The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Cañon City, Colorado . A 1950s-era train makes daily 2-hour excursion runs from the Santa Fe Depot through the Royal Gorge along a famous section of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad .
117-748: In the late 1870s, miners descended on the upper Arkansas River valley of Colorado in search of carbonate ores rich in lead and silver. The feverish mining activity in what would become the Leadville district attracted the attention of the Rio Grande and Santa Fe railroads, each of which already had tracks in the lower Arkansas valley: Santa Fe in Pueblo and the D&;RG near Cañon City , some 35 miles (56 km) west. Extending either of these lines to Leadville would require laying more than 100 miles (160 km) of track through
234-416: A Denver paper quoted a friend of Masterson's, who observed that "Bat has at last fallen into a dead easy game." Masterson returned to Denver for several more years. On April 6, 1897, serving as a deputy sheriff of Arapahoe County , he got into a dispute on election day with a Tim Connors. Masterson drew his pistol and Connors attempted to seize it. During the scuffle, the gun discharged and C.C. Louderbaugh
351-674: A U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West . He was born to a working-class Irish family in Quebec , but he moved to the Western frontier as a young man and quickly distinguished himself as a buffalo hunter , civilian scout, and Indian fighter on the Great Plains . He later earned fame as a gunfighter and sheriff in Dodge City, Kansas , during which time he
468-479: A collection of ramshackle buildings in the Texas panhandle known as Adobe Walls. Masterson was one of only 28 hunters who defended the outpost during the attack. The Comanche suffered the most losses during the battle, though the actual number killed is not known, with reports ranging from a low of 30 to a high of 70. The defenders of Adobe Walls lost only four men, one of whom shot himself by accident. After being fought to
585-485: A cooler temperature comes to the assistance of their arguments." Lewis offered this apology as part of his own article called "The King of the Gun-Players: William Barclay Masterson." Lewis met with only limited success. Masterson provided only one more article, on Buffalo Bill Cody, which was his final Human Life contribution. Concurrent to his career as a newspaper writer, Masterson served as
702-572: A deputy U.S. Marshal, which resulted in Masterson being terminated on August 1, 1909. For the remaining 12 years of his life, Masterson covered the major boxing events of that era for the New York Morning Telegraph . On April 5, 1915, the 61-year-old Masterson was in Havana, Cuba , attending the heavyweight championship fight between Jack Johnson and Jess Willard . As he arrived, he posed for
819-517: A destination attraction that carries passengers under the Royal Gorge suspension bridge . David Romano is the general manager. Notes Citations Sources 38°26′17″N 105°14′26″W / 38.43798°N 105.24056°W / 38.43798; -105.24056 Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River . It generally flows to
936-522: A family that had been attacked outside of Ellis, Kansas , on September 11, 1874, while migrating to Colorado Territory . Their parents, brother, and two older sisters had been killed and scalped. All four sisters were recovered alive by Miles' force over a period of about six months. Masterson's first gunfight took place on January 24, 1876, in Sweetwater, Texas (later Mobeetie in Wheeler County ). He
1053-470: A faro dealer, spelled doom for his career as city marshal of Trinidad. On March 28, 1883, a local paper noted: "There are now two 'bankers' running for city offices—Mr. Taylor of the Las Animas County Bank, and Mr. Masterson of the bank of 'Fair O.' Both have a large number of depositors—one of time depositors and the other receives his deposits for keeps." On April 3, 1883, Masterson was defeated by
1170-551: A fictionalized biography of Masterson. Lewis encouraged Masterson to write a series of sketches about his adventures, which were published by Lewis in Human Life magazine. In 1907, Masterson provided five biographical studies of Ben Thompson, Wyatt Earp, Luke Short, Doc Holliday and Bill Tilghman. Masterson explained to his audience what he felt were the best properties of a gunfighter. Other articles were supposed to be in Masterson's Human Life series, which had appeared under
1287-511: A frequent White House guest and also included regular correspondence. President Roosevelt arranged for Masterson's appointment as deputy U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of New York. On February 2, 1905, Roosevelt wrote Masterson a letter which concluded with the lines: "You must be careful not to gamble or do anything while you are a public officer which might afford opportunity to your enemies and my critics to say that your appointment
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#17328553258561404-546: A frequent attendee at boxing matches across the country. He frequently placed bets on the fights and occasionally served in an official capacity as a second or a timekeeper. He knew—and was known by—the heavyweight champions of the era, from John L. Sullivan and James J. "Gentleman Jim" Corbett to Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey . The sports-minded Masterson was ringside during the John L. Sullivan— Jake Kilrain heavyweight championship fight at Richburg, Mississippi, on July 8, 1889. He
1521-511: A full-time profession in New York City. Masterson finally left Dodge City and made Denver, Colorado , his center of interest, where he soon became involved in a divorce scandal. The trouble began in a Denver theater on September 18, 1886, when a comedian named Lou Spencer, who was performing on stage, spotted his wife, Nellie, seated in the audience on Masterson's knee. Spencer cut short his routine and confronted Masterson, who hit Spencer across
1638-559: A group portrait that was soon labeled "The Dodge City Peace Commission." The photo became an iconic image of the Old West. Masterson was back in Dodge City on November 1, 1884, where he issued a small newspaper called Vox Populi which was devoted to local political issues. Three days after its appearance, he received a flattering—and prophetic—review of his journalistic effort from another Dodge City paper which observed: "We are in receipt of
