All posts in Moffat Tunnel

Discover December 1924 at the Moffat Tunnel: progress milestones, holiday cheer, workers’ cravings for pickles, and the daring dynamite expert Pete.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

Progress on the Moffat Tunnel surged ahead as the year came to a close. Solid rock was finally struck at the West Portal, marking a major milestone in the project. A newspaper article celebrated this breakthrough: “For over two weeks no timbering has been necessary, and hope is expressed that the tunnel is now in the solid granite under James Peak.” Despite the progress, caution remained: “Drilling must continue for another week or two, however, before the engineers can be certain if they have struck the main body of solid rock comprising the body of James Peak.”

In December 1924, the tunnel was already being heralded as: “One of the world’s greatest railroad bores.” But the work was far from glamorous. Conditions inside the tunnel were grueling, particularly for those on the graveyard shift from 11pm to 7am. These workers developed an unusual craving for onions and pickles. A reporter observed: “They seem to care little for meats for breakfast but have a special craving for onions and pickles. Just why, we were unable to learn but evidently the atmosphere back in [the tunnel is] charged with dampness, gasses and smoke despite efforts at forcing fresh air in through ventilating pipes, [workers] must develop a craving for special properties contained in these foods.”

The reasons behind this craving remain speculative, but several theories exist:

• Strong Flavors: Onions and pickles provided bold, sharp tastes that may have cut through the workers’ dulled senses, which were affected by the smoky, damp air.
• Replenishment of Salts: The physically demanding labor caused significant sweating, and pickles, rich in sodium, helped replace lost electrolytes.
• Digestive Stimulation: Onions and pickles could have stimulated digestion, providing an energizing effect during long shifts.
• Comfort Food: These familiar foods might have offered psychological comfort in the harsh and isolating conditions of the tunnel.
• Nutritional Value: Onions and pickles provided vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that may have been lacking in the workers’ diets.

The harsh realities of the work were offset by the resilience of characters like Pete, whose story was immortalized in print:

“Pete is a character for the pen of a novelist. Imagine, playing with dynamite for 40 years! That’s ‘Pete,’ and only one serious accident as a result of which he wears a glass eye and seems to be minus a few bones in one hand… He is still poking holes in sticks of dynamite and insists that the main requisites to success in his line are a clear conscience… and a pointed wooden stick with which to bore the holes. Now for my part I can think of a lot of things I’d rather do, but the job’s full of romance to ‘Pete.’ He is 60 years old, most of which time has been spent in the mountains of Colorado where, during the gold excitement Leadville was his headquarters. He is in charge of the powder house at West Portal, where he loads, primes or fuses with electric wires all the shots used in the tunnel and keeps track of what is checked out.”

December also brought holiday cheer to the tunnel camps. At the East Portal, families prepared for a festive celebration. The Steamboat Pilot described the plans:

AT THE TUNNEL CAMPS: Santa Claus Will be at East Portal Tomorrow with Big Feed

“Moffat tunnel workmen and their families at the East Portal camp will enjoy a big Christmas dinner, with roast turkey and all the fixin’s [sic], as well as a community Christmas tree party Thursday. Forty or more children who attend the East Portal school will be given presents from the big tree. A program of community singing, special musical selections, distribution of presents and refreshments, has been planned. Plans are being made to have Santa Claus himself pay East Portal a visit and distribute the gifts. The men, women and children at the West Portal Moffat tunnel camp held their Christmas party several days ago.”

By year’s end, the Moffat Tunnel was more than one-third complete. The pioneer, or water, tunnel had reached 6,500 feet from the East Portal and 5,490 feet from the West Portal. The main heading extended 6,316 feet from the east and 4,700 feet from the west, while the cross-cut tunnels totaled 520 feet in length. The full-size railway tunnel, destined to carry trains, had progressed 3,094 feet from the East Portal and 531 feet from the West Portal.

As the year drew to a close, the Moffat Tunnel project wasn’t just boring through rock—it was chiseling out a saga of human endurance. From Pete’s fearless dynamite rituals to the workers’ baffling hunger for onions and pickles, every inch gained was a triumph against nature, a testament to the indomitable spirit that dared to reshape the very heart of the Rockies.

Nota Bene: The photograph accompanying this post was published in newspapers in December 1924, but its purpose was not explained in the captions. Upon further research, the image shows the reinforcing sets of 12″ x 12″ Oregon Fir supporting regular timber in heavy ground where concreting may be required.

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | December 27, 2024

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In November 1924, the Moffat Tunnel surged past one-third completion, inspiring community pride and reflecting Colorado’s boundless potential.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

The construction of the Moffat Tunnel—a monumental engineering project piercing the backbone of the continent—continued to progress rapidly in November 1924. The East and West Portals were celebrated as “forming open doors to the opportunity beyond the dreams of this generation,” according to the Rocky Mountain News on November 8, 1924.

Remarkable milestones, described as ‘splendid progress,’ were achieved this month. By November 15th, workers had reached the one-mile mark on the pioneer bore from the West Portal. Together with progress made at the East Portal, 36% of the smaller, pioneer bore was complete. The primary railroad tunnel saw equally impressive strides, with 2,723 feet drilled at the East Portal and 481 feet at the West Portal. The difference in progress between the two portals stemmed from the geological challenges: solid rock at the East Portal allowed for faster drilling, while the soft rock at the West Portal required extensive timber reinforcement.

The Steamboat Pilot on November 19, 1924, described the efforts in detail: “Headings of the main, or railroad tunnel, are now 33 per cent complete. The headings are the small tunnels which are later enlarged to the full size of the finished railroad tunnel. That the headings of the main tunnel are 33 per cent complete means that they are driven almost as far under the Continental [D]ivide as the pioneer tunnel, which parallels them.”

