The basis of the consolidation being
| Miles | Capital Stock | Funded Debt. | |
| Union Pacific Railroad | 1,042 | $36,762,300.00 | $78,508,350.65 |
| Kansas Pacific Railway | 675 | 10,000,000.00 | 30,567,282.78 |
| Denver Pacific Railroad | 106 | 50,762,300.00 | 109,656,633.43 |
| ——— | ——————— | ——————— | |
| 1,823 | 50,762,300.00 | 109,656,633.43 | |
CHAPTER X.
The Denver-Cheyenne Line (Denver Pacific Railroad.)
Proposition for Pacific Railroad to Reach Denver — Cheyenne Route Selected — Branch Line Proposed — Denver Pacific Incorporated and Built — Pro-Rata Controversy — Operated By Kansas Pacific — Consolidation With the Union Pacific.
In the original plan for the Union Pacific Railroad it was the intention that the line would run through Denver and from there directly West across the mountains to Salt Lake. When the line was finally located it passed through Cheyenne, leaving Denver some one hundred miles to the South, the reasons for this being the much shorter distance via Cheyenne as well as the decidedly better gradients that were possible via South Pass Route as against the routes via Denver and Berthoud or Evans Passes. The Denver Route was only given up after repeated efforts had been made to find a satisfactory line that way.
The City of Denver had for some time past been encountering a streak of hard luck—Failure of some of its most promising mines in 1861—Division of the Citizens over the Civil War in 1862 and 1863—Fire and Flood followed by the Indian War on the plains in 1864 cutting off communication with the East—then the grasshoppers plague with the diversion of the Pacific Railway. Vice President Durant had made the remark "it's too dead to bury," and this it was that spurred its citizens up.
In 1867 the Authorities of the Union Pacific Railroad offered to build a branch from some point on their main line to Denver, provided the citizens of that place would pay for the grading of the line and furnish right of way and grounds for terminal. The citizens of Denver were sore at being left to one side on the great overland route and gave the proposition but a luke-warm reception. It is true, County Commissioners of Arapahoe County, in which Denver is located, ordered an election in August, 1867, to vote on the proposition of issuing two hundred thousand dollars in bonds in favor of such a branch line. The election resulted in an overwhelming majority in favor of it, eleven hundred and sixty for to one hundred and fifty-seven against. The County Commissioners in their negotiations with the Union Pacific people coupled with the proposition certain conditions as to the route which the branch line should follow, which not being satisfactory to the Railroad people, they refused to accept the bonds on the conditions required.
On November 13th, 1867, George Francis Train addressed a public meeting at Denver on the subject of a connection between Denver and the Union Pacific Railroad and as a result the Denver Pacific Railway and Telegraph Company was organized five days later. On the day following the organization the directors met and elected Bela M. Hughes President, D. H. Moffat, Treasurer, and F. M. Case, Chief Engineer,—one fourth of the necessary funds being subscribed. An arrangement was made with the Union Pacific Railroad Company by the terms of which that Company was to complete the road as soon as it was ready for the rails. In other words the road was to be located, graded, and tied by the Denver Pacific Company, and ironed and equipped by the Union Pacific Railroad Company.