“Looked Like Bloodshed for a Short Time but Cooler Heads Prevailed”

I know this looks a lot like the pass of Thermopylae where Leonidas and his 300 Spartans held off the entire Persian army during the second invasion of Greece in 480 BC (and then dined in hell) — but that’s not what this is.

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This is a picture of the Greenback crib walls next to the Mineral Belt Trail in Leadville, Colorado. This area was once called Graham Park, and it was home to several very profitable iron sulphide mines including the old Greenback Mine.

Hence the name of the crib walls, which were built in 1899 to support a bridge. As you can see, there is no bridge here anymore. (If you see a bridge, let me know so I can be worried about you.) But back when the bridge existed, it allowed mining ore cars owned by the Denver & Rio Grande railroad company to cross over another rail line controlled by a competitor, the Colorado & Southern.

Here’s a view of them crib walls from the other direction:

At this point you are no doubt very curious about that bloodshed I mentioned in the post title, because that’s the only reason you're reading this post. (You are really messed up in the head, you know that?)

The title is a quote I found in a Leadville Herald article from September 11, 1899. Here is the article: RAILROADS STRUGGLE FOR GRAHAM PARK.

You see, in 1899 the D&RG wanted to build a new rail line to get its ore cars into Graham Park. To do that, it needed to cross the existing C&S line. Now, everyone knows bridges are dumb and cost money to build, so the D&RG decided it would just plow right through the existing C&S line. Because, well, screw those C&S guys.

When the C&S got wind of the D&RG’s screw-'em construction plan, they immediately sent over a steam engine and some heavy ore cars and stood their ground at the breach location. They also sent 50 intimidating men with picks and shovels. And seven guards with shotguns.

There was no breach that day.

But not too long after, there was a bridge.

Denver & Rio Grande: “Don’t mind us, we’re just going to tear up your rails so we can get to all that valuable ore in Graham Park right there.”

Colorado & Southern: “Over our dead bodies you are.”

D&RG: “No need for violence now.”

C&S: “What’s that you say? These shotguns don't hear too well, fellows.”

D&RG: “DON’T SHOOT ANYONE.”

C&S: “DON'T BREACH OUR GODDAMN LINE.”

D&RG: “A bridge, perhaps?”

C&S: “A bridge. Yes. Smashing idea.”

D&RG: "We're on it."

…

C&S: "And be quick about it. It's not like we're spanning the damn pass of Thermopylae here, boys."