Denver to the Sea?

The Interstate Commerce Commission has heard nothing but trouble for so long that it and the country were surprised last week by a large, positive request: For permission to build a new 860-mi. railroad from Denver to San Pedro, Calif.

The petitioner was a new company. Denver Pacific Railroad. Its president and vice president were given as Coleman Crenshaw and Thomas L. Hall, both of Salt Lake City, but last week no details were available on how they proposed to do their financing. The proposed Denver Pacific, it was stated, would follow the Colorado River Valley through Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Palisade and Grand Junction, would cross Utah, passing through Moab, and would touch San Bernardino, Calif. New territory would be opened, said the company's sponsors; the route from Denver to the sea would be shortened.

Railroad men were surprised by the proposal, did not think the I. C. C. would ever grant permission. Two direct lines link Denver to Southern California at present, the 1,400-mi. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe route and the 1.409-1111. route covered by the Union Pacific. With existing roads doing poorly, the new company will have a hard time proving "necessity and convenience," will have to rely on better arguments than the fact that 860 mi. of new track would mean some $9.000,000 worth of orders for rails alone.

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