Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-08-15
FROM QUESTA TO EKsUDo
Denver & Rio Grande Management
Considering Construction of Broad
Gauge Between These Points.

1du9c DctWcSn nGSE FOIVISs
News reaches the New Mexican that
, Denver & Rio Grande surveyors are
making a preliminary survey for a
broad gauge railroad from Fort Gar
land, Colorado, to the town of Questa
in northern Taos County, distance of
about fifty miles. The line is through
comparatively speaking, open coun-
try, passing through the thriving towns
of San Luis, Colorado, Costilla, New
Mexico, thence to Questa; from Questa
to connection with the present narrow
gauge road of the Denver & Rio
Grande at Embudo, through the Red
River Canon, and the Gallon of the Rio
| Grande. 1t would not be difficult
matter to build the road as there would
a distance of about fifty miles. The
| line would be about five miles in the
Red River Canon and then would fol
low the Rio Grande to Embudo. The
construction would not be hard, as it
would be nearly all side hill work. Peo-
pie who have good sources of informa-
ton are of the opinion that perman-
ent survey for the Denver & Rio
Grande from Fort Garland via San
Luis, Costilla and Questa, and thence |
down the Canon of the Red River and
Rio Grande, will soon be made, and
this, it is presumed, is for the purpose
of ascertaining the availability of the |
route, the grades and cost of construc.
ton. The line would leave the town
of Taos about eight miles TO the east. |
This cutoff would shorten the distance
between Denver and Santa Fe about
twenty-five miles. 1t would also make
the operation OF this division cheaper
and easier by eliminating the heavy
pull up Comanche HILL north of EN-.
budo. This cutoff would also pass
through the villages of Cienguilla,
Glenwoody and Rinconada; the line
would be sure of a heavy freight traffic |
from the day of its completion, In mer-
chandise, in live stock, and in ores; a
good passenger traffic would also be
developed.
Since the Denver & Rio Grande has
placed a comfortable and daily passen-
ger train on its Antonito division be-
tween Antonito and this city, the pas
senger traffic on this train has increas.
ed considerably, and from this, it is
judged that the passenger traffic on
the Fort arland-Questa- -Embudo cut
off would prove quite satisfactory
within a short time.
The New Mexican's information is |
to the effect that business on the New
Mexico Division of the Denver e. Rio
Grande from Antonito to this city, has
of late been quite satisfactory, and
that during the past two months this
division has paid as well as any on the
road.
The building of the broad gauge cut
off above described and the broad |
gauging from Embudo to this city |
would be the commencement of great
tourist and excursion business from
the Queen City of the Plains to the
City of the Holy Faith. People living
along the line of the Denver & Rio
Grande between Denver and Pueblo,
and at these two points, and the many {
thousands of tourists in the Centennial {
State, would then make it a point to
visit this section of the Territory often, /
and many of them would spend weeks c
and months in the mountain ranges |
east and west of this city. While the {
building of this cutoff is not yet GER
tainty, the New Mexican understands
that the Denver & Rio Grande authori-
ties are considering it's construction
very seriously 1t would certainly
be great thing for that road and for
Taos and Santa Fe Counties were it to
be built, and that within the next
twelve months.