iving ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Den ver , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁founded ▁less ▁than ▁a ▁de cade ▁before ▁during ▁the ▁Colorado ▁Gold ▁R ush . ▁The ▁decision ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁trans cont inental ▁rail road ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁Den ver ▁area ▁str and ed ▁from ▁the ▁major ▁transport ation ▁routes . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Thomas ▁Durant , ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁Pacific , ▁pron ounced ▁Den ver ▁" to o ▁dead ▁to ▁b ury ." ▁Colorado ▁Territ orial ▁Governor ▁John ▁Evans ▁declared ▁that ▁" Color ado ▁without ▁rail ro ads ▁is ▁compar atively ▁worth less ." ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Evans , ▁together ▁with ▁other ▁local ▁business ▁leaders , ▁including ▁David ▁M off at , ▁William ▁By ers ▁( found er ▁of ▁the ▁Rock y ▁Mountain ▁News ), ▁and ▁others ▁partner ed ▁with ▁East ▁Coast ▁invest ors ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁rail road ▁company ▁that ▁would ▁link ▁Den ver ▁and ▁the ▁Colorado ▁Territ ory ▁with ▁the ▁national ▁rail ▁network . ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁as ▁the ▁" Den ver ▁Pacific ▁Railway ▁and ▁Te legraph ▁Company ". ▁The ▁company ▁broke ▁ground ▁on ▁its ▁Che y enne ▁line ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁at ▁a ▁spot ▁near ▁where ▁the ▁Den ver ▁Col ise um ▁now ▁stands . ▁The ▁line ▁took ▁approximately ▁two ▁years ▁to ▁complete . ▁It ▁followed ▁the ▁South ▁Pl atte ▁River ▁through ▁present - day ▁Gree ley . ▁ ▁Den ver