Even as engineers labored underground, cultural efforts were underway to rally public support for the tunnel and the promise it held. The Rocky Mountain News launched an essay contest for Denver schoolchildren, encouraging them to describe why the region unlocked by the Moffat Tunnel was remarkable for its “agricultural, industrial, recreational, scenic and health-giving resources.” Students were tasked with crafting essays between 500 and 1,000 words, with prizes ranging from $2.50 to $10.

The winning entry, penned by a student using the nom de plume ‘Bebob,’ captured the boundless potential of northwestern Colorado. Accompanying the essay was a request that any prize money be donated to the Community Chest fund—a testament to the altruistic spirit fostered by the competition. The contest also recognized other talented students: Elaine Meyer earned second prize, Deane A. Wither took third, and Jim Smith was awarded fourth, with each entry reflecting the excitement and promise surrounding the Moffat Tunnel and its transformative potential for the region.

Here is Bebob’s inspiring essay in its entirety:

COME TO COLORADO, SETTLE IN ITS NEW WONDERLAND.
By Bebob, a Denver School Student

Nowadays most every part of our country is well populated and opportunities limited by keen competition already established. Those districts yet unsettled are devoid of inducements for the newcomer with one exception—it is northwestern Colorado. This district has been locked up all these years by lack of transportation, which the construction of the Moffat Tunnel will open up.

What it will release to the world is so wonderful that one could write volumes upon volumes about this great virgin empire.

Always when settlers enter a new country they must not only endure hardships, but must help build up schools and churches in addition to their own homes. It is going to be a great surprise to the new settlers of this district when they arrive there and find pretty towns with every modern convenience such as electric lights, water works, smooth highways, churches, grade schools and high schools, with the best of teachers. Neither they or their children need undergo a single hardship such as settlers usually go thru in a new country.

There is not another place on earth where lovers of outdoor sports can find such a variety of pastimes within so few miles. This district is only 100 miles wide and long, yet it contains millions of acres of play grounds maintained by our federal government, where there exists a haven for hunters, large and small lakes filled with trout for the anglers, and miles upon miles of mountain trails for the hikers.

Here the healthseeker will find clean, comfortable cottages and modern hotels surrounded by many mineral springs of great curative power. The tourist on his vacation will have thrill after thrill gazing upon the gorgeous scenes in every direction from its mountain tops.

There awaits the farmer the most fertile valleys of America, already in growing crops of hay and grain, with modern homes and barns, which will be sold to him at low prices and easy terms. Where crop failure is unknown after forty years of continuous tilling by the cattlemen who were the trail breakers into this mountain region two score years ago. The dairymen will be greeted with rich feeds for his herds and national forests summer pasture where his cows can graze at a cost so low it seems unbelievable.

The coal miner and woodsman comes from his day’s labor in the Rocky Mountains fresh and happy. No exhaustion from heat or humidity. The climate is not equaled anywhere. His vacation hours are spent in hunting and fishing along mountain streams and lakes of cool waters shaded by handsome cedars and tall pines.

Those who will carry on in the towns will likewise enjoy the exhilarating atmosphere and outdoor mountain life of Colorado, for they have only to step out of their places of business and they are at the gateway, so to speak, of all I have just related.

Oh, come to Colorado, come now, do not delay: Bring your family, bring your friends and come right here to stay. Come out to our sunshine, fertile fields and mountains tall— Come to Colorado, where there’s health and wealth for all.

The Moffat Tunnel represented more than just an engineering achievement; it was a gateway to progress, opportunity, and community for northwestern Colorado. As these historic milestones demonstrate, its construction fostered dreams that extended beyond the rails—bringing people together to celebrate the promise of the region’s potential. From the workers in the tunnel to the schoolchildren imagining its future, the Moffat Tunnel became a shared story of ambition and hope, etched into Colorado’s past, present, and future.

Nota Bene: The photograph accompanying this post was published in newspapers in November 1924, but its purpose was not explained in the captions. Upon further research, the image depicts the lunch counter in the Water Tunnel at Crosscut #4, located one mile underground near East Portal.

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | November 30, 2024

The primary purpose of our work is to inform the public.

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Amid October 1924 storms and setbacks, the Moffat Tunnel project reached 25% completion, showcasing Colorado’s enduring pioneering spirit.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

In October 1924, the Moffat Tunnel project encountered an early winter. A severe rainstorm-turned-snowstorm interrupted communications over Rollins Pass and suspended the power supply at the West Portal. East Portal recorded two feet of snow.

As the snow continued to fall, so did the tasks piling up on the agenda for the Moffat Tunnel Commission, which required a quicker pace. According to the Steamboat Pilot on October 8, 1924, “The work of the commission now is getting so heavy that [Moffat Tunnel Commission] President Robinson is insisting upon a meeting of the full board once a month, and frequently it will be necessary to hold meetings twice a month.”

Despite these challenges, October saw a momentous milestone: the Moffat Tunnel project reached an estimated 25% completion. The pioneer bore—referred to in October 1924 almost exclusively by its intended function as the Moffat Water Tunnel—was nearly one-third complete. According to official estimates from the Commission, “Progress records show that 28 per cent of the main heading drilling in the railroad tunnel proper has been completed, that 31 per cent of the pioneer water tunnel has been dug, and that about 37 per cent of the crosscuts linking the water tunnel to the railroad bore has been finished to date.” Yet, only 7% of the entire railroad tunnel had been completed to its full size, as the work of enlarging the tunnel remained slow and arduous. Seven crosscuts were finished, and the construction of an eighth was underway. Progress since July, when the project was one-fifth complete, demonstrated the team’s determined pace in reaching the one-quarter mark in just a few months.