1755-434: A local election. An alternative version states that Masterson had become a dangerous drunk who was run out of Denver for being a public nuisance. Whatever actually happened, Masterson left Denver and never returned. Masterson and Emma moved to New York City on June 5, 1902. The next day, Masterson was having his shoes shined at a public stand when police swooped in and arrested a West Coast gambler named James A. Sullivan, who
1872-625: A lopsided vote of 637 to 248. Masterson's term as city marshal of Trinidad ended just in time for him to come to the aid of his friend, Luke Short , who had been run out of Dodge City by the mayor and Masterson's long-time enemy, Larry Deger. Within weeks, a group of gunfighters recruited by Masterson and Earp descended upon Dodge City to resolve what became known as the "Dodge City War." The result of this gathering reinstated Luke Short in Dodge. Before disbanding on June 10, 1883, Short, Masterson, Earp, and five other notable men from frontier history posed for
1989-508: A newsreel cameraman. In the brief film clip, he doffs his hat, smiles for the camera, and dons his hat. Later that day, in the official film of the fight, Masterson can be seen as one of the seconds for Jess Willard, climbing through the ropes just prior to the fight. On July 2, 1921, Masterson attended his last heavyweight championship fight, the so-called "Million Dollar Gate", promoted by George "Tex" Rickard , in which Jack Dempsey defended (and retained) his title of heavyweight champion of
2106-513: A partnership with Alfred James "A.J." Peacock in Dodge City's Lady Gay Saloon and Dance Hall. Albert "Al" Updegraff was Peacock's brother-in-law and bartender. Updegraff was a drunk, and Jim thought him dishonest. Jim had demanded that Peacock fire Updegraff, but Peacock refused. Their disagreement grew until threats were made, prompting the telegram. Masterson arrived in Dodge City on April 16, 1881, where he accosted Updegraff and Peacock. Recognizing Masterson, Updegraff and Peacock retreated behind
2223-420: A roundhouse his men were holding at Cañon City, Colorado . The "war" between the railroads was finally settled out of court. Masterson's Colorado activities did not go over well with the voters of Ford County, Kansas. On November 4, 1879, a bartender named George T. Hinkel defeated Masterson in his re-election bid for sheriff by a vote of 404 to 268. The 1880 Dodge City census shows that, at that time, Masterson
2340-482: A safe place for us to remain until he could outfit us for the trip across the country to Dodge City." This episode was reported in the Dodge City Times , which noted that "W.B. Masterson arrived from a visit to Ogallala, this week. He says Nebraska is dry and many people are leaving the state. He came by wagon, and was accompanied by 'Texas Billy' Thompson. The latter has recovered from his wounds." Masterson spent
2457-515: A second for Charlie Mitchell during Mitchell's heavyweight title shot at the champion, James J. "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. Mitchell was knocked cold in three rounds. Masterson moved to New York City in 1895 to briefly serve as a bodyguard for millionaire George Gould . He wrote to his Denver friends glowing accounts of fishing trips "...with the Goulds on their yacht..." and announced his intention to remain in New York City indefinitely. On June 6, 1895,
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#17328553258562574-682: A series of dams and large reservoir lakes have been built on the Arkansas and its intersecting tributaries, including the Canadian , Verdigris , Neosho (Grand) , Illinois , and Poteau rivers. These locks and dams enable the river to be navigable by barges and large river craft downriver of Muskogee, Oklahoma , where the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System joins the Verdigris River. Into western Arkansas ,
2691-507: A standstill, Quanah Parker and his followers rode off. In August 1874, Masterson signed on as a U.S. Army scout with Colonel Nelson Miles , who was leading a force from Fort Dodge to pursue Comanche and Apache war parties across the Cherokee Strip and into Texas . The force was eventually engaged to recover four sisters—ranging in age from 9 to 15—who had been captured by a group of Cheyenne Dog Soldiers . The sisters were part of
2808-549: A young man nearby and said it was Masterson and that he had killed 26 men. Cockrell then regaled the reporter with the story of Ed Masterson's death and how Bat responded fearlessly and heroically against his brother's killers. The story was published in The New York Sun newspaper in New York (November 7, 1881) and was also widely reprinted in papers all over the country. Cockrell subsequently apologized to Masterson, who insisted he
2925-514: Is at Napoleon, Arkansas , and its drainage basin covers nearly 170,000 square miles (440,000 km ). Its volume is much smaller than the Missouri and Ohio rivers, with a mean discharge of about 40,000 cubic feet per second (1,100 m /s). The Arkansas from its headwaters to the 100th meridian west formed part of the U.S.–Mexico border from the Adams–Onís Treaty (in force 1821) until
3042-716: Is the sixth-longest river in the United States , the second-longest tributary in the Mississippi– Missouri system, and the 47th longest river in the world . Its origin is in the Rocky Mountains in Lake County, Colorado , near Leadville . In 1859, placer gold discovered in the Leadville area brought thousands seeking to strike it rich, but the easily recovered placer gold was quickly exhausted. The Arkansas River's mouth
3159-534: The Mississippi River from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin toward the Gulf of Mexico, but turned back at the mouth of the Arkansas River. By that time, they had encountered Native Americans carrying European trinkets and feared confrontation with Spanish conquistadors. Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe , a French trader, explorer, and nobleman had led an expedition into what is now Oklahoma in 1718–19. His original objective
3276-417: The Mississippi River near Napoleon, Arkansas . Water flow in the Arkansas River (as measured in central Kansas ) has dropped from approximately 248 cubic feet per second (7.0 m /s) average from 1944–1963 to 53 cubic feet per second (1.5 m /s) average from 1984–2003, largely because of the pumping of groundwater for irrigation in eastern Colorado and western Kansas . Important cities along
3393-526: The Santa Fe Trail followed the Arkansas through much of Kansas, picking it up near Great Bend and continuing through to La Junta, Colorado . Some users elected to take the challenging Cimarron Cutoff starting at Cimarron, Kansas . During the American Civil War, each side tried to prevent the other from using the Arkansas River and its tributaries as a route for moving reinforcements. Initially,
