Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-16
RIO GRANDE WESTERNS
PASSENGER RECORD.
: N the year 1905 the Rio Grande West

ern has handled in and out OF salt
Lake S26,2S6 passengers. This num-
Der does not include through passen-
gers delivered 10 or received from the
Oregon Short Line, Union Pacific,
Southern Pacific or the salt Lake
Route.
The number OF passengers handled
by the Rio Grande Western during the
current year IN Utah all told, foots
up to the astauishingly handsome to-
tai of $4,000 souls
These figures, supplied through the
courtesy OF General Passenger Agent
$. X. Hooper from his records Of week
~ reports from all agents give some
Idea OF what the Gould road has done
for Utah during the past year ana
furnish hint OF what is TO be when
the Western Pacific II completed.
When II comes to the movement or
freight there are no figures obtninaole
nj this time, but az every car has been
working over time and all the yards
on the system have been congested
during the past three months it IL a
safe proposition to affirm that this
year has been one OF the best In the
history Of the sole "All Utah" big road
OF the state.
New Rolling Stock.
In keeping with the spirit. progress
and development which is manifest on
the system by way OF a preliminary
80 new locomotives and 400 freight cars
have been ordered for early delivery
In order that the growing business OF
- ba pf with
dispatch.
At the present time the rolling stock
of the Rio Grande Western consists
Of 1903 locomotives So passenger train
cars 1887 freight cars and cabooses
and 1l9 pieces of construction and
maintenance equipment, Owing to an
Interchange Of equipment with the
Denver &c Rio Grande at Grand juno
tlon, however. these figures do not
represent the rolling stock that Is
moved over the $50 miles OF track en-
braced in the Utah system.
bingham. e arncld Branch.
Aside from the routine work on keep
ing up the physical condition OF the
road there has been little actual con-
struction under way this year The
biggest proposition has been the con-
struction OF a lb-mIle branch from
Bingham 10 the smelter site at Gar
field which will be completed within
few days from date. The Hooper
Roy branch. five miles I'm length, Is
another piece of work that has been
projected and cleaned up during the
year,
The work of substituting IS pound
stesel for the old 65 pound rails has
been pushed again this season with the
result that A miles OF new track have
been laid on the east end of the West
ern.
Generally speaking the Rio Grande
Western has been getting ready for
the active campaign Of construction
on the Western Pacific this year.
Behind Western Pacific.
The first official announcement that
the Rio Graude was behind the West
ern Pacific came with the annual re-
port OF the road which was Issued In
July. over the signature Of the presl-
dent, Il. T, Jeffery, was set forth the
welcome news that the d. & Il. g. and
the II. G. w. were practically finance
Ing the new Gould road to San Fran
cisco. In addition the report of the
president stated that n traffic agree
ment had been entered into with the
Western Pacific for the provision OK
n Joint through line from Denver to
the Pacific tidewater This arrange
ment Is not only OF great advantage TO
the Rio Grande Western but 1t also
assures the Western Pacific Railway
company lucrative business and good
earnings as soon as the main line Is
placed In operation.
In conclusion President Jefrery said
In his annual report
"The construction Of the Western Pa
clhc Railway cOmpany's line is now
a certainty. and its completion within
the next three years Is confidently an
ticipated.
1.-THE Pacific Coast traffic Is already
very large and is rapidly growing. In
view OF the great increased volume OF
this traffic that will be carried over
your existing lines so soon as the new
railway is completed, and In view also
OF the advantages 10 be derived from
the development OF local industries and
the opening up of additional markets,
the Importance and value OF this new
artery OF commerce 10 your system OF
ra ilway and to your Utah Fuel COM
pany can hardly be oyerestlmated.
II can thus be seen that the In
terests OF the Rio Grande Western and
the Western Pacific are so closely in
the year one cannot be mentioned
without referring 10 the other.
Preparing for the Future.
In order to get ready for the last