The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-01
Salt Lake ON Firing Lime Of Great Railroad

Q ALT LAKE as 1904 passes into his
- tory and 1905 is ushered in is on
the direct firing line of one of the
greatest railroad battles ever fought
on the western half OF the American
continent The giants Of industry. con-
tending for every inch of ground in
their determination TO control trans
continental traffic. are running their
lines in all directions through Utah.
Eyer-shifting this stupendOus game OF
ialFOdd building, as the different
moves and cOunter-nnoveS are made. is
watched with the most intense inter
est by the whole industrial world, but
he would be a daring prophet who
would venture a prediction as to the
final outcome of the struggle. Utah is
but one square on the great national
chess board, and yet it seems clear at
this time that Salt Lake Cor the next
few years is to be one of the points OF
vital interest TO the railroad builders
of America.
L n. Hartman, George ]. Gould and
William a. Clark are the three figures
that tower above all others in the con-
sideTatlOn Of local railroad construc-
ton or this time. In the case of Har-
riman and Gould this is not due to
what the men are doing as individuals,
but to the tremendous forces they rep
resent. The prominence of Senator
Clark is entirely due to the prominent
part he is playing as an individual in
the completion Of the San Pedro.
E. II. HARTMAN at the Head.
SO far as work actually done during
the year just closed may be taken as
the test Hartman is the dominating
force III the railroad situation of Utah.
His work in crOWding through the San
Pedro; his radical changes in the Oper-
ating departments of the Oregon Short
Line. his opening of the Lucin cutoff
10 passenger traffic are accomplished
facts before which all must bow the
knee. But after all this has been ac-
oOmpliShed experts on the situation re-
aliZe that il was but the clearing Of
the decks for TIE real struggle To fol-
low.
While the advantage seems to be all
on one side as viewed from the stand
point of Salt Lake at the close of the
year, there are evidences in abundance
to indicate that Gould and the forces
back OF him are moving to GUST their
antagonists from their supremacy be-
fore the close of the year just opening.
Hartman and those associated with
him have complete control of the San
PEDRO running out 10 the coast from
salt Lake in a southwesteriy direction;
they have complete control of the
Southern Pacific running directly west
TO San Francisco from Salt Lake; they
have complete control of the Oregon
Short Line. running out from Salt Lake
To the coast in northwesterly direc-
ton.
1t Is Gould's Next Move.
This is the situation the Gould forces
have to face as the new year opens.
In the Rio Grande Western they have
u splendid line running into Salt Lake
from the east. This is the most direct
route from the most important points
in Colorado: it runs through a country
nat e
some of the finest scenery on the con-
Iinent. It has direct access to the
heart of Utah. but here il is placed at
the mercy of the Hartman systems. on
All business to the west, southwest and
northwest from Salt Lake it must yield
To the terms of its competitor. The
closing of the Ogden gateway to coal
and fruit during the year brought the
situation home 10 the Gould people
with greater force than anything else
could have done. It was one of the
moves in the game that is bringing
about the crisis in Utah.
In view of this situation it is not
surprising 10 any student og the rail
road situation, not only in Utah but
in the entire west. that q definite move
should be made toward the immediate
construction of the Western Pacific to
connect Salt Lake and San Francisco
by a line running almost directly east
and west. For many months the con-
neCtiOu Of Gould and his associates
with the Western Pacific was vehe-
mently denied; but the recent election
Of Edward T. Jeffery to the vice presi-
deuCy and MANAGEMENT OF the road,
and the elevation Of a mum Der Of known
Gould representatives to the directorate
made it no longer possible TO conceal
the operation Of the fnancieTs or the
object thew have in view This is of
course to supply an outlet to the coast
from salt Lake for the Gould interests
and supply one Of the most important
links in the great transcontinentaI sys-
tenn that has been the dream Of George
J. Gould since the death Of his illus
trious father
What the Moffat Road Means.
F,tha exact mart IN no Dlavad in this