Newspaper Items
Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd Railroad
This page was last updated on March 21, 2004
28 September 1872
"Railroad Progress." excerpt: "[Another] enterprise, which will
soon be under way and completed probably before snow flies, will be the Bingham
Canyon narrow gauge road, about 17 miles in length." (Pitchard, Utah Mining Journal, 28 September 1872)
28 September 1872
"Local Brevities." "The Bingham Narrow Gauge Railway is a new
enterprise fairly under way. We understand that the company has already
organized and the surveyors will be put on the line next week. Work will at
once be inaugurated, and by winter it is expected the road will be completed.
It is in energetic hands." (Pitchard, Utah Mining Journal, 28 September 1872)
26 October 1872
A letter, dated 24 October, says that ground was broken today (24th) on the
Bingham Canyon railroad. Hugh White is the Superintendent of the railroad, and
the 24th was his 27th birthday. The survey of the route was done by a Mr.
Smith, who with his crew came over from the American Fork railroad, and the
survey is now about completed. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 26 October 1872)
11 November 1872
"Local Brevities." "The first five miles grading on the Bingham
Canyon narrow gauge R.R. was completed to-day." (Pitchard, Utah Mining Journal, 11 November 1872)
29 November 1872
Six and one-half miles of the B. C. & C. F. line have been graded, the ties
are all contracted for, and are now being delivered. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 29 November 1872)
14 December 1872
Hugh White, superintendent of the Bingham Canyon railroad, says that two miles
more of the grading done, making 7-1/2 miles at present; ties are being
delivered, timbers for the Jordan River bridge are on the ground, and he is
about to head East in search of iron and rolling stock. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 14 December 1872)
15 January 1873
"Local Intelligence." "The Bingham Canyon narrow gauge railroad
is expected to be in running order by the 10th of next month." (Pitchard, Utah Mining Journal, 15 January
1873)
5 June 1873
Item on the sale of the Bingham Canyon Railroad to 'Eastern parties', and some
others, including Morgan, of Salt Lake City. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 5 June 1873)
28 June 1873
An item in greater detail on the sale of the Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd
Railroad by Hugh White and his associates, to Charles W. Scofield, William B.
Welles, B. W. Morgan and their associates. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 28 June 1873)
3 July 1873
"Bingham Canyon Railroad." "Mr. Scofield, president, and Mr. Wm.
B. Welles, secretary and treasurer of the Bingham Canyon and Camp Floyd
railroad company, left on Tuesday for the east to complete the purchase of iron
and rolling stock for their road. A portion of the iron is already on the way,
and the road will be fully equipped and running from Sandy to Bingham within
sixty days." (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Daily Herald, 3 July 1873)
10 August 1873
"Bingham Items." "The rolling stock for the Bingham narrow-gauge
has arrived, and the iron was expected yesterday." (Pitchard, Salt Lake Daily Tribune, 10 August 1873)
27 August 1873
"Twelve cars of iron, twelve flat cars, two passenger and one baggage
cars, and one locomotive have been shipped for the Bingham Canyon and Camp
Floyd Railroad; and, part of the iron having arrived, tracklaying will commence
immediately." (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Herald, 27 August 1873)
30 August 1873
"Our Bingham Letter." "Bingham Canyon, Aug. 26th, 1873"
"Your correspondent to-day enters upon his duties as chronicler of events
… in this flourishing mining camp. Upon my way up by coach, to Bingham, from
Sandy station, I had a fine view of the track of the Bingham Canyon branch of
the U. C. Railroad. Its length is fifteen miles; the grading is all done and
the ties laid on the track ready for the iron. There is a hitch somewhere, or
the directors of this road would not let the weeds grow on their fine grade,
until in some places they have nearly obscured the ties." (Pitchard, Utah Mining Gazette, 30 August
1873)
30 August 1873
"Local Summary" "Twelve car loads of iron, two passenger, one
baggage, twelve flat cars., and a locomotive for the Bingham Canyon and Camp
Floyd Railroad, have been shipped. Track laying will be commenced
immediately." (Pitchard, Utah Mining
Gazette, 30 August 1873)
6 September 1873
"Resources of Utah." "Statistics of Progress during the Year
1873 -- Summary for Six Months ending June 30th."
