CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1906-04-05

has determined that the road itself
shall be but little less attractive than
the mountain scenery through which
1t passes.
| The crowning feature of the enter
prise, however, from an engineering
and scenic standpoint, will be the
steel suspension bridge over the Gre
vase at the top of the Gorge. This
bridge will have clear span of one
hundred and fifty feet between its
granite foundations and will be by
far the highest bridge in the world,
hanging in midair more than 2300
feet above the bottom of the canon.
The passenger on the electric line
crossing this wonderful structure will
be able to look almost directly down
upon the famous hanging bridge, more
than a third of mile below, and can
see the Arkansas river like a thread
of silver winding its way through
towering cliffs which stretch away
beyond the limits of his vision
1t will be interesting to our readers
to know that the contemplated bridge
at the Royal Gorge will be five times
higher than any similar structure in
existence, although its length is un-
worthy of mention when compared
with many others. The highest bridge
in the world at present has recently
been completed by the Cape to Cairo
Railroad company over the Zambesi
river at Victoria Falls in Rhodesia,
South Africa. 1t is $50 feet above the
river and spans the chasm below the
falls in much the same manner as
the new suspension bridge does the
gorge at Niagara.
Harry F. Hollister, secretary and
chief engineer of the Bullen Bridge
Company of Pueblo, who went up to
the Gorge last week for the purpose
of taking measurements and collect
ing other data in relation to the pro-
posed bridge, says that there are no
insuperable difficulties in the way of
its construction and that If his COM
pany gets the contract 1t will be fin
ished by the first of July without any
doubt. The bridge will be an un-
usually handsome and ornate struc-
ture and will be painted in the most
attractive colors. The name of its
builders will be placed on the top of
the bridge in letters of solid silver.
The cog road to the summit of
Pixies Peak will have strong riyal
when the electric line to the top of
the Royal Gorge is thrown open for
travel The Pixies Peak enterprise is
now the greatest curiosity in the way
of freak railroading the state of Col
orado has to offer, but the Royal
Gorge line with it's thrilling ride
across the wonderful chasm immedi |
ately above the hanging bridge will
come near taking first place. 1t is
sure to attract thousands of tourists |
here from the Eastern states every
summer and will be of almost in
calculable benefit in the growth and
development of Canon City.
The energy and vim with which Mr..
Granger and his associates have taken
up the enterprise is assurance that
the road will be open for traffic as
soon as possible. Mr.. Granger says
it will be completed in ninety days,
and if the hustle which has character |
lied the enterprise during the last
few weeks is maintained, there can
be no skepticism in relation to the
matter. |
telegram has been received by |
Mr.. Granger that two cars of steel |
rails for his electric line have left |
Pittsburg for Canon City, and like |
notice arrived day. or two ago from
ST Louis that three of the cars order
ed from the manufacturers of that
city were ready for delivery. These |
cars are of the very best type known |
to the car makers art and embody all
of the latest improvements. They |
cost sS5,00O, which is considerably |
chair car on western steam roads. Mr.. |
Granger has photographs of these
cars and they are sure to be source
of pride to the people OF Canon City, |
for they are indeed beauties.
But few people realize what busy |
man Mr.. Granger is now that he has |
the railroad enterprise fairly launch
ed, and we imagine II is not every |
man who would be willing to step in
to his shoes and assume the burden. |
He has an average of dozen business
callers every day, probably half of
whom are from other states than Col
orado, and they have all kinds of re-
quests and propositions to make in
connection with his electric trolley |
scheme. He is also the recipient of
a score of kilograms and letters every |
day from people who want to know |
something about Canon City These
inquiries run the whole gamut of hui
man inquiry, and to be able to reply |
to them all intelligently Mr.. Granger
says he would have to be a veritabie |
encyclopedia of local knowledge. All
of these matters require time, and,
taken in conjunction with other af-
fairs, deprive Mr.. Granger of most