The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-04-01
THE NEW ROUTE.
A special from Delta which ap-
peared in the Denver Post of We'd


nesday last says:
"a force of Denver & Rio Grande rail
road surveyors is now heading for Taylor
Park, which would seem to settle the
route of the new road. Parties who are
in position to know say that the road
will be changed to standard gauge be-
tween Grand Junction and Delta and
that the new road now building will be
the main line between Grand Junction
and Denver. The new road going via
Delta, Taylor Park and Buena Vista will
shorten the line very materially for
transcontinental business
The route as proposed will
leave the present main line of the
Rio Grande at Buena Vista, cross
Cottonwood pass, come through
Taylor park and thence follow
down Taylor river to Almont, from
where it will follow up this valley
to Augusta mountain, which will
be tunneled near the base, thus
leaving fine even grade the re-
mainder of the way down the val
ley through Paonia and Hotchkiss
to Delta. The points to be urged
in favor of this route. as against
the present line from Salida via
Gunnison to Grand Junction, are
important and numerous, First,
it would remove the immense ex-
pense of operating over Marshal
pass and Cerro hill and through
Black canon. Second, the new
route is more feasible for stand
ard gauge than the old one on ac-
count of the easier grades and gen.
orally better topography of the
country. Third, the new route
would Immediately develop the
vide area of rich virgin territory
in the nortn- western section of
Gunmson county and the eastern
part of Delta county, and rs con-
sequence, create vast amount of
new traffic. Fourth, 1t is becom-
ing more apparent every day that
the interests of the d. q X. G., and
G. F. q /. Co., are conflicting and
as it is said that the former has Sc
cured control of n large tract of coal
land in the Anthracite section it is
quite reasonable to suppose that
the road would desire to open it up,
The importance of this projected
movement to Crested Butte is
Iinestimable. Its consummation
would open up and develop the
marvellous natural resources of the
contiguous territory, and the ad-
vantage which would accure to the
town from the inauguration of the
many new enterprises, which would
come rs a matter of course, would
quickly double our population and
greatly enlarge our Importance as
trade center.
The following para graph from
the Delta Independent demon
strates that there is tangible evi-
dence that the line will be con.
structed over this route:
"The new branch of the Denver and
Rio Grande from Delta through the val
ley of the North Fork and thence on tC
. Crested Butte is beginning to assume
shape. Grading began at the Delta enc
the first of the week and it is under
stood that as soon as the surveyors ge
the line ready contracts will be let al
along. The contracts already let call fol
the line to be completed from Delta to ;
point across the Gunnison river near the
state bridge by May 10, and also tha
the bridge over the river will be ready
for the ties and iron at that time. Nu
merous grading parties will be scattered
all along the line and by the time the
first section already let is completed the
other sections will be well along. With
out doubt this new line will be made
the main line across the state, being
much the shortest, and from the i'm
mense amount of traffic in coal and fruit
and other products it will gather from
the country run through. The largest
body OF coal in the state and probablyin
the West lies along the head waters OF
: the North Fork and on Anthracite and
} Coal creeks. In opening up these fields
not only Colorado but the entire West
could be supplied with the finest of both