Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-19
Tunnel Under
Colorado Brings
Oceans Nearer

| Denver, Colo, July IS CA. P.)-Ac-
tual work on the Moffat tunnel.
through the continental divide west
OF Denver, is expected to begin early
next month. The first shovelful Of
dirt may be turned on August /, Col
orado Day. Everything is in readi-
ness to start. Bids for construction
are being advertised, and the bonds
are being offered for sale.
| The Moffat tunnel will cut the rail
distance between the Atlantic and the
racine oceans by 20 miles. Its con-
struction is an engineering feat of
much difficulty, and it is of great ma
tlcnal importance. for it will open up
large section of land in northwest
ern colorado rich in natural re-
sources. The campaign to construct
.his tunnel has been carried on for
the last 80 years. Early in the sixties
the pioneers of what is now the state
OF Colorado realized adequate trans
portation was necessary to develop
the territory. and set about to get it.
Inc tunnel commences at the head
waters of South Boulder creek in Gill
IN county near the town of Tolland.
passes under James Peak and emery
es trifie more than miles west at
the headwaters of the Fraser river
in Middle Park. Grand county. The
western side of the tunnel is Az
miles from the town of Fraser Colo
| RADIO.
The tunnel will be available i'm
mediately to the Denver & Salt Lake
| railroad, now completed to Craig,
Moffat county. The plans of this
line include building into Salt Lake
City. 1t also will be available later
to the Denver, Rio Grande & West
ern railroad which now is building a
cutoff to connect with the tunnel. The
| actual saving to the Denver e. Salt
| Lake railroad will be the tortuous
climb of % miles over the crest of the
continental divide, where the Moffat
| road now crosses the divide above
timberline at an elevation of 1860
| feet.
On the Denver & Rio Grande the
distance to Salt Lake City will be
shortened by 173 miles through build
ing the cutoff to connect with the
| tunnel
The tunnel will be 6.o4 miles long.
The project consists of main tunnel
20 by 16 feet in the clear and a pion-
eer tunnel paralleling it. Trains
through the tunnel will be operated
by electricity. Provision has been
| made so that automobiles and other
traffic may pass through the tunnel
in special cars. The tunnel elevation
at the east portal is $3.50 feet, at the
west 900 feet.
Sponsors of the tunnel predict that
ultimately almost all Of the railroads
entering Denver will use the tunnel
as a short cut from Denver west.
Tourists who have enjoyed the trip
over the continental divide on the
Moffat route will mourn the fact
that the coming of the tunnel will
mean that the famous little station,
Corona, the top O. the world, will
pass out of existence as a railroad
stop. Corona, 1860 feet above sea
level. now is the highest point in the
world where there is a standard
guage railroad. The tunnel will
eliminate the climb from Tolland,
whose altitude is about 5000 feet, to
Corona. This climb has given many
a thrill to Eastern tourists. The grade
above Tolland is four percent-almost
unprecedented in railroad grades
and there are many curves as the
train mounts upward. It Is land Of
perpetual snow. Even in the middle
Of June the train, when near the top
of the divide, frequently climbs
through snowdrifts higher than its
car tops.