Anyone on the list like to help? Again, please remember to reply to all....
Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: Ann Moseley [mailto:annm@k...]
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 6:00 PM
To: brhs@n...
Subject: Burlington in Colorado in Late 1880's
Below is a message that I sent to Mike Spoor at cbqrr@j... about some
research I am doing that involves the Chicago, BUrlington, and Quincy
Railroad line. I haven't heard from him yet, so I wonder if anyone at this
address can help me. I am trying to find some sources to talk to on a site
trip that I plan to make next week.
Sincerely,
Ann Moseley
>Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 12:27:30 -0500
>To: cbqrr@j... (Mike Spoor)
>From: Ann Moseley <annm@k...>
>Subject: Burlington in Colorado in Late 1880's
>
>Dear Mr. Spoor,
> Please let me introduce myself to you. I am a Professor of English at
Texas A&M University-Commerce, and I am working on a research project that
involves the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad in eastern Colorado
(and perhaps western Nebraska) during the late 1880s. Specifically, I am
writing explanatory notes for items in Willa Cather's novel THE SONG OF THE
LARK, originally published in 1915. Cather grew up in Red Cloud, Nebraska,
living in the area from about 1880 until she left to attend the University
of Nebraska C 1890, and returning periodically for visits after that. I am
contacting you because I ran across your book CHICAGO, BURLINGTON AND
QUINCY, Vol. 1 (1994)--a very interesting book but covering a period much
later than the one I am researching. However, the jacket material mentioned
the Burlington Route Historical Society, so I looked on the Internet and
found what is, I hope, your e-mail address.
> Specifically, I am trying to use geographical and railroad clues from
> the
book to pinpoint the fictional town of Moonstone, in which much of Cather's
novel is set. Cather mentions other towns or "stops" (probably fictional)
such as Wassiwappa and Saxony--and she describes a trip from "Moonstone" to
Denver, mentioning some of the things her heroine Thea saw on the way. I
know that her brother worked for the railroad in Wyoming and that Cather
would have therefore traveled through Sterling Colorado to visit him--and
it seems as if in traveling from Chicago to wherever her prototypical town
is she would have gone directly to Denver from Chicago and then backtracked
east. I have looked in several other railroad books to try to figure out
the town's location but have decided that a site-trip is necessary. I
believe that the town could be on one of two possible Burlington
routes--one through Sterling and the other through Brush (and back to
McCook and Red Cloud, I believe). If any of these few "clues" that I have
mentioned ring a bell with you and suggest to you places where I should
look, if you know of Burlington offices or museums or libraries in Colorado
that might have information for me, or if you know of any other individuals
who know Colorado (and Nebraska) railroad history and Colorado geography
with whom I might talk by telephone, e-mail, or in person, I would greatly
appreciate your letting me know. Other clues exist in the novel, but I
thought this information would give you an idea of what I am doing.
> Thank you very much for taking the time to read my e-mail and for any
help that you can give me.
>
>Sincerely,
>Ann Moseley
>Department of Literature and Languages
>Texas A&M University-Commerce
>Commerce, Texas 75429
>903-994-2264 (home)
>903-886-5269 (office)
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