In tandem with the tunnel work, new infrastructure emerged. A rock crusher and screening plant was built at East Portal, where extracted rock would be crushed and used as ballast for the railroad bed within the completed tunnel. The rock would also be mixed into concrete to reinforce weaker tunnel sections. Eventually, this plant would be relocated to West Portal, a cost-saving decision allowing the Commission to avoid duplicating equipment and infrastructure at both portals.

The workforce was formidable: 630 men, with 370 stationed at the West Portal in Grand County and approximately 270 at the East Portal in Gilpin County. Despite the high numbers, the need for more hard rock drillers persisted. Forty children attended schools at both portals, adding a touch of domesticity to the challenging environment.

Despite the determined progress, tunneling efforts at the West Portal continued to be hampered by “soft ground,” with an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 feet of it remaining by mid-month—a situation that concerned the Commission as “this is adding tremendously to the expense.” The Steamboat Pilot reported on October 15, “At the East Portal, where the tunnel has been driven inward steadily, ahead of schedule cost, hard rock has been encountered from the first blast and from every indication will last for miles more. At the west end, however, progress, altho [sic] kept up with schedule time, is adding greatly to the costs thru [sic] the necessity of timbering virtually every foot of the way. Continued soft rock at this portal may mean that the total cost of the bore will exceed the original estimates and appropriations for the tunnel.” The added cost of timbering led to estimates that the railroad bore would cost $115 to $150 more per foot compared to tunneling through hard rock.

When asked to define the rock structure at the West Portal, the chief engineer said, “A hard biotite gneiss, broken by slickensided seams, slightly permeated with water, shot with feldspar.” Upon hearing this description, workers said, “This sounded pretty good. The ‘tite’ part of ‘biotite’ was fine, ‘Gneiss’ being pronounced ‘nice,’ a little water hurts no man, and while we had never been shot with feldspar, we were not adverse [sic] to that sensation, so felt better.” When workers examined the rock, their response was, “Soft and wet, all shot to hell.” Indeed, workers encountered rocks so soft they could be excavated by hand.

This soft rock did offer a minimal excavation cost saving, though “this is eaten up many times over, however, by the expense of timbering…. The water tunnel at the West end is in 4,740 feet. Every inch so far has been soft rock. From every indication the soft ground will prevail in from 6,000 to 7,500 feet from the portal…”

Geologists attributed the soft rock to “a gigantic slip in the mountains, when some part of James P[eak] fell down from its resting place millions of years ago, a broken gneiss seam with talc filled fissures. The talc, formed as the rocks broke and rubbed together when the fault slipped, gives the rock a tendency to slip.”

Other news in October 1924 was dominated by two major stories. First was the death of Colonel William G. Evans, described as “one of the last of the older state builders who devoted much of their lives to obtaining necessary rail lines for the growth of the city and state.” Evans, a critical advocate for the Moffat Tunnel bill, died of heart disease at age 65.

The other major story centered on the upcoming 1924 election, with Vice President Calvin Coolidge running for the presidency against John W. Davis after President Warren G. Harding’s death in office.

As autumn celebrations and gatherings approached, the Rocky Mountain News on October 29, 1924, offered a glimpse into the tunnel camps: “Hungry men don’t work well and there no hungry men working on the tunnel. Virtually the full twenty-four hours of the day the cooks are preparing a meal or clearing up from one already served to lay out another. The stewards found out early that it takes just so much food to sustain a working man, no matter how many meals he takes to get it, so every man in camp is welcome to the table for every meal served to any of the three shifts into which they are divided. The salary of the lowest paid workers at the camps is $4.50 a day. A charge of $1.50 is made for meals and lodging, with no limit on the meals to those eating at the camp dining houses. Some after taking three meals with their own shift, join the next crew at another and a few hardy souls interrupt their sleep regularly to get up, dress, and slip in a fifth meal when the dinner gong rings for still another shift.”

Entertainment options included recreation halls with pool and billiards tables, movies shown three times a week, weekly dances, and general stores stocked with everything from baby toys to rubber boots. For medical needs, the hospitals (at each portal) were fully equipped with physicians, nurses, operating rooms, and X-ray facilities to handle both routine care and emergencies.

Perhaps the most amusing insight came from the dining setup: “Underground workers pack their own lunches, cafeteria style, before going on for the day. The food is laid out and each man takes what he likes. A few epicureans content themselves with five or six pieces of pie and nothing else, or perhaps, as many pieces of cake, instead of the customary sandwiches.”

Despite facing relentless natural obstacles and mounting costs, the Moffat Tunnel project pressed forward, propelled by the dedication of its workers and the resilience of its engineers. October 1924 underscored the determination required to drive such a massive undertaking toward completion. The hardships endured—from brutal winter conditions and soft, unstable ground to the sheer physical demands placed on hundreds of laborers—were matched only by the sense of community that grew around the project. With recreation halls, dances, and well-equipped medical facilities, those involved found ways to build a life amid the labor. As the Moffat Tunnel steadily took shape, it became not just a feat of engineering but a testament to the pioneering spirit that defined early Colorado.

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | October 30, 2024

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In September 1924, Moffat Tunnel workers pushed to complete one mile of the tunnel by the contract’s anniversary, overcoming major challenges.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

“Five thousand, two hundred and eighty feet by September 20.”

This slogan echoed among the Moffat Tunnel workers at East Portal for much of September 1924, as they pushed to extend the pioneer bore a full mile into James Peak. The distance and timing held special significance, as they aimed to achieve this milestone by the first anniversary of the contract’s signing. So, they toiled, drilled, blasted, and mucked—on average about 22-23 feet per day. It was estimated that the one-mile mark would be reached by September 20th.