3510-553: The Texas Annexation or Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . The river is alternatively pronounced / ɑːr ˈ k æ n z ə s / ar- KAN -zəs or / ˈ ɑːr k ən s ɔː / AR -kən-saw . The path of the Arkansas River has changed over time. Sediments from the river found in a palaeochannel next to Nolan, a site in the Tensas Basin , show that part of the river's meander belt flowed through up to 3200 BCE. While it
3627-599: The Tulsa Port of Catoosa on the Verdigris River , enters the Arkansas River near Muskogee, and runs via an extensive lock and dam system to the Mississippi River. Through Oklahoma and Arkansas, dams which artificially deepen and widen the river to sustain commercial barge traffic and recreational use give the river the appearance of a series of reservoirs. The McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System diverts from
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3744-532: The Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific Railroads . The lease went into effect on December 13, 1878, and the Santa Fe soon increased freight rates south of Denver to favor shipping to southern Colorado over its lines to the east, to the detriment of Denver merchants using the leased D&RG lines. By March 1879, with allegations that all of its provisions were being violated by the Santa Fe, the Rio Grande sought to break
3861-656: The United States Circuit Court for the District of Colorado found in favor of the Santa Fe and its proxy, the Cañon City and San Juan Company, allowing construction of a railroad through the first 20 miles (32 km) of the 50-mile (80 km) canyon, which includes the Royal Gorge. The Rio Grande was given the right to lay track that did not interfere with Santa Fe interests, and the right to use Santa Fe tracks where
3978-506: The "Grand Canyon of the Arkansas," a mountain valley 50 miles (80 km) in length at a consistent and railroad-friendly water grade of one percent. For two railroads to occupy a river valley is not a problem in principle, but west of Cañon City the Arkansas River cuts through the Royal Gorge , a high plateau of igneous rocks forming a spectacular steep-walled gorge over 1,000 feet (300 m) deep and 6 miles (9.7 km) long. At its narrowest point, sheer walls on both sides plunge into
4095-582: The Arkansas River 2.5 mi (4.0 km) upstream of the Wilbur D. Mills Dam to avoid the long winding route which the lower Arkansas River follows. This circuitous portion of the Arkansas River between the Wilbur D. Mills Dam and the Mississippi River was historically bypassed by river vessels. Early steamboats instead followed a network of rivers—known as the Arkansas Post Canal—;which flowed north of
4212-613: The Arkansas River as a supply route. In September 1864, a body of Confederate irregulars led by General Stand Watie (Cherokee) successfully ambushed a Union supply ship bound for Fort Gibson. The vessel was destroyed, and a part of its cargo was looted by the Confederates. By 1890, water from the Arkansas River was being used to irrigate more than 20,000 acres (8,100 ha) of farmland in Kansas. By 1910, irrigation projects in Colorado had caused
4329-586: The Arkansas River for thousands of years. The first Europeans to see the river were members of the Spanish Coronado expedition on June 29, 1541. Also in the 1540s, Hernando de Soto discovered the junction of the Arkansas with the Mississippi. The Spanish originally called the river Napeste . "The name "Arkansas" was first applied by French Father Jacques Marquette , who called the river Akansa in his journal of 1673. The Joliet-Marquette expedition travelled
4446-486: The Arkansas River in central Colorado have been known for exceptional trout fishing, particularly fly fishing , since the 19th century, when greenback cutthroat trout dominated the river. Today, brown trout dominate the river, which also contains rainbow trout . Trout Unlimited considers the Arkansas one of the top 100 trout streams in America, a reputation the river has had since the 1950s. From Leadville to Pueblo,
4563-425: The Arkansas River include Canon City , Pueblo , La Junta , and Lamar, Colorado ; Garden City , Dodge City , Hutchinson , and Wichita, Kansas ; Tulsa, Oklahoma ; and Fort Smith and Little Rock, Arkansas . The May 2002 I-40 bridge disaster took place on I-40 's crossing of Kerr Reservoir on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma . Since 1902, Kansas has claimed that Colorado takes too much of
4680-524: The Arkansas River is serviced by numerous fly shops and guides operating in Buena Vista, Salida, Cañon City, and Pueblo. Colorado Parks and Wildlife provides regular online fishing reports for the river. A fish kill occurred on December 29, 2010, in which an estimated 100,000 freshwater drum lined the Arkansas River bank . An investigation, conducted by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, found
4797-650: The Arkansas River, reaching a place called Arkansas Post , about 60 miles (97 km) above the confluence of the Arkansas and the Mississippi rivers. In mid-April 1822, the Robert Thompson , towing a keelboat, was the first steamboat to navigate the Arkansas as far as Fort Smith. For five years, Fort Smith was known as the head of navigation for steamboats on the river. It lost the title to Fort Gibson in April 1832, when three steamboats, Velocipede , Scioto, and Catawba , all arrived at Fort Gibson later that month. Later,
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4914-475: The Arkansas runs as a steep fast-flowing mountain river through the Rockies in its narrow valley, dropping 4,600 feet (1,400 m) in 120 miles (190 km). This section supports extensive whitewater rafting , including The Numbers (near Granite, Colorado ), Brown's Canyon , and the Royal Gorge . At Cañon City, Colorado , the Arkansas River valley widens and flattens markedly. Just west of Pueblo, Colorado ,
5031-471: The Arkansas. These included flatboats ( bateaus ) and keelboats . Along with the pirogues, they transported piles of deer, bear, otter, beaver, and buffalo skins up and down the river. Agricultural products such as corn, rice, dried peaches, beans, peanuts, snakeroot, sarsaparilla, and ginseng had grown in economic importance. On March 31, 1820, the Comet became the first steamboat to successfully navigate part of
5148-496: The D&RG $ 400,000, bought a 50% interest in the company and announced the intention of completing a rail line from St. Louis to Pueblo to compete with the Santa Fe. In the end, the warring companies settled out of court. On March 27, 1880, the two railroads signed what was called the "Treaty of Boston" (Boston being the corporate home of the Santa Fe) which ended all litigation and gave the D&RG back its railroad. The D&RG paid
