The Glenwood post., 1918-08-24

Glenwood was host last Saturday to
great gathering of interested and de-
termined business men of the western
slope and elsewhere, who came to con-
fer with each other and discuss the
threatened junking of the Midland
road and to see if the federal govern
ment could not be induced to retract
from the arbitrary stand taken by
John Barton Payne, general counsel
for the federal railway administration.
The meeting was called to order by
Harry G. Koch of Aspen, who stated
the purpose of the gathering and
called for the election of chairman
and secretary. Judge James M. Down
ing of Aspen and Ollie Thorson of Glen
wood were chosen to fill these positions.
Judge Downing stated in his opening
remarks that the people whom the dels-
gates to this convention represented
were facing threatened calamity,
which it was the province and purpose
of the meeting to combat. He showed
in " k,nost convincing fashion the value
which the Midland road has been to
this country in the past and which 1t
may be in the future and said that
every effort possible should be made
cure the rcjuvenation of the Midland
road.
Mr.. OMAHA of Park county made a
very interesting statement as to the
plan Of the people to secure a resump-
ton of operations on the road. He
thought it would be futile to appeal
further to Mr.. Payne, but he favored
going over his head, to Mr.. McAdoo,
or to President Wilson or even to con-
gress if need be to secure redress.
Mr.. Thorson then read the telegram
TO Congressman Taylor and the lat
ter S reply to the same, both of which
were printed in last week s issue of
the Glenwood Post. During the reading
of these communications, Mr.. A. T.
Carlton, president and receiver of the
quietly took seat and listened care
fully to the reading of these documents
When Mr.. Thorson had finished, Mr..
Carlton was called upon and addressed
the assembly at some length. Among
other things, Mr.. Carlton said:
"I do not believe / have to explain
to you gentlemen the efforts whicn
have been made to rehabiitate the road
and place it on sound working basis
since its purchase by the present own
ers. OF all of those who bid on :he
road at the receivers sale, myself and
associates were the only ones seeking
to acquire for the purpose of opera
ton, and as the best evidence of thi9
can say that since its purchase We
have expended the sum of $575,000 in
Improving the roadbed and equipment
that we might be in position to better
serve the public and handle the bust
ness which we had hoped to secure.
''It is hardly necessary to say te
those acquainted with the history Of
the Midland road that had we not be
lieved its business could be largely in
creased we would not have thought Of
attempting to build it up, as at the
time Of the purchase it was being op
Grated at no inconsiderable loss. We
realized that for years the road had
been dominated by competitor, ani
that under an independent management
particularly in the hands Of men who
had large business interests in the
west, a substantial volume Of increased
business could be secured.
"In addition to this, we had in
mind, and at the time Of government
control, had completed plans for the
extension of the road into territories
now unserved, thereby developing new
business through the building up Of
additional territory. Hardly had we
W. .l tlE EtF fI-