Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-09-21
RAILROAD FINISHED TO
FARMiNGToN TODAY
Special Phone to The Herald.

|
Special Phone to The Herald.
FARMINGTON. Sept l9.-Hurrah
hoorayi The new broad gauge roaC
will be finished into the city this even
ing. If 1t doesn't rain. and we will
have the train service as It exists
now. This will give us n chance tc
go to Durango under roof when the
weather is bad and when the train
gees. Our fair Is over and while We
might have had a bigger crowd and
a better time II the Rio Grande had
given us special rate and carried
the people. we have almost forgotten
all but the pleasanter details and We
are not mad at the railroad. We will
need It in our business and give II a
square deal when we have the two big
roads.
Grading for sidetracks for the Farm
ington yards has been under progress
several days and within few days we
will have things working as good as
they did in Durango twenty years ago
only we are going to move little
faster than Durango has done
Vast quantities of lumber ant build.
ing material bought and under con.
| tract for delivery are waiting IN the
Durango country for freight service
over the new road. and when we have
this You may come down and witness
building scenes surprising those af-
ter the Wholesale burning of Durango
and adjustment of insurance In 1892
| The writer was among those visit
| ing the Pennington fair and 1t was
a trip that will recall many pleasant
| recollections, as nothing transplred to
cause single regret, except lack of
| time to visit and become better ac
quainted with the people of the town
| and those who till the soil.
In the first place. the ride was
agreeable. While no one has had
| cause to complain of the stage ser
vice it has required, as a rule. twelve
| long hours to make the trip. This in
| pleasant weather is not u hardship.
| but in cold and rainy weather II is
| anything but agreeable. And then ii
| Is n pleasure to ride in broad gauge
coaches, where two can sit comfort
| ably in a seat and converse. The
| track to Aztec is becoming well settled
and smooth-no jolts. In fact. the
track is in good condition as far as
Flora Vista, and the last five miles
is being leveled and Strengthened us
rapidly as men can do It, Up to the
present time the train has been OPP
Grated as work train, 1t being neces
| sary to handle material for construc-
ton work. To this end II generally
requires an hour or SO to do the
switching at the broad gauge yards
| four miles out of town. and frequent
stops along the line, but this will be
obviated in a few days, as track lay
ing was completed to the town limits
this morning, where the terminus Will
be located week or ten days, await
ing the filling in of gaps, bridges and
culverts inside the town limits. Supt.
Lee, in stating why the road had not
given excursion rates to the Farm
ington fair, said the company had not
| placed regular trains on the road,
that the road bed had not been ac.
cepted and the running of excursion
trains meant delay in track laying
where the cost was more every day
than would be realized out of the four
days passenger business. that the
track was not ballasted and with the
handling of freight cars with con
struction material, accidents were
more liable to occur, and this the com
pany desired to avoid II possible;
that the same arguments held good
along with other Durango citizens, its
best efforts to secure rates to both
Pennington and Aztec, there Is much
logic In the arguments advanced.
When the track is Strengthened, level
ed and tine road bed ballasted, the
Pennington line will be one of the
smoothest and best pieces OF road
| owned by the Denver G. Rio Grande
There are no steep grades or sharp
| curves and the schedule Will not be
over two hours to Pennington. This
will give people cramped for time an
| opportunity of spending half day
between trains at Aztec and return
| ing the same day to Durango, also
! two or three hours at Pennington
which will prove great convenience.
AS to train schedule. the management
has not given the matter considera-
ton The cFarmington contin'
gent would like through train from
Denver. leaving Durango after the
| arrival OF the eastern and returning
to Durango in the morning in time
to make connection for Denver at
800 It viii probably be some months
before this service Is given as mix
ed train leaving Durango in the morn
ing and returning In the evening will
handle the business.
Arriving at the end OF the track
about three miles out, passengers
during fair week were met by convey
ances In charge Of committee and
conveyed to the hotels and Other
stopping places, their baggage includ
ed, free. The objective point was
Frank Aliens hotel which was the
busiest place In the town. In return