Show The Moffat t Tunnel National Asset In the rec recent nt Moffat tunnel number number num num- ber her of or l Facts a publication publication publication cation of the city and county of Denver Colorado Edgar J. J C C Mac- Mac the editor writes an article on the probability of th the Moffat tunnel being instrumental in the building of r another link to connect co the east with tho the west In P part his article states that In reporting adversely upon the possIble possible possible ble of oC the Rio Grande Grander railroad r with the Santa Fe Professor ProCessor sor William Villiam Z Z Ripley of Harvard University transportation expert of the Interstate commerce commission succinctly out outlined the national transportation benefits to be derived ed from a transcontinental line tl through lough Colorado He recommended recommend recommend- ed that the Rio Grande and the he Denver Denver Den Den- pen pen- ver vel and Salt gaIt Lake l road be consolidated with the Burlington Professor Ripley pointed out that Denver is entered by six roads from th the east while but two go out to the west Two stem lines lines' could b be created but this would leave leae four subs ending i in Denver Denver's plan is to give all the prairie roads transcontinental service by reason of the public ownership and operation of the Moffat tunnel and the conversion conversion conversion con con- version of the Rio Grande and the Moffat roads Into open bridge lines Necessity Necessity- for a more evenly matched match match- ed rivalry as a check against monopolistic monopolistic control by the dominant key line the Union Pacific c was strongly and frequently emphasized by Protes Professor or- or Ripley He described the Ehe Pueblo t I gateway of the Rio Grande as physically impossible for the stem stein of of a great national railroad and added that the James Peak project Moffat tunnel would not be feasible as a apart part of a Santa Fe development de' I After decla declaring that a single control control con on of or two gateways Into California would be equally objectionable M whether hether held held- by the Southern Pacific or the Santa Fe Professor Protessor Ripley referred re re- erred specifically to the Moffat tunnel lun- lun nel uel thus hus The Colorado situation mu must t be examined in detail At present the Burlington route to the jt coa-jt by hy way of the Denver Denvel- district s 's s one of or the most roundabout Throe Three others leading to Colorado springs Brings or Pueblo direct or But the choice between this plan is is' is mad madu not for the present but bu as part of or a national poll policy C for tor the fu- fu fu u- u ture The bulwark or the tIle Rocky Rock mountains behind Denver is is bound to be overcome b before long b br bj construction con con construction of ot a penetrating penetratIng direct line hue toward Salt Lake City The need of such a provision of a through gh route rout is imperative not only for the of Denver but for the satisfaction of national commercial needs Further in the article he states In brief the Colorado river basin larger than all allor of France awaits the life giving artery of transportation The Moffat tunnel is is' the only direct route from the heart of this region to the forty million people of the Mississippi valley The United States government the holding company comp ny for the American people is the greatest landlord in this territory It If there were unclaimed anywhere anywhere any anywhere any any- where In the world a region as vast vast and andrich rich as the Colorado Colora o river basin great wars would be waged for Its possession unlimited blood and treasure would be spent in its de de- de- de |