5265-435: The D&RG, fearing financial ruin from this threat, pressured Rio Grande management to lease the existing railroad to the Santa Fe. An end to the struggle appeared to be at hand when the companies reached agreement on the proposed lease to all of the D&RG tracks, equipment, buildings and employees to AT&SF for a 30-year period. The Santa Fe thus gained access to Denver in competition with its transcontinental rivals,
5382-727: The Denver papers were quick to report that Nellie had "eloped" with Masterson. No record has been found of the two ever getting married, and she soon disappeared from Masterson's life. Masterson dealt faro for "Big Ed" Chase at the Arcade gambling house. In 1888, he managed and then purchased the Palace Variety Theater. There, Masterson probably first met an Indian club swinger and singer, Emma Moulton. The pair subsequently lived together and they were widely reported to have married in Denver on November 21, 1891. The only known source for that date
5499-456: The Rio Grande, Masterson and 60 men hurriedly returned by special train, taking up a key position at the defensible Santa Fe roundhouse in Pueblo. An injunction on June 10, 1879, from a local court restraining the Santa Fe from operating on Rio Grande track sparked an armed retaking of their railroad the next day by Rio Grande crews. Robert F. Weitbrec, former construction foreman and now treasurer of
5616-717: The Rock & Rail Railroad. Train movements from Pueblo CO to Canon City CO on the Tennessee Pass are controlled by the Union Pacific Harriman Dispatch Center in Omaha, Nebraska . A highlight of the gorge route is the 1879 hanging bridge located along the north side where the gorge narrows to 30 feet (9.1 m) and the sheer rocks walls plunge into the river. Designed by Kansas engineer C. Shallor Smith and built by Santa Fe construction engineer A.A. Robinson for $ 11,759,
5733-512: The Santa Fe $ 1.8 million (which included a $ 400,000 "bonus" over actual costs) for the railroad it had built in the gorge, the grading it had completed, materials on hand, and interest. Gould's plans for competitive lines and a proposed line through Raton Pass southward into New Mexico, were cancelled by the Rio Grande. D&RG construction resumed, and rails reached Leadville on July 20, 1880. Passenger train service began in 1880 and continued through 1967. Rio Grande continued freight service through
5850-476: The Supreme Court granted the D&RG the primary right to build through the gorge on the basis that the lower courts had erred in not recognizing that it had been granted prior right to use of the entire 50 miles in 1872 by an Act of Congress . Masterson's posse returned to Kansas but the validity of the lease remained unsettled. In early June 1879, when it appeared the issue was about to be resolved in favor of
5967-638: The Union Army abandoned its forts in the Indian Territory, including Fort Gibson and Fort Smith, to maximize its strength for campaigns elsewhere. The Confederate Army sent troops from Texas to support its Native American allies. Union troops returned to the area later in the war, after defeating the Confederates at the Battle of Pea Ridge and the Battle of Fort Smith . They began recovering the position it had previously abandoned, most notably Fort Gibson and reopened
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#17328553258566084-676: The United States annexed Texas after the Mexican–American War , in 1846. The treaty was made shortly after the "Old Settler" Cherokee were pushed out of Texas and moved near what became known as Webbers Falls on the Arkansas River. They planned to reunite with the Cherokee who had moved there on the Trail of Tears in 1839. That area, then part of Arkansas Territory , would become Indian Territory and later Oklahoma . This area had long been
6201-488: The areas around the Great Lakes began exploring the Mississippi and some of its northern tributaries. They soon learned that the birchbark canoes, which had served them so well on the northern waterways, were too light for use on southern rivers such as the Arkansas. They turned to making and using dugout canoes, which they called pirogues , made by hollowing out the trunks of cottonwood trees. Cottonwoods are plentiful along
6318-412: The arrest of Robert Gilmore, who was known to the locals as "Bobby Gill." Masterson managed to wrap his arms about the girth of the 315 pound city marshal, Lawrence Edward "Larry" Deger, thereby permitting Gill to escape. Masterson was grabbed by friends of Deger and pistol-whipped by the lawman. The following day, Masterson was fined $ 25 for disturbing the peace. Bobby Gill, the cause of Masterson's fine,
6435-450: The bridge consists of a 175-foot (53 m) plate girder suspended on one side under A-frame girders that span the river and are anchored to the rock walls. Strengthened over the years, the bridge remains in service today. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad operates trains year-round through the Royal Gorge from Cañon City, Colorado to the western terminus in Parkdale, Colorado . The train is
6552-598: The compact did not stop further disputes by the two states over water rights to the river. The Kansas–Oklahoma Arkansas River Basin Compact was created in 1965 to promote mutual consideration and equity over water use in the basin shared by those states. The Kansas–Oklahoma Arkansas River Commission was established, charged with administering the compact and reducing pollution. The compact was approved and implemented by both states in 1970 and has been in force since then. The McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System begins at
6669-410: The company, and chief engineer John A. McMurtrie brought 100 men to Pueblo. They met with Pueblo County Sheriff Henly R. Price and Town Marshal Pat Desmond on the best means to serve the writ and dispossess Masterson's men of the roundhouse. Weitbrec suggested they "borrow" a cannon from the state armory only to find that Masterson had already taken it and reportedly trained it from the roundhouse down
6786-455: The court, armed men hired by Santa Fe took control of Rio Grande stations from Denver to Cañon City, led by Bat Masterson , the sheriff of Ford County, Kansas , at the time, ostensibly hired to assemble a "posse" to defend their interests. Masterson enlisted the help of Doc Holliday to assemble 33 recruits, including the notorious gunfighters “Dirty” Dave Rudabaugh , Josh Webb , Ben Thompson , and “Mysterious” Dave Mather . On April 21, 1879,
