Page 39 - 2004 DT 9 Issues

June Kelso Depot, continued from page 1 with time on their hands. In the corner
was a desk where an employee rang up
the billiard table, originally purchased for The Beanery customers’ bills and also
Desk Schedule $125, was long since gone. allocated rooms to Union Pacific employ-
A great deal of research has gone into ees who might need them. The wooden
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○ the restoration effort. The many layers of key board behind him never held keys. It
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Tues/1 M. Slagle J. Geier ○
paint have been painstakingly scraped merely displayed the name of the persons
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Wed/2 B. Rezac C. Gilmore ○ ○ away to reveal the original colors, which occupying the rooms. The lobby can’t
have been matched. In general, the wood- have been the nicest of places at night,
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Thurs/3 G. Sayles J. Barrett ○ ○ work throughout was originally stained as transients riding the freight trains were
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Fri/4 R. Linsmeier I. Grieco ○ ○ ○ dark oak, but the walls and ceilings dif- known to stop off at Kelso. After all,
fered from room to room. Beyond the sleeping on the lobby floor was warmer
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Sat/5 W. Barbuck W. Barbuck ○
○ billiard room, the original staircase, than a night in a freight car.
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Sun/6 R. Conductor P. VanDooremaal ○ which led from the basement to the up- The bedrooms contained a sink and
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per two floors, has been restored, but an steam radiators and were adequately fur-
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Mon/7 V. Sperry D. Powers ○
elevator shaft has been created adjacent nished. The old steam radiators have
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Tues/8 M. Slagle J. Geier ○ to it. gone. In their place, forty-two 100-ft.
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The railroad company records were long pipes have been sunk into the ground
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Wed/9 P. Grand C. Gilmore ○
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not always complete and photographic to provide cooling in summer and heat-
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Thurs/10 G. Sayles J. Barrett ○ ○ ○ evidence was almost non-existent. Con- ing in winter.
○ sequently, it was not easy to identify the The conductors’ room and waiting
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Fri/11 I. Hyman E. Schliepp
○ makers of the original fitments. Luckily,
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room had limited use and, because most
Sat/12 OPEN G. Gabbert ○ ○ ○ of the passengers embarking at Kelso
Sun/13 M. Rosow T./N. Hughes ○ ○ were railroad company employees hold-
ing passes, few tickets were issued. The
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Mon/14 A. Berg N. Kresge Depot’s telephone was accessible from
Tues/15 V. Sperry J. Geier the waiting room and consequently, the
area doubled as a public telephone space.
Wed/16 B. Rezac C. Gilmore The telegraph room was the only
room decorated in peach to match the
Thurs/17 G. Sayles J. Barrett
exterior of the building.
Fri/18 R. Linsmeier D. Powers ○ The Beanery The National Park Service intends to
Sat/19 J. Kisasondi E. Meeks ○ ○ ○ use the restored Depot as a Visitor Cen-
the original counter and cigar display case ter and as offices. An official opening is
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Sun/20 T./N. Hughes L./M. Utah ○ ○ ○ bore the original maker’s name. Some planned for later this year. Do take the
○ makers were still in business, but others opportunity to visit the Depot. It is an
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Mon/21 N. Kresge OPEN
○ were not. Where original plans could be
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experience not to be missed.
Tues/22 R. Linsmeier J. Geier ○ ○ traced, they were used. When they were
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not, extensive nationwide searches of Come Back, Jack!
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Wed/23 U. Beckert C. Gilmore ○
○ libraries were made for catalogs of simi-
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Thurs/24 G. Sayles J. Barrett ○ ○ lar furniture, valuation returns were Our fellow Desert Trumpet staffer,
“Cactus Jack” Ryan, has suffered a bit
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scoured for references, and previous local
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Fri/25 I. Hyman E. Schliepp ○ of a setback, but is on the mend. Jack
○ inhabitants were traced and questioned.
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Sat/26 M. Lolich M. Lolich ○ The result was that the original furniture is not only a retired journeyman writer,
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but an intrepid and tireless hike leader
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was refurbished and missing fittings, such
Sun/27 M. Rosow L./M. Utah who—when not leading hikes to the top
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as catches and hinges, were replicated. of Mt. Charleston or some little-traveled
Mon/28 P. Grand N. Kresge The original counter top of a patented nook in Red Rock—is usually off ex-
half-inch thick glass resembling marble
Tues/29 M. Slagle J. Geier ploring remote canyons on his own.
could not be replaced, but the new one We wish him the best and hope he’ll
Wed/30 E. Meeks C. Gilmore resembles the original as closely be back to writing his splendid features
as possible. by the fall. As for his hiking fan club,
The lobby served as the entrance to you can almost hear their plaintive cries
Call Scott for changes or to fill in OPEN The Beanery, as a reception area, and as echoing down the trails: “Come back,
days at 515-5371 an unofficial poker area for employees Jack! . . . Pleeeeze?”