The Holly chieftain., 1902-07-25
HOLDING THE CANON
MoEFAr ROAD MAKES SEIZURE.
Denver. Northwestern & Pacific viii
Try to Dust Denver, Utah { Pa
eifie In South Boulder Canon.

Try to Gust 0onver, Utah Z Pa
eif.e In South Boulder Canon.
Denver, July 22.-The Republican
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 Ro.
linsville in Boulder county. and are
holding 1t Tor the Denver, Northwest
ern 4 Pacific railway. Two new par
ties of surveyors left Denver last
night for Roilinsville, and work will
be rushed in the vicinity Of the canon
and at the tunnel. The twenty-five
men VIII remain OH 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 1t is necessary to
the Moffat line Al 1t is the best for
short line to Salt Lake City, and was
held by the Denver. Utnh & 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 R0llinsvilie, came to the city
yesterday In the interest Of a company
be is organising 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 '.the boss" that
he was going through. and was not
there in any other than private
capacity. ta=a
The canon, according to Mr.. Thomp-
son, is very narrow; 1t Is half mile
in length and with steep, almost sheer
walls. 1t rs the upper end of South
Boulder creek canon, proper. and as
the Moffat road heads westward
through the canon. It Ia 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 force of twenty-five Italians
to hold the canon.
While the men are holding possess
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 grade as high as four and
one-half per cent. The entire grade
to the west Is n sharp one, and ex-
tends from Denver, north Of Rollins
vile.
John w. Smith OF Denver and his
associates who were the projectors of
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 const,
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 branch, the
main line leaving the porthern tracks
beyond Denver and heading for the
mountains. going up South Boulder
creek canon. The surveys Of the Dem
yer. Northwestern & Pacific take the
road up Coal creek canon for twenty
miles, when 1t enters South Boulder
canon.
An of1cer 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
I 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 at both
ends Of the canon.
The Denver, Utah & Pacific Railway
Company was originally projected
early in the '7Os. md GiIpin and other
counties It was to traverse voted large
amounts of bonds In Its aid. George
town, Central City. Black Hawk and
other towns and mining camps were to
be reached by 1t. 1t took years before
the scheme could be realized, however,
and before 1t was finished the Burling-
ton purchased the company. In the
meanwhile the Colorado Central had
been constructed and the original route
Of the railroad was changed In order
to make It q transcontinental line,
crossing the mountains by the easiest
route In northern Colorado.
The annual meeting and election OF
tho Dpnvpr TJtah r. PaciNr Raf1uav