Gunnison news-champion., 1922-04-28
ROCKWELL DISCUSSES THE
MOFFAT TUNNEL BILL
CONTINUED from First Page)

Continued from First Page)
two measures-a flood conservancy
act for Pueblo, and the Moffat Tunnel
project. After listening to several
hearings at which such men as Alva
b. Adams, Miles Saunders, Arthur
Morgan, head Of the Morgan Engineer
ing Company, and probably the best
informed man on engineering projects
in the world, MIR. Breckenridge, presi-
dent Of the Pueblo Chamber Of COM
mrce, the secretary of the Union Lab
or Board Of Pueblo. and other business
and professional men, speaking for the
Pueblo conservatory district, and Mr..
Marsh, Denver city attorney; James
H. Pershing, probably the leading con-
stitutional lawyer Of Colorado, Mr..
Montgomery and others concerning
the Moffffat tunnel bill, l am convinc-
ed that the Governor was right in
calling this extra session.
The Senate has already passed both
of these bills in substantially the form
In which they were presented, the
only amendment seeking to prevent
any possibility Of the state Of Colorado
being liable in any way for the pay
ment of the tunnel.
It would take too much time to dis
'cuss both bills In this letter, so shall
take up the Moffat tunnel measure
this week and the Pueblo Conservancy
bill next week.
Win / left home was under the
impression that SO far as our part of
the Western Slope was concerned we
were not interested in the bills under
consideration only so far as the fact
that anything that benefits part of
Colorado is bound directly or Indirect
ly to help all Of the state.
find however. both from the state
ment of President Young and from
other reliable sources that If the Mof-
fat tunnel is butt the Denver & Rio
Grande Western has every intention
of using it-in other words, II looks
as IL the dream we have been harbor-
ing for 30 many years of going thru
the mountains instead Of over them,
with the saving of a hundred and fifty
to two hundred miles between Western
Colorado and Denver, will soon be
realized. This, In my opinion, will not
only be Of great benefit to the coun-
ties Of Delta, Montrose, Mesa and the
other counties ON the main line Of the
Rio Grande, but II will probably mean
that Gunnison will flnd itself both on
the standard gage railroad connected
mp. with Crested Butte and on the mar
row gage between Montrose and Sail
da. Moreover, / do not think that
this will In any affect the railroad
situation in Salida and some of those
/ towns who fear that by the main linz
traffic going around above them, they
I will be left more or less isolated. Thi
/ Missouri Pacific will continue to shit
thru Pueblo and Salida as at present
and the new project simply means thai
the Rio Grande viii ret q great deal
Of the through traffic, both freight
and passenger that now goes norti
on the Union Pacific and north on the
Santa Fe. 55v
The cost Of the construction Of thi,
tunnel is placed ct . maximum d
IS, ,720, 600 90, which includes principal
and interest and, IL ab6ve sisted, 4
borne entirely by the district. The
state outside this district is not affect
Cd ct III 30 far as the cost is concern.
ed and the bill as amended in tn
vision that Il must BE- printed on thu
bonds that the State Of Colorado Is Il
no wise liable for their payment.
The district involved includes III q,
Denver, Grand, NofIat and Routt coun
ties, and parts Of Eagle, Gilpin, Bould
i iTkese counties are 70 IS assessed sc
| lcordfng to tie value received. For IN
! Stance Z. ranch along the northerl
border Of Routt county neerEths Uniol
Pacific railway would not b assesse,
Msse than half - nsneh - ~ sana'