Denver and Rio Grande

Railroad Company

Denver, Colorado

The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company - Stock certificate dated 1909.

While competition amongst the railroads within Colorado to reach the coveted mining camps was stiff, none was more pronounced that the battle between the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Denver & Rio Grande.  The prize was Leadville. And the most direct route was through the narrow Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River.  There was only room for one railroad in the narrow gorge and these 2 giants met there virtually at the same time.  The battle for the gorge ended up in the courts for 2 years before the D&RG finally won the right of way through the Gorge to the silver riches of  Leadville.  The vignette on this certificate is a fabulous pictorial display of the line through the Royal Gorge for which the D&RG fought so fervidly.