Fate smiled upon these ambitious men, and they reached their goal one day early on Friday, September 19 ,1924. Newspapers, such as the Steamboat Pilot proclaimed, “Friday—just one year after the signing of the contract for the tunnel—the drills of the construction gangs bit into the granite barrier of the Continental Divide, one mile from the East Portal. When the day shift went on duty, the water tunnel had been driven 5,208 feet into the base of James Peak from the east side. During the day the one-mile mark was passed. The main heading of the railroad tunnel has been driven 5,128 feet—almost a mile—on the east side, and 1,500 feet of full size tunnel have been completed.”

This progress is substantial, considering the contract was signed a year ago, on September 20, 1923, yet the ‘real work’ has only been underway for about 10 months. The early delays were due to building the company towns, waiting for equipment deliveries, and other logistical challenges, detailed in prior posts.

Progress at the West Portal, though slower, was still significant. The soft and loose rock caused delays and required extensive timbering to ensure stability. On the same day that milestones were achieved at the East Portal, the West Portal crews marked key advancements: the water tunnel extended 4,453 feet, and 3,300 feet had been excavated in the main heading. Meanwhile, the full-size railroad tunnel stretched 481 feet into the mountainside, as shown in the attached photograph.

As construction advanced, logistical and community needs were also being addressed. Post office fixtures were shipped to the West Portal and the East Portal, for the use of the workmen while the tunnel was in process of construction. “The postoffices [sic] will be known as ‘East Portal’ and ‘West Portal.'” Some of the first parcels likely dispatched to these new post offices were detailed in another article in the Steamboat Pilot, “The Lions Club is keeping the workmen at West Portal supplied with old magazines for the amusement room and bunk houses. There are 300 men at West Portal, and they appreciate reading matter. Donations of old magazines will be thankfully received. If left at the [Steamboat] Pilot office this office will see that they are wrapped and forwarded. The Lions club pays the parcel post charges. Nearly every family has magazines that they can donate.”

However, not all shipments were welcome. State prohibition agents under the direction of John R. Smith… arrested W.F. Bashore and Otto Lenhart on the Berthoud [P]ass road… when they found the two men in an automobile which contained twenty gallons of moonshine whisky. The men admitted, according to the prohibition agents, that they were bound for the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel, where they had planned to dispose of their liquor, a stark reminder that the tunnel’s construction took place entirely during the era of Prohibition.

Meanwhile, important discussions regarding the tunnel’s future were also underway. Members of the Denver Water board and the Moffat Tunnel commission met at West Portal on September 24, 1924, to discuss the proposition of using the pioneer bore for Denver’s water. The discussion entailed future enlargement and cementing the pioneer tunnel.

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | September 29, 2024

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In August 1924, forest fires near the Moffat Tunnel led to closures, while new schoolhouses were built for workers’ children and tunnel progress continued.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

As was case for much of the summer of 1924, forest fires continued to be a topic widely discussed in newspaper articles and in other sources. The Boulder Daily Camera on August 19, 1924, mentioned that a forest fire had broken out in the neighborhood of Rollinsville and that men were recruited from the East Portal of the Moffat Tunnel to assist in fighting the fire. In fact, portions of the national forests had been closed to the public around both West and East Portals to ensure that the work being done is not impeded further by wildfires in the area and “to give protection to the tunnel workings.” The Daily Journal had more about the closures, “At the west portal the watershed of Buck Creek including the tributary Fawn and Deer Creeks is entirely closed to any kind of human use whatsoever. Entrance to this portion of the Arapaho Forest is controlled by the fence which surrounds the Tunnel Commission’s special use area and which is carefully patrolled by guards under the employ of the Commission. The valley thus shut off is not of high recreational value, but, on the other hand, contains a large amount of slash left from an old timber sale which greatly increases the hazard. The restrictions at the east portal are not so stringent. Permits issued for those who have to travel in that vicinity on business may be secured from the Forest Service or from the Tunnel Commission. No campers nor fishermen will be permitted to pass through the gate which is located just below East Portal and under no circumstances will any camp fires be permitted in the area under restriction.”

The Steamboat Pilot stated that 6,000 acres of the national forest are closed at the East Portal, except for “homesteaders in that tract” while the West Portal has 1,000 acres closed to the public. “The prohibition order is expected to stand for the remainder of the year, [although] no time limit was fixed by the forestry service,” wrote the Greeley Tribune.

August almost always has been about back to school and while the company towns of both East and West Portal were already established, it was in August when “The school houses for the fifty or more small children of the workmen engaged in drilling the Moffat Tunnel… are being built and will be ready for use at the opening of the fall term.” By August 27th, at the West Portal, a schoolhouse for 30 children was nearly completed and at the East Portal, a schoolhouse for 20-25 children is under construction.

The Steamboat Pilot made mention that “From the beginning it has been the desire of the [Moffat Tunnel] Commission and the contracting firm to make the Moffat Tunnel camps the most modern and most adequately served in America. Cottages have been built for the workmen, recreational halls have been in use from the opening of the camps, motion pictures have been shown, baseball games and sports of various kinds have been enjoyed… [this] is just another step in the program of the construction of the schoolhouses adequately serving the workmen who have moved with their families to the camps to work in the tunnel.”

It was stated that Gilpin County officials will equip the school and furnish it with a grade schoolteacher, while corresponding plans were also made in Grand County for the West Portal. “It is expected that two lower grades will be taught. The two school buildings cost about $1,300.” There are sixty-five families at West Portal and thirty-five at the East Portal.

