Pueblo chieftain. (Pueblo, Colo.) 1889-current, 1921-10-25


of the Dayton-Morgan Engineering
company a conference will be held at
the Vail Hotel tomorrow to confer
with tho representatives of the five
railroads entering Pueblo, or the vari-
Gus roads holding property here, to
join in the amalgamation OF central
izing of their railroad yards which
would conform with the purpose of de-
terminng which of the three plans for
the proposed flood prevention would
be the most satisfactory.
The question is thought to be of vital
Importance to the railroads and the
subject introduced by Mr.. Morgan will
probably be one of the first steps to
bring the property owning railroads to
agree to a location for one large rail-
road yard that will centralize all local
freight.
A letter sent to the. chief engineer
of the different railroads by the Nor
gan Engineering company, reads as
follows:
The Dayton Morgan Engineering
company has been employed by the.
city and county of Pueblo to work out
flood control plans for that community.
Whatever plans of relief is determined
upon, the railroads entering Pueblo
will be vitality affected and we hope
A., that we may have your cooperation in
the development of the plan of i'm
| provement.
Three possible plans for tho central
of the Arkansas river. each with pos
sible variations in detail, are indicated
by the conditions. Possibly a combi-
| nation of parts of two of these plans
would DC feasible These possible
plans are:
l. The retardation of the flood flow
behind a dam across the Arkansas
valley above Pueblo. This method
would affect only the Rio Grande and
| Santa Fe railroads.
| . The Improvement of the existing
| channel by widening and straighten-
ing it. protecting the banks and by re-
building or replacing bridges.
| ,. The relocation of the river chan
mel thru Pueblo, placing it along the
foot of the bluffs at the west side OF
| the valley. This is the method which,
II most feasible from financial and
engineering standpoints, would, We are
given to understand, do most for the
development OF Pueblo greatly reduc-
ing the cost of future development and
| maintenance. and greatly adding to
the convenience. attractiveness, ana
orderly development of the city. The
execution OF this plan would require
| the complete relocation of the yards
of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad.
| Inasmuch as the Missouri Pacific and
the Santa Fe railroads are about TO
| relocate tnelr ydTOS. 1t seeIns possipie
that there might be worked out plan
for consolidated railroad yards planned
as a new undertaking, with every con-
| sideration for maximum efficiency and
economy in moving freight. The loca-
ton of such yards. whether TO the
north or to the south of the city. could
be determined only after careful in
vestigation. The cost of this method
of flood control would be apportioned
as follows:
Each railroad would pay that part
| of the cost represented by the saving
in expense TO 1t, by the flood preVen-
ton work and by the construction and
| operation of such consolidated yards
the balance of the cost to be paid by
i, the flood control district under which
the flood control plans will be carried
out. To determine this cost. the rep
resentatives of the railroad companies
and of the district together would work
out plans. II they should be unable
to agree. the parties interested would
choose competent and disinterested
men as arbitrators.
In our opinion, decision as to
which of the three general plans to
adopt should be reached by making
careful estimates of each plan, as to
its costs and its advantages and dis
advantages. Thereupon one after an
other would be eliminated as less de-
sirable, until one would stand out as
having more merit than any other.
i In determining the cost and merits
of the third plan, which requires the
relocation OF railroad yards, We can
not proceed quickly without the CO.
operation of the railroad companies.
We therefore request that the five
railroads entering Pueblo arrange to
cooperate with US in making a study
of the situation. We do not know
whether this project. for locating the
river along the hills and relocating
the railroad yards, is a feasible one.
II it is the best plan. it will mean
very much for the improvement and
development of Pueblo. and would be
a continuing economy to the railroads