The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-06-25
.SWOOPS DOWN IN
DARK OF NIGHT
Oregon Snort Line Gang of La
borerS Lays Tracks Across
Rio Grande.
WATCHMAN SLEEPS
INJUNCTION SERVED TOO LATE
TO STOP WORK.

/ The Rio Grande Western night watch
man slept early yesterday morning while
the Oregon Short Line construction gang.
consisting Of 200 Japanese, laid a track
IN the darkness. on a disputed right Of
way along Fifth West between Fifth and
Sixth North streets to the site where a
car wheel and casting manufacturing es-
adjustment is TO be erected by Rudolph
OrJmdnn OF Greenwood, Va.
Not until the track was half completed
/ dld the Waterman, placed there to guard
against the operations Of the Oregon
Snort Line, awaken to find that posses
sion OF the right of way had been gained
by the Oregon Short Line It was the
rafting Of the flat cars, loaded with ties
and rails, being showed along the unbaI-
lasted track, the cliuk of the spike mauIs
and the dull thUd Of the Ties being
dropped into place the aroused him For
IuLy two hours he slumbere in front OF
the dying emOerS or fire he had built
while on watch When he awakened the
oregon Short Line track was a reality
The Rio Grande officials were notified
being laid. Attorney Waldemar Van Colt
was called and an injunction was placed
/ before Judge Charles ". Morse, who
[ signed II. Sheriff &. r Emery was given
/ the paper to serve. Deputy Sheriff w B
Booth served the injunction but the fore
man Of the construction gang ignored
/ the service.
By this time the track was almost com
pIeted and work was not stopped until
/ the ties were fairly ballasted. The track
was filled with a line of cars. The mat
ter or right OF way will be carried before
the district court as soon as possible.
How Trouble Arose.
The Rio Grande Western railroad com
pany secured a franchise last January
from the council for a right of wav for
a double track along Fifth West between
Fifth and Sixth North streets. The tracks
were to be used for passenger cars.
when the property, plat G. block 80.
/ consisting of ten acres of land, was pur-
chased by Attorney Frank 8. Stephens
fer Mr. Ortmann for S21 600. application
was made 10 the Oregon Short Line com
pdnT for trackage.---The railroad com
pany applied for a franchise along the
east side Of Fifth West street. II WAS
granted TO the Oregon Short Line com
pany by the council two weeks ago
William Ashton, chief resident enci-
neer of the Oregon Short Line said last
night:
I'VE had the track practically eompIet-
60 Wnen the injunction was served b.
Deputy Sheriff Booth. The foreman called
me up by telephone and told me about the
/ serving OF the papers. No more track
was laid after that but il was straight
ened up and the track viii undoubtedly
stand when the case is brought up i'm the
courts. The oregon Short Line track in
no way 1nteTfeTes with the Rio CTrauda'g
tracks. They have a franchise for dOtr-
bic track along Fifth West street. but
only one track is laid. There are a few
IdAAS put uoNu on lIle east SIDE OF the
street but the operations Of the construc-
ton gang did not interfere with this
Mr.. Ashton said that the construction
OF this spur had been under consideration
for some time before il was decided To-
petition for right OF way He said that
the Rio Grande objected 10 its being built
the company claimed that il would inter
fere with their double tracks. Mr. Ash
ton admitted that trouble was anticipated
and that the darkness of the night was
chosen to cover their operations. II was
known that a watchmau had been placed
on guard there to notify the Rio Grande
officials Of any movement OF the part or
the Short Line in order that an iniIncfioD
might be secured TO prohibit the laying
of the track.
The name Of the night Waterman who
slept at his post could not be learned. As
soon as he was aroused from his sIum-
bers he notified the officials Of the Rio
Grande and disappeared.