A historical flash fiction that highlights hope for the town of Hancock, Colorado.
The wind gusted down the mountain and pummeled Elizabeth as she trudged through the snow to the telegraph office. It was just a short distance from the small wooden structure she called home, but the brutal cold left her breathless.
Clouds lay heavy on the imposing mountain ranges surrounding the mining town of Hancock, Colorado. The awe-inspiring peaks were no longer visible. It was to this town that Elizabeth and her father had migrated to just over a year ago.
The Town of Hancock
John Anderson had erected a small but sturdy cabin at the base of Pomeroy Mountain. The valley had grown into a recognized town in just a few short months. It housed a few restaurants, numerous saloons, a train depot, five stores and a telegraph office, as well as a great many wooden shacks and cabins that housed the residents of this mining town.
As Elizabeth reached the office and pushed the wooden plank door open, she couldn’t resist another look toward the western mountain range. The snow had begun again, wiping out her visibility. A dim outline of the water tower, located just west of the depot, was as far as she could see.
The Telegraph Office
The door slammed behind her as she entered the bare building that contained the communication system. Frank, the grizzled night telegrapher startled awake, his bleary bloodshot eyes giving proof to his attachment to the bottle.
“Yer late.”
“Good morning, Frank,” said Elizabeth, as she glanced at the large clock on the wall. “It looks like I’m two minutes early. Any communication during the night?”
“Nah” said Frank, as he stood and let loose a stream of tobacco in her direction.
Elizabeth sidestepped the missile with a sigh. No matter how much she remonstrated to the old miner about the evils of tobacco he persisted.
“Ok. I’ll take it from here. Has the night crew from the tunnel construction come down yet?”
“No. I doubt they will make it today. My bones are telling me there’s a blizzard coming this way.”
Blizzard Prediction
Elizabeth had heard Frank predict storms before with deadly accuracy, but really hoped he would be wrong this time.
“I hope not. It’s May, Frank. And Father was to come down with the night crew. Last week he said they would be finishing up the last of the explosives.”
“Lawdy, miss. A blizzard in May is not unheard of in this region. Are you worrying about yer Pappy? No need. No need at all. He’s one of the best and always seems to land on his feet no matter what mishap he finds himself in.”
“I know, Frank. But the mountains have a brutality that scares me. There have been so many casualties since the work on the railroad tunnel began. It will be an amazing connection to Gunnison and will bring about hope and stability to our town, but at times I wonder if it will be worth all the lives lost.”
“Ye bet yer boots it will. That railroad is the hope of this town. Why I can remember when it took a month to travel out of this here valley to pack in supplies. Once this railroad is up and running, I’ll be hoppin’ the train regular-like just for a day trip to Gunnison. Now keep yer ear tuned and don’t mess up those dots and dashes.”
A Day in the Life of Elizabeth
While she sat at her desk, Elizabeth felt the cold seeping through the cracked floor. By mid-afternoon her feet felt like ice. The pot-bellied wood stove was barely keeping the place warm. It had been a slow day. Only two messages had come through. The decoding system had become second nature.
Another click heralded the arrival of an incoming message. With a practiced hand Elizabeth quickly decoded the message.
Hope for the Present
Just as she had written the final word, the door was flung open and two men coated with snow entered. Elizabeth recognized P. F. Barr the construction engineer. He was the designer of the railroad tunnel that was to bore its way through the Continental Divide.
The other man brought no spark of recognition to mind, though his brown eyes rimmed with snow met her with a questioning look.
Elizabeth was used to questions from all and sundry about her ability at the telegraph office. She knew of no other female operator out here on the western frontier and accepted the skeptical looks with serene composure.
“Looks like we could have a foot of snow or more by evening, Miss Elizabeth,” said Mr. Barr as he unwound the frosty woolen scarf.
“I guess Frank was right in his blizzard prediction. I’d rest easier if Father would return from the mountain before nightfall.”