6903-505: The dead fish "... cover 17 miles [27 km] of the river from the Ozark Lock and Dam downstream to River Mile 240, directly south of Hartman, Arkansas ." Tests later indicated the likely cause of the kill was gas bubble trauma caused by opening the spillways on the Ozark Dam. Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay " Bat " Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was
7020-538: The east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado , Kansas , Oklahoma , and Arkansas . The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas River Valley. The headwaters derive from the snowpack in the Sawatch and Mosquito mountain ranges. It flows east into Kansas and finally through Oklahoma and Arkansas, where it meets the Mississippi River. At 1,469 miles (2,364 km), it
7137-410: The eastern states at that time, but an actual marriage record has not been found. It was in Denver that Masterson met and began a long-term friendship with the infamous confidence man and crime boss Soapy Smith . In 1889, the two were involved in election scandal involving fraudulent registration ballot casting. Masterson maintained an interest in prizefighting and other sports, and was known as
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#17328553258567254-478: The face with his pistol. Nellie Spencer watched from the wings while the two men slugged it out. Finally, they were arrested, fined, and released a short time later. In its account of the incident, the Rocky Mountain News described Masterson as one "who pleases the ladies", and Nellie McMahon Spencer as "a beautiful woman, with a fine wardrobe and a sweet voice." Three days later, Nellie filed for divorce and
7371-466: The family finally settled near Wichita, Kansas . In his late teens, Masterson and his brothers Ed and Jim left their family's farm to hunt buffalo on the Great Plains . In July 1872, Ed and Bat Masterson were hired by a subcontractor named Raymond Ritter to grade a five-mile section of track for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad . Ritter skipped out without paying the Masterson brothers all of
7488-499: The first number of Vox Populi , W.B. Masterson, editor, which in appearance is very neat and tidy. The news and statements it contains seem to be of a somewhat personal nature. The editor is very promising; if he survives the first week of his literary venture, there is no telling what he may accomplish in the journalistic field." Editor Masterson did not survive his first week. Vox Populi folded after printing just one issue and almost another 20 years would pass before he made journalism
7605-557: The forces of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , which were contesting the right-of-way through the Royal Gorge near Pueblo, Colorado . As a sheriff in Kansas, Masterson had no authority in Colorado, but this did not prevent him from enlisting a large company of men. Among Masterson's recruits were such noted gunmen as Ben Thompson , "Mysterious Dave" Mather , John Joshua Webb , and possibly Doc Holliday . The end of Masterson's involvement came on June 12, 1879, when he surrendered
7722-594: The gorge as part of their Tennessee Pass subdivision until 1989, when the company merged with the Southern Pacific Railroad , and the Southern Pacific took control of the gorge line. In 1996, the combined company was merged into the systems of the Union Pacific Railroad . The year after Union Pacific purchased Southern Pacific and Rio Grande, the railroad closed the Tennessee Pass line, including
7839-420: The gorge in anticipation of a favorable judgment by the Supreme Court. Rio Grande crews built 17 stone "forts" (such as "Fort DeRemer" at Spike Buck near Texas Creek, Colorado ) to block the encroachments and keep the CC&SJ crews bottled up in the gorge. After months of shrinking earnings from their leased railroad, Rio Grande management went to court to break the lease. While lawyers argued their case before
7956-456: The gorge segment. In 1997, Union Pacific was persuaded to sell the 12 miles (19 km) of track through the Royal Gorge in an effort to preserve this scenic route. Two new corporations, the Cañon City & Royal Gorge Railroad (CC&RG) and Rock & Rail, Inc. (R&R), joined together to form Royal Gorge Express, LLC (RGX), to purchase the line. Passenger service on the new Royal Gorge Route Railroad began in May 1999, and are controlled by
8073-544: The gorge was too narrow to construct its own line. The Rio Grande promptly appealed the decision to the United States Supreme Court and began work to finish a line in the upper 30 miles (48 km) of the canyon. The Santa Fe opposed this move by attempting to lay track in the upper canyon for its subsidiary Pueblo and Arkansas Valley Railroad. Santa Fe resorted to its larger corporate power and announced it would build standard-gauge tracks parallel to and in competition with existing narrow-gauge D&RG lines. The bondholders of
8190-551: The idea that Bat had avenged his brother. More violence followed on October 4, 1878, when a variety actress named Dora Hand , known professionally as "Fannie Keenan," was shot and killed by James Kenedy, son of the wealthy Texas cattleman, Mifflin Kenedy . Masterson's posse, which included Wyatt Earp and Bill Tilghman , captured Kenedy the following day after Masterson shot him in the left arm, and other posse members killed his horse. Santa Fe Railroad officials had wired Sheriff Bat Masterson asking him to recruit men to battle
8307-445: The jail and exchanged gunfire with him. Who had fired first is not clear. Citizens ran for cover as bullets ripped through the Long Branch Saloon . Other individuals began firing in support of both sides until Updegraff was wounded. Mayor A.B. Webster arrested Masterson. Afterward, Masterson learned that his brother Jim was not in danger. Updegraff recovered from his wounds, but the shooter who hit him could not be identified, so Masterson
8424-475: The last call." Hart subsequently cast a lookalike as Masterson in his biographical film Wild Bill Hickok , which was released in 1923. On October 25, 1921, at age 67, Masterson died at his desk from a massive heart attack after writing what became his final column for the Morning Telegraph . His last column included this statement "I suppose these ginks who argue that ... because the rich man gets ice in
