Photo Essay "The Cripple Creek Narrow Gauge Railroad." By Dan Oelrich

 

I am grateful to Dan Oelrich for sharing his experiences and photos. Dan is an avid historic researcher and photographer who has travelled throughout Colorado. The photos provided by Dan here are from the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad. The description found Online for the CC&VRR is as follows: The track system begins at Bennett Avenue/5th Street going south out of Cripple Creek, goes past the old Midland Terminal Wye, then over a reconstructed train trestle, continues past historic mines and terminates very near the abandoned Anaconda mining camp. The return trip to Cripple Creek completes a total of 4 miles (6.4 km). The railroad does not actually terminate at Victor, Colorado, as the railroad's name implies. The Bull Hill Station, in Cripple Creek was originally built at the Anaconda Mine in 1894 by the Midland Terminal Railway. However, it was moved to Bull Hill in 1912, east of the town of Victor. In 1968, the depot was moved to Cripple Creek.

More on the Cripple Creek Narrow Gauge RR

One of the goals of mine is to locate all of the old railroad beds in the CC District and walk the length of them. Most, of course, are gone because of the open pit mine, so it’s not an impossible task. In the course of doing it, I came across these old cars. Thought you might find them interesting. Noticed there’s even a mineshaft just off the tracks. There were many de railings , probably because of the shifting underground near where they had to go in order to collect the Ores. Hope you enjoy these photos.

-Dan Oelrich

Photos by Dan Oelrich

Cripple Creek Colorado & The Victorian Mindset: By Dan Oelrich, edited by G.C. Stevens

                         

 All photos courtesy of Dan Oelrich, but many are to be found at Western Mining History Which is a website that well worth a visit.

Photo Essay

This is the first in series of photo essays, created by Dan Oelrich who is local historian from Colorado Springs Colorado. He is a regular contributor to the CSL&OHA blog. Many trails of the wild west trails lead to Cripple Creek Co. where the lure of gold and profit attracted many adventurer's and outlaws.  According to local Historian Dan Oelrich: The area "was certainly a most colorful era in our region and was jampacked with activity around the turn of the century. At one time or another, luminaries such as Groucho Marks, Wyatt and Virgil Earp, Bob Lee and the Sundance Kid, Teddy Roosevelt, William Jennings Bryant, world heavyweight, champion boxers – Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey-all made their marks there. It might be very difficult, but perhaps possible to uncover ties to outlaws and the continued confederacy in the west. For sure there were entire mining companies that felt strong allegiances still. Bob Ford, the man who shot Jesse James almost made it into town, before being greeted by lawmen, who pushed him on to Creede, where he would meet his demise. For a while, he was a dealer in old Colorado City-which was to become the west side of Colorado Springs." A bit of a warning though – there have been many people, myself included, who become infected with the “Cripple Creek” bug, and obsession can easily set in.

 THE VICTORIAN PERIOD

Mark Twain's "Great Barbecue"

These photos will show you how obsessed with “perfect” architecture the Victorians were. First photo is the Gold Coin Mine, which bordered downtown Victor. It had a spotlight in the Observation Tower, above the enclosed head frame. Many miners didn’t like working here because they felt like it was a church.  (Because of the many stained-glass windows!) The Woods family founded Victor. While digging foundations for their new Bank, they encountered this vein. They tried to create a mining Monopoly and insisted on sparing no expense to impress investors. (I have to mention that they were very good to employees. Benevolent, like the more famous area millionaire-W.S. Stratton) So they created an electric Trolley line through the Mountain to transport Ore to their impressive Economic Mill. (I played at these ruins in my youth. I thought it must have been an old Spanish Fort! Newmont, buried this Site long ago under their pit mine.)

Second photo is of the Hoist house. Stratton spared no expense to make his employees feel classy. (Compare to the earlier horse-drawn Hoist. Notice the rather formal clothing for these miners. Victorian stylistic norms trumps functionality!)

Stratton’s Independence Mine, (just outside Victor), had this Mill, right on the grounds. Now, it’s a rather Apocalyptic scene today, of concrete foundations.

This is the Woods owned power station down from Skaguay Reservoir. One family lived here and operated the Plant. Only accessible via harrowing Mule trail. People and supplies used a tram to reach the bottom of the Canyon. This lavish brick design looks more in place in downtown Victor, than in a place where almost no one will ever see it. And this facility was only used a short time, as power from Canon City became cheap. This kind of exuberant spending did the Woods in. (Rags to Riches, to Rags) I can think of no better example of this Victorian insistence on architectural style for its own sake.

Ward Bond Country: By Dan Oelrirch

 Ward Bond was a well-known actor who appeared alongside John Wayne in many movies and also appeared in the TV series "Wagon Train." Writer Dan Oelrich from Colorado Springs Colorado, shared this photo essay with me. Dan is a published author and avid traveler of the American west.  All photos courtesy of Dan Oelrich.

