The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1921-01-15

1t still owns this right of way. David II.
Mofrat having been given joint use Of
1t when he built his railroad.
The Burlington caused some prclim.
mary work Of construction to Ike done
Oh the Empire tunnel site about II
years ago although it was done under
cover OF secrecy. A ''prospector" and n
crew of miners were put to work on
the eastern side OF the range. alOve
( Empire the instructions to the man In
charge bcing to drive straight in,on
the survey line now proposed to he
used for the railroad tunnel This
work. which was paid for by the Bur
lington. was discontinued after the
tunnel has reached dpth of 200 feet.
One OF the reasons for the Burling-
ton not hnving previously carried out
Its plan for entering the Routt county
coal fields was the difficulty presented
by the heavy grade In Clear creek en-
on between Golden aud the forks of the
creek. Under the present plan this is
taken care OF by using the present Moi
fat tracks to Coal Creek west OF the
I.eyden coal mine and 90 miles from
Denver. and from there swinging H.
round to Clear creek canon and cut
ting out II road bed OH its north wall.
by this means Idaho Springs and En-
pire will he reached without at any
point encountering any grade as heavy
ms . per cent.
by the use Of this rO-ite between
Denver and Glenwood Springs for its
trans continental business. instead of
following the Rio Grandc via Pueblo
and Snlitln. the Burlington will not
only reduce the distance 1SG miles. but
1t will avoid two high divides. That
at Palmer Lake means II climb of 1000
feet In the ~ miles from Denver and
1910 feet In the % miles from Colorn-
do Springs. At Tennessee pnss II ut.
tnlns an altitude OF 1920 feet. only
1.4?1 feet lower than Corona. on the
Mofrnt road. On both of these divides
considerable I per cent grade Is en-
cOuntercd The Empire tunnel will be
only few hundred feet higher than
the town OF Empire. the attitude Of
which IL S.2i3 feet. while the portals Of
the James Peak tunnel would Ike 900
feet above sea level.
Although the Burlington. In order to
make usc Of the shortest Immediately
available route over its recently ac-
Iuircd Moffat. Rio Grande and West
crn Tsciflc lines. propo~es to at once
build the connection between OrcstOd
and Dotscro. distance Of II miles.
there tx evidence that 1t tx not content
to make this cutoff part Of Its per-
mancnt main transcontental route. by
carrying out the plans Of Mr.. Mofrnt
for the extension Of the Dcnvcr 4 Salt
Lake railroad. II will lr able to still
further reduce the distance between
Chicago and Snn Francisco. and give
through traffic This will result In
putting ROutt county on the principn!
trnnscontincntnl system Of the country
Governor Simon Hamburger Of Utah
the management Of the Burlington.
and Inst week he returned to Salt Lake
City after an absence Of a month. spent
IN work In the interests Of the railroad
which he proposes to build from Salt
Lake into the Unitnh basin. Upon his
arrival home he stated that he knew
that arrangements were under way for
financing the tunnel through n range.
and that he Ind been assured That the
Mofrat road would bc extended to meet
his line. He said. however. that the
road into the Tintah basin from the
west would ,e completed first. Cover
nor Bambergcr's term expired Monday.
and upon the Inauguration OF his sue
ccssor he declared TINT he would re-
tire entirely from politics and would
devote the remainder of his life TO his
rnilroad interests. His confidence In
/ the extension Of the Mofrat road Is
good news for this country.
IWo ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS h""" ""''" Wv
INST week by the Burlington rnilrOnd
are Of interest In connection with Its
taking over the Mofrnt rond. One Is
that 1t proposes to make Colorado n
burlington state" md that II Will this
year spend money advertising Colorado
scenery more than nll other railroads
hive ever done IN the past. all put to-
gthcr. That the scenery Of the Moffat
road. the most magnificent reached by
any railroad In Amcricn. will have
prominent part in this advertising IL
certainty.
( The other announcement IL that the
burlington Will inaugurnte one OF the