Fred Steele to Saratoga to Fort Collins, Denver, Then Bust

The old road bed & cut below are believed to be part of the rail road that was constructed in 1887 by the Union Pacific Railroad to connect Fort Steele to Denver, CO. It was to follow the North Platte to North Park, Colorado and down the Cache la Poudre River to Fort Collins through the great valley to Denver. Killpatrick Brothers and Collins Contractors made Fort Steele it's headquarters and some fifteen miles of roadbed was constructed when the project was abandoned because the federal government refused to renew the bonded indebtedness of the main line and its President, Mr. Adams was removed from office. In 1899 Fenimore Chatterton, who had been the Post Trader, tried to organize the Wyoming Southern Railway from Ft. Steele to Saratoga and Encampment following the same grade up the Platte but this too failed as his other financial backers from Boston, MA were more interested in selling stocks and making large profits than in making the project work.

In 1904 Mr. Chatterton was also involved in the proposed idea of a Denver, Yellowstone & Pacific Railroad from Denver to Seattle (proposed) by E.H. Power of London, England. This line would have came (sic) up the from Denver, & Ft. Collins over to Walden, CO and over to Saratoga, WY and down to Ft. Steele then gone through South Pass, WY, Jackson Hole into Idaho and followed the Salmon River through Washington to Seattle. The Interstate Trust Company of Boston was chosen as its bonding company but the deal fell through in 1905 when the Trust Company decided to back the Oregon Short Line instead.

In September 1905 the Saratoga and Encampment Railroad Company was organized by Mr. Chatterton and the railroad was built from Wolcott to Saratoga and Grand Encampment in order to enhance the value of the Hot Springs and serve the necessary transportation for Boston Smelter at Grand Encampment for the copper mines. The railroad to Saratoga is still used today by Union Pacific Railroad to haul freight from the lumber industry.

Fenimore Chatterton was also responsible for the forming of the Wyoming State Railroad with the backing of Governor Pardon of France. Governor Pardon had oil land holdings near Lander, WY and needed a way to get oil to market. Mr. Chatterton drew a line on the map from Lander to Casper and advised a railroad from Orin Junction to Lander. The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad realizing the great potential of connecting the other existing lines called Mr. Chatterton to Chicago in the late fall of 1904 and bought his right-of-way interests for this new railroad. The C&NW built the new line in 1905/1906.

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Show me all markers in:  Sinclair, WY  |  Carbon County  |  82334  |  Wyoming  |  United States of America

Fenimore Chatterton
Cemetery
Powder Magazine
Sheepherder's Community
Ranching
Sheep Industry
Sheep Ranching
Fort Fred Steel State Historic Site
Early Construction
Bridge Tender's House

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