8541-419: The lease. During this period, Santa Fe moved to finish construction of the railroad through the gorge itself while the Rio Grande continued construction in areas in the canyon west of the gorge. Grading crews of both companies were harassed by rocks rolled down on them, tools thrown in the river and other acts of sabotage. Both sides began assembling armed groups of men again to seize and hold strategic points in
8658-571: The lower Arkansas River and followed a shorter and more direct route to the Mississippi River. When the McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System was constructed between 1963 and 1970, the Arkansas Post Canal was significantly improved, while the lower Arkansas River continued to be bypassed by commercial vessels. Many nations of Native Americans lived near, or along, the 1,450-mile (2,334-km) stretch of
8775-399: The narrow margin of three votes. Within a month of Masterson's election, on December 6, 1877, Ed Masterson replaced Larry Deger as city marshal of Dodge, so together the Masterson brothers controlled the city and county police forces. On February 1, 1878, Sheriff Masterson captured the notorious outlaws Dave Rudabaugh and Ed West, who were wanted for an attempted train robbery. Two more of
8892-548: The rear platform of the train, where he forced him to hand over the $ 300 owed to him, his brother Ed, and a friend named Theodore Raymond. A loud cheer then went up from a large crowd which had witnessed the event. Masterson was once again engaged in buffalo hunting on June 27, 1874, when he became an involuntary participant in one of the Wild West's most celebrated Indian fights: a five-day siege by several hundred Comanche , Kiowa and Cheyenne warriors led by Quanah Parker at
9009-607: The remainder of 1880 in Kansas City and Dodge. On February 8, 1881, he left Dodge City and joined Wyatt Earp in Tombstone , Arizona Territory , where he met Luke Short for the first time. Earp, Short, and Masterson worked as faro dealers, or "look outs", at Tombstone's Oriental Saloon. Masterson had only been in Tombstone for two months when he received an urgent telegram that compelled him to return to Dodge City. His brother Jim had
9126-421: The rest of his life there as a reporter and columnist for The Morning Telegraph . His column covered boxing and other sports, and it frequently gave his opinions on crime, war, politics, and other topics, as well. He became a close friend of President Theodore Roosevelt and was one of the "White House Gunfighters" who received federal appointments from Roosevelt, along with Pat Garrett and Ben Daniels . By
9243-545: The river enters the Great Plains . Through the rest of Colorado , Kansas , and much of Oklahoma , it is a typical Great Plains riverway, with wide, shallow banks subject to seasonal flooding and periods of dwindling flow. Tributaries include the Cimarron and the Salt Fork Arkansas rivers. In eastern Oklahoma, the river begins to widen further into a more contained consistent channel. To maintain more reliable flow rates,
9360-446: The river path works between the encroaching Boston and Ouachita mountains, including many isolated, flat-topped mesas, buttes, or monadnocks such as Mount Nebo , Petit Jean Mountain , and Mount Magazine , the highest point in the state. The river valley expands as it encounters much flatter land beginning just west of Little Rock, Arkansas . It continues eastward across the plains and forests of eastern Arkansas until it flows into
9477-588: The river to stop flowing in July and August. Flooding in 1927 severely damaged or destroyed nearly every levee downstream of Fort Smith, and led to the development of the Arkansas River Flood Control Association. It also resulted in the Federal government assigning responsibility for flood control and navigation on the Arkansas River to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE). The headwaters of
9594-471: The river's water; it has filed numerous lawsuits over this issue in the U.S. Supreme Court that continue to this day, generally under the name of Kansas v. Colorado . The problems over the possession and use of Arkansas River water by Colorado and Kansas led to the creation of an interstate compact or agreement between the two states. While Congress approved the Arkansas River Compact in 1949,
9711-446: The river, creating a nearly impassable barrier. So on this route, two railroads could not share the valley. On April 19, 1878, a construction crew from the Santa Fe's proxy Cañon City and San Juan Railroad, hastily assembled from sympathetic local citizens, began grading for a railroad line just west of Cañon City in the mouth of the gorge. The Rio Grande, whose track ended 0.75 miles (1.21 km) from downtown Cañon City, raced crews to
9828-473: The roundhouse. Despite accounts in partisan secondary sources reporting deaths at the hands of the rival company's men, there is no reliable proof that anyone was actually killed. The federal courts forced the D&RG to return the property it had illegally seized and ordered it into receivership . However in the fall of 1879, railroad "robber baron" Jay Gould of the Kansas Pacific Railroad loaned
9945-486: The same area, but they were blocked by Santa Fe graders in the narrow canyon. By a few hours they had lost the first round in what became a two-year struggle between the two railroads that would be known as the Royal Gorge War. Temporary injunctions forbidding further construction were filed in the Colorado courts and soon moved to the federal courts, each company claiming the right to use the gorge. On August 23, 1878,
10062-518: The strangers a warm welcome. La Harpe's party was honored with the calumet ceremony and spent ten days at this location. In 1988, evidence of a native village was discovered along the Arkansas River 13 miles (21 km) south of present-day Tulsa, Oklahoma . By then, the site was known as the Lasley Vore Site . French traders and trappers who had opened up trade with Indian tribes in Canada and
10179-512: The streams of the southwest and grow to large sizes. The wood is soft and easily worked with the crude tools carried by both the French and Indians. The pirogues were sturdier and could be more useful for navigating the sandbars and snags of the Southern waterways. In 1819, the Adams–Onís Treaty set the Arkansas as part of the frontier between the United States and Spanish Mexico . This continued until
10296-497: The street approach. McMurtrie and Desmond gathered 50 Rio Grande men in front of the Victoria Hotel and distributed rifles and ammunition. They marched to the railroad platform, broke down the door to the telegraph office, and when shots were fired, Masterson's men fled through the back windows, cutting him off from any communication with his employers. Supposedly when confronted with the re-borrowed cannon, Masterson's men surrendered
