100 years ago: Dolores – “General Superintendent W. D. Lee of the Denver & Rio Grande Southern, his wife and Roadmaster Gilliand sustained serious injuries when the railroad auto in which they were making a tour of inspection of the road, plunged over an embankment, hurling the occupants into the Dolores River with terrible force. Every member of the party was injured and it is feared that one of the number is critically so. The car is a total wreck.”
75 years Ago: “In all probability the Durango fire laddies will wheel their truck at a slower speed when making runs in the future. That last fast dash cost the boys four cigars and a pipe – ‘gone with the wind.’”
50 years ago: “Parts for the Aquatic Center swimming pool’s heater finally arrived. The parts were to be installed as soon as possible and warm water should be coursing into the pool sometime today. Attendance is down considerably compared to last year because of the cool water which has been averaging 69 degrees, but which will soon be up to the normal 80 to 85-degree mark.”
25 years ago: “After months of heated and often acrimonious debate, the town of Silverton spent $20,000 on excavation and foundation work for a new visitors’ center only to see the project halted by the threat of a ‘100 year’ avalanche. As contractors were preparing to actually pour the concrete foundation for a building donated by Sunnyside Gold, the Silverton town board voted at a recent meeting to suspend construction and seek a new site for the $115,000 project.”
Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not have been verified.
