The new era., 1909-08-26
david H. MOFFAT
EPOCH MAKER
SKETCH OF coLoRApo's GREAT
RAILROAD BUILDER AND
FINANcIER.
MAN OF MIGHTY DEEDS
oRIpIRoNs STATE WITH RAIL.
WAYS FROM pENvER.PAciFIc
TO MoFFAT ROAD. 10

frlt s
Denver-A high tribute is that paid
by William Weston. M. /. M. NJ. col
onization agent for the Denver. North
H. Moffat, builder and head of the
road. and president of the First Ma
tional Bank of Denver. in the current
or August number Of the Bankers
Magazine OF Boston. New York and
Chicago. H.'
"Sincs railways to be worked by To-
comotives we're first constructed, over
200 years ago." says Mr.. Weston's ar
ticle. among the most wonderful in
stances Of individual engineering and
financial pluck are the oversee Flor
ida Keys railroad. built by Mr.. Flag
Ter. and its antithesis, the over-moun-
tain and inter-valley railway, now be-
ing constructed by David H. Moffat.
banker. of Denver, Colo.
"The main objects of the Denver,
Northwestern q Pacific railway. the
popular abbreviation Of which is the
"Moffat road" are to shorten the dis
tance by existing lines from Denver
to Salt Lake City by about $50 miles.
having its course along the fortieth
parallel; to make available to the peo-
pie Of Kansas, Nebraska. Colorado,
Utah, Nevada and California. and the
steamships plying between Pacific
coast points and the Orient, the an
thracite and bituminous Goals con-
tanned in the 1900 square miles Of the
undeveloped Yampa field, through the
center Of which the line is being built.
and to give transportation facilities to
miles in length by $50 miles wide,
hitherto devoid Of the name.
Surely this was an Herculean task
for one man to undertake. But now,
Ut the cost OF upward Of 10000. 900 Of
his private fortune, Mr.. Moffat has al
ready built from Denver elevation
$500 feet) over the great divide be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
crossing the summit at an elevation
OF II 900 feet above tide water. thence
down the Western Slope, blasting out
. roadbed for miles in the rocky sides
OF gorges and chasms which are in
places 900 feet deep, boring fifty
five tunnels through solid granite. and
completing 214 miles to the coal fields
and into the town OF Steamboat
Springs, and already gets a remunera-
tive traffic from the country tributary
to his operated line, and also from
that Of his projected line ahead.
"Mr. Moffat has always had the
faculty Of selecting able managers and
officers, to whom he could give free
hand and trust to carry out his care
fully laid plans and yet devote his per-
sonal attention to the great institution
over which he still presides, the First
National Bank of Denver. And here
lies the secret of the quiet, unostenta-
tfous way in which he has won such
great commercial victories and proved
himself above all other men, the gen.
eEali OF industry who has made Colo
rado and Denver what they are today.
The First National Bank of Denver
was organized in 1865, and in 1867
David H. Moffat was made cashier,
and president in 1880. which position
he still occupies, the bank now having
q deposit account of $23,000,000.
In 1869 Mr.. Moffat, with his friend,
the late Hon. John Evans. territorial
governor OF Colorado, 1925, organ
lied syndicate to build the Denver
=
main line of the Union Pacific at Chey-
the road, and sold $2,500,0O0 worth of
the bonds, and afterward built the line
under contract.
LAS soon as the big silver and gold
mines Of the San Juan, Leadville and
Gilpin county began to turn out their
millions, Mr.. Moffat realized that what
was eventually to make Colorado a
great state and Denver the chief city
west OF the Missouri river, was the de-
vel0pment of the stores OF the noble
and baser metals contained in the
Rocky mountains. and the Goals of the
valleys, and he set his master mind
and his able lieutenants to work to
effect this. He and his associates
buiN the Denver & South Park rail-
road up the Platte canon $50 miles to
Leadville, which camp up to date has
produced upward Of 5000. 1000 900. and
the profits Of this line were immense.
when the Boulder Valley railroad
was constructed, he built q line from
Boulder to the coal banks OF Marshall.
Later he became president Of the
Denver q Rio Grande railroad, which
he broad-gauged west Of Canon City
built branch lines to the mines OF the
San Juan region at Ouray. Telluride
and Rico, brought the road from out
tAo hands Of receiver into paying
eendition, and resigned in 1891.
Then when the phenomenal camp
q Cripple Creek. which has since pro.
Aueed e125 5,00O. 900 In gold. was discov.
cred, he built the Florence & Cripple
Creek road to these mines"
--
The deficit in the treasury Of the
Children's Hospital Association Al
Denver. caused by the deGalcAtions OF
Mn. Electra Beard. formerly treasurer
u The association. has. ~ the sale Of
tAe Beard home and BY tie receipts d
vltnooe feoo anA 0ooati0nU beea ~