March -- "The Bingham Canyon railroad, ten miles of grading completed and seventeen thousand ties laid down."
June -- "Bingham Canyon Railroad." "This railroad was sold by Hugh White & Company, to a body of capitalists in Detroit, Michigan, with a covenant to finish tieing, bridging and completing the road-bed, forthwith, ready for iron." (Pitchard, Utah Mining Gazette, 6 September 1873)
17 September 1873
In reporting on an excursion over the W.& J.V. on the 16th, the paper says
that the excursion party, on approaching Sandy, "noticed that track-laying
was being prosecuted on the Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd Railroad, and saw a
locomotive, two passenger cars, and several flats already on the
track…". (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Herald, 17 September 1873)
27 September 1873
A lull in tracklaying on Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd on account of no rail.
(Pitchard, Salt Lake Tribune, 27 September 1873)
6 October 1873
"For the Bingham Railroad -- A gentleman just in from the East says that
on Thursday he passed, at Pine Bluffs, on the Platte, two passenger cars and
several trucks, on their way west for the Bingham Canyon Railroad." (Pitchard, Deseret Evening News, 6 October
1873)
16 October 1873
Trains are to begin running on regular schedule on the Bingham Canyon &
Camp Floyd railroad 'this morning.' (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 16 October 1873)
18 October 1873
"On Thursday morning trains commenced running on the Bingham Canyon
Railroad, and it is now running two trains daily, connecting with the Utah
Southern Railroad at Sandy." Thursday was the 16th. (Pitchard, Utah Mining Gazette, 18 October 1873)
19 October 1873
More iron is en route for the B. C. & C. F., and 40 passengers rode over
the road on the 17th. (Pitchard, Salt
Lake Herald, 19 October 1873)
8 November 1873
Between 16 October and 1 November, some 643 passengers took passage on the
Bingham Canyon and Camp Floyd Railroad. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Tribune, 8 November 1873)
12 November 1873
The long-delayed iron for the B. C. & C. F. is finally arriving, and the
road will be completed as quickly as possible. More than 600 passengers have so
far ridden over the line, 60 of them on Saturday, the 8th. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 12 November 1873)
14 November 1873
The BC&CF track is completed to the mouth of Bingham Canyon, some 10 miles;
grade is complete for another six miles, to near the Winamuck works, and most
of the ties are down. Twenty cars of iron arrived yesterday and the day before.
(Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 14 November
1873)
15 November 1873
"The Bingham Railroad." "A week more of good weather will insure
the completion of the Bingham Canyon Railroad to its terminus for the winter.
The iron has arrived, and the work is being pushed forward with the utmost
diligence." (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Daily Tribune, 15 November 1873)
15 November 1873
"Iron for the completion of the Bingham Canyon Railroad is now arriving,
and it is expected that this much-needed road will be completed in a few
days." (Pitchard, Utah Mining
Gazette, 15 November 1873)
15 November 1873
Another 14 car loads of iron for the B. C. & C. F. are at Ogden, with five
or six more yet en route. (Pitchard, Salt
Lake Herald, 15 November 1873)
23 November 1873
"Bingham Canyon Railroad. -- We are informed by Mr. Scofield, president of
the Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd…". that 16 miles of the road are now
in operation, end of track at Winamuck being reached last night. Scofield
claims two engines, four passenger cars and 38 freight cars, but Engine No. 2
will not arrive until January. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 23 November 1873)
23 November 1873
"Completed." "Yesterday afternoon the last rail was laid and the
Salt Lake and Bingham Canyon railroad pronounced ready for through traffic. The
first train will leave this morning, and from this time forth will run on
schedule time in connection with the Utah Southern." (Pitchard, Salt Lake Tribune, 23 November 1873)
29 November 1873
"Railway Building," being a half-column letter on the building by
Alex McClellan of the Bingham Canyon railroad; 16 miles of track, one mile of
which has a third rail for standard gauge cars; four bridges, the one over the
Jordan being about 300 feet long; a substantial station; an enginehouse; two