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                                          Actor Ward Bond

Here’s some photos from just inside the Colorado border from Nebraska, along the border and some photos from just inside the Colorado border from Nebraska. Along that route that parallels the Republican River, of which I sent you photos of previously. You pass through the town of Benkleman, home of the famous Western actor Ward Bond. (he played the trail boss in the series Wagon Train)  On the route from Wray, Colorado, to Burlington, there’s some pretty nice geography, if you know where to look. There’s also the site of a battle between Indians and Army Scouts, called Beecher Island. Well worth the side trip to see.

-Dan Oelrich

The area pictured is a bit off the main highway and is a long gradually descending dirt Road that leads to a creek bed. I like to stop there and stretch my legs, because it breaks up the monotony of the plains. One interesting thing about this area is that it seems to have the right kind of topography to attract the most incredible of thunderstorms. As if the towering clouds form on a line right on the border. 

UPDATE: Western History; Historic Photographic Investigations, Part III, The Luke Short Hearing Photo Investigated by Dan Oelrich Article and update by: G.C. Stevens

 

I'm proud to announce that Dan Oelrich had his article published in the Cochise County Historical Journal. The article is well written, highly detailed and the story is packed with multiple photo comparisons of each photo. 

BACKGROUND

Anyone having knowledge of location of this photo is highly encouraged to contact us.

The photo above was spotted online Dan Oelrich, he retained the photo on his hard drive and later discovered that the photo may contained several well known historic figure, who most could have been together during this time frame. The following theory is as follows:

Location Tombstone Arizona

Date: Possibly February of 1881

Incident: Luke Short Trial?

Suspected Persons; 

Virgil Earp

Wyatt Earp

Ben Sippy 

     Luke Short     

          Mayor John Clum

                          Bat Masterson ( out of frame

                                                                see original below) 

This is the third in a series of articles that will cover the photos that I have come across during various phases of writing articles and participating in conversations with other museum curators and other amateur historians. (Also see article On the Trail of Wyatt THE LUKE SHORT INQUEST 

 Copyright 2024 (c)

 This photo was brought to my attention by Dan Oelrich 

Sometime in late February of 2024, I connected with Dan Oelrich via social media, this was due to my posting a photo and making comments about a tintype photo that I am personally in possession of. Dan reached out to me, then sent me the above photo. This photo is a total mystery. It appeared on the internet, was downloaded by Dan, and then disappeared completely from the internet. Both Dan and I have spent many hours searching for the photo but to no avail, we have been unable to relocate the photo.  The photo can be classified as" unknown at this time". 

But as we began to look at the photo and do research independently of each other,( Dan resides in Colorado and I reside in central Iowa. We were comparing notes via email on a daily basis.) We started to realize that we recognized people in the photo, and we began to analyze and make photo comparisons. As our investigations progressed. We both came across some fairly interesting information which seemed to fit together with the photo. But this photo, while having no provenance at this time, was worth looking into. It was fun working with Dan, who is also in the process of  writing his own article about the photo for the Cochise County Arizona

  FINDINGS-

      The story starts with the gunfight 

                            With 

                     Charlie Storms

Short first met Wyatt Earp, William H. Harris, and Bat Masterson in Tombstone. Based on their previous friendship, Harris had no problem convincing his partners to engage Earp as a faro dealer at their Oriental Saloon in Tombstone. On Friday, February 25, 1881, Short was serving as the lookout, seated next to the dealer at a faro game in the Oriental, when he was involved in what became a well-known gunfight. His opponent was Charlie Storms. Bat Masterson, who was in Tombstone at the time, described what happened in a magazine article he wrote in 1907:

Storms did not know Short, and like the bad man (from a previous shooting) in Leadville, had sized him up as an insignificant-looking fellow, whom he could slap in the face without expecting a return. Both were about to pull their pistols when I jumped between them and grabbed Storms, at the same time requesting Luke not to shoot, a request I knew he would respect if it was possible without endangering his own life too much. I had no trouble in getting Storms out of the house, as he knew me to be his friend . I was just explaining to Luke that Storms was a very decent sort of man when, lo and behold!, there he stood before us, without saying a word, he took hold of Luke's arm and pulled him off the sidewalk, where he had been standing, at the same time pulling his pistol, a Colt's cut-off, 45 calibre, single action; but like the Leadvillian, he was too slow, although he succeeded in getting his pistol out. Luke stuck the muzzle of his pistol against Storm's heart and pulled the trigger. The bullet tore the heart asunder, and as he was falling, Luke shot him again. Storms was dead when he hit the ground.

- From Bat Mastersons book

 Two Articles located on             Newspaperarchive.com

LUKE SHORTS TESTIMONY FROM THE DEADWOOD PIONEER NUGGET

March 13, 1881

Storms' body was taken to the undertaker, where the coroner's jury was convened and testimony was heard. The jury reached a verdict that Storms died from three pistol wounds at the hands of Short, and that Short's actions were justifiable. Short was free to go, as no further legal action was taken.

