Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1927-10-01
WORMSEYE VIEW OF
ROCKY MOUNTAINS
Moffat Tunnel Through Con-
tinental Divide, Greatest
Engineering Work Since
Panama Canal.

the Moffat Tunnel Commission and
Hitchcock & Tinker, contractors,
last Sunday They had a wonder
ful trip and were treated royalty,
having enjoyed a privilege ac-
corded but few, that of going
through the great bore and see.
ing the work in all its phases.
Description of Trip
The guesst were taken by spe-
cial train on the Denver & Salt
Lake Railroad (Moffat Road, the
train consisting of the baggage
car, parlor car and the private
car of the president of the road.
The train left Denver at $3.50
in the midst of fog and rain
which as higher attitudes were
reached turned to snow. The
view was much restricted, but
this was in measure compensat-
ed for by the novet experience of
being all day in world OF
dazzling white.
The train reached East Portal
so miles from Denver with an alti-
tude Of 9,153 feet. No stop was
made here, the train continuing
over ."Top o. the oWrld," 1860
feet. high, TO the West Portal, 80
miles from Denver. The railroad
grade over the summit is four
per: cent. =.
At West Portal we were. met by
Mr.. Hitchcock, head of the firm
of Hitchcock & Tinker, the con-
tractors for the tunnel, and given
a lavish dinner in the big mess
hall We, then dOnped rubber
hats, coats, pants and boots, were
loaded into dump cars and the trip
OF Gil miles through the heart Of
the. Rocky. Mountains begun: The
cars ware. drawn by. an electric
locomotive.
For hours we were underground
stopping at each point where
work is under way. arriving at
East Portal about five o'clock.
Here we were again fed 'lavishly
and then boarded cur train which
had returned over the mountain
to meet us. We .iarriyed in Denver
at $3.50.
OF the hospitality or Mr.. w. P
Robinson. president of the Tunnel
Commission, and of Mr.. Hitchcock,
the guests could not say enough.
Every comfort, convenience and
luxury was at the disposal of the
guests AMI no trouble spared to
show them everything of interest,"
connected with the great enter
prise. VIII, n the conference con
yeled a resolution of thanks was
adopted by unanimous vote.
The Boffat Tunnel
David II. Moffat, banker, pioneer
railroad sbas.der ani dreamer of
empire. ssss one q ttln greatest
men Colorado ever produced:
Through h Eu.tness activities me
amassed q great .sortune. Then
he sna4t i. dream of projecting a
railroad directly west from Den
yer. through the ;RoekY,lMountains,
to pen up fhe great western half
of Colorado and provide another
transcontinenta line connecting
the east with the west. 1t was
known that no low pass could be
found directly west from Denver,
but wp to 5000 feet the topography
is not unfaVorable to railroad
building. Above that the dry,
shifting SHOWS and the low tenn
peratures make it exceedingly diff
ftcdIt to keep a>road open. A
search for tunnel site. was made
aid found at the foot Of James
Peak.
:.Moffat spent his entire fortune
OF six or eight million dollars
in the difficult construction OF his
road from Denver to the East
Portal site, where the elevation
Ia 9.t53 feet, and then over tenn
Dorary route winding up over the
mountain at an elevation OF H.
$50 feet and down to the West
Portal site, and died broken and
disappointed man. But others ap-
peared to carry his great dream
to realization.
1t was necessary to seek public
aid In building the tunnel and a
special district was formed, In
cIuding the city Of Denver, bonds
voted. contract let to Hitchcock
e Thinker, internationally known
contractors, and the work begun
about four years ago.
Two tunnels were planned to
run side by side, seventyfive feet
from center to center. The tunnel
on the south is by 8 feet and
Is planned for the use Of the City
of Denver to bring water out OF
j, the Colorado River basin for the
i. use of the city. The other tunnel
Is for the railroad and is 16 feet
wide by "a feet high inside. The
two tunnels are connected by
drifts about every 1900 feet.
The water tunnel, known as
Pioneer Tunnel. was pushed ahead
of the other tunnel. Work was
begun at both ends and about
1000 men were kept constantly
employed. Camps were, establish
ed at each portal. with houses,
mess >. tables, and recreation
hall, school, theatre and pOstOf-
fice at each, to keep the men and
their families contented, especial
" during the long and severe
winters which prevail at an alti-
tude OF over 5000 feet.
The tunnels are Gil miles IN
length. Because Of formation con-
dAkfons not anticipated by the
Il