The Story of Great Uncle Bender | 14 Comments - Click Here :

    You know how it was when you were a kid and your relatives talked about their ancient relatives and the good ol’ days? Well that’s about what I have to work with here. As near I recall of this third hand information, Uncle Bender, was my father’s mother’s uncle on her father’s side (but I couldn't swear to that). His name was English, and so was my Grandmothers maiden name. His real name was actually Benjamin (I think), but apparently everyone called him Bender. No one knows why.

    At the Turn of the Century (that is the 20^th Century), Bender English was a young man very enthused about photography. He resided in Arkansas somewhere. I probably heard where once, but that is part of the 80 percent of what you hear that you don’t retain. So, Arkansas. I do know he was a schoolteacher from one story I heard, but that might have been after his trips to Colorado.

    Around 1909 to 1910 or so, he traveled to Colorado several times. That was before he got married (actually I’m not sure he ever was married, but then I couldn't say he wasn't either). The reasons for his trips have never been clear to me. He may have been going to school. I guess he had a couple of degrees. While he was there he took a bunch of photos, but most of them would be of no interest here. He did travel around on the C&S a bit and in particular the South Park. Somewhere there is a journal on his travels, but the devil if I can find it right now. The photos I’m sharing with you here are of the few days he spent at Bath and the vicinity of Trout Creek Pass. These Photos don’t include anything from the Colorado Midland (too bad) tho I’m sure he took shots of that Railroad too. I have to admit I only have a small portion of his collection. My “other” relatives each got some of portion of it as well.

    As I said, in the teens Uncle Bender was a schoolteacher somewhere in Arkansas. I’m not sure what grade or grades he might have taught (not little kids I’m sure). Then around 1918 (he was too old to go to Europe for the war, but may have had some connection to that) he went back east (New Jersey I think) and it was while there, he contracted influenza and apparently didn't survive. His belongings somehow went to my Great Grandfather (his brother) and then some of that to my Dad’s mom. I have other relatives who worked for the C&S around or out of Trinidad on my Dad’s side, but they are all gone too. So I acquired these photos and as many of the railroady shots as I could.

Enjoy his photos!

Derrell Poole

Bath Colorado – September 1909. Uncle Bender encountered a drover or a wrangler moving a few head of horses south of the yard at Bath. Said his name was Old Bill, and he worked for one of the ranches in the South Park. In the background were the 2-story section house and an engine on the wye. At the right of the photo was the Handcar shed.

This is actually a cropping of the previous photo. The Midland tracks would be between the tail of the wye and the trees in the background.

There is no explanation why this engine is running light up grade above Longs Creek. There was a 170-degree loop over Longs Creek. In this view I believe we are looking south. It’s a pretty stiff grade as the road has come off of the South Park and is climbing to the Pass.

No. 5 is on freight duty in this view and passing under the Midland overpass. We are looking more or less North East.

The tail end of this freight passes under the CM bridge. This view is on the other side of the CM ROW.

This is a pretty high angle shot and I've always thought Bender must have set up his camera on top of the Privy to take it. In the background you can see thru the underpass looking South East. The Depot at Bath was boarded up at this point and all of the business conducted out of the Section House. There was a coal shed next to the Depot across from the Section house and apparently the coal from the car has already been unloaded. In the background you can see a recently rebuilt Caboose so there was a train either sitting in the yard or perhaps slowly passing thru as Bender took the shot. Wonder who the damsel on the porch was?

The tail end of a short train creeping up the hill toward Bath from the east. It looks like the caboose is No. 304 (which would be renumbered 1006 in 1912). It looks like there is a lantern in the cupola portal. This is probably getting toward dusk and the lamp would have been the rear warning light. As far as I know only 304 had this feature.