The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1920-10-07
Facts on the
Tunnel Project
Legislation
Canon City, Colo, Sept. Z, 1920
20 the Editor Of Canon City

Canon City, Colo, Sept. Z, 1920
To the Editor of Canon City
Record and to the Voters OF
of Fremont County:
The time is now here for us to con-
slider with great care and diligence
a proposed Bond Issue" that will be
county and Of the state at the coming
election The amount of this Bond
Issue" is for s1S.50G,000.
The purpose for which this money
is to be used is to purchase the Den
yer and Salt Lake Railroad. common
ly known as the "Moffat Road and
pay for the construction of a tunnel
ough the main range upon the line
of the said Denver and Salt Lake
Railroad near James Peak, said tun-
mel is about seven miles long. The
money is to be used also for the pur-
pose of extending the said railroad
from the town of Mccoy in Eagle
county, Colorado. to a junction with
the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad
at Dotsero, in Eagle county, Colora-
do / understand that the promoters
of this Bond Issue" during the past
summer have attached several other
tunnels through the main range, the
cost Of which is to be paid out Of the
money derived from this Bond Issue"
Two or three on the line of the Denver
G. Rio Grande over Marshall Pass
and one over Cumbres Pass in the
southwestern part OF the state.
These last mentioned tunnels were
not mentioned in the law creating the
State Railroad Commission and have
been hung on with the hope Of catch
ing a few votes for the Bond Issue"
In the southwestern part Of the state.
This is purely Denver scheme
to have the taxpayers of the state
help them obtain a direct route to
the west for all continental lines Of
railroads.
The Moffat road is now in the hands
of a receiver with an indebtedness Of
over $4,000. 900 hanging over it.
The best information obtainable
shows that $1o.OOO,0OO or more Of their
Indebtedness is held by citizens OF
Denver.
These securities are almost worth
less at present but II these Bonds are
hilOMtQ lutJ NOuIu pOooAbAI ECdSh
par. No wonder the commercial in
terests of Denver are very active in
putting this measure over.
The bill" creating a Railroad
Commission consisting of FIVE members
appointed by the Governor with the
advice and consent of the Senate.
with office terms Of ten years each.
drawing salaries Of $500 each, having
power to appoint all persons needed
to I'LL inferior places. to exercise the
right Of emanent domain in condem-
nation proceedings against the Denver
and Salt Lake railroad.to ascertain the
probable cost of this railroad. the
probable cost OF the tunnel and its
extension OF the line from the ton
of Mccoy to Dotsero on the line Of the
D. & r. G. railroad. Besides these
powers. above named, many others
of a minor nature were included. The
bill" carried an appropriation of
100000. II was given to the COM
mittee on Finance. 1t should have
gone to the Appropriation Committee,
but a Denver man wac chairman Of
the Finance Committee and 1t faired
much better than It would have done
had II gone to tthe Appropriation com
mittee.
In due time 1t appeared on the door
Of the House in Committee Of the
AS soon as 1t came up. the
Representatives form El Paso, FREE
mont and Pueblo and others arose
against It and drove 1t back to the
Finance Committee.
Then began one Of the most tire.
mendous campaigns of propaganda by
the commercial interests of Denver
Men were sent into all
parts OF the state working up senti- |
ment for this "bill". Every wire was
: Illed. Every trick OF political rascality
was pulled. A solid delegation Of
Denver Representatives, twelve in
mum Der, pulling as one for this "bill".
The best orators of Denver harangued
the members. The entire press Of
Denver was for the "bill". The keen
est, shrewdest, most unprincipled
bunch OF lobbyist tht evaer assailed u
legislative body hung continually on
our forces. We were on the defensive
1t was up to the Denver interests to
thirty-three votes. II was mp
TO us, the opponents Of the "bill". to
hold our forces together and keep
ham from QeftipV that pnuahar