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Show ciation is waiting for the signature of the Missouri Pacific, says the Railway Register, and the Missouri Pacific is waiting for the annulling of the Union Pacific-Northwestern alliance. It is a pronounced case of waiting all around. Track laying between Rifle creek and Grand Junction, a distance of sixty-five miles, was begun last Tuesday, April 8, and is being pushed at the rate of one and a half miles a day. This is the joint the joint track of the Midland and Rio Grande Western, and it is expected that the connection at Grand Junction will be completed early in May. H. II: Houston, a director of the Pennsylvania Railway company, is traveling in a private car. Mr. Houston Hous-ton at last accounts was on the Pacific coast, homeward bound. He will arrive in Salt Lake Saturday morning, and will be received by General Manager Resseguie and other prominent railway officials. Mr. Houston is accompanied in his car by a party of invited guests. AM TDK IRON THE The Chicago, Book Island and Pacific- Secure Se-cure a Lease of the Denver & Bio Grande's Entire System. BETTEB FACILITIES NOW ASSUEED. Salt Lakers Can Have two Eoutes to the East in Future A Grist of General and Personal News. A well defined rumor is in circulation to the effect that the Chicago, Rock Island am' Pacific has entered into a contract with the Denver and Rio Grande and Rio Grande Western railroads rail-roads by which the lines of the latter companies will be leased for a period of 00 years, w hich amounts to a virtual sale. This action has been anticipated for a long time as the former road has been especially desirous of getting into Salt Lake. It aud the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy arc the only lines reaching from Chicago to Denver, and the hitter's traffic arrangement with the Union Pacific west has had the effect ef-fect to injure the business of the Rock Island lo a considerable extent. By an absorption of the Itio Grande system the road will bo placed on a much better bet-ter footing than is its rival. If the report be true, aud it is hoped that it is, the result will be of great benefit to Salt Lake. At the present time the Rio Grande is nothing more than an immense plaything. play-thing. The trip from Denver to Salt Lake is a tedious trip especially in winter win-ter when the scenery, of w hich so much is said, is covered with snow and the little three-foot track is buried out of sight. A consignment of freight sent over tho line is many, many days in reaching its destination, while tho passenger grows grey-haired waiting wait-ing for his journey's end. If tho Rock Island gets hold of the line the gauge will at once bo widened and communication communi-cation with tho outside world will be greatly improved. In this connection it may be well to state that The Times announced this matter about a mouth ago, and that beyond a doubt the prediction pre-diction made lias been fulfilled. In view of these rumors and assertions asser-tions a Times reporter called on Mr. J. II. Bennett, the general freight and passenger agent of tho Rio Grande Western, who said in substance: "The Rio Grande Western is the most valuable pieco of railroad property in the western country. I do not believe that it is either for sale or has been sold to any other corporation. If, when it could have been purchased cheaper than it can now, it was not sold, it is not reasonable to suppose that the company com-pany has disposed of it now that the property has become very much more valuable, What makes the property so valuable is that It will havo for feeders at Grand Junction the Denver & Rio Grande, tho Midland, or Rock Island, if you please; the Santa ,Fo and tho Missouri Mis-souri Pacific. It is onlv a nuestion of lime when these four great roads will be at Grand Junction, and thou we shall handle tho traffic of each; and we can do it cheaper than they can themselves. Thero is nothing in the rumor of sale, nor do I believe that there is any likelihood of even along lease being executed to the Rock Island. I am of the opinion that the Tribune has received, us a sequel, another an-other installment of railroad news similar sim-ilar to its famous Wuterbury watch story." A call at the trainmaster's office in the Rio Grando Western depot failed to find Superintendent Bancroft in his office; but posted in the bullet in book was tho following notice: Salt Lake City, April 15, 1890. To all conductors: On aud after this date you will honor all trip passes countersigned by E. St. John. (Signed) W. II. Bancroft, General Superintendent. Mr. St. John is the general manager of thn Rock Island system, and whether the fact thai the Rio Grando Western people have furnished him with blank trip pusses, good when countersignod by himself, lias any siguifieauco with regard to the rumored change in tho status of the Rio Grande Western, cannot can-not bo said. C. F. Resseguie, tho general manager of the Uniou Pacific's Mountain division, divis-ion, simply says that ho knows nothing about tho matter. Railway Notes and 1'ersonnls. Agent Mitchell of tho Milwaukee is in tho city. A Raymond excursion of 125 people is duo here on Saturday. Lake Park will not be opened this year until about June 15. Tho first regular train to Garfield beach yesterday was well patronized. Track -laying between Ritio and Grand Junction will lie performed by a track-laying track-laying machine. Tho Denver it Rio Grande has recently re-cently placed orders for tweuty-livo new engines and 3500 cars. Rio Grande Western train No. 1, due to arrive hero this evening, was reported re-ported on timo at Grand Junction, Tho new coaches of the Rio Graudo are running. An entire train, together with a new eugino, was photographed at tho depot yesterday. It is stated that very soon tho trip from Denver to Salt Lake via the Rio Rraude w ill be made iu 26 hours instead of from one day to a week. Clarcuco Brown, general press agent of the Union Pacific, has completed the task of compiling a book on Salt Lake City and Garfield beach, which will be distributed in a few days. J. V. Parker, division ticket agent of the Union Pacific, went to Nephi yesterday. yes-terday. Tomorrow, iu company with General Manager Resseguie, he will leave for a tour of the northwestern lines. It is believed that the Union Pacific is securing terminal facilities in San Francisco, and the people of that city are rejoicing in the hope that inside, of twenty-four months Union Pacific trains will rtiu through from Omaha lo the Pacific Coast. The Western States Passenger asso- |