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:
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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
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