Gunnison news-champion., 1919-11-21
ANOTHER BOOST
FOR TUNNEL
CHAS. A. LORY. PRESIDENT
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
URGES JAMES PEAK TUNNEL

CKAS. A. LORY. PRESIDENT
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
URGES JAMES PEAK TUNNEL
Writes Lengthly Letter 70 w. G.
EvaAs, Chairman Of Railroad Con.
niasien. Pointing Ont the Benefits
That wsald Accrue
Charles A. Lory, President of the
State Agricultural College, at Fort
Collins, one Of the best-informed men
in Colorado in agricultural matters,
has written W. G. Evans, chairman of
the Colorado Railroad Commission.
urging the digging Of the tunnel thru
James peak and another tunne! under
Marshall pass. The letter follows in
part:
Dear Mr.. Evans:-
We, at the State Agricultural
College, are intensely interested in
the work Of the Colorado railroad COM
mission From the standpoint of the
agricultural development of Colorado
and equally % from the standpoint of
the industrial development of the state
cannot emphasis too strongly the
need for more railroad transportation.
"On the Western Slope Of our noun
tains the situation is serious. There
are few lines crossing the mountains
and 1t is impossible to supplement
these in any way thru other means Of
transportation. The carrying cana
city Of our trans-mountain railroads
has long since been overtaxed and
further development Of the mountain
half Of our state cannot proceed un-
less We get more transportation.
The transportation problem falls
naturally into three parts-the north
west section, the middle-west section
md the southwest section. The
northwest section, made up of Grand,
Routt, Moffatt and Rio Bianco coun-
ties, and comprising an area Of 5000
square miles, is served by the Moffat
road, with present terminal It Crniv.
and by such facilities Is can be rot
ten on the north and the Denyer =
kao~ Grande - thesasu<h; bUth tou -
away to be Of any use in marketing
any commodity except livestock.
The middle-west section, made up
of'the Gunnison Uncompahgre val
leys and tributary territory is now
fairly served by the Denver & Rio
Grande railroad with a broad gauge
line from Montrose to Grand Junction
to meet the main line coming west
over Tennessee pass, a branch line
from Delta to Hotchkiss and Paonia.
and a narrow gauge line from Tellu-
ride, Ouray, thru Montrose and Gun
nlson over Marshall pass to Salida.
The best served of any section of the
Western Slope transportation difficult
ties have been growing more acute for
years and development Of the out-ly-
ing districts like the Paradox valley.
is impossible.
Inc eagerness of the settlers and
their courage in pushing back the
frontier of development is well illust-
rated In the Paradox valley, where
products are hauled seventy miles or
more to Placerville, Montrose or Delta
for Shipment.
We must hold in mind also that n
tunnel thru James Peak would offer
great relief to the railroad congestion
In this section, since a mere ut.off
from Dotsero on the Rio Grande To
the Moffat line near Orestod wouId
save the long haul over Tennessee
pass and the Royal Gorge and Pueblo
to Denver.
Pueblo naturally looks upon this
cutoff with the consequent loss of
business with apprehension. Her
nights could be protected if Denver
would cooperate in building 4 tunnel
under Marshall pass for broad pape
line from Montrose to Salida and in
extending the present broad eauoe
line from Del Norte to Durango.
The southwest section, with Duran.
go as its main railway center. COM
prises an area of about $500 square
miles. 1t is served by narrow gage
road from Alamosa to Durango and
from Durango north thru Mancos. DO
lores, Rico, Telluride to Montrose: a
narrow gage line from Durango q
Sllverton, narrow gage line Paposa
junction to Pagosa Springs and a
broad gage line from Durango to Far
mington, N. N. Anyone who has not
had experience can have no idea Of
CONTINUED on mage Eivel