HomeMy WebLinkAbout262aHY,30hVZD by the Counoil of Pueblo that we ax* opposed to
any project which will impair tho beauty of the Royal Gorge,, and
that it is certain that the diversion from the Arkansas Diver above
tiae Gorge of three hundred cubic feet of water per second, as can -
templa.ted, by 1"Ubl.io service Company of Colorado # will exhaust the
entire flow of they stream fcr extended periods each year, and will
greatly deplate it during additional long, periods, thereby robbing
the Gorge of the principal element of its majesty and ,grandeur,
leaving wee, ; l y an uninteresting gash In the mountains*
Th Royal 4orge is not only the outstanding geenle attraction
of the state but is world-famed for its mag nificence %, and'
nd travelers
from all pasts of the United States and from all nations of the
world j ourney there in ever increasing .cum bers to ,admire the murvel.
ous h amd1work of VUX*e *
ntirely apart from the desirability of preserving natural
beauties, which may be s,ai:d to be sentimental though those are the
pride of our 6tate and have done more to encourage its development
than any other one tki2x , the f&Ot iJ tYMlt IrOm a purely cownerc;i.al
standpoint tUe doseer�tion a the Royal, Gorge would be short - sighted
and Ill. advised. The thousands or sightseers who visit the Gorge
each year by train or by automobile bring to the Mate a substantial
measure Of Vrosperity,, supporting our railroads and automobile iU-
dustrios , which tOlWhOr e=p MX4 th dig of Our ci,ti z *n`s` *
purthermore,v experience has demonstrated that it is very doubt -
ftl r , 4het1wr electricity can ho produced more cheaply by water power
than it can by stesm partloul &rlY in vlOw_ Of t14 oonsta.ntly i.z.creas-
jug effi.elanoy of gener&tlon by steazi plen.ts, Which inoidontally oon-
su 00% of whi.ah Colorado bait aa.n abu 4anae o and in the marketl g
of which her citizens, are inter *stodgy► Any XMall saving that might
result to those who might be fuzr►ni shod power from this project as a
result of the ruin of the Royal Gorge could never offset the loss to
the State as a whole from deaftased tourist travel rind the wont raa-'V,
tion or the market for coal.
Agains an the Council views the mtto- It is unimpor, a*
r
that the Public Sorvias Company limits Its demands to
feet of water for it it is true, as that Oampany claivict that the
use is a non-consuming owe, the ant ire flow of the Riveoe
whether
300 feet or 1000 feet or mare, , coWAd be diverted In its entirety
without Injury to Pi.ppropriators of water below the point of return.
It is not rash to "resume thiat If the origiml project should prove
a financial success, the plant will be enlarged and its water supply
reinforced by reservoirs to protect bigainat low stages of the River,,
and onoe it is Installed the Uompany oan make repeated appropriations
of water Lind eventually dr7 up the Gorge even though the River may be
oarrying a large flow of waters
Living within two twurst journey of the Royal gorge, we are
in a position to know t'Aat t's c shrlue of all nature lovers
is an Inapiration. to all wiao see It tnd we deplore Utat its destruc-
tion ahould even be oonsidered in the Interests of a purely comereial
pro jeot of questionable feasibility*
And be it further resolved that our unalterable opposition to
this project be expressed by serAing a copy of this resolution to The
Public Utilities ,
C*Mjssj*Wr of the State, of Colorado and to the
Federal Power Commission*
Introduced this th day of i)ecember, 1927.
By
U U'1U11_L-13U I U11VI re
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