The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-28
NOFFAT- ROCK ISLAND
AND THE RIO GRANDE
Usual Denials Are Made, but
RumOrS and Engineers Re-
ports SO Indicate.

Special TO Tho Tribune.
DENVER. Colo, Dec. 2T.-The report
that the Rock Island Is about 10 absorb
the Moffat road Is denied positively by
n II Moffat. who deplores this and many
similar publications made recently CON
cerning his road.
When a Denver company was organized
To bore n tunnel for the road he gave
one OF the promoters $500 IN Moffat rail
road stock. In perfccting right-of f-way
for the tunnel at Washington, it became
necessary TO call In this stock, and the
letter from DIR. Moffat's counsel asking
for it caused the promoter To start the
Rock Island rumoT.
Mr., Moffat says the only sure thing
about the Mof(at road is that as soon Is
the snow is off next spring he win re-
sumo construction and push the line 10
Salt Lake as fast as men and money can
build II.
DENVER, Dec 27,-D H. Moffat. pres
dent of tho Denver, Northwestern & Pa
cihc railroad, known as the "Moftat
road. this afternoon denied cmphatically
The truth OF the story published in a local
paper 10 the effect that the Rock Island
system had acquired control OF the Moi
taG road.
The report was based on the report
that the stock OF the James Peak tun-
mel project had been withdrawn. This is
$5,O0O.OOO corporation, the object OF
which is TO drive bore through James
Peak. thus reducing the heavy grades
on the Monat road over the Main range.
There's not a word of truth In IT,
said President Moffat to an Associated
Press representative
The Monat road Is not sold and Is
not going TO be sold. There never was
but $500 worth OF stock OF the James
Peak tunnel project issued anyway. and
that is in the safe OF the Motfat road.
lts going TO stay there. No one from
the Rock Island system has ever seen
me about the possible sale of the road.
and l don't expect any one to SEQ me-"
For the past two months Rock Island
and Moffat engineers have been making
very close examination of the Moffat
road, both the part built into Steamboat
Springs and the right OF way from the
end of the road there into Salt Lake.
road and right OF way recently and have
been in and out of Salt Lake several
times Of late, but have refused all in
IL spite OF denals. which are more or
less customary II must be remembered.
the fact remains that the Rock Island
has been interested enough in the Moitat
line Of late TO investigate it thoroughly.
Monday IL was announced by p. G.
Reid, one of the largest owners OF the
Rock Island that the Rock Island has
secured control of the Lehigh Valley.
something that has been q foregone con-
cluslon for several weeks. also that the
Rock Island would have the Wabash by
the middle of January. Reid was quoted
In the Associated Press dispatches as
saying that the Rock Island had some
favorable arrangement with the Denver
e. Rio Grandc. which would put the Rock
Island into Salt Lake.
But other information that The Tribune
does not at present care TO disclose IN.
dicatcs that the Rock Island has not only
this favorable arrangement with the Den
yer & Rio Grande. but is also about to
buy tho Monat road, drive the seven
all
meet the Moflat and the Rio Grande. thus
practically making one road out of the
Two. This combination would give the
Rock Island the shortest route ard the
lowest grade between Denver and Salt
Lake. AT present this advantage Is with
the Union Pacific. but the, Molfat tunnel
would change the whole situation; ,
and has been for some time, practically
since the death of Hartman, as TO what
certain moves in the stock market, ike
the sudden furry in Rock Island on Mon
day. and certain deals in railroads mean.
Hill and Hartman interests are said to
control in the Western Pacific to the ex-
clusion OF Gould interests.
In many quarters Gould is said to be
out of the railroad game, There are a
good many things on each side, OF this
against It. Hartman bankers have un-
derwrltten Gould securities. while Hill
and Hartman interests exchange favors
has in the Ts all ali s he @en Ehef In an he penve4 GGH
& Rio Grande. yet has been forced out of
the Western Pacific.
Just where Hill. Morgan and the Harri-
man interests figure in the recent moves
of the Moores and Reid, the Rock Island
crowd and In the affairs OF Hawley and
Yoalum and how this affects Salt Lake.
such as this reported MofTat sale TO the
Rock Island (and the probable combina-
ton OF the Moffat and the Rio Grande).
probably not over half dozen men In
America really know. Local men are In
the dark.