Finally, in terms of progress, “The drillers at East Portal… had gone in 4,300 feet in both headings or a total of about 8,600 feet…. their rate of speed per day is establishing records that are startling the drilling world.” Progress continues to be slow at the West Portal due to soft rock. Meanwhile, “a new electric trolley line has been installed which will simplify transportation. Drillers were so far ahead of their schedules (on the east side) that they were hampered for a time through lack of proper facilities to move the muck.”

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | August 31, 2024

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July 1924 saw steady Moffat Tunnel progress, wildfire threats near West Portal, and a brave 18-year-old who rushed to bring help.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

July 1924 saw methodical and steady progress on the Moffat Tunnel in Colorado. Multiple articles stated that the work would be completed “on or before August 1, 1926” with costs “within the estimate.” As of July 1924, $2,598,054 had been spent to date; however only $592,945 had been for the actual construction. The remainder was for railroad sidings and camp buildings. July’s report emphasizes that rock excavation in the water tunnel, crosscuts, and main headings of the railroad tunnel has been $10.36 a cubic yard. Preliminary estimates had been $17 per cubic yard.

At this point in the construction, “the water tunnel is 22 percent completed, the crosscuts 27 percent, the main headings 16 percent and the enlargement of the railroad tunnel 4 percent.” Indeed by the end of the month, “1,455 feet of the railroad tunnel had been completed, 974 from the east and 481 from the west portal. The pioneer tunnel had been driven 3,776 feet from the west portal, and 3,924 from the east.” However, there was an ominous statement contained in the report: “…if soft ground at the west side does not extend to an unreasonable distance…” the project’s success could be jeopardized, highlighting the uncertain and risky nature of the endeavor.

There was one planned work stoppage this month: the Independence Day celebrations, where the commemoration of independence was also an occasion to celebrate the progress being made on the tunnel. Tunnel work was paused from 7am on July 4th to 7am on July 5th.

At the East Portal, “a special celebration was started this afternoon with a smoker given at the camp. Prof. P.R. (Reddy) Gallagher, of D.A.C. fame, invaded the camp with eight of his fighters, who staged four, four-round bouts. Tonight, after an elaborate display of fireworks, the tunnel builders were given a dance, for which a special orchestra was brought from Denver. In addition to the several hundred tunnel employes [sic], four hundred visitors from outside visited the camp during the day. At West Portal the men invaded the town of Hot Sulphur Springs for the day’s festivities. Under special arrangements with the town, a joint celebration was staged,” penned the Rocky Mountain News on July 5, 1924.

Several months back, there was a post on this page about a sabotage attempt at the West Portal of the tunnel during construction. That story continued in the July 25, 1924 edition of the Routt County Sentinel, “In the District court at Hot Sulphur Springs last week, Dan Sullivan, the man who was arrested last winter for an attempt to blow up the west portal of the Moffat tunnel, was discharged by Judge Herrick, after a lecture on good behavior. No evidence of I.W.W. Activities had been discovered, and he had been in jail for several months, awaiting trail.”

Forest fires in the area (see last month’s post) continued to be a problem. “Two men were burned, one of them seriously, while fighting the forest fire which has been raging… near Tolland and Rollinsville, Colo., and a sudden shift in the direction of the wind again started the flames sweeping toward Rollinsville. It was reported that burning pine cones fell on the Walker ranch west of Boulder and in Geneva park at Boulder. Boulder is twenty-five miles from the scene of the fire.”

This fire was started June 27th and some of the men were called off of the Moffat Tunnel project to fight the fire on sixteen hour shifts. The fire spread to become five distinct fires the following day, all having their origin from the “careless camper or a cigarette stump” that spawned a 1,600 acre blaze. The Boulder Daily Camera wrote, “Citizens are asked to be careful in their use of matches, camp and picnic fires while in the mountains because the timber and grass are very dry.” (July 7, 1924).

This fire had an unexpected heroine who was praised in multiple newspaper articles, “Miss [Elsie] Maesch, [age 18], [who] rode at break-neck speed from the Buckeye gulch where the flames broke out to her home at Tolland where she changed horses and galloped to East Portal for help. Officials in charge of the tunnel project wanted to send but eight men, but Miss Maesch insisted upon twenty-five at least.” (Some articles have Moesch as the last name.) Her efforts earned her a letter of commendation. The complete article has been transcribed below:

—

As a result of her heroic work in spreading the news of a recent forest fire which devastated part of government-owned lands in what is called Buckeye gulch, near Tolland, Colo., recently, a letter of commendation has been sent Miss Elsie Moesch, daughter of an official of the United States forestry service, by Secretary of Agriculture Henry C. Wallace. Discovering the fire on the morning of June 27, the girl saw that it had reached such proportions that it was out of control and hurrying to a nearby timberman’s camp secured a horse, which she rode to Tolland park.

At this point she abandoned the animal and procured an automobile. This vehicle, however, broke down shortly after she had started on it for the eastern portal of the Moffat tunnel, so that she was forced to proceed on foot to a nearby sheepherder’s camp where she secured another horse and in this manner completed her journey.

Peck Receives Report.

In a report made to Allen S. Peck, district forester, whose headquarters are in Denver, William R. Kreutzer, supervisor of the Colorado National forest in which the fire occurred, makes the following statement:

“On the morning of June 27, Miss Moesch went with her father, George Moesch, to the fire, which had just started in Buckeye gulch. Seeing that the blaze was beyond control, the girl took a nearby timberman’s horse, unharnessed it and rode two miles without a saddle or bridle (there was only a rope around the animal’s neck) to Tolland park.

“At this point she transferred to an automobile, but the machine failed to run and broke down. Then she went to a nearby sheepherder’s camp where she secured another horse. This she rode to the east portal of the Moffat tunnel. On the way she passed another fire, which, however, was smaller than the first.

Additional Men Sent.