10413-446: The street, firing on both Wagner and Wagner's boss, Alf Walker—who was holding a gun. Wagner died the next day, but Walker was taken back to Texas and recovered. The local newspapers were ambiguous about who shot Wagner and Walker, and this led some later historians to question whether Bat Masterson was involved. However, the rediscovery of two court cases in which Bat Masterson testified under oath that he had shot both men adds credence to
10530-422: The summer and the poor man gets it in the winter, things are breaking even for both. Maybe so, but I'll swear I can't see it that way." About 500 people attended Masterson's service at Frank E. Campbell's Funeral Church at Broadway and 66th Street. Masterson's honorary pallbearers included Damon Runyon , Tex Rickard, and William Lewis. Runyon was a close friend of Masterson's and offered this memorable eulogy: "He
10647-474: The thumb off a man named Tucker, who, despite missing a digit, managed to fire back and seriously wound Billy. Masterson took Billy Thompson out of Ogallala by a midnight train bound for North Platte , Nebraska. In North Platte, Masterson was provided with assistance by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody , who promptly offered to help. According to Masterson, he and Billy Thompson "were given a royal welcome and were immediately taken in charge by Colonel Cody, who found
10764-517: The time of his death in 1921, Masterson was known throughout the country as a leading sports writer and celebrity. He is remembered today for his connection to many of the Wild West's most iconic people, places, and events, and his life and likeness are frequently depicted in American popular culture. Masterson was born on November 26, 1853, at Henryville, Quebec , in the Eastern Townships of what
10881-497: The timekeeper for many prize fights, most notably for the Jack Johnson— Jess Willard title fight in Havana, Cuba , on April 5, 1915. A newsreel featuring the then 61-year-old Masterson's introduction in that role was included in a documentary called Legendary Champions 1882–1929 . Alfred Henry Lewis introduced Masterson to President Theodore Roosevelt , and the two formed a friendship that resulted in Masterson being
10998-552: The title of "Famous Gun Fighters of the Western Frontier", but the next three issues of Human Life came and went without a Masterson article. In the November 1907 issue, editor Alfred Henry Lewis assured the readers that Masterson would resume the series by explaining that Masterson's reasons for "breaking off the output" were "wholly of an idle, indolent, midsummer sort, which the managers of this magazine hope to overthrow so soon as
11115-606: The town was destroyed by fire on June 5, 1892. On September 7, 1892, Masterson, Short, and Charlie Bassett attended the Sullivan–Corbett championship fight in New Orleans . According to a Dodge City paper, Masterson bet on the winner, Corbett, while noting, "Charlie Bassett and Luke Short were among the notables in attendance. Bassett bet his money on Sullivan." Masterson was in Jacksonville, Florida , on January 25, 1894, acting as
11232-526: The traditional territory of the Osage . They resisted the new Native Americans moving in with armed conflict. The US encouraged a peace treaty made in 1828 but the territory issue was still unresolved by the time thousands of additional Cherokee refugees moved to the area during the Trail of Tears . By the time Fort Smith was established in 1817, larger capacity watercraft became available to transport goods up and down
11349-427: The train robbers were caught by Bat and brother Ed on March 15. The tandem law enforcement effort came to an abrupt end, however, when 25-year-old City Marshal Ed Masterson was shot and killed in the line of duty on April 9, 1878. Ed Masterson was mortally wounded by a cowboy named Jack Wagner, who was unaware that Bat Masterson was in the vicinity. As Ed stumbled away from the scene, Bat Masterson responded from across
11466-556: The trouble with these mush-headed coppers. Give them a political job to keep from starving and they think they own the earth." A friend, journalist, Alfred Henry Lewis , persuaded his brother, William Lewis, to provide Masterson with employment as a columnist for William's newspaper, the New York Morning Telegraph . His column, "Masterson's Views on Timely Topics," concerned sports in general and boxing in particular. The column appeared thrice weekly from 1903 until his death in 1921. In 1905, Alfred Henry Lewis published The Sunset Trail ,
11583-416: The wages to which they were entitled. It took Masterson nearly a year, but he finally collected his overdue wages from Ritter, at gunpoint. On April 15, 1873, Masterson learned that Ritter was due to arrive in Dodge City, Kansas , aboard a Santa Fe train and that Ritter was carrying a large roll of cash. When Ritter's train pulled in, Masterson entered the car alone and confronted him and marched him out onto
11700-520: The world. Three months later, on October 7, silent-screen cowboy star William S. Hart visited Masterson. They were photographed standing together on the roof of the New York Morning Telegraph building and went back to Masterson's office where he asked Hart to sit in his chair and pose for a second photo with him. According to Hart: "I did so, and he stood beside me. Mr. Masterson was sitting in that same chair eighteen days later when he heard
11817-423: Was a 100 percent, 22-karat real man. Bat was a good hater and a wonderful friend. He was always stretching out his hand to some down-and-outer. He had a great sense of humor and a marvelous fund of reminiscence, and was one of the most entertaining companions we have ever known. There are only too few men in the world like Bat Masterson and his death is a genuine loss." Masterson was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in
11934-508: Was appointed city marshal of Trinidad, Colorado , on April 17, 1882. He had hardly settled into his $ 75-a-month (equal to $ 2367.93 today) marshal's job when Wyatt Earp requested his help to prevent the extradition of Doc Holliday from Colorado to Arizona. Masterson took his case directly to Colorado Governor Frederick W. Pitkin , who listened to Masterson's appeal and finally refused to grant Holliday's extradition. However, Masterson's rescue of Doc Holliday, as well as his nightly "moonlighting" as
12051-490: Was assessed only $ 5. During July 1877, Masterson was hired to serve as under-sheriff to Sheriff Charles E. Bassett . Bassett was prohibited by the Kansas State Constitution from seeking a third consecutive term. With the job up for grabs, Masterson decided to run for the office. Masterson's opponent turned out to be Larry Deger. On November 6, 1877, Masterson was elected county sheriff of Ford County, Kansas , by
