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Show RUMORED RAILROAD MERGER MAY SEE TRANS-CONTINENTAL ROAD THROUGH UINTAH BASIN - The intermountaiii . region i' watching with more than passing interest for more definite information informa-tion on reports, which come chiefly chief-ly from Wall street, of an imminent immin-ent consolidation of five great railroads rail-roads into one gigantic transcontinental transcon-tinental trunk line through to (Tft' Pacific coast. Two possible consolidations con-solidations hare heeu suggested, with the key being found in western west-ern Colorado and eastern' Utah. The western phase of one couso!i- dation. the one advanced latest, in-1 volves the Chicago. Burlington & Qnincy, which has its western terminus ter-minus at Denver; and the Western Pacific:, with linyis between Salt Lake and San Francisco. These two lines would be linked through an extension of the Denver & Salt Lake railroad (commonly known ns the Moffat line) through to t'tah fo connect with the Western Pa-1 cific. The other consolidation talked talk-ed of in railroad circles would be a Unking of Ihe "Missouri Pacific. Denver & Rio Grande Western and Western Pacvric. The feeling is generally apparent that any consolidation will result in railroad development in western Colorado, which, in turn, will affect the Uintah basin of northeastern Ctah. This development is expected to manifest itself either in construction con-struction of a line from Craig. Colo., western tei minus of the Moffat Mof-fat road, to Provo, or in construc-ion construc-ion of the much-discussed Dotscro L-utoff, connecting the main line of Ihe Denver & Kio Grande Western with the Moffat line west of the Moffat tunnel. If the consolidation is between the P.urlington nnd the Western Pacific, it is felt steps will be taken to. extend the Moffat line through the Uintah basin. Providing Provid-ing the Denver & Rio Grande Western West-ern figure in tile consolidation, a development which many anticipate the Dotsero cutoff is considered the more likely development. This Dotsero cutoff is. by way of explanation, proposed to connect Orestod, on the Moffat line, with Dotsero on the Denver & Rio Grande Western. The distance between be-tween these two points is approximately approxi-mately seventy miles, though engineers' engi-neers' reports indicate construction will be difficult. Ever since extension of tin Mof fat line to Provo and Salt Lake was talked of. the Dotsero cutoff has been a critical factor. When the Salt Lake & Denver railroad, seeking permission from the interstate inter-state commerce commission to build the road eastward to Craig, in a hearing at Salt Lake in August, was presenting its ease, the Denver & Rio Grande Western opposed the application on the ground that Ihe Dotsero cutoff was the more desirable. de-sirable. The Denver & Rio Grande Western was to argue its application applica-tion for permission to build from Soldier Summit into the basin at r.he same hearing. At the opening of the hearing the Denver & Rio Grande Western withdrew its application appli-cation for this line, and devoted its energies to opposing the applicants seeking permission to build a through line. The Dotsero cutoff, it was brought out at that hearing, would put Salt Lake and Denver on a mileage poetically equal to the shortened distance promised through continuation of the Moffat line, by elimination of the half circle southern swing taken by the Denver & Rio Grande Western between be-tween Lendville, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver. While development leaders in western Colorado are interested primarily pri-marily in promoting a through line from Craig to the west, they are not opposed to accepting the Dotsero cutoff as a desirable substitute. So far as transcontinental traffic is concerned, the same result would be obtained whether the Craig extension ex-tension is constructed or the Dotsero Dot-sero cutoff built. The point in which Utah people are interested devolves upon the thought: "Which route will be of greatest benefit in opening up and developing the Uintah basinV', If the Dotsero cutoff is built, it is likely the Mcffat line will be extended ex-tended at least to Vernal, tapping the Uintah basin from the east. Such a development is not favored in Utah, and, nn it was pointed out at. the railroad hearing .before the commission last fall, the market for the majority of Uintah basin produce lies to the west. Whether the Denver & Rio Grande AVestern has definitely given up plans to construct a branch line into the basin from Soldier Summit is not known. At the time of withdrawal the railroad officials said the plans for this line, were being definitely de-finitely tabled. It is thought by some that if the Denver & Rio Grande Western figures in the consolidation, con-solidation, it may revive its plans to build into the basin from Soldier Summit, providing Ihe consolidation consolida-tion does not result in a decision to extend the Moffat line into the basin. Talk of this consolidation started when it was learned that Commodore Commo-dore Arthur Curtiss James of New York, t he largest individual rail stockholder in I lie world, had added add-ed control of the AVestern Pacific to his holdings in other western railroads. This step gives Commodore Commo-dore .lames indirect control of one-half one-half of the stock of the Denver & Ilio Grande Western system. wb'i'b cific and Missouri Pacific systems. The possibilities of this consolidation consoli-dation overshadow completely any recent railroad development. 11 is apparent th-u ihe James interests are in a posiTion either to effect, a const di da t ion tha I would bring a line through the Uintah basin or would provide for development of the basin through a branch line. Connection of Ihe Western Paei fie and Bur!in::ton routes by way of the Mid'fat system nnd tunnel, would open an entirely new route, midway between tbe other major western roads, toe Santa Fe on the south and the Union Pacific to the north. That some important alignment of Ibis nature is browing is the belief be-lief of Wall street, and thnt financial finan-cial confer, it might, be added, is on its toes for the official word. |