, 1922-02-02


( (The Snake River SentineD
Craig and Moffat county, has
finally come to the conclusion that
the uoffat tunnel will soon be built
and that prosperity is about to come
again &c that section. The City OF
Pueblo fought the tunnel bill during
the last tunnel election but since. that
they have suffered losses OF many
millions OF dollars through severe
floods SO now Pueblo says that II the
State of Colorado will nelp her pre-
vent further floods she VIII 40 longer
fight the tunnel which Denver thinks
northwestern Colorado needs so bad
ly.
At the same tiTe' the City OF Raw
Inns finally awakens to the fact that
the Snake River section and north
western Colorado needs a real rail-
road and wants said railroad built
from Re- Wins across the Snake River
valley and into Moffat county. While
we know the feasible route for such
a railroad Is from Wamsutter in
stead of Rawlins we also admit that
1t would be much more convenient
for all concerned to have 1t come
from Rawlins.
II the people OF Moffat county
will employ a competent crew Of en-
gineers to report o nthe feasibility of
the Moffat tunnel they will without a
doubt receive a rather discouraging
report. Railroad operators will tell
you that no railroad can operate eff
ficiently over a roadbed where the
grade exceeds two per cent. A re-
port from competent, unbiased en-
gineers will show numerous grades
In excess of two per cent between
Oak Creek and the west portal Of
the proposed Moffat tunnel. This
means that the enormous coal ton
mage which could be developed and is
now being developed in Rohtt and
Moffat counties must be hauled owe
such grades before the train would
enter such a tunnel. Numerous
grades in excess of two per cent will
also he encountered between Denver
and the east portal Of such a tunnel
but as the patrons Of the road in
Routt and Moffat counties would
have to pay the freight bill such a
mere trifle worries Denver very little.
The citizens Of Routt and Moffat
counties should investigate thorough
ly the feasibility of the Moffat tun-
mel before bonding themselves and
the future generation for the pur-
pose Of building such a tunnel, and
not take the word of the Denver Post
and q Few Denver business mems or
g%anixations. Look before you leap
as pay day always m o or
later and a few dollars for an invest
igation now is far better than mort
gaging your life time to pay for a
white elephant.
Well informed railroad men, bus
mess men and engineers claim that
to give Routt and Moffat counties re-
liable, cheap railroad seryica 1t must
be done over grades not e~~caeiing
two per cent and such a route can
be found only between the Union
Pacific and the Bear River N.ll"".
within the past year n NJ. T.
Streeter tried to promote a railroad
between Axial and Wamsutter. Mr..
Streeter might have succeeded with
his plans but some of his methods of
promotion would make poor ]. Rufus
Wallingford look like a rank ANA
teur and the people OF Moffat county
couldn't stand his graft. We have
al ways though and still think that
Carbon county and Moffat county can
finance and build their own railroad
and we are going to suggest that a
committee of representative business
men Of Rawlins, Craig. and Snake
River get together and fight the
matter over. As a suggestion, why
not call . meeting at Baggs. which is
the ideal central location for all
concerned. Of the following men:
w. W. Daley. H. Breitenstein. r.
H. Afcorn, L. e. Armstrong and F.
W. Rendle of Rawlins; G. A. Van
Dorm. Lee Jones, Neil Kimball, F. M.
Pleasant and r. L. White Of Craig;
and A. n. Christensen, c. c. Dolan,
Geo. L. Gideon, q. W. Reader and l..
J. Dolan Of Snake River. Az chair
man Of this body we suggest L. B.
Maupin OF Baggs, who has In his
possession more data concerning the
u~ndeveloDed resources Of Snake
River and adjoining territory and
who knows more and says less about
railroad. matters than anyone In these
: parts.
such . body Of men would be truly
representative In every respect. The
financial interests would be ably
represented by Messrs. B~reitenstein,
Van Dom. PleASant, Reader and
MAHpins The press would be rep
4 resented by Msssrs. Alcorn aid Kim
bail. The stockmen by Mr.. Daley
and MI. g. G.. Dolan, the commercial
organisations by Messrs. Rendle
Jones and White: for the legal, pro.
fession Mr.. L.. e. Armstrong; the
real practical railroad builders would
be represented by A. H. Christensen
CONTINUED on Page Four.)