water tanks; a well, about 100 feet deep; and about 14 miles of sidings. All of
this he is said to have done for $7,000 for labor and materials, cost of ties
and iron excepted. (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Daily Tribune, 29 November 1873)
6 December 1873
"The Bingham Canyon narrow gauge railroad now being completed as far as
its terminus, near the Winamuck smelter,…" (Pitchard, Utah Mining Gazette, 6 December 1873)
3 January 1874
An accident yesterday on the Bingham Canyon railroad, in that some of the cars
broke off of a freight train and rolled rapidly back down the hill, hitting a
passenger car at the depot, causing thereby considerable damage to same. No
injuries reported. (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Daily Tribune, 3 January 1874)
17 January 1874
The Bingham Canyon railroad will add another train to its schedule on and after
the 19th of this month. (Pitchard, Salt
Lake Herald, 17 January 1874)
18 January 1874
Fare Salt Lake City to Bingham is $1.50; two trains daily. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Tribune, 18 January 1874)
23 January 1874
"Bingham Canyon Railroad." "The following figures exhibit the
amount of freight transported over the narrow gauge railroad during the month
of December, as shown by the agent's books at Bingham Junction: Down freight,
received 2,149,160 lbs. Up freight, forwarded 2,020,671 lbs. "This business
was done with but one locomotive, which was also required to do the necessary
switching, and making-up of all trains in addition to making two round trips
each day over the line of the road." (irrelevant material omitted.)
"A new engine has just been added to the motive power of the road, and the
third locomotive and fifty more freight cars are being built and will soon be
here,…" (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Herald, 23 January 1874)
5 February 1874
Item on "A Dangerous Bank Check", which is essentially a $5 bill being
issued by the BC&CFRR; dated 15 January 1874, redeemable at the Salt Lake
City National Bank on 17 June 1874. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 5 February 1874)
7 February 1874
"Freight Traffic of the Bingham Canyon Railroad." "The business
of this new narrow gauge road is evidently improving. For the month of January
5,234,507 pounds of freight were received at the Junction, and 910,131 pounds
forwarded, making a total of 6,144,638 pounds." per the agent at the
Junction. (Pitchard, Utah Mining Gazette,
7 February 1874)
3 March 1874
B. C. & C. F. freight business for February, at Junction: received,
4,728,545 lbs.; forwarded, 3,891,749 lbs. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Daily Herald, 3 March 1874)
21 March 1874
Resources of Utah - Statistics for 1873: "Narrow Gauge Railroads."
"Bingham Canyon Railroad - officers are C. W. Scofield, Pres.; B. W. Mann,
V.P.; W. B. Welles, secretary; and G. W. Goss, superintendent. The railroad
runs 'nearly' to Bingham City; gauge from Sandy station to the Jordan river is
4' 8-1/2", with a third rail for narrow gauge; west of the Jordan river it
is narrow gauge only. "From W. B. Welles, Secretary, we have the
following:…"The Bingham Canyon Railroad Company have three engines, four
passenger cars and about 100 freight cars; a large proportion of the latter
being dump cars,…" (Pitchard, Utah
Mining Gazette, 21 March 1874)
31 March 1874
Ore cars for the BC&CFRR are arriving daily. (Pitchard, Daily Ogden Junction, 31 March 1874)
25 April 1874
An item on the Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd says they have three 'locomotive
engines,' four passenger cars, one baggage & express, and 100 flat and dump
cars. (Pitchard, Utah Mining Gazette, 25 April 1874)
5 June 1874
Runaway ore car on the BC&CF smashes a coach and a 'baggage caboose'. The
cars now being repaired. (Pitchard, Salt
Lake Herald, 5 June 1874)
6 June 1874
"Accident at Bingham" "On Wednesday two car loads of bullion ran
Saturday into the passenger train on the Bingham Canyon Railroad at the depot
in Bingham, smashing a passenger car and a baggage caboose. No other damage was
done." (Pitchard, Provo Daily Times, 6 June 1874)
16 June 1874
"A Visit to Bingham", the editor went up "upon the elegant new
cars of the Bingham Canyon and Camp Floyd road,…behind the powerful little
locomotive, 'Argenta',…". Ties on the road are hard pine, laid on
18" centers; rail is 30 pound iron. The bridge over the Jordan River has
12 x 15 inch pilings, iron capped, eight feet apart and driven in 14 to 18 feet
