The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-07
Construction of MOffat Line
Bore viii Help Denver &
Rio Grande.
HOT RACE FOR TRAFFIC
OF WEST Is PREDICTED
Transportation Men Believe
Competition Is to Be Strong
er Than Ever Before.

That the building of the so-called Mof-
fat tunnel will mean more TO tho Den
yer & Rio Grande than 20 any other
present or projected road In the west.
is the opinion of weIl-informed railroad
men. That ultimately the tunnel will be
owned and operated by tho Gould inter
ests also Is the opinion of these men.
The Colorado legislature has passed n
bill for state aid in building this tunnel,
which will shorten the distance between
Denver and Salt Lake City wen as
open Up new territory.
The story OF the late David II. Mof-
fat and his railroad career is long one.
Colorado. Long after he had wealth
enough to retire he projected railroad
line TO run from Denver to Salt Lake
City and then on the the Pacific,
The hackers OF the Gould and Harri-
man interests. the only two roads oper-
ating In the section OF the country that
the Denver, Northwestern & Pacific pro-
posed to enter, were opposed To any COM
Died in the Harness.
Time and time again. when Moffat
thought that he had the financial backing
for his road he found himself blocked.
The new road was the ambition OF his
died in the harness in New York city
while trying to finance the road, Per
haps, as a tribute to his memory, but
moro likely because lawmakers foresaw
the benefits which would come to Colo
RADIO. the legislators Of that state voted
10 build the tunnel.
The legislature provided in its bill
and build the tunnel. it should not be
used exclusively by any one railroad,
thus throwing 1t open TO any road oper-
ating in the west that might want to
aNca IN nNJ1 ndI 10 hs a fn
the use OF the tunnel until the final bond
Issue was paid Off. when 1t would pass
into the control OF the railroad compa
nies under certain restrictions.
Longest Tunnel in u. 8.
The Denver Northwestern & Pacific,
in operation from Denver 10 Steamboat
Springs, a distance of a little over 40
miles The proposed route OF the road
from that point west was such that no
bases on account OF the swtchback and
the heavy grade; Mr.. Moffat realized
this. and 1t was he who planned for the
ix-mile tunnel, Mt an estimated cost OF
over .sso0o.ooo. This tunnel. by the way.
win be the longest In the United States.
With the promised aid Of the state OF
assurance that any road that wants to
use IT may have the opportunity. the
Denver Rio Grande is getting busy
on the. proposition according to the In
day. The position taken by those CIV
ing out the information is based on GER
tain facts. First. the state of Colorado
is behind the project to build the tun-
mel. second, the tunnel will be open 10
any road which may wish to use il;
third, the recent action OF the stock
holders OF the Missouri Pacific shows that
the Goulds have not lost control of their
roads and that they have the backing
of some OF the biggest financial con-
Germs OF the United States and Europe:
nj lad bg11 @t,1l
interests will have money enough to i'm
prove all the lines: fifth. that those finan
cial interests that are backing the Gould
lines are. not the same as are backing
the Hartman lines. and that 1t is to be
a fight TO the finish for the control OF
the western trade.
What It Means.
TT the layman the building OF tunnel
through James peak as an advantage to
the Denver & Rio Grande may not be
facts The line for the tunnel will leave
the main line OF the Denver. Northwest
eern & Pacific at point near orestod
15e miles from Denver. Then comes the
tunnel to Dotsero and then water lever
grade OF thirty-seven miles to connect
with the main line OF the Denver & Rio
Lake, City. Just what such a line
would mean to the Denver G. Rio Grahde
and to the Western Pacific. the' other
Sould line In the west may be gained
of the Denver & Rio Grande between the
capital city OF Colorado and Salt Lake
City is I42 miles. The line Of the Union
Pacific and Oregon Short Line from Den
yer 10 Salt Lake City is 62S miles. The
survey of the Moffat line from Denver
to Salt Lake City is 63o miles; With
of the Denver & Rio Grande would be $50
miles. just so miles more than the pro-
posed Moffat road and 80 miles shorter
than the Hartman lines between the two
cities.
That the announcement Of the Harrl-
man officials that they would spend s75,-
100000 In improving their lines In the
stirred up the Gould interest there is no
question. The next five years promises
to see battle Of railroad giants in the
lost foot OF ground; both have millions
at stake and both will endeavor to pro-
tect their interests and enlarge their ter
ritory.
Rumors have been rife for some time
that the Denver e. Rio Grande had or
was about TO secure a controlling inter-
est in the Moffat road. These rumors
have, been denied from time to time un-
I'll the death of Mr. Noffat. Since that
time the only statement that has been
officially announced is that the road will
be built rs planned by Mr.. Moffat.
The bill which has passed the Colo
Colorado legislature provides that IL the
state builds the tunnel the Moffat road
shall be extended on 10 Salt Lake City
or a line built to Dotsero.
It is claimed by we'll Informed railroad
men that even should the Denver &. Rio
Grande own no interest in the Moffat
road out of Denver TO The tunnel 1t would
be an easy matter To arrange for trans
fer Of business over that road and the
Denver g. Rio Grande At the present
time there Is an arrangement between
the Denver Rio Grandc and the Colo
rado Midland which is said TO operate
TO the benefit of both roads. Similar arr
rangements are In existence between
many roads.
Warning to Railroad Men,