William Jackson Palmer – 1836-1909 By Doug Schmidt

There are many differences between the culture of Once again he caught the eye of management and clothing aroused suspicion and he was held for today and the culture that existed in the early days became the personal secretary to the PRR questioning and later transferred to the notorious of the pioneers. One of the most glaring is president John Edgar Thompson. This proved to be Prison in Richmond, Virginia. He that anyone attempting a new venture in the 21st his true education in both the true inner workings of was eventually set free in a prisoner exchange and century is given a list of reasons outlining why the a major railroad and the ins and outs of managing a rejoined the fighting, pursuing General Hood of the project cannot be completed as proposed. The large corporation. These lessons would come in Confederate Army across the South. early railroad pioneers did not tolerate being told handy later in his life. why not, but expected to be told how the project His actions in the war earned him the would be completed. Palmer addressed PRR’s problem of fuel Congressional and he retired as a consumption in what would become an Brigadier General. He was 29 years old. One such man who racked up accomplishment earthshaking action. The Railroad after undaunted accomplishment was General was rapidly burning up all the wood along their So what does a man do to follow such a list of William Jackson Palmer, founder of the and rights-of-way as they sent more and more accomplishments before the age of thirty? In the Rio Grande Railroad and the driving force behind locomotives over their newly laid rails. Young Mr. case of men like William Jackson Palmer, you head the establishment of Colorado Springs as a major Palmer convinced his boss that burning coal was for the West to seek your fortune. Two years after American city. the way to go, and the Pennsy was the first U.S. the end of the war, Palmer and his chief assistant, railroad to convert to coal burning locomotives. 21-year-old Edward Johnson, were headed west. As with William Byers of Rocky Mountain News Over the next four years Palmer’s main concerns Palmer had been named construction manager for fame, William Jackson Palmer had lived a full and on the railroad were increasing power and the Kansas Pacific and his charge was to map exciting life long before he arrived to put his stamp combustion. Associations made at this time are routes through New Mexico and Arizona to on Colorado. Born in Leipsic, Delaware on worth noting. His collaborators included a PRR vice establish a route to California. September 17, 1836 to Quaker parents, Palmer president, Thomas A. Scott, and Scott’s assistant, a moved with his family to Germantown, young Scottish immigrant named , At this time the Kansas Pacific was a venture Pennsylvania. This move exposed him to the who would come to make his own mark upon the capitalized by the . Palmer locomotives of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and world in later years. led the expansion of the KP from Kansas City, young William’s curiosity concerning these wood- Missouri to Denver in 1870. Palmer’s survey work burning workhorses was endless. He strived to Palmer’s promising career was to be interrupted by had led him from New Mexico north to Denver and learn all he could about this new mechanical the outbreak of the Civil War. Although Palmer’s he was convinced that a Pueblo-to-Denver route wonder. upbringing had taught him to abhor violence of any would become highly profitable and relatively easy kind, the need to free enslaved people caused him to build. At age 17, Palmer managed to get hired by a to enlist in the . Again showing his railroad building company near his home as a leadership qualities, William formed a brigade of Presenting his “West to Pueblo to Denver” idea fell surveyor’s assistant. His gift for the work was soon mostly railroad associates (15th Pennsylvania on deaf ears. Any route that was not directly east- evident and he was sent by the company to go Volunteer Cavalry) who fought impressively and west was not considered to be prudent. Palmer was abroad for study, attending classes in England and effectively. An expert scout, Palmer then became a so convinced that his route would prove to be France. spy for General George McClellan. profitable, he started his own railroad with and laid track from Denver to the area. He Returning to his home at age 20, Palmer found In 1862 he was behind Confederate lines gathering called his new pike The Denver and Rio Grande work with the Pennsylvania Railroad. intelligence for the Union Army and was detained Railroad. by the Rebel troops. A man his age in civilian General Palmer was joined in this venture by his Montrose. This was completed two years later in who had established one of the west’s major lifelong friend Dr. William Bell. They met while 1882. Montrose to Grand Junction took another railroads and one of his adopted state’s major Palmer was with the Kansas Pacific. Bell, originally year, finishing with a completion of the narrow cities, along with one of its major industries, passed from England, became Palmer’s most trusted gauge link with the Rio Grande Western to Salt away on March 13, 1909 at the age of 72. Palmer associate; in every company that listed William Lake City, Utah. Branches were also completed to Lake, the , two high schools in Palmer as its president, almost invariably was Dr. Crested Butte, Ouray and Somerset. The route Colorado Springs, Palmer Hall at Hampton Bell listed as a vice president. from Alamosa to Antonito to Chama and beyond University in Virginia, a hall at was completed as well. and other sites named for this generous The year 1870 proved to be a pivotal year for the entrepreneur are all testament to his generosity and General in a number of ways. Not only did he start General Palmer was not, however, satisfied with his concern for the human spirit. The state of his railroad, but he also married Mary Lincoln running a successful railroad. He had envisioned Colorado is a far better place because of this man’s Mellen. Mary was known throughout her life as “an integrated industrial complex based on steel contributions and accomplishments. “Queen.” On his honeymoon in the British Isles, he manufacturing” and acted on that vision. Palmer felt saw, for the first time, narrow gauge railroads at that if this vision was to be realized, a company had This article first appeared in The Colorado Railroad work. The proverbial light came on immediately as to control all necessary resources involved in the Journal, a monthly publication covering commercial, Palmer realized that laying narrow gauge track steel making process. As his railroads grew and tourist and model railroading in Colorado and the West. would not only move along faster and be easier to expanded, the demand for steel rail increased build in mountain terrains, but would also be less nationwide. This idea led to the construction of the costly on several fronts. Imagine being in a hurry to Colorado Coal and Iron Company’s steel mills end your honeymoon. south of Pueblo.

The race to Mexico was on! Palmer’s route would The success of the steel mill led to a merger with run over Raton Pass and head south for Mexico. the Colorado Fuel Company, and the Colorado The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe also had the Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) was born. In a short same idea and the rivalry turned bitter and time, CF&I was the state’s largest employer, the confrontive almost at once. Men who were good largest manufacturing concern in the state, and a with a gun and many local and state politicians major supplier of steel products to the United made a lot of fast money by working for either side States. of the conflict. About the time his new railroad was getting established, Palmer began yet another long lasting In the final resolution, known as the Treaty of venture. After scouting the Pikes Peak area for his Boston, the AT&SF won the right to trackage over rail line, he purchased 10,000 acres of land east of Raton, and the D&RG was allowed to lay track the old unofficial capitol of Colorado City. He unimpeded through the canyon of the decided to call this new area Colorado Springs and , thereby gaining rights to head west set out to establish it as a city where the common toward the mines. The need to lay track over the vices (alcohol and gambling) were not welcome. wide variety of terrain was the advantage of narrow Sales of alcohol were illegal in Colorado Springs gauge. Starting west out of Pueblo, the D&RG until 1933 when the end of Prohibition lifted the reached Salida in 1880 and headed to Leadville. local laws. From Salida, the railroad also crossed the Continental Divide at Marshall Pass and over to After a serious horseback riding accident in 1906, Gunnison. From there, the line went through the Palmer was paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair Black Canyon of the Gunnison through Cimarron to for the rest of his days. This intrepid entrepreneur,