previously for years. The company is
still in existence, although the rights
of way, franchises. grades, property
and the portion of the line in operation
that from Denver to Longmont and
Lyons-is in the possession of the Bur-
lington railroad.
John G. Thompson, formerly of Den
yer, who has been prospecting in the
region of Rollinsville, came to the city
yesterday in tine interest of company
he is organizing to take over some
mining claims near Rollinsville. and
brought the intelligence that Italian
guards had taken possession of the
canon and permitted no one to enter
who could not satisfy 1.-The boss" that
he was going through. and was not
there in any other than a private
capacity.
The canon, according to Mr.. Thomp-
son, is very narrow; it is half a mile
in length and with steep. almost sheer
walls. 1t is the upper end of South
Boulder creek canon, proper. and as
the Moffat road heads westward
through the canon, it is essential that
the old grade be used. Should the
canon be held by another and antago-
nistic corporation. any new railroad
must spend millions in constructing
a road along the sides. above the can
on bed, or must seek another route.
On the theory that possession is nine
points of the law the engineering
force of the Moffat road quietly ship
ped out q force of tweuty-fve Italians
to hold the canon.
While the men are holding posses
sion of the ground they will be en-
gagged in grading and doing the neces-
sary work to conform the road bed to
the requirements of the engineer. The
old grade was built fifteen years ago,
and, hastily constructed, follows
South Boulder creek. in some places
reaching a grade as high as four and
one-half per cent. The entire grade
to the west is sharp one. and ex-
tends from Denver, north of Rollins
vile.
John w. Smith of Denver and his
the Denver. Utah & Pacific, after ex-
pending hundreds of thousands on the
line through the mountains and build
ing from Denver north to Lyons. sold
the property to the Burlington system.
From time to time in the past ru-
mors have been current that the Bur-
lington would build to the Pacific coast,
using the graded portion of the Denver,
Utah & Pacific Company, and the
statement was made yesterday that no
portion of the line to the West had
been abandoned. The road to Lyons
was designed only as a branch, the
main line leaving the northern tracks
beyond Denver and heading for the
mountains, going up South Boulder
creek canon. The surveys of the Den
yer. Northwestern Il Pacific take the
road up Coal creek canon for twenty
miles, when it enters South Boulder
canon.
An officer of the new company stated
yesterday while the grade stakes of the
surveyors might hold the canon, 1t was
decided to take no chances in securing
possession. The men left Denver dur.
ing the night several weeks ago. They
were driven to Rollinsville with addi-
tional wagonloads of tents, provisions
| and the necessary tools, and, Mr..
Thompson says, are in camp ut both
| ends of the canon.
The Denver. Utah & Pacific Railway
Company was originally projected
early in the '7Os, and Gilpin and other
counties it was to traverse voted large
amounts of bonds i'm its aid. George
town, Central City. Black Hawk and
other towns and mining camps were to
be reached by It, 1t took years before
the scheme could be realized, however.
and before it was finished the Burling-
ton purchased the company. In the
meanwhile the Colorado Central had
been constructed and the original route
of the railroad WIS changed In order
to make Ii transcontinental line,
crossing the mountains by the easiest
route in northern Colorado.
The annual meeting and election OF
the Denver Utah 4 Pacific Railway
Company was held In the general
agents office in Denver three weeks
ago and the officers. the Burlington
stockholders. were all reelected.
The streets around the general offices
| OF the Denver. Northwestern K Pacific
Railway Company We're crowded yes
terday afternoon by curious spectators
who watched the loading OF bulky, but
strong ''prairie schooners." drawn BY
teams Of mules. Several ol,ftimers re-
marked on similar sights seen not far