This article gives a firsthand account of the August 14, 1909 train accident at Husted. I wish to thank and dedicate this article to Wilber H. Fulker, whose dad Wilber F. Fulker, was an 18-year-old teenager on the southbound from Palmer Lake passenger train (Designated Train #1) that collided with a north bounder coming up from Colorado Springs on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. It was on the schedule as Train #8. Wilber now is in heaven and I will surely miss him. He was one of my key mentors as I sought to research and write local history articles. Wilber’s dad wrote up notes about the accident and he had his camera with him that day. He took 6 photos of the scene right after the accident. I used his notes to retell his story trying to write it in his words reflecting on that fateful Saturday. His son had read my attempt to write this firsthand account and agreed “yes, that’s probably how dad would have explained it.”
Perhaps the name Wilber Fulker rings a bell. The beautiful fountain in Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs is Uncle Wilber’s fountain. It is a favorite of kids and adults as they dash and giggle in the pulsating spouts of water. Wilber was an accomplished teacher at the Deaf & Blind School. Wilber graciously helped me with my history research and was always a joy to talk with. Wilbur shared a lot of insight and stories of Monument and the rich railroading history of this area.
Here now is Wilber F. Fulker’s account of Saturday, August 14, 1909. It adheres to his notes as best I could make it and, as his son said “sounds like what dad would say.”
“Summer ranch work was winding down for my brother Ivan and I and we were set to take the train down to Colorado Springs for a Saturday of sight seeing. Uncle Lewis Fritz brought us to the Monument Denver & Rio Grande station to catch the morning train south. We got our tickets and met Cleve Norvell and Pete Kendrick who likewise were seeking a break from summer work. We boarded and Ivan was able to find a seat, but Cleve, Pete and I stood in the rear of the passenger seating area in an open anteroom. It wouldn’t be too bad standing and maybe at Husted or Edgerton some folks would get off. The train pulled out and we were on our way. The Denver and Rio Grande used one set of tracks for both north and southbound trains, thus precise coordination was the key to safety and success. In the 40 years of railroading in this area, most mishaps were related to high winds blowing trains over. Not today, it was a warm and sunny morning and no hint of a breeze, a great day not to be doing ranch work!”
“As we passed south of Borst Station near Pring (Baptist Road today) and were about 2 miles north of Husted. A few minutes later I looked forward at Ivan and the look on his face was one of fear and concern. I also noticed the engineer was really on the whistle as it blared away and steam rocketed out of it. Ivan leapt to his feet and grabbed the rail above and hollered “hang on fellas, we’re in trouble”. I couldn’t fathom what Ivan meant, but the whistle and now the screeching brakes were met with a crash and jolting impact that threw a lady returning from the rest room through the air and right at Ivan’s feet. As all this occurred in what was slow motion, but horrific sound. I was whacked by the lid off the water can that was located in the rear. Luckily, I was wearing my Derby Hat and it took the blow instead of my forehead. The hat band was cut, but all I had was a nick…and a need for a new Derby hat, but we had a situation on our hands and needed to act swiftly and get off.”
“Cleve’s hat laid on the floor as evacuating passengers gave it several unintended stomps. ‘There goes my John B’ he exclaimed in a rather casual manner given we were in the midst of a train crash. I lost sight of Ivan in the melee of folks getting off. I jumped down and looked up and down to find Ivan. I watched remaining people getting off and still no Ivan. I went back into the coach, which had a mist of dust and smell of steam. I frantically looked about and then I bumped into a person back-to-back. I came around and it was Ivan. He was looking for me and had been delayed helping the lady who landed at his feet.”
“Miraculously I still had my camera strapped around my neck. So, I began taking pictures of the wreck. I took six snapshots and then a rather peculiar thing happened. People came up to me and asked me to make prints and send them the prints. People were giving me their addresses and also handing off money in advance. Others said they would send the money. I was overwhelmed and started to realize this was a very serious train wreck as I went forward to what were the north and sound bound engines and tenders.”
“Meanwhile, word reached back to Monument that there had been a wreck. Uncle Lewis had left town and when he heard the news he jumped up and said, “Good gosh, I’ve got two nephews on that train!” So he rigged up his horses and rode a wagon all the way to the site. He found us OK but insisted we return with him back to Monument. Gone was the day of touring Colorado Springs.”
“As we milled about, we started to learn and see firsthand the seriousness and devastation of the accident. Our southbound engineer and fireman saw the inevitable crash coming and after blowing the distress signal and setting the brakes they jumped to safety. In all, 12 people were killed and more than 50 injured. The lead passenger car of our train had six rows of seats torn out from the floor, that’s where the deaths and most of the injured were.”
“The northbound train was a double header, by that I mean it was a helper engine assisting an engine and set of passenger cars up the steep grade to Palmer Lake. The fireman on that helper was Mr. Jack Gossage who lived in Husted and had just waved to his wife as he headed north on a helper run. He was trapped between the engine and the tender full of coal and died in the accident.”
“My brother Ivan and I did get to tour Colorado Springs the next Saturday, and yes, we took the train.”
Two of Wilber F. Fulker’s photos are included and give insight into just how devastating this crash was. All 6 photos can be seen at the Lucretia Vaile Museum in Palmer Lake. As I wrap this essay up I wanted to share that I have been assisted by three amazing railroad historians from Colorado Springs area and have read the Railroad Commissions accident report. I together with my friend David Hollenbach (USAFA ’87) have studied the photos and what today is the accident site and have a pretty good “then and now” photo assessment of the site. It’s a slow work in progress for me. David is the encourager and someday soon we hope to present out findings.
The bottom line however is through some mix up or misunderstanding the north bound Train #8 engineer may have seen a switch engine sitting on a siding as they rolled into Husted. Based on orders, they believed that it was the southbound Train #1 waiting on a side track to let the steaming northbound by and continued at full throttle up the hill to Monument and Palmer Lake. It’s a mystery we are trying to fully understand and in the many news reports and even in the commission report we find some disconnects. The railroad experts who I’ve turned to (Larry Green, Herb Edwards, and Mel McFarland) have been very helpful with us and explain what today would been deemed an antiquated telegraph based comm system and written orders on a two-way single track.
Scene looking somewhat west
Close-up of the accident site 
