The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-11-26

1t Is now an accepted fact that
Meeker and the White river valley
will be connected by rail- with the
outside world during the coming year.
In calling attention to . railroad
that is now practically assured (the
Grand River, Meeker h Salt Lake
road) and in speaking Of the resourc-
es that will support 1t, the Chapman
Herald says:
"Startfng at point on the Grand
river, in Garfield county, junctioning
with both the Denver 4 Rio Grande
and Colorado Midland roads, the new
line will run northerly fifty miles to
Meeker, the seat Of Rio Blanco coun-
ty; thence westerly through the
White river valley to the Utah state
line, and proceed to Salt Lake city,
its western terminus.
"At the starting point on the Grand
river will be located the coming town
of Chapman.
1.-THE length Of the route IL approx
imately 800 miles. The saving In dis
tance via the new line over any other
route to Salt LAX City is estimated to
be some 100 miles.
"Confiicting with no other line Of
transportation through its entire
length, it brings in touch with the
markets of the west and the east .
region, the vastness Of which is not
easily comprehended. And not only
is the traversed territory Of vast ex-
tent but the resources capable of de-
velopnient In this region are SO many
and 80 closely centered the wonder is
that transportation facilities never
have been furnished so favored . Sec
tion.
at is true that the feasibility Of
the route has long been known; that
capitalists have on numerous occass
ions during the past twenty years en-
Edeavored to enter this land Of prom
fsS 6ssf tne very routs tasss win Us
travelled by the Grand River, Meeker
& Salt Lake railroad. But they fall
ed. Perhaps 1t was because atten-
tion was attracted to other portions
of the state where the necessity for
railroads was imperative. But what
ever the reason, 1t has remained for
the present body of live men to ex-
ploit this choicest section Of the
western slope.
1t is only within the past few years
since the successful demonstration
Of the profitable industry Of fruit
raising, as practiced In the Grand
valley, that the western slope of Col
orado sprang into prominence. Now
it ranks supreme among the favored
fruit-growing districts of the union.
Each year new possibilities in agri-
cultural and horticultural lines are
being brought forth.
"These great valleys on the sunny
side Of the Rockies are still in their
infancy; have yet scarcely begun
their development. The existence Of
the western slope began simultan-
eously with the lines of railway that
reach up along its valleys. Since then
it has progressed SO rapidly as to be
classed among the wonders of the
present day.
but this forward movement has
been swifter and inightier than the
cause from which it arose, and today
transportation facilities are inade-
quate and inefficient when confront
ed with the great volume of products
that are yearly increasing.
"Yet, in spite of all the products
from the soil, SO fast is the popula-
tion increasing that Colorado does
not raise enough to supply her own
demands.
..And it will readily be understood
why the time is ripe for the building
of 800 miles of railway through a vir-
gin territory that will furnish accom-
mediation to thousands Of homeseek-
ers and throw into state Of high culti-
walton innumerabie acres of idle
land.
.As the new road proceeds beyond
the Utah line thousands Of fertile
acres will be possible to homeseek-
ers. But interest for the present will
center in the lands and resources oi
Rio Blanco county, and 1t is of these
that the prospective settler will want
to be informed. 1t will be these lands
that will receive the first direct stim-
ulus from the new line Of railway. II
is here that development will first be-
gin, as 1t begun in the Grand valley
and its sister valleys with the advent
of transportation. But with one ad-
vantage in its favor-the develop
ment in all probability will be more
rapid.
Fifty miles OF any line Of trans.
, portatation during the last quartet
n{ n centnrY. In face of the long hAul