Show s nang ming of the moffat cepter by former govern bamberger ana those as with alth him in the salt lain laic railroad company as th immediate resumption 0 looking to the con consten const strut nn athe proposed line from ehe or provo through tub 1 in to connect with the 11 salt alt lake or road ft craig colo tiie tie present tr western terminus of the road A meeting of the directors of the salt lake denver company probably will be held early next week to outline plans tor for acon included in the program probably will be an immediate trip to new york by governor bamberger or some representative of the local company to confer with men closely identified with the moffat road and with other capitalists interested in the proposed extension toward salt lake city in view of the fact that no definite plan of procedure had been outlined I 1 governor bamberger was averse last night to discussing the patter pending the prospective meeting with his associates he expressed himself however as highly elated over the action odthe colorado authorities in furthering the construction of 0 the moffat tunnel and intimated that he anticipated no great difficulty in financing the uintah basin line it ir the comp completion le of the tunnel were assured the denver salt lase rali railroad road or line extends from denver to craig in northwestern colorado a distance of about miles along the western slope it traverse travers a a region rich in agricultural grazing and mineral resources despite this however the line has never been a paying enterprise because excessive grades have limited the train haul and because snowstorms snow storms have made the road over the continental divide practically impossible five to six months each year by driving a tunnel about six miles long through james peak about forty miles west ot of denver the snow troubles will be practically eliminated the maximum grade will be shortened to the extent of about twenty two miles with the tunnel in operation not only will it be possible to keep the road open the year round but the operating costs will be materially reduces and the train haul increased to 10 a aggree which will permit the handling of many times the tonnage handled under existing conditions the richest tonnage territory served by the moffat line has been reached only in recent years by the extension of the road from steamboat springs to craig in that district are practically all the coal mines served by the road as well as the richer agricultural valleys and the principal s region at that the line is only barely within the edge or tue lue coal fields to the west and southwest of craig are some of the most extensive deposits of high grade bituminous coal found in western america when david H marrat began the construction of the line ne intended not only to open up the rich resources of northwestern colorado and basin but to 10 connect denver and salt lake city by a rail line many miles shorter than any then then or now in existence the route of 0 the proposed line has been followed from denver to craig and from craig it was to have come westward down the yampa or little attle bear river through lay and maybelle agricultural stock growing and coal districts through the cross mountain gap and crossing the green river near jensen thence across the country to the duchesne river to the strawberry and up the strawberry to daniels summit gown cown daniels canyon to heber city connecting with the denver rio grande western for provo and salt lake city originally governor bamberger had in mind following this same route between craig and heber city but after extensive engineering investigations it was decided that the moro more feasible as well as the more promising from an ieng ng and tonnage standpoint would be southwesterly Bouth westerly from craig instead of directly west The survey of the proposed salt lake denver line extends from craig through axial basin to meeker down the white river from meeker to ouray utah up the duchesne to the town of 0 duchesne then up the strawberry to strawberry lake crossing the wasatch mountain range by way ot of squaw creen summit and down hobble creek canyon to Spring springville ville the distance by way of this survey from craig to springville Spring ville is approximately miles and the estimated cost of construction Is adoue 10 while no actual construction work has been undertaken it is understood der stood that practically all of th the c right of 0 way from Spring springville ville to the utah colorado line has been a acquired as has a poc portion of that between the state stale line and craig officers of the company have expressed the opinion that matters are in such shape that when the financing of the road is assured it will be possible to start construction work within thirty days or less besides having advantages in construction and operation the line proposed by governor bamberger Cam berger and associates will serve districts much richer in natura ces than the route followed fol foll lowee owea ty dy the old moffat survey about thirty miles out of craig the bamberger survey enters the axial basin coal field and coal measures axe are practically continuous from there to the state line it also would serve ane ly field besides the rich rice agricultural and stock growing districts of axial meeker and rangely langely Ran gely almost at the state line start the great bon and oil shale deposits and the uintah basin Is a great agricultural empire in itself in case the moffat and bamberger forces decide to join arianas in constructing ting the salt lake laka city connection one of the first einings to be decided is the route to be foll followed owea confident that he is on the right line governor bamberger has accumulated a mass of information concerning grades distances sun ana resources which he Is prepared to present on his proposed eastern tr trip p while it is possible that the une line into spring ville may be a little longer than by way of heber catly the completion of 0 f that line line wil shorten the distance between denver and salt lake dy by twenty miles or more at spring ville also there will be ine advant age of connections with four railroads the denver rio grande utah coal road the salt lake route and the salt lake utah interurban at heber city the only connection would ie be with the branch of the denver rio grander grande immediate in steps toward formulating a program are to be taken by the salt lake denver company in the hope that construction may be started at the earliest possible late date from the utah end of them line it if the proposed line cabbe can bo financed within the next few months it Is the belief ot of the management that the line can be completed to craig by the time the tunnel through james peak Is ready for operation it is estimated that probably three years 0 ol 01 longer will be required to drive the tunnel 1 and the line between betwee n cpr in 9 Y tile and craig can bo completed easily within that period tribune salt lake |