OCR Text |
Show Prospects For R. R. Spur In Valley Very Bright And untold tons of sugar beet, That happy day when we're on our feet, Is a'comin', comin', hail mighty day! We're glad to see that Slat-cr-ee Can sec our opportunity, Oh, tell us now that the D. & R. G. Is a'comin', comin', hail mighty day! Joseph Christensen, in speaking of the importance of the proposed spur to the west side, impressed the magnitude mag-nitude of the agricultural section already al-ready developed and the vast territory terri-tory yet to be put under cultivation. He spoke of the efforts of the sturdy pioneers to open up the valley and added that newcomers and the railroad rail-road would be a big factor in making the valley one of the best in the west. J. M. Knighton briefly related the history of the movement started towards to-wards getting the railroad officials interested with the valley residents in building the spur. He told of the promises made by the west-siders to raise 2000 acres of beets for a period of five years and of the other possibilities possi-bilities in stock, etc., that would be an incentive for building the branch. L. P. Frandsen, one of the most progressive farmers from the west side, gave the assurance that the farmers from his section would lend every aid should the railroad company com-pany see fit to build the spur. Mr. Frandsen stated that practically all would furnish rights-of-way and help on the grading and get back of the proposition in every respect. He pointed out that the west side was one of the best and most productive beet sections in the state and with adequate transportation facilities it would become a world-beater. Conrad Frischknecht, also of the west side, made an impressive talk (.n the importance of connecting the west side with the main line. Mr. Frischknecht spoke of the time, only a few years ago, when the west side was a sea of sagebrush and desert. Today there are thousands of acres blooming and producing, a result of building ditches and caring for the crops. The speaker stated that the 4- "I have just recently com- ! pleted a trip through eastern J states. I passed through sev- X cntccn states and the District of Columbia and I can frankly X X and honestly say that during my travels I failed to see any .j. section that rivaled the Gunni- X son Valley. You have a great ! big country a prosperous and promising country and your X cooperation and activities will J certainly put the valley on the j map." J. T. Slattery, superin- X tendent of the Salt Lake di- 5" vision of the Denver & Rio T v Grande Western railroad. Practical assurance was given Tuesday night that the spur of the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad rail-road would be built at an early date, to tap the Westvicw and Clarion farming sections, at a banquet tendered ten-dered J. T. Slattery, division superintendent super-intendent for the D. & R. G. W. railroad, rail-road, at the Gunnison hotel. Superintendent Super-intendent Slattery, in an after-dinner address, gave the valley one of the biggest boosts one could give and he stamped it as being one of the most promising he had seen for many years. He stated that the matter of building the spur was being seriously serious-ly considered by the officials at the Denver headquarters and that there was every possibility of the work being be-ing started at an early date. At the invitation of W. Harvey Ross, president of the Gunnison Valley Val-ley Sugar company, and Mayor J. W. Jones, J. M. Knighton and Burge Frandsen, the committee appointed some time ago to take the matter up with the railroad company, looking to have the spur built, Superintendent Slattery stopped over in Gunnison Tuesday enroute from a trip south. The committee escorted Mr. Slattery to the west side where a careful study was made of the conditions by the latter. Mr. Slattery was highly impressed im-pressed and told the committee that he would impress upon the officials of his company the importance of connecting the west side with rail transpoi'tation facilities. At the banquet, which was served at the Gunnison hotel, fifty representative repre-sentative business hien and farmers from Gunnison, Centerfield, West-view West-view and Clarion were present. The affair was strictly an impromptu one and notwithstanding the fact that arrangements ar-rangements were made in a few hours k was one of the most successful ever staged in this city. Goodfel-lowship Goodfel-lowship was the keynote and throughout through-out it was an enjoyable affair. Two long tables were arranged in the main dining room and one big table was set in the lobby. And the good things to eat, the . beautiful floral decorations, the musical numbers and the addresses made by the "boosters" ' instilled happiness and optimism in nil. valley needed more good farmers and the building of the spur would surely result in putting many thousand acres more under cultivation. Mr. Slattery, the honor guest at the banquet, and taking kindly to the request re-quest of the citizens for seeking aid in transportation facilities, praised the citizens for their efforts and for their determination in landing the railroad spur to the west side. Mr. Slattery stated that he had just completed com-pleted a trip across the continent, covering more than 8,000 miles and! passing through seventeen states and the District of Columbia, and at no time did he see any section that gave a brighter and better promise than the Gunnison Valley. Mr. Slattery paid a high tribute to the progressive progres-sive spirit shown by the citizens here and practically assured those present that the spur will he built. He stated that the citizens had done their part towards having the railroad spur built and that the matter would be passed to the general headquarters at Denver and with the recommenda- Mayor J. W. Jones acted as toast-1 master and during the dinner hour Mrs. June Metcalf sang "Dear Heart," and Miss Ida Johnson gave a piano solo. Both numbers were warmly received. re-ceived. Solos by E. L. Swalberg and J. M. Knighton made hits with the : banqueters. The big hit, however, was a selection, "Just Watch Us Grow," by a quartet composed of Messrs. Swalberg, Edmonds, Halverson Halver-son and Stubbs. The words were ' originated by Messrs. Edmonds and Halverson and the tune "Old Shady" adopted. The quartet responded twice to encores. On request the song is herewith reproduced by consent con-sent of the composers: "Just Watch Us Grow." Come, on, now, fellows, make a stir, 'Cause something big is 'bout t'occur; :tion that action be taken at once. W. Harvey Ross, in responding to the toastmaster, stated that the railroad rail-road problem was the big one with his company. With the spur line built it would give an outlet to one of the biggest and best beet producing produc-ing sections throughout the west. Mr. Ross stated that his company j would cooperate in every way and not only this hut would expend several j thousand dollars in improvement I which would be necessary in the ! event the branch line to the west side was built. I Oh, don t you know that a ranroaci spur. Is a'comin,' comin', hail mighty day! Chorus: Clear the way, clear the way, 'cause we'll tap Westvicw and Dover. Hurray! Hurray! Just watch us grow. We've had to drive for six long miles, For forty year or a longer while. Oh, won't it make the natives smile When the station, station, is built right in town. We'll raise a lot more hay and wheat |