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Show WELBY DOES NOT KNO.' IV hy So Many Ralls Ara Piled Up at Thistle Ask New York. Superintendent Welby of the Rio Grande Western Railroad company returned last night from an inspection trip over the line, in company with the master mechanic, bridge superintendent and other heads of the construction department. Mr. Welby was at his desk this morning when a Times reporter called to Inquire after the report on the condition con-dition of the road made by him. "The roadbed of the Rio Grande Western was never in better condition than it is at present," said Mr. Welby. "I was highly pleased at the excellent condition of the tracks." It is an open secret among railroad men that the Rio Grande Western is contemplating contemplat-ing a grand coup from Thistle, hut when, or where it will lead, are questions that the officials here claim not to be able to solve. For weeks past the Western people have been piling carload after carload of rails at Thistle. As high as sis cars of rails have been dumped at this point in one day. Why these rails are being placed there nobody seems to know. There are more rails than are necessary to relay the Thistle branch; they are not needed for the main line, and there are points along the line better adapted to become storage points, even if the Rio Grande people bad decided upon accumulating accumulat-ing piles of steel rails. The reporter asked Mr. Welby if he knew why these rails wero being accumulated at Thistle, and if the Rio Grande Western contemplated con-templated extending the Thistle branch, as has been hinted. "I don't know why these rails are being collected at Thistle," said he. ""It is only known to the New York officers of the road. We are in tbe dark as much as any one on this subject." The reporter called the attnetion of Mr. Welby to the number of men laid off recently recent-ly by the Rio Grande Western in all departments. depart-ments. "Yes," said Mr. Welby, "there has been a general decrease all along the line in the construction gangs, the bridge gangs and tbe section gangs. Such decreases are customary cus-tomary with all railroads at this season of the year. We do not require the force of bands that we did in the summer, owing to the track being frozen in the winter and it being unnecessary for the bridge and construction con-struction gangs now." "Then these men will all be put to work in the spring?" asked the reporter. "Possibly ; if we need them they will be put back to work." It is not generally known that on the 20th Inst., the last pay day of the company, that tho Rio Grande Western company made sweeping reductions in its force all- along the line. It is said that forty men were laid ofMn the shops of this city, besides one day switch engine and train crew were taken oil. At Ogden telegraph operators were released and there were decreases in all departments. There is some considerable speculation as to why the Rio Grande Western Railway com. pany has decreased its forces so materially. |