Show Colorado Governor Petitioned JU to Urge ge T Tunnel Legis i Legislation i n 0 The commercial organizations ns and business men men of f Northwestern Northwestern co Colorado Colo Colorado Colo- Colo orado o- o rado hav have signed a petition to to Governor Governor Gov Gov- Shoup asking him to to recommend recommend mend to the legislature the enactment enactment enactment enact enact- ment of legislation which will permit per per- mit the formation of ota ofa a district t fo for forthe forthe the construction of the the- Jamea James Peak tunnel l. l The petition is in in the following following following fol fol- lowing words Your petitioners citizens of th the state of of Colorado 10 respectfully represent represent rep rep- res resent en t That the they have hav esta established the theIr homes andare and are are engaged in occupations occupations in that extensive and resourceful resource resource- ful port portion n- n nf of f Colorado which is w wes west st of the Continental divide and which is included in the counties of Grand Routt Moffat and Rio Blanco and that more than people are living in said counties and that they are taxed for the support of the state government and Its Institutions and for the creation and maintenance o ot of highways That It Is Is necessary f for g good od I living liv living liv- liv fIng f- f ing conditions for fOT your petitioners ers and their families s and for all those similarly situated that supplies and articles articles of daily use required by them may be transported to them r regularly and and t that ai it is necessary necessary for the successful conduct of their various occupations that the products products products pro pro- ducts of or their farms mines stock ranges and d forests rests may be be transported transported transported trans trans- ported t to market market without failure when ready for shipment That the tho principle sources of the supplies re required required re- re by by them and the chief maret market market mar mar- ket et for their their products are at Dener Den Denver Den Den- Denver ver er and a at other places east east of the Continental divide That the means for ta- ta tron of supplies to them In lu inthe th the section section sec sec- tion of Colorado where they and transportation to market of the products of the region are only y supplied supplied supplied sup sup- plied by wagon and auto roads auto roads and nd b br by Y the Denver Salt Lake railroad c chartered by the state of Colorado That the wagon roads and rail rall- I roads which furnish such transportation transportation tation service as your petitioners II now have cross the Continental di divide divide dt- dt vide vido at places above timber line approached approached ap ap- and at over steep grades elevations of ot t feet et or more ab above ve sea l level where winter storms fall heavy a are e severe and the snow That all the wagon wagon road crossings are blocked with snow and cannot be beus us used d for seven months of each ach year That t that at po portion U n of the Denver Denver Salt Lake railroad crossing the summit sum sum- sum sum- mil mit of ot the reported range reported to to be intended in intended in- in tended for tor temporary use use when it Was constructed about b ut 15 years ago Is of ot operation operation and and Is frequently frequently fre fr fre- fre blocked by snow for weeks at a time stopping shipments and travel and causing serious losses land and suffering to your our petitioners We uWe respectfully represent that this often Interrupted and poor cond cond con- con d ion tion of ot highway and railroad service service service ser ser- vice for your petitioners and for many thousands of other C Colorado lorado citizens similarly situated and for foran foran an nn extensive fertile ferUle and resourceful eglon lo is unnecessary unnecessary ry and ought not noto notto t. t to o be permitted by the ate to con con- 1 L Jo L time e without betterment and that in the Judgment of engineers and others who have carefully investigated ed and are familiar with the situation situation situation situa situa- tion it can be best remedied by the construction and maintenance bythe by the state of ot a highway tunnel or tunnels tunnels tun tun- nels nets both for vehicles les and f for r railroads railroads rail rail rail- roads through roads through the Continental di divide divide dJ di- Vide vide at a site site or sites situated situated far far farbelow below timber r line lIue which exist and andare andare andare are suitable for them which tunnel or tunnels if built would built would secure uninterrupted uninterrupted un un- interrupted Interrupt d and and safe operation n throughout the year of ot the the road a and d railroads which serve y your ur petition ers era We Ve respectfully further represent that the construction of such highway high way and railway tunnels through the crest of ot the range is required to aid the development value and use of acres of state lands containing con con- taming coal and held by the state for the benefit of the public schools schools- which now yield no revenue to the the- I school fund And that it is also required required re re- re qui red to hasten the settlement and development of the several thousand- thousand square miles of ot land in the public domain and of federal forests in Western Colorado now unproductive and and- share of of local bearing no or State taxation Your petitioners further represent represent represent sent that in their belief such needed needed needed need need- ed auto highway and railway tunnel tunnel tun tun- nel net or tunnels in order to be most useful should be constructed forever forever forever for for- ever owned or maintained by the public and kept free from monopolistic monopolistic listic control control pr restriction upon their use and open to all comers comers- vehicles and railways railways railways-on on payment tolls That such highway tunnels tunnels tunnels tun tun- nels are now ow being constructed in other states under great rivers for forthe forthe the he use and benefit of their citizens We respectfully represent that the provision and maintenance in operation operation operation oper oper- and the regulation of means of transportation of persons and property Is held in all states to be necessary and proper functions of II government and that we believe It Ito to o be the lawful duty of the general gener gener- al assembly and officers of ot the state of ot Colorado to make reasonable and effective provision for securing and such facilities for transportation transportation trans trans- In this this' state as are rewired re required required re- re q wired for the general welfare and he the health and safety ty of ot its citizens and ind to permit the development and use of ot Its resources i y T r i Your petitioners earnestly and respectfully petition that you call to hp a attention of ot the g general assembly assembly assembly assem assem- bly of at Colorado soon to convene In regular session the conditions existing existIng exist exist- Ing ng and the necessities and desires of ot v many Colorado citizens and the facts herein set forth and that you yon recommend to the legislative ass assembly assembly assem assem- embly em- em t bly the prompt enactment of or such such- laws and nc the making of t such prods provis provisions ions as In your judgment will secure improvement and the maintenance In n h service throughout the tho year of ot the roads crossing the range herein re referred re- re to and as ns will make certain x W the maintenance of of d daily freight re iro and 1 passenger service upon said railroad l r L. 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