Gilpin observer., 1902-05-01
MOfFAT'S NEW LINE
BACKED BY THE ROCK ISLAND.
Money Has Been Subscribed to Build
1.-two and one-Half Years Al
lowed for Its compIetion-WiIi
Reach the North and Middle Parks
Year Sooner,

lowed for Its completion-WiIl
Reach the North and Middle Parks
Year Sooner.
Denver, April 29.-The Republican
| this morning says:
Officials of the Denver, Northwestern
& Pacific Railroad Company yesterday
| officially announced the route in detail
and made other statements which con-
| firmed the assertion of Chairman Gable
| of the Rock Island, published in the
| Republican last Sunday, that the
money with which the MOffat short
| line between Denver and Salt Lake
| City will be built has been subscribed
Statements We're positively made by
| officials of the company that while the
| Rock Island will not build the new line
| it's stock will be largely absorbed by
| capitalists Interested in the Rock Isl
| and and also to some extent by own
| ers of the Burlington railroad. Enough
| information was given to indicate be-
| yond reasonable doubt that when the
| road is finished it will serve as the out
| let from Denver for both the Rock Isl
and and the Burlington lines, and will
| also make close connections with the
, Clark line from Los Angeles to Salt
| Lake City.
| These reports have been in circula-
| ton for two months. but were not YER
| flied until yesterday. In connection
| with the assurance of backing by two
| such prominent transcontinental lines
as the Burlington and the Rock Island
the Moffat company's definite an
nouncement of the route selected
a.. 81 do to i'm
| portant to Colorado and to eastern
! Utah as well, where information in re-
| gard to the exact route has been eager
| ly sought for two months.
From Denver the line will go west
| by as straight route as possible. 1t Is
already built as far as Arvada. The
| coal fields of Coal Creek will be the
next objective point and grading to this
point is already in progress. The next
| point ON the line will be Copperdale
| station. Thence the line will run
through the northern part of Gilpin
county by way of the Rollinsville pass
A branch will be built from Rollins
vile to Central City. The line will
pass out of Gilpin county through a
tunnel two miles north of James peak
| This tunnel will be 1000 feet, or
! trifie more than two miles long, and
1 at an altitude of 5000 feet. 1t is esti-
| mated that two and one-half years
| will be required to complete the tunnel.
| therefore arrangements have been
| made to build n switchback as a tenn
| porary line over the peak. to be used
until the tunnel is finished. In Grand
county the line will pass through Hot
| Sulphur Springs, thence will proceed
over the Gore range and down the
J Bear river valley to Steamboat Springs
| in, ntx- Wi rn
, distance of 100 miles west of Steam
boat Springs. in the expectation that
its rich pastoral. agricultural and coal
resources may afford n profitable local
traffic. Thence the line will run
through Uintah and Wasatch counties.
Utah, crossing extensive beds of gill
sonite and the most extensive deposits
of hydro -carbons in the world, and
! through rich agricultural sections.
A branch line may be constructed
from n point on the main line south to
Meeker. although this has not been
definitely decided. The expectation of
the promoters is that the Union Pacific
will build from its main line south to
f, Meeker in the near future. and that
| possibly the Rio Grande will build
| north to Meeker to secure n share of
the traffic from that already quite web
developed section, hence it is probable
| that the Denver. Northwestern & Pa
cific will protect itself by building
| branch to Meeker.
The estimated running time of the
Moffat road is to be forty miles an
hour, so that it's trains may cover the
distance between Salt Lake City and
| Denver in twelve and one-half hours.
The road will be 40 miles shorter than
the Union Pacific between these two
cities, 164 miles shorter than the Mid
land. and 202 miles shorter than the
| Rio Grande. The total length of the
line will be 505 miles.
The maximum grade is to be two and
two-tenths per cent. or 116 feet to the
mile. and this only, the comparatively
short ascent to the tunnel on the con-
tinental divide. The maximum curva-
ture will be ten degrees, and this only
In few places, while most of the
curves will be of five degrees.
Construction work now in progress
from Arvada to the Coal Creek fields
will continue, but it will be two
months before work on the rest of the
line can be got under way. 1t is ex-
| pected that by next August the con-
| struction will be proceeding as vigor-
] ously as ample funds and modern skill
| and railway construction devices can
| push 1t from Coal Creek westward.
| Two crews of men will bore the tun-
mel, working from opposite sides Of tho
divide. The maximum time estimated
F, for completing the road is two and one
half years. 1t Is expected that the east
ern end will be in operation much
sooner. and that within year and
half Denver will be in direct commun-
icaiton with North and Middle park
| sections.
| 1t is estimated that It will cost S21.-
| 100000 to construct the road. Presi-
dent Leeds, of the Rock Island Is ex-
| pected to be In Denver this week.