A COLORADO RAILROAD POOL 145 
sections 4, 5 and 6, of article 15 of the state constitution. These sections 
are as follows:— 
SEcTION 4. All railroads shall be public highways, and all railroad companies 
shall be common carriers. Any association or corporation organized for the pur- 
pose shall have the right to construct and operate a railroad between any designated 
points within this state, and to connect at the state line with railroads of other states 
and territories. Every railroad company shall have the right with its road to inter- 
sect, connect with or cross any other railroad. 
SEcTION 5. No railroad corporation or the lessees or managers thereof shall 
consolidate its stock, property or franchises with any other railroad corporation 
owning or having under its control a parallel or competing line. 
Section 6. All individuals, corporations and associations shall have equal 
rights to have persons and property transported over any railroad in this state, and 
no undue or unreasonable discrimination shall be made in charges or in facilities for 
transportation of freight or passengers within the state, and no railroad company, 
nor any lessee, manager or employee thereof, shall give any preference to individuals, 
associations or corporations in furnishing cars or motive power.' 
The committee listened to many arguments both for and against the 
bill. A lengthy memorial was presented by Ex-Governor Evans praying 
for the passage of the proposed law. Among the advantages enumerated 
in the memorial that would result from the passage of the bill are the 
following: 
1. The state would be emancipated from the grip of the three rail- 
road companies and some railroad development allowed. 
2. The city of Trinidad might build a railroad to El Moro and connect 
with the Rio Grande. This it was not allowed to do as long as the 
existing situation continued. 
3. The owners of the coal lands at Cafion City would be enabled 
to ship their coal and thus be spared the expense of building a railroad 
from Little Buttes to the Denver and New Orleans Railroad. 
4. Cafion City would get a broad-gauge railroad. This was probably 
in the schemes of development contemplated by the Denver and New 
Orleans Railroad. 
5. Leadville would then get competition in coal prices as at that 
time other dealers were shut out except the one favored by the railroad 
and this one dealer had a monopoly of the market. 
3 Constitution of Colorado, Art. XV, secs. 4, 5 and 6. 