12168-465: Was attacked by a soldier, Corporal Melvin A. King (real name Anthony Cook) allegedly because he was with a woman named Mollie Brennan. Brennan was hit by one of King's bullets, possibly by accident, and was killed. King died of his wounds. Masterson was shot in the pelvis but recovered. This is the reason why he used a cane. The cane would become one of his famous trademarks. Masterson soon settled in Dodge City. On June 6, 1877, Masterson tried to prevent
12285-611: Was employed as sports editor. In September 1900, Masterson sold his interest in the Olympic Athletic Club and made another visit to New York City. Masterson had decided to settle in New York City, but had a sudden change of heart and returned to Denver, with humiliating results. Two conflicting versions are given for what caused his final departure from Denver. Masterson's story was that an irate woman belted him with an umbrella on May 2, 1902, when she took exception to an "undesirable" such as Masterson trying to cast his ballot at
12402-531: Was fined $ 8.00 (equal to $ 252.58 today) and released. Citizens were outraged and warrants were issued, but Bat and Jim Masterson were permitted to leave Dodge City. Bat Masterson became more widely known as a gunfighter as a result of a practical joke played on a gullible newspaper reporter in August 1881. Seeking copy in Gunnison, Colorado , the reporter asked Dr. W.S. Cockrell about man-killers. Dr. Cockrell pointed to
12519-613: Was given by Masterson's brother, Thomas Masterson, years after Bat had died. Emma was not divorced from her first husband, Edwin Winford Moulton, until November 9, 1893. When they were later enumerated in the 1910 U.S. Census, Bat and Emma claimed that they had been married for 17 years, suggesting a marriage date of 1893. Masterson's biographer has raised the possibility that they were married on November 21, 1893, two weeks after Emma's divorce from Edwin Moulton. The two were traveling through
12636-439: Was improper. I wish you to show this letter to Alfred Henry Lewis and go over the matter with him." Masterson served in the position, earning $ 2,000 per year (equal to $ 67,822 today), until 1909. Theodore Roosevelt did not seek a third term in 1908, and his successor, William Howard Taft , did not share Roosevelt's enthusiasm for Masterson. President Taft had his attorney general conduct an investigation of Masterson's employment as
12753-404: Was involved in several notable shootouts. By the mid-1880s, Masterson had moved to Denver, Colorado and established himself as a "sporting man" or gambler. He took an interest in prizefighting and became a leading authority on the sport, attending almost every important match and title fight in the United States from the 1880s until his death in 1921. He moved to New York City in 1902 and spent
12870-473: Was living with Annie Ladue, age 19 (described as his " concubine "). City Marshal James Masterson, Bat's younger brother, was listed on the same census as living with Minnie Roberts, age 16. Not long after this census was taken, Bat Masterson received a telegram from Ben Thompson asking Bat to save Ben's troublesome brother, Billy Thompson, from almost certain lynching in Ogallala , Nebraska . Billy Thompson had shot
12987-495: Was not in Gunnison at the time. Allegedly, long after he retired from being a law officer Masterson would buy old .45 six-guns and "sell" them to gullible persons as "relics" of his Gunfighting days. Ironically, Masterson did own several .45 guns during his lifetime. although (excepting fighting Indians as a Buffalo Hunter and Army scout) Masterson was only involved in four incidents in which 2 men were killed and 2 wounded. Masterson
13104-418: Was previously thought that this relict channel was active at the same time as another relict of the Mississippi River 's meander belt, it has been shown that this channel of the Arkansas was inactive approximately 400 years before the Mississippi channel was active. The Arkansas has three distinct sections in its long path through central North America. At its headwaters beginning near Leadville , Colorado ,
13221-542: Was shot in the left wrist. On April 9, 1899, Masterson became a partner in a boxing club called the Colorado Athletic Association. Within a few days, Masterson was excluded from the organization by his partners. Masterson retaliated on April 18 by founding a rival club, the Olympic, with himself as president. Masterson received favorable media coverage from a Denver newspaper called George's Weekly , where he
13338-437: Was standing nearby. They took Masterson, too, alleging he was part of a bunco scheme to fleece a Mormon elder named George H. Snow out of $ 16,000. Masterson also had a concealed revolver. The bunco charge was dismissed. Masterson paid a $ 10 fine for the concealed weapon. About his arrest, Masterson complained to a reporter, "This fellow Gargan who arrested me is a warm baby—in his mind. He thinks all people are suckers. That's
13455-482: Was the designated timekeeper for Kilrain and came under fire from some sources for how he handled his role. Reportedly, Masterson saw to it that Luke Short, Johnny Murphy, and "twelve other good men were scattered around the ring where they would do the most good in case of an emergency." In early 1892 Masterson moved to the silver boom-town of Creede, Colorado where he managed the Denver Exchange gambling club until
13572-651: Was then known as Canada East . He was baptized under the name Bartholomew Masterson. Masterson was the second child of Thomas Masterson (or Mastersan), who was born in Canada to an Irish family, and Catherine McGurk (or McGureth), who was born in Ireland . The other six Masterson children were Edward John (1852–1878), James Patrick (1855–1895), Nellie E. (1857–1925), Thomas (1858–1941), George Henry (1860–1889), and Emma Anna "Minnie" (1862–1884). The children were raised on farms in Quebec , New York , Illinois , and Missouri until
13689-458: Was to establish a trading post near the present city of Texarkana, Arkansas , but he extended his trip overland as far north as the Arkansas River (which he designated as the Alcansas ). The explorer wrote that he and nine other men, including three Caddo guides and 22 horses loaded with trade goods, had come to a native settlement overlooking the river, where there were about 6,000 natives, who gave
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