One Hundred and Fifteen Years Ago Today

On 13 April 1897 Lucian D. Ross, Thomas Burk, James L. Lindsay, W.T. Doubt and Kurnel R. Babbitt organized the Cripple Creek District Railway Company to operate a 6.25 mile standard gauge electric line between Cripple Creek and Victor. The Articles of Incorporation were amended 17 November 1899, at which time the line’s name was changed to Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway. An extension to Colorado Springs opened in April 1901. From 1897 to 1904 the Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway remained under the control of local investors. After gaining control of the line through stock ownership in 1904, the Colorado & Southern directed operations until 1911. After the line lost money due to competition from the Florence and Cripple Creek Railway and the Midland Terminal Railway, the Colorado & Southern, in 1911, leased the Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway to the Florence and Cripple Creek. In 1915 this lease was transferred to the Cripple Creek Central Railway, which also controlled the Midland Terminal Railway. By 1917 most rail traffic in the area was directed to the Midland Terminal Railway. The loss of the Bear Creek Bridge in May 1918 cut off all direct traffic from Colorado springs. The Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway was declared bankrupt in 1919, at which time it went into receivership. All operations ceased in 1920 and the line was sold for scrap.

I do not know who the printer or the publisher of this post card is. Although there is a hint in the lower right corner of the cover picture, I cannot break the code.

But this card is being added to my blog because at 10:30 this morning it will have been mailed 115 years ago. The message is quite serious: "Dear Uncle, This to let you know Rollie has been in the hospital since the morning of the 8th - a bad case of strangulated hernia and also took the appendix. A difficult operation and he'll be in bed 3 to 4 weeks - away from work 2 months. Is doing splendidly. Father will write later. Love to you all from us all. Lottie."

I can only imagine the kind of medical coverage that they had back then. My guess is that there were 2 months of his life when there was absolutely no income while he was off work. Thank God for family!!