Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-07-22
Talk of Denver & El Paso Short
Line Revived by Proposal To
Build From Dawson Southwark
Strong Letter fom Judge Wilbur Stone to Denver News
Written Long Ago Explaining ExceIencies Of the
Project

railroad of trunk proportions in the
United States.
Years afterward the Louisville and
Nashville railroad connecting with
various other lines. opened n route
between the north and the Gulf states.
| The war and the subsequent expan.
sion In settlement and business In the
farther west stimulated the building Of
detached fragmentary lines, parallel.
ing the Mississippi from Chicago and
ST. Paul to the lower Mississippi re.
gion, but the great railways came to be
the east and west continental lines
traversing the new west--the Rocky
Mountain system of states and terri.
tories competing for the trade of the
Pacific coast, China. Japan, Austria.
liza and the Sandwich Islands.
In including the Canadian line
there are eight trunk lines running
east and west. connecting the Atlantic
with the Pacific.
These lines are relatively profit
able In both passenger and freight
transportation. being In the line Of
! immigration and travel on the tenn
perate zone belt around the world.
| But the difference in products be-
tween the north and south creates
demand for the interchange OF COM
merce between these sections bv d
great trunk line. cutting across and
connecting with all the great east and
west lines.
Where Is the best location for such
lines?
Not in the Mississippi valley, for
that has to great extent still COM
peting river navigation, and 1t con-
meets only the old north with The
Gulf.
Not west Of the Rocky Mountains,
for between the eastern slope OF the
mountains and the Pacific Ocean the
| physical configuration and character
OF the country renders absolutely I'm
Arslsslh'ns the CON tr,ission az such n
!, ,isss,as Ass sass n IN ,sssse,
Not in the middle OF the plains any.
where between the mountains and the
Mississippi valley.
The exact, proper, necessary and
only place left for the location Of
such Iine is along the eastern base Of
| Geography admits OF It: topography
fayors It and the business In the coun.
| try demands 1t.
Calculate for moment what this
line would be and would do.
II would connect British America
and the head waters of the Missouri
with Mexico and Central America and
the South American commerce.
II would cross and intersect every
east and west trunk line of railway
and transportation on the continent
from the Northern Pacific to the 18TH
mus canal and II maintained as an In.
dependent line would interchange
traffic with and collect tribute from
every other transverse line In Its path
on the continent.
The passenger travel would be very
great, as our trade with Mexico in
creases. The entire length or the
line is rich agricultural and pastural
country and the line would run along
the edge and through the midst OF
1900 miles OF the richest mines OF
gold, silver, copper. lead, iron and
coal on the globe.
| There is today no long or trunk
line OF railway running north and
south on the map of North America.
There is only one good place for one
and that Is indicated above--in the
heart Of the continent. and where It
is possible to extend It with It's con-
nection not merely to the Gulf but
through the lsthmus clear into South
America - and eventually connect
Alaska with TERRA del Fuego and
Cape Horn. The Denver & FL Paso
Is central part OF such continental
north and south line.