“At the tunnel she informed Jack Bass, tunnel guard, that her father was badly in need of men. When Bass said that he had already sent eight men to fight the Buckeye fire, she requested more and in response to her solicitation twenty additional men were sent, with the result that the fire soon was put under control.”

Had it not been for the girl’s heroic efforts, quick thinking and resourcefulness, the fire might have gained headway and caused incalculable damage to the surrounding country, according to local forestry officials. A message of thanks has been sent to Miss Moesch by local officers in recognition of her prompt and disinterested services in progressing aid in fighting the conflagration.

(The Rocky Mountain News, July 20, 1924)

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | July 31, 2024

The primary purpose of our work is to inform the public.

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Wildfires threatened the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel in June 1924, endangering workers and supplies, yet construction made steady progress.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

June 1924 found steady progress at the Moffat Tunnel. However, in mid-June, a “huge” forest fire raged in the vicinity of the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. The smoke was visible from Nederland and Boulder, and the flames were visible from the town of Corona atop Rollins Pass. The fire scorched 2,500 acres southeast of the Idlewild station and south of the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. The fire was fanned by high winds from the northwest.

Three hundred men fought tirelessly to contain the fire, with their primary concern being the protection of lives. Additionally, they focused on defending the powder magazine from the advancing wildfire. The fire “came within a few feet of the tons of explosives” wrote the Aspen Daily Times on June 19, 1924.

The same article mentions, “The flames were first noticed within a few feet of a deserted forest camp and [William] Fowler [superintendent of the West Portal camp] said he believed the fire started from this source.” The Montrose Daily Press, mentioned on the same date, “The fire broke [out] yesterday afternoon. The fire is believed to have been started from a fire left by tourists at a nearby tourist camp. About six miles of timber have been burned, all lying along the line of the tunnel.”

A few days later, the Boulder Daily Camera said that “twenty-five hundred acres of land were burned in the forest fire which was started by a careless camper at Berthoud Pass…. Approximately $30,000 damage was done by the flames, which devastated the entire water shed of Jim [C]reek up to James [P]eak.”

Incredibly, just a week later, another wildfire broke out in a heavily wooded area near the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. This one, too, was fanned by high winds. This fire was a half-mile southeast of the fire from a week earlier.

The photos attached to this post were both taken June 18, 1924 at the West Portal area.

Finally, in terms of progress, “The main headings have been advanced an aggregate of 11,357 feet, 3,101 in the East Portal of the railroad tunnel, 1,370 on the West Portal of the railroad tunnel and 3,376 and 3,195 feet on the corresponding water tunnel portals.”

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | June 30, 2024

The primary purpose of our work is to inform the public.

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May 1924 saw steady progress at the Moffat Tunnel, the introduction of worker bonuses, and tragic accidents at the Continental Divide and East Portal.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

May 1924 found work at the Moffat Tunnel progressing quite nicely. Hitchcock and Tinkler announced payment of a bonus effective May 1st (comprehensive details on the bonus at the end of this post.) The hope was that the bonus would speed up tunnel work, as there were still serious discussions being had that the date ‘1926’ would and could still be placed on the concrete entrances on both West Portal and East Portal. It’s easy to see why they were so optimistic: by approximately mid-May, one mile of the water tunnel had been completed, and that’s close to one-sixth of the entire distance. The railroad tunnel at the east end was expanded to full size for 400 feet, also in early May.

Progress brought two unfortunate accidents this month: one atop the Continental Divide and the other within the East Portal of the tunnel.

Numerous sources mentioned, “A high wire fence will soon be erected around the tunnel grounds to prevent visitors from running into high voltage wires and from interfering with the work, although permits can be secured at the office, allowing visitors to inspect the progress.” Unfortunately, the high voltage lines running up, across, and down the Continental Divide resulted in an odd death as detailed in the May 2, 1924 Routt County Sentinel, “The body of a man burned to a crisp was found last week on the mountainside above the [E]ast [P]ortal of the Moffat [T]unnel. It was finally identified as the remains of Juan Valquez, who had been working on the section force of the Moffat [R]oad on the western slope of the range. He had started to walk over the mountains, carrying a satchel on a stick over his shoulder. The snow was very high and it is believed that his grip struck against a high tension line, carrying 40,000 volts of electricity, as he tried to pass under it.”

Clifford Allen Betts wrote in a paper for the American Society of Civil Engineers discussing the completion of the Moffat Tunnel and not only described the electrical infrastructure but also the same accident, “Comparatively few power interruptions occurred on the power line to East Portal, but the 7-mile line between portals, over the Continental Divide, required considerable maintenance during winter months. Tubes of ice formed on the wires by snowdrifts and sleet storms and then, swayed by the high gales, broke off insulators or poles. This usually occurred at the highest part of the line where iron wire replaced copper for strength. On one occasion a Mexican laborer tripped across a section of the power line that was buried in snowdrifts and was burned beyond recognition.”

On May 22, 1924, a heartbreaking story of Rade Lekich, a “foreigner without friends in America” was run over by a switch car in the East Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. Lekich was a 40-year-old Serbian laborer according to the Rocky Mountain News. Lekich “had been employed for about four months as a trackman at the tunnel.” (Note: some sources say Mike, instead of Rade.)

