Georgetown watertank?

[Dave Eggleston]

I've been spending the last few days looking at online DPL photos of Georgetown's yard and one thing stands out: While there was clearly a tank just north of the yard throat across the Clear Creek bridge after WWI, no tank appears visible in photos dating back to around the mid- to early 1880s. There are very few photos taken in the yard area; most are taken from the heights at the south edge of town, but zooming in you can see a lot of detail. One very good one is by WH Jackson, here shown zoomed in on the yard with notes of structures:



The full image is here.

The engine house roof and original wye leading into it are very clearly visible. The grade for the Silver Plume extension is missing, so this photo is early 1880s. The Stewart & Wing warehouse is in its very early state, before an expansion in the 1880s and another in 1891-92, and there is a warehouse to the right of it that is missing in photos as soon as the S&W warehouse was first expanded.

There is no water tank where we expect it, though I know it was at the point indicated north of the bridge by WWI and possibly earlier. There similarly is no water tank visible in slightly later photos that include the 1884 line to Silver Plume. Gordon Chappell's research in CRM Annual 10 indicates there was a water tank in town in the 1892-99 period. Poor does not mention a tank in 1886.

Looking at Clear Creek tanks, they're placed approximately every 8-9 miles after Golden, on both forks of Clear Creek. With the distance between Idaho Springs and Georgetown being around 12 miles, though not with heavy grades, I'd expect a tank at Georgetown from the start, especially if they overnighted engines at the engine house, and later when the grade to Silver Plume was in place.

My initial thinking is that if there was a tank, it may have been originally sited on the wye though I can't make it out in that area so far. Alternatively, I considered a standpipe where the later tank was built. I have no evidence for either of these ideas. There is a structure just north of the bridge that I've labeled as a shed as it seems too short to be a tank.

Does anyone know of a resource on CCRR or UPD&G structures that may give a hint of Georgetown railroad structures in the 1886 or earlier period? I've only been at this for the past few days and suspect something might be at CRM or CHS that I don't know about.  

Thanks!

[Chris Walker]

Mac Poor in D.SP.&P. lists a 14,534gal Tank at Empire, 4 miles short of Georgetown.

[Dave Eggleston]

Oh geez I missed that tank reference at Empire. Thanks for pointing that out. I see it referenced in Abbott’s book on the CCRR, too. But neither book gives a date for the tank being listed at Empire.

So was the Empire tank installed in 1877 and moved to Georgetown sometime after 1886 (per Poor’s list) but before 1893 (per Chappell’s research)?

[Dave Eggleston]

One other thing. Poor lists a tank and capacity but no other dimensional details. Abbott’s CCRR book lists a tank  of almost the same capacity, but as a “tub” 11’x15’. Hardly sounds like more than an early solution to water at some point. I’m digging into the newspapers to see if I can find out more.  

Just saw a post mentioning the 1886 UP buildings, bridges and other structures book. I don’t have it yet but will look for it.