The daily sentinel., 1904-02-02
An Electric Line.

An electric railway for freight and
passenger traffic will soon be construc-
ted, beginning at Greeley and travers-
ing the counties of Weld and Larim
er. The company has been incorpor-
ated, with capitalization of $1,000
OOO and it Is proposed TO make the
line approximately 100 miles in
length.
One of the incorporators in defining
the objects and scope of the enter
prise. said;
''rhe greatest drawback toward
agriculture in that vast section,
which is undoubtedly one of the rich
est in Colorado, is lack of transporta-
tion facilities. As things now are. a
farmer must haul his potatoes mary
miles to reach railroad and get them
on the market This obstacle has
been a severe setback to the sugar beut
industry in that section. which other
wise would have fiourished wonderful
ly.
'It is very evident that tons and
tons of heets cannot be gotten to the
factories by wagon, and thus many
districts have abandoned their culture
on just that account.
''If this new line goes through. and
there is now little doubt in my mind
| but it will, the situation will be en-
titrely different. You will see the
sugar factories at Windsor. Eaton and
aud 1 should not be surprised to see at
least one more factory built.
'As | understand it, the proposed
line, which is known among the farm
ers as the Spear road. will build lit
tie branch spurs out among the farm
ing districts from the main tracks.
This will cover the country with a
network of electric lines and the farm
ers, to get their products loaded will
be obliged in many cases to haul them
only to the edge of thir fields. =
The farmers of Weld and Larimer
counties have come to realization
that success in their vocation means
better transportation facilities and
they are not sleeping over their oppor-
tunities. What is true there is alike
true here. The people abont Grand
Junction will never half realize the
countryIs. possibilities until like other
sections of the state. they are provid-
ed with system of urban and inter-
urban freight and passenger transit.
The Sentinel believes that no sim
gle enterprise would add so speedily
and vitality to the permanent growth
and prosperity of city ard country as
an electric line such as described
above. 1t would make certain the suc-
cess of the sugar factory, for the rails
ers could get their beets to the mark
ct without the long wagon hauls. 1t
would provide quick and easy ccnnec-
tion With the city for the farmers,
which manifold advantage is manifest.
and would mean greatly increased bus
iness for the merchants.
The day is not distant. we believe.
when such road will become nee :
essity. il our community is to keep
anywhere within hailing distance of
the line of progress. The Sentinel
believes it better not to wait on the
|
slow processes of evolution, at all
times, but to force matters occasion
ally. By that way, we might be able
to advance ourselves in the next few
years TO position we might not oc-
cupy a score of years hence by a too
conservative, halting mode of loco
motiob. -
Trinidad scarcely feels the coal
strike. though the storm center. be-
cause half-million' dollars worth OF
work is going on in the construction
of an electric line to connect with the
/. OUTLYING coal camps. It has inspired
confidence in better future. what
ever the present may be, and the bus
iness men have hardly realized the
strain from the strike. Grand juno
tion and environs offer a much better
ifield for similar, enterprise, and
Icapitatl can be readily found to take
it. up if the proper welcome is extend
cd. .
Let us take up the work for close,