From R. H. Keays’ writings on the Workmen’s Bonus implemented this month:

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“The principal requirement in all this work was speed. To this end a bonus program for the workmen was early considered. In tunnel work it is very hard to devise a plan that will obtain results and at the same time be fair. On the adoption of the alternating system of working the two headings it was apparent that operations would become so systematized and methods so standardized that a bonus plan could safely be tried. After considerable discussion the following plan was adopted applicable only to the heading crews at the East Portal. (Later this was used at the West Portal when ground permitted the alternating method.) Quoting from the statement announcing the bonus plan, which was started May 1, 1924:

The number of crews employed and their organization are to remain as they are at present. No changes are to be made in the distances required due to changes in the character of the rock or for other reasons. The base rate above which the bonus is to be paid is for an average of 17 ft. per day in both the water tunnel and main headings or 34 feet total. Should the above crews, as they will at times, do work in the cross-cuts, credit will be allowed for work done there but for no other reason such as enlargements for plant.

The bonus will be paid at semi-monthly periods corresponding to the pay roll periods on the total footage accomplished in these periods, which means that in a 15-day period at 17 feet per day per heading, the total footage above which a bonus will be paid is 510 feet and in a 16-day period 544 feet. Furthermore the bonus will be paid only to men who work every shift during the period except when excused by the superintendent on account of injury in which case a bonus will be paid proportion to the number of shifts worked. (Soon afterward the superintendent also was authorized to issue excuses on account of illness.)

In case a man is promoted from a lower to a higher group or vice versa, as shown below, his bonus will be based on the number of shifts worked in each group.

The bonus will be a fixed amount to be paid to each man in proportion to the number of feet excavated in excess of the minimum as stated above. The fixed amount, however, is not the same for all men in the crews but varies according to the importance of their duties. For this purpose the men are divided into three groups.

Group No. 1 will consist of: Assistant Superintendents, Shifters (Foremen), Scalers, Miners (Drill Runners), Helpers (Drill Helpers or Chuck Tenders, and Nippers.)

Group No. 2 will consist of: Mucking Machine Operators and the Muckers in the crew of the Mucking Machine.

Group No. 3 will consist of: Tunnel Motormen and Brakemen, engaged in hauling from headings only.

There will be no others than those stated above to be entitled to a bonus.

The bonuses to be paid to members of the different groups for each additional foot of advance will also vary in that it increases with the distance gained as stated below, it being understood that for a 16-day period all distances given below are increased by 34 feet.

For members of Group No. 1 there will be paid: For every foot advanced above 510 feet up to and including 600 feet the amount of 15 cents per foot, which we will call rate ‘A’. For every foot advanced above 600 feet up to an including 675 feet, the amount of 20 cents per foot, which we will call rate ‘B’. For every foot advance above 675 feet, the amount of 30 cents per foot which we will call rate ‘C’.

For the members of Group No. 2, the distances are the same but the bonus paid is 10 cents, 12 cents, and 18 cents, respectively.

For Group No. 3, the bonus paid is 5 cents, 7 cents, and 10 cents, respectively.

Judged by the high rates of progress later attained, these rates appear too high. No attempt was made to apply a bonus to the other operations at the East Portal. The enlargement operation could easily progress faster than the headings by working two shifts per day, and as for the other work, extra progress required only the addition of more men or equipment.” —Keays

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B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | May 31, 2024

The primary purpose of our work is to inform the public.

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In April 1924, the Moffat Tunnel set new progress records, overcame construction challenges, and prepared for an influx of summer visitors.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

April 1924 saw new records made in boring the Moffat Tunnel. Prior records were 20 feet of progress in a single day at East Portal, however, 23 feet became the new record. However, that progress was not without incident. In the April 21, 1924, Boulder Daily Camera newspaper, the mention read, “Alva Q. Healey, an old-time miner of the Sunshine district, Boulder county, is in St. Luke’s hospital, Denver, receiving treatment for two broken legs. He was struck by an electric car while working in the [E]ast [P]ortal of the Moffat [T]unnel about a week ago. He had gone there several weeks before to accept a position. His daughter, Mrs. Luella Downey of Denver, is with him.” (Note Alva’s name is also spelled as Alva G. Healy—underscoring that historical research is not always easy when the same article provides two different spellings! An obituary for Alva’s grandson mentions, “He was named Alva Healey after his beloved grandfather, Alvah Q. Healey, a prominent gold miner in the Four Mile Canyon area above Boulder, who had also been involved in the construction of the Moffatt [sic] Tunnel.”)

At the West Portal meanwhile, progress was still hindered by the softer rock, however, many reports mentioned that harder rock was being found, and they expected progress to speed up greatly. “This announcement is of vital importance to the contractors, Hitchcock & Tinkler, Inc. It means that they have passed from under the last of the surface creek beds and depressions that hold water which has caused soft rock, and at last have entered the real mountain where the rock is solid and where the electric drilling machines will be good for from twenty-two feet a day up into the thirties,” stated the Rocky Mountain News on April 27, 1924.

Overall, multiple sources mention new records on both sides of the Continental Divide. Additionally, the ambitious projections continue: “As the total length of the tunnel is to be 32,150 feet, it means that if this speed can be maintained, the tunnel will be completed in less than two years, which is highly gratifying to the commission, the contractors, and the people of Northwestern Colorado” wrote the Routt County Sentinel on April 11, 1924. Interestingly, articles mentioned “Work is being pushed on the two tunnels by Hitchcock & Tinkler… the contractors… [and they] will finish the job in 1926… they informed the engineering department the prediction is made that the transportation tunnel will be in operation in 1926, tho [sic] the contract calls for July 1927. In fact, so con[fident] yesterday that in drawing plans for the entrance to each portal that the year [1926] be used, instead of 1927.”

More than 500 men are now employed at both portals and because of cross-cuts, work is able to progress at as many as five different places on the main tunnel from the pioneer bore at a single portal (West). There can be three sets of firings in a day; that is, three charges of dynamite can be set off, and the debris removed.

