The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-13


q onel D. c. Dodge was general manager
1t is written in the history of Colorado
MAT these two warriors had. only a few
ears prior to the opening Of the
through line. literally taken this entire
abroad from the AtchisOn. Topeka &
Santa Fe company at the point of gun
or q few thousand guns. 1t would
seem to a fair-minded man that such an
enterprising management ought to feel
secure for life. but it was not so. For
s. me reason, Of no particular interest to
the reader, the owners Of the parent
read. the Denver & Rio Grande proper
wanted to get rid Of Palmer and Dodge
II was a simple enough matter TO DIS
miss them. but to lose them without
losing the new line, which they appear
to have controlled, was a difficult mat
ter Finally the directors determined to
take possession at Denver and work to
the west Accordingl.-. when Colonel
Dodge was out on the road new gen
e-al manager took possession Of his
Office. and the colonel's private car was
cut off al Sargents, a small station on
the western slope. In vain did the gen.
eral manager storm and scOld, but the
conductor could only obey the orders
that came 10 him from the dispatcher's
office. and the colonel was p0werless.
The trainRaster, VINO was in sympathy
with the colonel, finally allowed the
private car To come over the mount
aims. but the general manager. arriving
at Denver. found his place filled by an
other man. Palmer and Dodge imme-
diately took possession of the Utah eX-
tension. and the little line that lay
along The banks Of the JOI dan was from
that day coeratsd as an independent
-almost extensively ndependent-road,
ard they called il the Rio Grande
IVES err. OF course all the roll ng stock
bore me initials Cf the parent road,
and 10 all appearances belonged 10 it,
but the new management. or rather the
new read, began 10 corral cars and To-
ComotiVes ana brand them with the
new brand. There were a number Of
new and valuable engines a the west
end, and how TO get them over the state
line and into Colorado was question
which was occupying the minds of the
new officials al Donver-
An old engineer from the east end
went out TO work for the new road.
They were glad To get good mountain
men, and this man, being good run
ner, was given d new locomotive. bat
the first time ne found himself near the
state line he opened up the throttle and
dashed away for Denver. and the new
road was short a good locomotive.
When this performance had been re-
peated a NUM- Der of times the Western
people placed an operator on the
mountain side near the siding which is
at the state line. One day a daring
driver made a dash for the east end
with a 2sw engine. The cDerator was
notified and when the 9urloiner came
to the state line be found a short rail
The switch had been thrown and the
new locomotive went blowing out into
the SAGE brush. The Western officials
followed il up. picked up the wrecked
engine and dragged her back 10 Sd.-
Lake. Finding their stock Of locomo-
tives constantly decreasing, the West
eTn people determined TO take a hand
in the matter
Three &C their trusted engine crews
were sent by a night train to Grande
some 20 miles west CT the
state line. where the D. & Z. c.. snocs
and roundhouse were located. When the
train had pulled out for Denver the SIX
men entered the roundhouse. captured
the watchman and compelled rim. CT
Sfe point 81 gun. 70 throw TIE
switches and let them out on TO the
r. s. a. Inc with three locomotives. After +
the switCAmal dawn the line
thteesor four miles they dropped b n eff.
To- tsls lun6 ioE and reported the matter I
10 she night operator the stolen en- (
gines 1ese over the line and in posses j
Sipr CT The Rio Cr7raa Weste-,-
OF course this condition OF affairs
could LAST but little while and in time
a compromise @as effected and the
rival roads have been exchanging traf-
fc in the most friendly manner ever
since.
Engine stealing and train stealing. as