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Show PROPOSED ROAD IS : M?TI,fflSIOOPEIl I) : U. & R. G: General Passenger. ' 'Agent Denies Report of New Colorado Road. I ! ' COLONIST'S RATES MAY - . NOT BE LOWERED v ' Outlook for Passenger Business During J 908 Js Regarded as Bright. The reports thai have been sent broad-cast broad-cast throughout the Intormountnin country coun-try the past few days to the effect Hint a railroad is to be built In Colorado to connect con-nect the Denver Jfc Rio Grande and the Moffat line have been officially declared "l false. I -Ma J. S. K, Hooper, general paspenger aiirt ticket agent of the Denver & Rio , Grande, arrived In Salt Lake at midnight ' Sunday to attend the convention of the Transcontinental Scrip association, which opens Monday morrilg In parlor A at tho Knutsford. "I have rend tho story or the proposed ilne to connect the Denver k Rio Grande, and the Moffat line, but thcro Is not a word of truth In It," declared Major Hooper In his room at the Knutsford Sunday Sun-day night. "II Is all talk. The proposed pro-posed road, according to the announcements, announce-ments, was to open to our territory the coal fields of Steamboat Springs, toward which the Moffat line I rapidly flushing. The panic through, which tho country has just passed has hud very llttla effect on paFccnger travel over the Denver k Rio Grande, according to Major Hooper. "We have taken off loss than six passenger pas-senger trains on our entlro system, " he declared Sunday night. "We took off two between Pueblo and Denver and ouc or two others in Colorado. Wo have not rakin a single train off oun lines In Utah, however, as tho Utah business has held up wonderfully well. We do not expert . to take off any, ellheT. Outlook Is Good. "Denver has recovered rapidly from the financial depression and Is very nearly htr old self again. '".I believe we shall have as heavy a travel this year as we did last. Indications Indica-tions are that the summer tourist business busi-ness will be very heavy. In spite of the unfavorable circumstances." "Should hard times ensuo this year, would colonists' rates, homeseekcrs' rates and similar rates over the Denver k Rfo Grande be lowered to alrl In getting people peo-ple Into the West and the intermountain country," Major Hooper was asked. "I do not believe colonists' and similar rates will go any lower than they are at present, come "what may In the matter mat-ter of hard, times," was bin answer. "We arc already down to bedrock on such rales, and while I am positive they will go' no higher thnn they are at present, I am very sure (hey will go no lower" The question of the proposed new Gould depot for Salt Lake was brought up, and Major Hooper declared that whllf; there would be a temporary delay In getting the building under way. It ultimately would bo erected as originally planned. "We shall not hurry Into the depot construction con-struction work, and I anticipate that there wilt be some little delay In marling op-c-ratlona," he said. "The depot, however, will ultimately be built." The officials of the passenger departments depart-ments Of other Western road.s who are to attend the convention of the scrip association asso-ciation are expected here Monday. The convention Is called for the purpose of discussing rates between rallrond companies; com-panies; that Is, the officials will decide how much each railroad concerned gets when a traveler purchases a ticket to Chicago. Chi-cago. Every lino he travels over gets a certain percentage of the price of the ticket, and It Is to settle ijuestlons on the arrangements between the Western roads that the convention wa:i calleil. |