With the approaching summer, “Anticipating thousands of prospective visitors during the coming summer season over Berthoud pass, the contractors are planning the erection of a high wire fence around the tunnel grounds. The main highway over Berthoud pass is by the [W]est [P]ortal, and a portion of the debris from the tunnel is carried over the highway on a trestle and dumped. With the thousands of motor tourists passing along the Berthoud pass road it is seen that they would swarm into the tunnels and over the grounds, hence the fence to keep them out. This action by Hitchcock & Tinkler is not to bar the public from the working, but as a preventive measure against death or accident,” it was explained by one of the tunnel engineers. “There is, of course, a vast amount of high explosives at the camp, but more dangerous are the low trolley wires of high voltage, some of these wires being only about six feet from the ground. The fence is to keep crowds out, but there will be passes issued and in this way the number around the tunnel portals can be regulated and lives can be safeguarded. As a matter of fact, the tourist can see from the outside about all that is of interest, but from the outside, naturally, he cannot go back home and say, “I was in the Moffat tunnel,” and tell his own story of its interior.”

One interesting story is of R. H. Keays, chief engineer of the tunnel. He was the guest of honor for a dinner at the Rocky Mountain Cornell Alumni association at the University club (17th Avenue and Sherman Street in Denver). His train was delayed by a snow blockade on the Moffat Road over Rollins Pass. A separate article mentions, “Stereopticon slides showing graphically the ingenious machinery and methods of construction which are being utilized in building the Moffat tunnel were presented… during his address at the annual dinner meeting…. Mr. Keays spoke of the stages in the work that have been completed since the opening of the camps at the east and west portals last August. He discussed some of the difficulties that must be solved before the tunnel is completed, and explained the methods of drilling the rock and the machines used for this purpose. The speaker reported favorably on the progress of the work and stressed the sanitary conditions of the camp buildings, which are fitted with modern conveniences for the comfort of the men, as an important factor in enabling the work to go on unhindered by weather conditions or other construction difficulties.”

April also saw a portion of the railroad tunnel expanded to full size. (The upper half of the railroad tunnel is seen in the photograph, before expansion.)

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | April 30, 2024

The primary purpose of our work is to inform the public.

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March 1924 saw record-breaking progress at the Moffat Tunnel, prohibition-related incidents, and a near disaster caused by a dynamite blast.

Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago

March 1924 finds new records being set at the Moffat Tunnel. A new record was set “when the water tunnel at West [P]ortal was driven 24 feet in 24 hours. The distance made at East Portal during the same time was 14 feet, total 38 feet for Monday. The new machinery is beginning to tell and very soon both portals will be showing increased results. The goal that is being striven for is 45 feet per day counting both portals and the boys at West Portal exceeded that mark Monday. The progress in the water tunnel sets the pace for the railroad tunnel, for in the latter enough headings can be run to keep pace with the smaller bore. Forty-five feet per day would complete the tunnel in two years. Work at West Portal is proceeding much more favorably with better ground. Tunnel officials and contractors were elated and sent warm congratulations to the officials and workmen at West Portal. The railroad tunnel is now under cover at both portals and from the crosscuts the headings in the main tunnel have been driven more than 600 feet. The water [tunnel] is in approximately 1,500 feet at East Portal and 1,800 feet at West Portal.”

The Craig Empire newspaper wrote, “On each side of the divide, therefore, the visitor may now see the portals of both the Moffat [T]unnel proper and the water tunnel.”

The Moffat Tunnel was constructed entirely during prohibition; however, that doesn’t mean that liquor didn’t play a part in the Moffat Tunnel’s history. Several months earlier, in the second half of 1923, two folks in Tabernash, Colorado were charged with illegal possession of intoxicating liquor. John Mitchell and N. Darbyshire were sentenced to sixty days in the county jail as “the pair were attempting to supply workers at the Moffat [T]unnel with moonshine when they were arrested.”

Other articles in The Middle Park Times for Grand County chided the general public, “Every citizen of this county remembers the years of struggle to secure the right to construct this tunnel. We all know how much benefit we can and will receive from the development of our county by means of proper transportation. It is up to each citizens [sic] to use his influence to see that the workmen are not supplied with illicit liquor. If any citizen knows of any person who is in a position to make or sell this stuff to the tunnel workers he is working against his own interest if he fails to report the case to the proper authorities. The success of building the tunnel is up to you Mr. Citizen.”

The headlines around the third week of March 1924 read something to the effect of what was published in the Routt County Sentinel regarding a dramatic event that transpired Sunday, March 16, 1924: “Whiskey Incites Attempt to Wreck Moffat Tunnel.” The details pieced together from multiple articles are that “Daniel Sullivan… foreman of a construction gang working at the [W]est [P]ortal of the Moffat [T]unnel… was arrested Sunday morning at the tunnel…. Several sticks of dynamite were fired near the mouth of the bore, but the blast was not strong enough to damage the props of the tunnel seriously, according to members of the commission. Sullivan is said to have been drunk for a week preceding the attempt to destroy the bore, and is believed to have had trouble with the night foreman. He was seen running from the tunnel entrance as the charge was fired…. Had the charge been of sufficient strength, tunnel engineers say, considerable damage would have been done. As it was, only a few props in the tunnel were broken. Had the large props been blown away, tons of earth and rock would have blocked the entrance to the tunnel, seriously hampering progress of the work.”

More rural papers said that “Denver papers made a sensation of the affair, stating that Sullivan is an I.W.W., but the superintendent at the portals states that until Sullivan began drinking recently he was a model employee.”

For a happy ending: many of the historic photographs taken during the construction are of workers with their dogs. Underscoring the fact that history is not the story of strangers, it is the story of us, had we been born a little bit earlier. How many of us within the past week have taken a photograph of or with our pet?

B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | March 30, 2024

The primary purpose of our work is to inform the public.

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