The daily sentinel., 1912-12-26
De LONG GIVES
INTERVIEW ON
MIDLAND TRAIL

Sentinel Special Service.
Denver. Dec. Ex-senator Horace
belong of Grand Junction, an en-
thusiastie good roads builder of the
Western Slope. who came here to adj
dress the Chamber OF Commerce on
the subject. said Just before his de-
parturc for home:
The opposition to the Midland
Trail comes largely from misunder-
standing. or the confusion of two
propositions. The two funds, the in
ternal Improvement and the internal
Income, snould be turned over to the
state highway commission for fair
and equitable distribution over the
state. according to the needs of the
various localities.
"All the various highways Of the
state ought to be encouraged. espe-
cialIy the Rainbow Route, the Lin
coin highway and a boulevard from
Cheyenne TO Trinidad Inasmuch as
the counties cannot cope with the
natural obstacles to be overcome in
the various mountain passes, state
aid should be given to the construc-
tion of reads over each and every
pass, on any important state high
way.
-All the state ought to join in the
rapid development OF all the princi-
pat highways so that Colorado may
literally become the playground of
the nation.
Four Big Routes.
There are four great transconti
Mental lines competing for recogni-
tion by the automobile associations
One the Northwestern. backed by
James Hill and his powerful inter-
ests, 1t does not touch Colorado.
Another, the Overland, backed by the
Union Pacific and its allied interests,
which may and may not touch Colo
rado. A third. the Santa Fe or the
Sunset Trail, championed by the
Santa Fe and the interests in South
ern Colorado, which enters the south
eastern part OF the state, but is not
Intended to enter the scenic portions
CT Colorado. The fourth, and only
really Colorado road, is the Midland
Trail which is mapped and logged
across the state from the east to west
through some OF the very best scenery
and through the fruit section that
has made the state of Colorado fam
GUS, not only at home but in foreign
countries.
ut is to the interest of all Colo
RADIO that the three AS shall recog-
nize the Midland Trail as the first
transcontinental line to be hard-sur-
faced at their expense. Such a recog-
milton would stimulate good road
buolding in every part of the state
and would assure the early construc-
ton of the Rainbow Route. the Lin
coin Highway, the boulevard from
north to south through Denver, Colo
RADIO Springs. Pueblo and Trinidad,
Help all State.
mo other transcontinental' route
can do half SO much for the state of
Colorado. No other line can do so
much for the great northwest portion
now so rapidly coming to the front.
No other line can affect as favorably
southwestern portion clear over to
Durango, for Just as surely as the
hainbow Route is constructed, Just
so surely will there be circle route
through the rich and beautiful
Southwest
Therefore, in the interest of the
whole state and all the splendid pro-
jected highways in it. let us io,p
hands in united endeavor to secure
the adoption of the Midland Trail as
the first hard-surfaced trausconti-
mental route. And further. let rs
deal fairly by each and every section
OF the state in the division of thc in
tcrnal Improvement funds so that
every city and community may be
hpnn1..aI