The Colorado statesman., 1905-07-22
GORE CANON PROTEST
APPEAL MADE TO PRESIDENT
Denver Chamber of Commerce Asks
That Right of Way Be Given
to Moffat Road.

Denver, July 20.-A copy Of the fol-
lowing resolutions adopted by the di-
rectors of the Denver Chamber of
Commerce and Board of Trade has
been forwarded to President Roose-
velt. The resolutions. are remon-
STRANGE against the action of the gov
eminent Reclamation Service in clos
ing Gore canon in Middle Park to the
Moffat road:
THE Denver Chamber of Commerce
was the first commercial organization
in this country to urge the federal
government to aid in the reclamation
OF arid lands. We rejoiced when the
law establishing the bureau was en-
acted and We have watched its practi-
cal working with great satisfaction.
1t Is destined to add immensely to the
wealth and population of the state, and
1t is with much regret that we feel
compelled to offer any criticism Of
its proposed work.
Denver has always suffered COM
mercially from the fact that it was not
located Non a trans-continental line of
railway. The principal traffic between
the East and the West passes through
our disadvantage. In order to remedy
this condition, d. H. Moffat, one of
or most public-spirited citizens, con-
ceived the idea of building railroad
directly west from Denver to Salt Lake
City. This road would not only place
us on through line, but would shorten
the distance between the two above
named cities by nearly 200 miles. 1t
would also open up the vast resources
of northwestern Colorado and its great
coal fields, as well as the gilsonite and
elaterite beds of Utah. Routt county
is as great in coal resources as Penn
sylvania. This railroad will open up
these resources. Its construction
means many millions increased val
ues through all that vast region Of un-
told wealth. About 100 miles of the
line has already been constructed, and
is now in operation. We are Informed
that the engineers employed by the
road report that the Gore Canon route
through the Gore range is the only
feasible, economical and good line of
railway that can be found for a road
passing from Middle park west. We
are also informed that the engineers
of the reclamation service bave Sc
lected this canon as the site of a pro-
posed dam to impound the waters of
the Grand river. We are informed that
these two projects are absolutely in
compatible, and that if the government
insists upon building the dam, the con-
struction of the road will be greatly
delayed, If indeed not entirely aban-
doned. We are also informed and be-
lieve that no storage of water Is neces-
sary at this Kremmling reservoir site
to irrigate lands in Colorado, but that
ttscre are other reservoir sites much
nearer the point where it is proposed
to use this storage water in Arizona
and southern California, than is the
Kremmling site. The proposed reser-
voir means no advantages btc much
detriment to Colorado, because of its
standing in the way of this railroad
construction. The reservoir also does
not necessarily mean any advantage to
other states that cannot be obtained
fully as well by reservoirs constructed
elsewhere.
Now, therefore, be 1t resolved,
that the Denver Chamber of Commerce
and Board OF Trade earnestly protests
against any obstable being thrown in
the way of the Denver, Northwestern
G Pacific railway by the reclamation
department, and asks with all the
earnestness possible that speedy ter
mination of this controversy in favor
of the railroad be made.
Resolved further, chat copy of
these resolutions be forwarded to the
President of the United States, and to
the secretary of the interior"