Idaho Springs siftings., 1905-05-27
DENOUhCE RESERVOIR
NEED CANON FOR moFFAT ROAD
Want the Railroad and Do Not
Want Gore Canon Reservoir.

Denver. May Pa dispatch from
Hot Sulphur Springs says: A mass
meeting was called Saturday night b.
Mayor Adams to get an expression
from the people of Hot Sulphur
Springs on the subject of Gore canon.
and the town hall was filled. An ami
mated but entirely harmonious meet
ing was held.
Mayor Adams was elected chairman
and F. /. Huntington, secretary. After
several speeches the sentiments of the
meeting were ordered put into the
form of resolutions and committee
consisting Of Frank n Briggs, W. p.
Farris. David P. Howard. Fountain Nc
Auley and ]. E. Brown was appointed
TO draw up the resolutions. which are
as follows.
Whereas, II Is of the utmost Inn
portance to the entire state of Colorado
that the Denver, Northwestern & Pa
cific railroad. known as the Moffat
road. shall be built In the quickest pos
sible time. from Denver to Salt Lake
/ City. opening up. en- route. Grand and
Routt counties, with their vast wealth
of coal. precious metals. timber. agri-
cultural lands and live stock interests;
and
Whereas, certain selfish, designing
and unscrupulous persons are trying
| to prevent said railroad from being
/ finished by depriving it of the Gore
canon route. the only feasible route it
can take. as has been determined by
competent and experienced surveyors.
after having examined all other routes;
and,
Whereas. 1t is the purpose of those
opposed to the Moffat road 10 construct
an immense dam across Gore canon,
making reservoir for the storage OF
water in the western portion of Grand
county. such waters TO be used for ir-
] figation purposes In Arizona and Cali
+ fornia aud not in Colorado be IL
Resolved, by this mass meeting Of
| the citizens OF Hot Sulphur Springs
and vicinity. that we are uualterably
opposed TO the construction of said
l dam and reservoir because;
First, 1t would suhmerge more than
1.200 acres of the most productive
meadows and stock farms in Grand
county. every acre of which Is patented
and owned by private individuals. the
| town of Kremmling, number OF
county bridges and miles OF county
/ roads. absolutely destroying the possi-
/ hIlify of passing through Grand county
I To Aht 6tHt@dlu lbA tAAAt ~ 1thtt-
"Second-lt Is impraeticabie and un-
/ rocessary. there being other and better
| storage reservoir sites. unclaimed and
| uneultivated. along the i.4o0 miles II
/ ditch proposed TO be made. and nearer
the lands to be redeemed.
"Third-Under the valuations placed
on the lands TO be taken, by options to
/ he New Century Light and Power
| Company, over 81 .00o 900 worth Of act
ual property would be destroyed by
this reservoir.
.Fourth-of the 1885 acres OF
| land within the proposed lines of this
! reservoir, less than $500 acres are
| government land. and practically
worthless. while over 1900 acres are
/ patented and under cultivation.
Fffth-Ten thousand head of cattle
are now sustained by and upon this
land and these would b. eliminated
after the land shall be submerged.
"Sixth-The construction of The pro
posed dam and reservoir would mean
bankruptcy TO Grand county. and the
dissolution of the commonwealth. as
II would destroy half the taxable prop
erty OF The county and put watery
waste In place OF II.
"Seyenth-we believe the real In,
stiEdtiDH Vi tHG oOit ftHsif1At
to be certain railroad and coal land In
terests opposing the Moffat road.
These interests are aware that only
the Gore canon stands between the
Moffat road and the immense coal de
posits OF Routt county. Once this new
railroad shall tap these coal fields,
millions of tons of anthracite. bitumi-
nous and Ignite Goals will be avail.
able to Denver and the markets Of the
world. II IL shall be possible to crush
out this competition by closing Gore
canon to the Moffat road 1t will profit
the owners of other coal lands and rail
roads many millions of dollars and de
priye the people Of the state of the
great benefits that would accrue 10
them by the opening up Of this vast
wealth OF coal.
| For these reasons and others too
numerous to mention here we extend
to Mr.. d. H. Mofat and his associates
our earnest sympathy in this fight and
hope to see him win. and assure him
that not more than dozen people in
Grand county see the matter in diff
ferent light, and those twelve are
blinded by having been hoodwinked
| into the folly of believing that the gov.
ernment will pay the exorbitant prices
placed on their land in the fake options
to the New Century Light & Power
| Company"
The resolutions were unanimously
| adopted.