Merritt Harrison Rogers
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle County Blade page 1 - May 9, 1907
RAILROAD RUMORS.
Movements of Engineers' Causes Much Speculation.
The recent death of M. H. ROGERS while on duty as civil engineer of long standing connection with the railroads of the state, together with the fact that a corps of engineers is in the field in the neighborhood of Gore creek and Minturn, have given rise to much speculation as to what the movements of these engineers mean. At the time of his death Mr. Rogers was chief engineer of the Denver & Transcontinental railroad, a proposed line from Denver to Georgetown. This fact prompted the report that the latter company is auxiliary to the Denver & Rio Grande and that the latter is figuring on a cutoff up Gore creek, over the Gore range and to Denver by way of Georgetown.
A road up Gore creek and across the divide at the head of that creek and down onto the Ten Mile creek to connect with the branch of the Denver & Rio Grande from Leadville to Dillon, is likely feasible. In fact, there is no obstacle of magnitude in the way. But to get a line from Dillon into Denver is another matter, so far as the public can see.
For years the Denver & Rio Grande has had the branch in operation from Leadville to DilIon, from which latter point, even as a railroad might be built by it if at all, it cannot be much in excess of eighty miles into Denver as against about 300 miles by way of Leadville and Pueblo. If the gap between Dillon and Denver could be connected up the Gore creek route would be a short line into Denver—probably not over 125 miles from its main line at Minturn as against over 300 miles by the present route.
The Denver & Rio Grande's through business does not go by way of Denver but by way of Pueblo and the Missouri Pacific. The short line, however, would relieve the main through line of the local Denver business during the times of heavy traffic when the main line is congested and crowded with more through business to say nothing of local business, than it can handle.
This would be the only incentive for the Denver & Rio Grande to build a line through that region. It has long been maintained that some day there would be a short line to the Western Slope coming in from the east by way of Gore creek. The public can see no justification in an independent line building this cut-off as it would have no western outlet especially, and would be at the mercy of the Denver & Rio Grande absolutely east of Salt Lake City. Time will no doubt disclose just what the plans of the railroad people are but certainly everything looks as though there was something "in the wind."
Eagle County Blade page 1 - May 9, 1907
DIED ALONE. Pathetic End of a Prominent Denver & Rio Grande Man.
Merritt H. ROGERS, a prominent civil engineer well known throughout the state, was found dead near the Denver & Rio Grande railroad tracks in the vicinity of Gore creek, west of Minturn, last Friday. It is presumed that Mr. ROGERS was stricken with paralysis, as all indications were that he died suddenly.
Locomotive Engineer Sig OLSON, of passenger train No. 2, noticed Mr. ROGERS near the track when he came into Minturn with his train that morning. Sometime later on his return run to Glenwood Mr. OLSON saw the body of a man lying near the track. He stopped his engine and found the body to be that of Mr. ROGERS, whom he had seen a short time before. Life was quite extinct, and news of his death was carried to Minturn. Undertaker GRAHAM, of Red Cliff, was called, the body was prepared for shipment to deceased's home in Denver where he leaves a widow.
Some of the Denver papers announced that the death prematurely disclosed the plans of the Denver & Rio Grande for a short line into Denver--or, as one in apparent ignorance claimed, a great shortening of the line between Leadville and Glenwood. On account of double tracking the road from west of Minturn to Tennessee Pass, work on which has been in progress for months, changes are necessary in the grade as well as in the line of the track. As one of the principal engineers of the road, Mr. ROGERS might have been in the neighborhood where his body was found making an official examination of the line, if he was connected with the Denver & Rio Grande at all.
