possible C&S structure survivor

[Matt Hutson]

Hi guys,
While visiting the South London mine last week, I came upon this building:


I didn't think much of it as I see a lot of old mine buildings, but when I went inside I began to wonder:


A first I thought it might be a retired depot, but after reviewing pics in the usual books (Poor, Farrell, Klinger) I have decided it probably is not.


But still, it sure seems to have a railroad feel to me.


What do all y'all think? My current theory is that it may have been the freight depot from Alma Junction or some other nearby location in South Park. Mine operators were notorious for being cheap, and a cheap or even free structure from an abandoned railroad branch probably looked pretty good.


Cheers,
Matt Hutson
Nathrop, CO

[Jim Courtney]

Matt,

Any idea about the rough dimensions? It kinda looks like some of the C&S bunkhouses, i.e. like the one at Dickey.

Jim

[Jeff Young]

Looks fairly substantial.  Maybe 15’ x 30’?

I like the Alma Junction freight house idea, only it looks to have been a bit more oblong:





(both images Park County Archives)

What about the other half of the depot?  Only the half with the ticket window remains on-site:



Cheers,
Jeff.

[Chris Walker]

Hmmm, I've been looking at that Depot quite a bit lately hehehe!



Z-5724  London Jct. (later, Alma)
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/72111/rv/singleitem/rec/1

[Jeff Young]

Great picture, Chris!

Is DPL still digitising their collection?  I’ve done searches on London Junction before and never came up with that one….

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Matt Hutson]

Hi Jim,
Sorry, I do not know the dimensions. I would guess maybe 20' x 30'. Were it not so late in the season I would run back up and measure it. It is fixin' to become serious winter at the mine's 12,000' elevation.

Cheers,
Matt

[Matt Hutson]

Hi Jeff,
The reason I have mostly ruled out the depot is that the mine structure has board & batten siding.

Mine structures do not typically have wainscoting or brick chimneys. There is something of a platform on the east end, so I guess it could have originally been twice as long as now:


Cheers,
Matt

[Jeff Young]

Hi Matt,

I see what you mean about the siding.  The freight house had clapboard siding too, though, so that sort of rules it out as well.

Interesting puzzle....

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Robert McFarland]

I hope they are- there are several published photos credited to DPL floating around that haven't showed up on Digital yet!Chris' photo has been on the site for quite some time,though.

[ComoDepot]

Always wondered if there is still something to be catalogued that may answer one on my many questions.

The building does look quite posh for a mine building.

Were there traces of prior paint schemes?

Was it somewhere it could have been moved to in one piece, did it look like it would had been reconstructed or must it have been constructed on site? They certainly did move buildings around, but I can not see one being say moved over very rough ground if it could have served its use nearby without the extra hassle.

My understanding is the Railroads were keen to get rid of buildings that they had no use for, saved on their taxes.

Always wondered what happened to the Dispatchers Office in Como, disappeared about 1930 and by that time probably not in use.

I assume that usually the Railroad contracted out something like a new building, and they usually had a standard plan they could use or modify. If a Contractor was asked to put up a new say mine building they no doubt would have by default wanted to use a style of construction their employees were comfortable with, more you mess a round more it will cost.

[South Park]

  I have replaced the siding on two houses this year, proving not only
that it CAN be done, but that it is a fairly easy proposition on single
story buildings.  I would say a variation in siding proves nothing.