deep; cap timbers are 12-inches square; stringers are 14x16"; and one-inch
diameter bolts used throughout the bridge. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 16 June 1874)
26 June 1874
Tracklaying on the line above Bingham, to the Utah Company's works, has been
commenced by the B. C. & C. F. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 26 June 1874)
27 June 1874
"Tracklaying has commenced on the tramway, running from the terminus of
the Bingham Canyon road to the mines. The grading is nearly completed, and the
road will be in running order by the end of next month." (Pitchard, Utah Mining Gazette, 27 June
1874)
10 July 1874
Item on the tramway above Bingham on the BC&CF seems to indicate that it is
of a gauge narrower than three feet. According to this item, the tramway goes
up to the mines on Jordan Hill. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 10 July 1874)
14 December 1878
"The Tax Cases", brought by the W&JV and the BC&CF, to obtain
an injunction restraining the tax collector from selling railroad property for
the payment of delinquent taxes. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 14 December 1878)
6 February 1879
Decision yesterday in the tax BC&CF and W&JV case; taxes for 1878 are
to be paid, but the taxes for earlier years may be passed; injunction stopping
the collector stands. (Pitchard, Salt
Lake Herald, 6 February 1879)
7 January 1880
Article on "The Coal Outlook"; the railroad still stuck in the snow;
the U&PV is 'connected', as the paper puts it, with the W&JV and
BC&CF lines, and supplies all of their coal, somewhat to the irritation of
the locals. The only good item in this puffy piece is that "Supt. Goss
intends having a new engine shortly, weighing nine tons more than either of
those now on the road, and it is thought that with it and the snow plows the
road can be kept open." (Pitchard, The Territorial Enquirer, Provo, 7 January 1880)
17 October 1880
An article of one and one-half columns on the decision in the Aspinwall vs.
Scofield suit (Aspinwall was the president/owner of the American Fork Railroad,
and Scofield the president/owner of the W.& J.V./B.C.& C.F. as well as
the Utah & Pleasant Valley; the suit was over the non payment of some
$11,000 for railroad materials Scofield obtained of Aspinwall); as the original
judgment against Scofield was obtained by the plaintiff in the New York Supreme
Court, and not made a part of the current (Utah) proceeding, decision is
against plaintiff. This is said to be an important precedent. (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 17 October
1880)
11 May 1881
"City Jottings." "The case of Geo. Crismon, et. al., vs. the
B.C.& C.F.R.R.Co. was the only matter before the U. S. District Court
yesterday." (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Daily Tribune, 11 May 1881)
12 May 1881
"Third District Court," Weds., 11 May - Crismon vs. BC&CF - the
defendant moved for non-suit; granted, with exception: plaintiff has 60 days to
file for new trial. (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Daily Tribune, 12 May 1881)
3 August 1881
"On Monday one engine, one coach and some six freight cars were sent from
the Bingham Canyon Railroad to the Pleasant Valley line."
("Monday" would have been August 1, 1881.) (Pitchard, Salt Lake Herald, 3 August 1881)
8 December 1882
"Hauling a Train by Mule Power." "Yesterday morning an engine
attached to a train of passenger cars, going down to Bingham Canyon, gave way
by the bursting of some part of its machinery. (The)…passengers…were placed
in a car and hauled to their destination by means of mule power."
"The engine is a very old one, and almost unfit for use for any purpose
whatsoever." (Pitchard, Salt Lake
Evening Chronicle, 8 December 1882)
24 July 1883
"Accident on the Bingham Railway" "As is generally understood
the passenger train on the Bingham branch runs to the Jordan without an engine,
the grade being steep enough for that purpose. When approaching the river last
evening, where the locomotive was waiting, the wheels on the passenger car
commenced slipping, and all the efforts of the train men to check the speed
were unavailing; the result was that the car ran into the locomotive, and
several persons who were standing on the front platform were badly, though not
seriously, injured. A son of Dan. Clays, of Bingham, had his leg broken, and
the conductor was badly bruised." (Pitchard, Salt Lake Daily Herald, 24 July 1883)