“He’s right smart about the weather, that Frank. But your father will be alright. If he must, he’ll hole up and come down when the storm subsides. Don’t you worry, young lady.”
“Yes, sir. I’m glad you came in. I have a message for you,” said Elizabeth as she handed the newly prescribed message to Mr. Barr.
Tunnel Construction
Elizabeth knew Mr. Barr’s concern for the men that worked on the tunnel construction. He had handled the explosions, landslides and numerous other situations with a calm demeanor that belied the tension of these situations.
Her thoughts turned toward the crew of men. It was cold, brutal work. They worked for a good wage, all of $3.50 a day, but despite that fact, there was a quick turnaround in workers. Her father was one of the few men who had stayed through the difficulties.
The digging and blasting had been continuous on both sides of the mountain for over a year. Much longer than anticipated. Still the breakthrough for the tunnel from either side had not come. It was now May of 1881. Facing a blizzard, no less. Elizabeth’s sporadic thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Mr. Barr’s voice.
“That was news from the other end of the tunnel. Barring any other complications we will meet our goal in about six weeks.”
Hope for the Future
The man with him spoke with excitement. “We may not have been the first to provide a railway to Gunnison, but this will be the first tunnel through the Continental Divide. It’s an engineering marvel, Mr. Barr. I’m indebted to you for letting me tag along to inspect the work.”
“Well, Adam, our trip will be put off a day or so. Till this storm runs itself out. Miss Elizabeth, let me introduce you to Adam Falkner. He’s a whiz of an engineer. Maybe our mountains will make a man out of him.”
With a chuckle, Adam reached out a hand and shook Elizabeth’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Elizabeth. I hope I can deepen my acquaintance with you while I am here.”
His deep baritone and keen gaze brought a flush to Elizabeth’s cheeks. “Likewise, Mr. Falkner. Enjoy our mountains. They are God’s masterpiece.”
The door was suddenly pushed open, and a snow-caked form stumbled across the threshold. For a moment no one moved. Then with an explanation of joy Elizabeth sprang to her feet. “Father! Oh thank you, God, for bringing him home safe.”
A New Day
The weeks that followed brought warmth to the mountainous region. The streams roared with turbulence from the snowmelt. Small alpine flowers dotted the valley. Elizabeth continued her duties at the telegraph office. She daily hoped for the news of the tunnel breakthrough.
It was a warm July day. The wind that blew through the open windows filled the office with invigorating mountain air. Elizabeth had been transcribing messages all morning.
Her thoughts inadvertently turned toward Adam. There had been a few encounters that had left her wondering what he thought of her. However, most of his time was spent up in the tunnel bore with Mr. Barr.
A movement out the window caught her eye. Adam was hurrying toward the telegraph office. As he stepped into the room, his face was radiant. With one stride he reached the desk and grabbed her hands.
Hope for Hancock
“It’s happened! The breakthrough has happened. The tunnel teams have met. There is a way through the mountain.” Adam’s eyes glowed with exhilaration. “This is a day never to be forgotten.”
Elation filled the room, and Elizabeth felt herself pulled into the celebration. This was day of hope for the future of Hancock. A day that her father and many others had worked toward and anticipated. A day that marked the beginning of a new day in the West.
And as she looked into the eyes of the man holding her hands, Elizabeth knew that this day would be etched in her memory for much more than the tunnel break through.
Epilogue
“The Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad began excavation for the Alpine Tunnel in January of 1880 at Altman Pass. Elevation was 11,523 ft. The plan was to connect St. Elmo and Hancock with Pitkin and Gunnison, towns located on the other side of the mountain. This narrow-gauge railroad has been touted as an engineering marvel. It was the first railroad through the Continental Divide and the highest railroad in North America.
Though the tunnel bore broke through in July of 1881, it was another year before the tunnel was finalized and ready for the train to make the trek across the mountain.”
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