The daily sentinel., 1914-04-23
JOHN OTTO SINGS SWAN SONG OF
UNION TRAIL; TO LEAVE COLORADO
Trail Builder. Dsheaened at His Failure to Get the Necessary
Funds for His Road, Declares He VIII Quit State for
a Newer and More Favorable Community.
TAKES FAREWELL RAP AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BODY

is characteristic, John Otto. trail
builder. park superintendent enS
the father of the Monument Park
movement, bids farewell to Grand
Junction and announces the final
failure of the Union trail.
The letter written yesterday to The
Sentinel, breathes the very spirit of
John Otto. 1t tells OF his unselflsh
struggles for various enterprises and
OF the opposition he has met and
finally when large fund was to be
raised for road work. a rival route
was chosen and he and his beloved
project were abandoned. Otto de-
clares that he is leaving Grand juno
tion and Colorado and expend his ef-
icrts under other and possibly more
favorable surroundings.
The letter, In full, follows:
April 2l. 1914.
To The Daily Sentinel:
Another failure now must be an
nounced in Grand Junction, follow
Ing the bank closing in tho citv last
winter. Truly 1t Is hard enough for
man to tell of his own failure
still | can do It with a smile for / at
least think I've tried to do my verv
best. The Rimrock road started In
1911 and which had received the verv
best OF efforts on my part is now
forced to be declared off the hoard
what's the use for me to do another
days work or give another minutes
attention to any road around Grand
Junction including the Grand Mesa
me Grand Junction Chamber OF
commerce. tinhorn road organiza
ton. automobile crazy beyond all
hope, has again turned down the very
best, most promising road outlet from
the city's doors.
I'VE can't do it," and they never
even tried Not this year" and
here il is 1914, such a great year
full of promise Today went up the
road, to the workings-took a drill
yet sharp and drilled hole-I load
ed 1t and set off farewell shot. The
match broke, when | scratched il on
the rock, to light the fuse and so is
my go-ahead-sDirit broken, here
around this town; they didn't even
squarely investigate; Just listened TO
the discouraging wall OF others.
Those who have subscribed to this
road must also try and be good
loosers. am the heavissb invSAIor
and therefore the greatest loser-out
the most. When others were idle in
winter time we worked on this road.
Even last December logs were cut
ana bridge was moved in Febru-
airy close to the city in order to keep
things going right and get them lin
cd Joist f%nth" eSpecratlBns were tne
brightest this C. C.-new organiza-
tion wearing the same old cloak
goes to work and raises funds to be
expended over in another state (and
that's where ! am goingi into anoth-
er county and state; my time is too
valuable to stay around here-there
are plenty to take my place). The
only way to beat this organization of
go ahead business men Gas we sup
pose them to be) is to beat them at
their own game.
tAll together" is their motto. II
means Altogether Loose!" And so
they are welcome to have it their
way. And won't the loans and dol
lars Jingle in their pockets and swell
their bank accounts? Big headlines
in the local papers about the power
full interest in Colorado and Utah
only stimulate the unfortunates at
home. There is an after story. it will
come. but in outside papers; for who
ever did really win who didn't treat
his neighbors fair. You are welcome
to go ahead and nurse that dead
tiger (national highway on the des-
ert. Orange and red with the blue
for the background are my highway
colors-let no one ever copy them.
Yours truly,
JOHN OTTO.