The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-10-22

The new company IL capitalized At
10000, 900, and paid the state ding
fee " $4,000. The point where It will
leave the joint track ofthe d. 4 r. G.
and Midland railroads will be called
Chapman, and engineers are now
seeking the most equitable grade
westward from the proposed junction.
From the Grand river the route as
proposed will extend northerly
| through Garfield and Rio Blanco
counties to Meeker. follow the White
river valley westward from this point
to the Utah state line, and thence to
Salt Lake City.
Rights Of way to Meeker In Rio
Blanco county and to the. Utah state
line have been secured, and 1t 10 UNDER
stood that construction work will be
commenced Immediately. Already
capital to the amount of $1,000. 600,
sufficient to build the road to Meeker,
has been subscribed. This capital, 1t
is stated by officials Of the road, is
supplied by Individual capitalists In
both eastern and western cities, who
are represented by the incorporators
and directors.
The project as outlined is one of
the largest yet undertaken In the
state. and upon completion will open
up one OF the richest sections of the
| slnro Ti,a ysotarca ~ bn
road is due to the immense natural
resources of the region traversed.
The project is not a new one; for
some years past various plans have
been made to put this country in
touch with the markets by railway
communication, but it has only been
within the last year that these plans
have taken definite shape.
The articles OF incorporation Just
filed mark the preliminary step in an
enterprise that won't only open thous-
ands of acres of rich agricultural land
to, settlers. but be the means Of de-
vefoping varied mineral resources of
great value.
The great Hog Back range of
mountains from the Grand river to
Meeker, which will be closely follow
ed by the proposed route, is known to
contain inexhaustible quantities Of
coal, ranging from steam coal to that
Eapproximating anthracite. It will be
The object of the new road to open up
these, as we'll as other oal-bearing
lands in Rio Blanco county.
Officials OF the road claim that be-
cause of the easy grades and MAXI
mum curvatures obtaining, the route
will be a favorite for heavy freight
trailer Besides this, they say, the
preliminary surveys show saving in
distance over the route traversed to
Salt Lake City of some one hundred
miles.
The counties which will he immed-
lately affected by the new railroad
are Garfield and Rio Blanco in Colo
sado. and Uintah. Wasatch, Summit
and Lake, in Utah.
The territory in Rio Blanco county
alone, to be opened up. comprises an
area of some $500 square miles, or
over 1900 900 acres-an area larger
than the combined states OF Delaware
and Rhode Island-and among its
mineral deposits capable of develop
ment are iron, tungsten, gilsonite,
uranium, galena and gypsum.
This territory has never before been
exploited by railway transportation,
and it is remarkable fact that the
projected railroad from the Grand
river to its terminus at Salt Lake City
conflicts with no other system of rail-
way transportation, although cover
ing some $50 miles of territory. The
major part OF this regi)n is now from
80 to 100 miles distant from the near
est railroad.
i The Meeker- Rangely Construction
company, with offices in the Railway
Exchange building, has been award
ed the contract for the construction
and equipment of 800 miles of railroad
for the Grand River, Meeker & Salt
Lake Railway company.
WIN. ]. Barenscheer, formerly with
the Southern Pacific railroad. has
been completing the survey. and 1t is
understood that work will begin on
the grade within u few days.
The Denver Times, of last Saturday,
contains the following additional in
teresting information: