Eureka Hill Railroad
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Eureka Hill Locomotives
Eureka Hill Rolling Stock
Eureka Hill Railroad Timeline (this page)
Chronology
Compiled by Don Strack
(including research by Sam Bass, Stan Jennings, and George Pitchard)
This page was last updated on May 25, 2004.
The Eureka Hill Railroad company was incorporated in Salt Lake for the purpose of building a branch railroad line, five miles in length, from Silver City, Utah, to Godiva mountain. The capital stock is $50,000, fully paid, and the officers and directors are C. W. Nibley, president; J. William Knight, vice-president; Bela Kadish, secretary; John Pingree, treasurer; David Eccles and Jesse Knight. (Salt Lake Mining Review, February 15, 1907)
(Note: The Eureka Reporter newspaper was issued weekly, at Eureka, Utah, starting in late 1900; it was still going in the late 1930s. Issued on Fridays in 1907-1909, it was issued on Thursdays by 1928. For his research, George Pitchard has stated that he was not able to read the paper extensively; and that the pieces presented here were dug up in an effort to find out something on the early days of the Eureka Hill Railroad.)
10 May 1907
Nephi Straw has been awarded the grading contract for the new railroad; the
survey is not yet finished, but Straw will begin work in a few days on the
completed sections. (Pitchard, Eureka
Reporter, 10 May 1907)
23 August 1907
"Shea Engine Arrived" "The Shea engine for the railroad which is
to connect the new smelter with some of the big mines of Tintic arrived the
first of the week. Other equipment for this road, which is to be a narrow
gauge, has also been received and the laying of rails will start soon. The
graders are somewhat behind with their work and the grade has only been
completed from the smelter site near Silver City to the old Spy mine which is
just east of the Carisa. From this point the road will be built on around the
mountain to the Beck Tunnel, Colorado, and other mines." (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 23 August 1907)
13 September 1907
Grading for the "New Railroad" continues. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 13 September 1907)
15 November 1907
"Laying Track" "The grade has been nearly completed for the
railroad which is to connect the new smelter near Silver City with some of the
mines of Tintic and this week the track laying was commenced." "The
road, which will be a narrow gauge, is owned by practically the same capitalists
as the new Tintic Smelter…" The railroad "will be known as the
Eureka Hill Railroad, and its line will be about ten miles in length."
"Greek laborers have been brought into Tintic to work upon the new
railroad and the work of putting down the rails is being rushed as rapidly as
possible." (Pitchard, Eureka
Reporter, 15 November 1907)
6 December 1907
"Will Haul Ore From Iron Mine" "The first ore to be hauled by
the new Eureka Hill Railroad will be the iron ore from the Tintic Iron
Company's mine near Silver City." "The new Eureka Hill Railroad has
completed its line from the smelter site at Silver City to a point beyond the
iron mine and by the first of next month everything will be in readiness for
the transferring of the output of the mine…" (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 6 December 1907)
6 March 1908
Three carloads of 'heavy rails' have arrived, via the R. G. W., to be used in
switches and sidings at the new smelter near Silver City. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 6 March 1908)
1 May 1908
"New Cog Engine Arrives" "Another Shea engine for the new Eureka
Hill Railroad came in over the Rio Grande on Monday. It is a very powerful
engine and will be used in handling long strings of cars upon the narrow gauge
road connecting the new smelter with some of the mines in the eastern section
of Tintic. The other engine which was received some time ago will handle the
switching in the yards at the smelter." (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 1 May 1908)
22 May 1908
Smith and Brown, railroad contractors, are putting in a spur from the Eureka
Hill Railroad to the Swansea properties, as well as other spurs to mines under
contract with the Tintic Smelter. Ballasting of the main line is proceeding
under the direction of Superintendent Cronin. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 22 May 1908)
29 May 1908
A brief history given of the smelter and the reasons for its being. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 29 May 1908)
5 June 1908
First ore at the new Tintic Smelter was received about 1 June, and was from the
Silver Shield mine, at Bingham. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 5 June 1908)
10 July 1908
The Grand Central mine began shipping to the Tintic smelter yesterday; and
there is to be a celebration of the starting-up of the smelter on the 24th of July. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 10 July
1908)
24 July 1908
An article on Jesse Knight, principal owner of the smelter, the Eureka Hill
Railroad, and lots of the mines; it is noted that the railroad is completed.
25 September 1908
"Building Engine House" "The new Eureka Hill Railroad is now
constructing an engine house near the new smelter. The building will be large
enough to house all three of the engines which are now used upon the road. The
'high line' is now handling considerable business and two large Shea engines
are kept busy all the time. The smaller engine is used only in switching cars
about the yards at the smelter." (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 25 September 1908)
12 February 1909
"Two Engines Leave Rails of Eureka Hill Ry." "The heavy snow
storm on Sunday resulted in the derailing of both engines used upon the 'high
line' of the Eureka Hill Ry. After about 24 hours hard work the two engines
were again landed upon the rails. During the "time that the Eureka Hill
Railroad engines were out of commission, a San Pedro engine handled the
switching in the yards of the Tintic smelter." (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 12 February 1909)
19 February 1909
There has been considerable snow trouble on the Eureka Hill railroad, which was
blocked for several days. It was opened as far as the Beck on Tuesday, they
having run out of coal. Railroad crews have been working overtime, mostly
shoveling things out. (Pitchard, Eureka
Reporter, 19 February 1909)
19 March 1909
John Cronin returns as Superintendent of the Eureka Hill Railroad, after nearly
a year in Colorado. (Pitchard, Eureka
Reporter, 19 March 1909)
9 April 1909
"Another Engine for Eureka Hill Railroad." "Another engine, which
is No. 4, has just been received for the Eureka Hill Railroad." The ore
cars of :the E. H. Rwy. are commented upon as "small cars of 20 ton capacity…"
(Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 9 April 1909)
Shut Down and Disposition of Equipment
13 September 1928
"Eureka Hill Railroad to Stop Operating" on the 22nd of September. J. William Knight, who was interviewed, says that the railroad has been operated under a lease by some people in Silver City, upon which lease a small amount is received by Knight Investment Co., owners of the railroad. But for the past year revenues have been so poor that Knight sees no point to the continued operation of the road. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 13 September 1928)
18 October 1928
The officers of the Eureka Hill Railroad have filed application with the P. U. C. to discontinue all service on the railway; last run had been on the 24th of September, 1928. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 18 October 1928)
13 December 1928
The owners of the Eureka Hill Railroad (all heirs of Jesse Knight, deceased)
have been granted permission to discontinue operation of the railway, there
being no opposition to the petition. A similar action, for similar reasons,
allowed in the case of the St. John and Ophir Railroad. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 13 December 1928)
11 April 1929
David Greenhalgh, of Silver City, has put together some sort of 'locomotive,'
powered by an automobile engine, and there is some talk of its being used on
the Eureka Hill Railroad's track, this spring. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 11 April 1929)
25 April 1929
Greenhalgh is bringing down two cars per trip with his gasoline locomotive. The
Operating Revenues of the Eureka Hill Railroad in 1928 were $12,887.00, per the
report filed with the Sate P. U. C., and expenses were $12,532.37, leaving a
net income of $354.63. operations were discontinued 25 September 1928, per
order allowing that action by the Public Utilities Commission. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 25 April 1929)
11 July 1929
An item noting that much of the Knight mining property has been sold to
International Smelting Co., but no mention made of the railroad. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 11 July 1929)
12 December 1929
"Small Locomotive Arrives for Use on High Line," being a very wordy
history of Greenhalgh's efforts. His gas loco has proven unequal to the task,
and the paper says that he has acquired- an 18-ton rod locomotive from
someplace in Idaho, which thing arrived Monday. It is expected that 100 tons of
ore per month will now be handled. The item mentions that the Eureka Hill's
'cog engines' (the shays) weighed 75 tons. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 12 December 1929)
10 July 1930
Proposed agreement for the transfer of most Knight Investment Co. properties to
new North Lily-Knight Company, which is backed by the International Mining
& Smelting Co. The transfer includes the railroad and its equipment. The
agreement is to be ratified (or not) at the stockholders' meeting on the 25th
of July. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 10 July 1930)
31 July 1930
The above agreement was ratified at the meeting; all affected properties are
listed, including the railroad. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 31 July 1930)
29 January 1931
Two carloads of ore were recently shipped from the Dragon Consolidated via the
Eureka Hill Railroad (it was mentioned specifically) to Silver City and
connection with the Rio Grande. (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 29 January 1931)
30 April 1936
A road being built and rebuilt from Eureka through Knightsville to the Iron Blossom
mine; "The road will be constructed on the old Eureka Hill railroad
bed." (Pitchard, Eureka Reporter, 30 April 1936)