Five days after Storms died, the Leadville Democrat wrote about the shooting. It said that Storms approached Short and "catching him by the ear", demanded an apology. According to the account, Storms grabbed Short's ear with his left hand and his right hand contained a pistol aimed at Short. Short drew his weapon and shot Storms, who returned fire, but missed. Short then put two more bullets into "the sinking soul of Storms.

-Wikipedia

 

Who Could Possibly Be in this Photo?

Dan Oelrich and I started to do a systematic search of the internet, books and known photos of various people who may have been present in Tombstone Arizona when the Luke Short hearing took place.. These are some possibilities;

                              

                              BEN SIPPY

Tombstone city Marshal Ben Sippy arrested Short for killing Storms. During the preliminary hearing, Masterson testified that Short acted in self-defense, and Short was released. The Arizona Weekly reported that Storms was around 60 years old and survived by a widow in San Francisco.

ref   Oriental Saloon Gunfight in Tombstone, Arizona – Legends of America Ben Sippy arrested Luke Short and Wyatt Earp was also involved.

Likeness                               Known photo

Tombstone City Marshal Ben Sippy 

"A total of 688 votes were  for City Marshal, The candidates were Ben Sippy and Howard Lee. Sippy was our candidate.

-Mayor John Clum

On February 28, 1881, at the Oriental Hotel, gamblers Luke Short and Charlie Storms had a verbal altercation which was deescalated by Bat Masterson, who was also an acquaintance of Storms as well. Storms later returned to the scene and walked up, said nothing and pulled a gun, On Storms, a cut-off Colt .45 pistol, but Short was quicker. Short shot Storms twice before he hit the ground; the first shot fired was so close that it set fire to Storms' shirt. Short was said to have then turned to Bat Masterson and stated: "You sure pick some of the damnedest friends, Bat." Ben Sippy arrested Short, but the shooting was determined to have been made in self-defense.

Wyatt Earp

Wyatt Earp would later say

that he helped to carry the body of Charlie

Storms back to the San Jose rooming house

where the now-deceased gambler and Lyons

had been staying, so that a post mortem could

be performed by Dr. Goodfellow.

-Peter Brand 2015

"The Killing of Charlie Storms by Luke Short"

Virgil Earp

"According to most sources, he, Wyatt, James and their wives arrived in December 1879 and immediately engaged in mining and gambling ventures. “The Earp boys spent thousands of hours in saloons, yet there was never any indication that Virgil or Wyatt loved the bottle,” writes Chaput in Virgil Earp: Western Peace Officer. “They thrived on the atmosphere, enjoyed the talk and were both inveterate gamblers.”

-History Net

Virgil Earp: In a Brother’s Shadow (historynet.com)

Bat Masterson

Bat Masterson Claimed that he was a direct witness of the shooting, 

This claim is most likely correct.

   

John Clum?

Luke Short

In the Spring of 1881, Luke Short was dealing Faro at the Oriental Saloon in Tombstone Arizona which was managed by Wyatt Earp. There was an incident between Luke Short and Charlie Storms over a gambling issue and guns came into play.. Bat Masterson was present and intervened in the disagreement and initially deescalated the situation. Masterson managed to cool things down, and escorted Storms to his room. Bat Masterson was friends with both Charlie Storms and Luke short. But storms and Short did know one another Masterson walked back over to Short a was trying explain to Short that he thought Storms was a decent guy, when as Bat stated " When lo and behold, there he stood before us." Storms said nothing but started to pull his pistol. Unfortunately Luke Short was faster, pulled his gun, stuck the muzzle of the gun to Storms heart, and pulled the trigger. He probably died instantly. Bat Masterson tells us in his book that Luke was given a quick hearing in front of a Magistrate and was quickly exonerated .Bat Masterson was present in Tombstone and attended the hearing

-Famous Gunfighters of the Western Frontier.

W.B. (Bat) Masterson

Luke Short

Photo of Charlie Storms from the Cantey (Myers) Collection 

This unique image of Charlie Storm came in a group of personal items pertaining to Luke Short sold by his relatives. Luke Short and Charlie Storm were involved in a gun fight in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881. Short had never met Storms and was acting as the lookout for Wyatt Earp’s Faro game in the Oriental Saloon.  Bat Masterson wrote that he got between Luke Short and Storms in a potential confrontation. Luke and Masterson went outside on the boardwalk. At this point Storms grabbed Short and dragged him off the boardwalk into the street.  Stupid move. Although Storms drew his 45 Colt first, he was too slow. Short shot him through the heart. Short then shot him a second time on the way down. Storms hit the ground dead. Subsequent jury reached a verdict that Short acted in self defense.

This image may well be the ONLY image known of Charlie Storms

A well known photo of the Dodge City Peace Commision.