The Elbert County tribune., 1907-10-10
MORE FIGHT
MORE ROADS
THE BIG ROAD BUILDERS ARE
MAKING RUN FOR RouTT.
HARTMAN WANTS IN
DAVID MoFFAT MAY HAVE SOME
STRONG COMPETITION.

The present activity OF surveying
parties in Routt county, supposed to
represent the Union Pacific railroad.
has starteh the report in this city that
Hartman has begun his customary
game to force concessions from tnde-
pendent roads and there is consider
able speculation as to whether Harri-
man will build into that territory or
not. The local reports say that Harri-
man Is trying to buy the Laramie,
Hahns Peak & Pacific and that the
surveys now being made for another
road into Routt county are for the
purpose of forcing the owners OF the
first named road to sell at Harriman's
own figures.
Surveys are now being made for
line from Wamsutter, on the Union
Pacific, down to Steamboat Springs
and Craig. These surveyors are in
the employ of the Union Pacific, &C
cording to very reliable information.
The route of this road is considerably
to the west of the Laramie, Hahn's
Peak & Pacific and goes directly to
the richest section of northwestern
Colorado. The surveying parties are
stretched along the entire route and
from the activity displayed 1t is evil
dent that quick work is being De
manded.
A Valuable Feeder.
The Laramie, Hahn's Peak & Pacific
has been finished for about thirty
miles and the road is now in opera
ton from Laramie to Centennial. 1t
is owned by Boston capitalists. of
whom Isaac Van Horn il the head.
This road has become valuable
feeder for the Union Pacific, even on
the short distance completed. The
owners announce that the line is to
be extended into North park at once
and that 1t will be completed for a
distance of 100 miles within eighteen
months. 1t is known that Hartman
opposed the building of the road from
the start on the ground that he con-
sidered it Union Pacific territory and
that If he wanted any railroad into
that section the Union Pacific would
build it.
The Boston promoters did not feel
that way about 1t and continued the
work of construction in spite of the
Hartman opposition.
The Union Pacific was in position
where it had to take any business Of
fered 1t by the new road and with that
knowledge the promoters began deliv-
ering business to the Union Pacific at
Laramie. 1t Is said that Hartman at
this time made an offer to the Van
Horn crowd to purchase the road and
that they declined to sell except at
good profit. Van Horn had tried to
| get HERMAN 10 construct the road
previous to the work being undertaken
| by the Boston crowd and Hartman
| refused
The Bluff Failed.
Now that the road is actually being
built it is said that Hartman has
| changed his mind and that the Boston
| hn
| A few weeks ago the Laramie,
Hahns Peak & Pacific people an
nounced that plans had been com
| pleted for financing the road for an
other seventy miles in the North park
country and also to Steamboat Springs
in Routt county. The success follow
ing the first fight, in which Hartman
| failed to block the construction of the
road has demonstrated to the Union
Pacific that the Boston people mean
business. 1t is said the announce
ment of the proposed extension of the
road again brought the matter to the
| front, and that an effort was made by
| the Union Pacific to again purchase
| the road, with the threat that If the
Boston people did not sell Hartman
would build competing line into the
same territory According to the re-
| ports, the bluff failed to work, and
| Hartman has put the surveyors into
can be assisted by threattning to
| Hahn's Peak & Pacific people he
meant business.
| More Rival Roads.
| Hartman has several objects that
can be assisted by threatening to
build into Routt county. Aside from
| the construction of the Laramie
Hahn's Peak & Pacific another road
is being constructed from Walcott, on
the Union Pacific, to Grand Encamp
ment. and is completed to within
| few miles of the last named place.
| The name of this road is the Sara
| toga & Grand Encampment, and the
| promoters announced few weeks ago
when in Denver that this road was
| also to be constructed farther into
| Colorado. This road is owned prin-
cipally in London. Another route is
being surveyed from the Denver and
| Rio Grande to Craig by independent
parties, who are planning to build an
electric road. Renewed activity has
also been shown by the Moffat road.
which Hartman has always opposed.
by Mr.. Moffat's deal with the Utah
people. All of these things make it
good thing for Hartman to try his
usual policy of soaring them out by
| threatening m hufld into tho tarrttorv