FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DENVER AND RIO GRANDE RAILWAY TO THE STOCKHOLDERS APRIL 1st 1873.
1873ref. 57738Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co. 1873. Rare Early Report of a Major Western Railroad A rare and detailed report from the infancy of what would become one of the West's largest railway companies. The Denver and Rio Grande Railway D&RG headed by former Union General William Jackson Palmer was founded in 1870 and the first tracks were laid the following year. The goal of the railroad was to find an efficient path through Colorado and across the Rockies and then southwest to a terminus at Los Angeles. The company expanded with considerable aggression and speed and before long was the largest narrow-gauge railway network on the continent. This report touts the results in the year since the railroad reached Colorado Springs the rapid growth in population in towns along the line progress of their work natural resources including coal stone lime and lumber various connecting lines and the goal of taking the railroad into Mexico which greatly wanted for railroads at the time the venture into Mexico would prove to be a disastrous waste of money and manpower. The appendix discusses the virtues of narrow gauge railroads and there are also tonnage reports a list of buildings owned by the railroad in various towns brief descriptions of spur lines and more. From 1877 to 1880 the Denver and Rio Grande was engaged in a railroad war with the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway led by William Strong in which both companies used political maneuvers physical force and sometimes violent sabotage to get the upper hand. The D&RG continued operations in a variety of shapes all the way until 1996 when it merged with the Union Pacific. The folding map titled "Map showing the Property of the Central Colorado Improvement Company" depicts the assets of that company one of three D&RG subsidiaries that later merged to form the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company. It shows the boundaries of part of the Nolan and St. Vrain grants; some township range and section boundaries; locations of major natural resources; railroads constructed and proposed; and other details. Other railroads shown include the Kansas Pacific future nemesis the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe and the Arkansas Valley Extension R.R. The lengthy folding profile shows the route of the D&RG from Denver to Pueblo noting elevations as well as a profile of the Arkansas Valley Branch line. This copy is lacking the map titled "Denver and Rio Grande Railway and Connections" which was also published separately in larger format the same year. A rare and important early document from one of the west's largest and longest-running railroads. OCLC records only five copies at the Denver Public Library California Historical Society the Autry Museum Colorado College and the American Antiquarian Society. Original printed wrappers. Wrappers somewhat chipped and stained two small holes punched in gutter throughout. Ex-Denver Public Library with bookplate on inner front wrapper and deaccession stamps on titlepage verso. Soot-stains to edges and outer margins of many pages but on the whole quite clean internally. Good plus lacking one map. OCLC 71998109 1109396713. unknown
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