File a lawsuit, though as an individual you would probably have no standing. BRHS might. But costly, unless a member takes it pro bono and legal fees are somehow included as damages. TEB
Overton was largely responsible for the Burlington archives being donated to the Newberry Library in conjunction with the Q's 100th anniversary. But he had possession of Perkins' car 200 log books. As part of the Burlington's agreement with the Newberry a
tremendous amount of the donated archives were microfilmed by the Newberry, and copies were provided to libraries or historical societies in cities along the line that showed an interest in them. Among the recipients were the Division of Archives of the Colorado
Historical Society in Denver. The CHS was then providing considerable assistance to Overton as he researched the history of the Colorado & Southern for his book
Gulf to Rockies, which was published in 1953. As a result, Overton donated the Perkins papers in his possession to the CHS, where they were also microfilmed, and the state's Division of Archives prepared a mimeographed (!) index of all the microfilms.
A copy of the cover and final page of that index are attached. Much of the Perkins material was personal in nature, and it required permission from Overton to view those microfilms. Not long after the NRHS Intermountain Chapter purchased office car 96 from
the Burlington in early 1962 and I became one of it custodians, I took a great interest in Burlington office cars and obtained permission from Overton to research the car 200 log book microfilms. I spent several days in the old red sandstone home near the
state capitol in Denver that housed the archives, going through the six volumes of log books and learning a great deal. I researched a few things in the other Burlington microfilms in the archives' possession, but their sheer volume prevented further research
at the time.
A few years later the mission of the Division of Archives was modified to include preserving only official state records, including court records, and all other material in its possession was passed to the State Historical Society itself, which maintained a
research library in the state historical museum. The microfilms were transferred and were quickly stored away and forgotten. When the society moved into new quarters in the 1970s the microfilms moved to the new building but remained stored away and ignored.
They emerged in the 1990s when a longtime society employee found the boxes containing them and had no idea what they were. I was at that time a regular visitor to the Historical Society library and knew the employee, and he asked me if I knew what it was
he had found. I was overjoyed to learn that the microfilms had surfaced and were going to be made available again, and I provided him with a copy of the index I had obtained back in 1962. But the employee had a heart attack, retired and died shortly thereafter
and his project was abandoned and the boxes of microfilms placed back in storage and again forgotten. Since they weren't catalogued, no one acknowledged their existence or had any idea where they were stored. The historical society has since moved into yet
another new building, renamed itself History Colorado, and the microfilm situation remains unchanged; the society claims it does not have them because they have no record of them.
It's a frustrating situation, and Charlie and I both have been searching for years trying to find another source for these microfilms, or to get the CHS to locate and acknowledge their copy, but so far to no avail.
Hol.
All-
IIRC they are at the Newberry…at least a reference to them. They have Overton papers there.
I still am searching for the 101 Years of CB&Q Board Minutes and the Perkins Papers on microfilm…..
Charlie Vlk
It would be interesting to know the original publication date of that book. The only reference I found on Amazon, was a date of 1982.
Maybe someone like Hol Wagner or other might have more info on this.
Ray,
I’m wondering if the book mentioned about {Perkins became the Perkins/Budd: Railway Statesmen of the Burlington?
I have not heard what may have happened to the car 200 logbooks.
Dave
Over the past several weeks, I have pulled out my old Trains and Trains and Travel mags from the 40's and 50's. Haven't looked at them is a long time, several years in fact!
In the March 1948 issue of Trains, there is an interesting article by R. C. Overton about Charles Perkins and his "grand old car 200".
Apparently, Perkins kept a detailed log book of every trip he made with the business car 200, from 1887 to 1903. It is also noted that the entire collection of log books was passed on to C. E. Perkins Jr, until he
died in 1943. His sister found the books and subsequently gave them to Overton, together with over 40 volumes of her father's private letters.
It is also noted that a book by Overton, "Mind of a Magnate: the Ideas and Ideals of Charles E Perkins" was forth coming. And that much of Perkins material would be included in this new book.
I am not familiar with this book, and did a Google search, but nothing came up.
So I wonder, was the book ever published? What happened to all of Perkins log books and letters? Any chance that some or all reside with our Society?
The Trains article is 7 pages long, and I found it very interesting. There are reprints of some of Perkins log book entrees on trips between Chicago and Denver, and Chicago and Boxton as well as other trips to St
Paul, Sheridan, etc.
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