The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-26
The Southwestern Plan.

., The southern ea extension ;7 of the road is
Moffatt line is being built from Denver
to- Salt Lake, but the western division
will not be completed possibly for many
years. The connection at Glenwood
Springs with the Rio Grande will give
a better connection, SO far as the Mil
waukee is concerned, than would di-
rect western line to Salt Lake. The
Lake, missing Salt Lake City by many
miles, connecting Thistle Junction with
the Marysville line Of the Rio Grandc
Western, which is to be called the Rio
Grande, divisoin of Western Pacific
and will be sold by Mr.. Gould to the
Western Pacific, in much the same way
that the Calientes3 division of the Ore
gon Short Line was sold to Senator
Clark. In return, Mr.. Gould will take
3 la;fge share in the cost of Western
nominally, and will be used alike by the
Goulds and the Rockefeller roads, the
Milwaukee, Missouri Pacific, Colorado &
Southern and, possibly by arrangement,
Rock Island. They have been built
with money supplied by interests which
W wanted no fGnse t4 The The PnSi aHs
comes to the new roads the better the
comes from Missouri Pacific, Rock ISL
and, Milwaukee or North Western.
When Mr.. Moffatt states that his road
is n to BE-, entirely Ii independent he prob
not !, however, mean that he will not get
traffic under special contract from
other lines. He knows perfectly well
what lines will give it to him, and he
has known it many months, in fact Since
before the project was actually begun.
The genera! contour and route of the
Western Pacific and the Denver &
The line from Denver via these two
lines, south of Salt Lake, thru Beckwith
Pass or another pass now being sur
veyed, will shorten the route from Den
yer to the harbor Of San Francisco by
cut out the Leadville grades and clint
| nate the expensive railroading Of Cen
trail Pacific. The route will be so much
cheaper to operate, that is, the present
route via Salt Lake City, that the trans
continental rate situation will be en-
tirely in the hands Of the lines that will
use the Moffatt and the Western Pacific
lines. This is the reason why Mr.. Har-
riman bought half share in the San
Pedro route. ~.
Financing the Project.
! The actual cost Of these tremendous
projects cannot be definitely stated. It
| has been closely estimated. The main
line northwest will consist of practically
1900 miles Of 80-pound railroad. It will
Gus extent. Equipped, it will certainly
cost htec ompany net, over $4,000 a
mile. The branch lines Of the far north
west will be cheaper and will follow
easier rights of way. They will con-
mites zft IF n a Th Ell e Eask e soe Of 49o
northern division. may therefore be r -
roughly at the following figures:
800 miles at $4,000. SCI 500, 900
Total $500 miles. .............. $92. SOC, 900
The estimated cost of the Denver &
| Northwestern and Western Pacific has
| be included in the cost of st. Paul s
western construction, because they will
not be actually owned, and St. Paul
is not supplying all the money for either
one Of them.
Of the GS6 49, 600, above
outset, by the sale Of Milwaukee COM
mon stock at about $50. The stock has
been put up for that purpose. With
this cash in hand, the undertaking will
/ take definite form and the work will be
use up this amount Of cash, and the
future financing can wait upon develop.
ments. There are plenty of firms and
banks willing at any time to underwrite
notes. No such difficulties will beset
this road IN building les western extern
sion as beset the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific, or even Atchison and
the Huntington roads. The roads will
undoubtedly be built within three