The Salt Lake Herald
February 19, 1904
Falls To His Death In Mine
Colonel Theodore Bruback Meets With Fatal Accident
Tragedy in the Daly-Judge
Was Making Inspection Of The Property At Time
Park City, Feb. 18-At 3 o'clock this afternoon Colonel Theodore Bruback of Salt Lake City fell from a ladder in a raise in the Daly-Judge mine and received injuries from which he died twenty minutes later.
Colonel Bruback came up from Salt Lake City this morning and went at once to the Daly-Judge mine where, after having dinner about 1 o'clock, he and Superintendent John McSorley started on a tour of inspection through the mine. Colonel Bruback, who at one time was one of the heaviest stockholders in the property, has not been in Park City for several months, and was at this time making a very close inspection of the progress made in the mine since his last visit here.
Inspecting The Mine
The two men had gone through the workings on the tunnel level and above it in a very thorough way, and from this point went by the cage to the 1,4000-foot shaft level. They had been in the west drift on the back ledge of the 1,400-foot drift, and from there went through a raise known as the May raise, which is about 1,200 feet from the station.
Colonel Bruback expressed the desire to go up this raise and see how things were looking. Superintendent McSorley advised against his going up, saying that there was nothing new there since Mr. Bruback's last visit, as the rais had not been working, and stated further that he, McSorley, would not be able to go up along with Bruback, as he was suffering from a very lame arm, the result of an accident through striking that member against the timbers in the tunnel while riding out on a truck yesterday morning. Bruback insisted, saying that he would go up but a short distance, and without further conversation started up the raise.
Fall Broke His Neck
Mr. McSorley waited him start and, leaning against the timbers in the tunnel to await the return, heard him going up the ladder until he had gone, so Mr. McSorley states, as near as he could judge, about fifteen feet. For an instant there was a pause, and the next thing Mr. McSorley knew Mr. Burback came plunging head foremost down the raise, his head striking with great force upon the steel rails of the car track, breaking his neck and inflicting several severe cuts on the face and head.
Mr. McSorley hastened back to the west drift, a distance of about 300 feet, where Joe Holland and James Shields were at work, and asked them to come with him at once, that Mr. Bruback was hurt. The two men went with the superintendent and found Mr. Bruback leaning against the timers in a dying condition.
Before Mr. McSorley got back with his men the 3 o'clock relief men going to work in the drift - S. S. Taylor and Charles Hollandcamp - had come upon the scene, and on the return of Mr. McSorley they, with Holland were dispatched as messengers to go on top, telephone for doctors, notify relatives and make ready to convey the injured man from the mouth of the Daly-Judge tunnel, while one man, James Shields, was left behind. About twenty minutes after his fall Colonel Bruback died.
The body was put upon a truck and taken on the cage up 200 feet to the tunnel level, where he was put upon a car and taken out to the mouth of the tunnel, from which place he was brought by team to the undertaking parlors of J. H. Richardson, where the coroner's jury, composed of Louis Carpenter, James McDonald and E. J. Beggs, viewed the remains. An inquest will be held on Saturday at 3 o'clock. All evening the undertaking parlors were besieged by crowds of people anxious to view the remains, as Colonel Bruback was very well known here.
Cause of the Accident
The real cause of the accident will never be known, yet two theories are advanced as to the probable cause. The first is that Mr. Bruback was subject to periodical dizzy spells, and while on his way up the ladder had become faint and had lost his hold and fallen. The other is that the deceased was knocked off the ladder by striking his head against a bulkhead in the raise. To some the latter theory seems to be more reasonable, as the raise is a wet one and the ladder is slippery, and every ten feet a bulkhead is put in to keep the rock from falling down upon the track. The raise not having been worked for some time, rock enough had slipped out of the side and fallen upon the door floor of the first bulkhead to hold it down, and Mr. Bruback, forgetting thre presence of the bulkhead, in his hurry struck his head, and owing to the slippery condition of the raise, lost his hold upon the ladder rung and fell. A large cut and bruise on the top of the dead man's head seem to bear out this supposition.
The body was taken to Salt Lake City this evening by Superintendent John McSorley on a special train, which left over the Rio Grande Western at 8:30.
Body Arrives in City
Friends Meet it at the Depot-Sketch of Colonel Bruback's Career
The special train bearing the remains of Colonel Theodore Bruback reached Salt Lake at 90:35 o'clock last night. Accompanying the body was John McSorley, superintendent of the Daly-Judge, who was with Colonel Bruback at the time the accident happened. The body was met at the Rio Grande depot by a number of friends of the deceased and stockholders of the Daly-Judge Mine, among them W. S. McCornick, Thomas Weir and others. Undertaker S. D. Evans took charge of the remains and will arrange for the funeral.
The news of the accident was conveyed to Mrs. Bruback by Rev. Elmer I. Goshen, at the request of W. S. McCornick and W. M. Bradley, Mrs. Bruback bore up bravely at first, but later broke down completely.
Colonel Theodore Bruback received his military tittle from the hands of Governor Heber M. Wells, who appointed him Lieutenant colonel on his staff. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and spent his early life in that state. He was educated in the common and high schools of Allegheny county, Pa., and graduated from the Iron City college in 1866. His family were originally natives of Alsace-Lorraine. His father came to America when but a boy, from Bruback, a small town in his native province, named after the family. The father amassed a fortune in the iron business in Pittsburgh. The colonel's mother, Anna Kunigunda Deitrich, was also of German extraction.
Upon the completeion of his education Colonel Bruback assisted in the development of the Pennsylvania oil fields. In 1877 he came west to Wyoming, engaging in the stock and mining business. He located and developed the Sun Rise and Blue Jay mines, which he successfully operated many years. In 1885 Colonel Bruback came to Salt Lake City and became interested in the mining possibilities of Utah, and in addition to his mining properties secured holdings in railroads.
A year after his arrival in Utah he secured control of the Sanpete railroad, which was constructed in 1882. He was elected president, and made it a standard gauge line. He built a branch to the Morrison coal mines, and later built another to the brown stone quarries at Mount Nebo. At the same time Colonel Bruback acquired mining interests in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
One of the notable mining achievements of the colonel in Utah was his opening and development of the coal mines on Six Mile creek, in Sanpete county, owned by the Sterling Coal & Coke company at that time. The mines are located at the terminal of the Sanpete Valley road. They were discovered in 1890, and three years later came under the control of Colonel Bruback. To properly work them it was found necessary to run a tunnel 60-0 feet below the surface to tap the vein. The bore, 8x8 feet, was driven 2,060 feet. The grade permits a perfect drainage of the workings.
Ever since his coming to Utah Colonel Bruback has always been more or less interested in various mining enterprises. He would either assist in the development of properties by interesting eastern capital, or would open them himself, as he did lode claims in Wyoming, disposing of them to investors. He was a constant holder of stocks in many properties throughout the state. It has been said that at one time he was one of the largest, if not the heaviest, stockholder in the Daly-West mine, but relinquished his holdings some time ago. At the time of his death he was a large holder of Daly-Judge stock.
Colonel Bruback was married, in Westfield, N. Y., in 1886, to Miss Jessie White McLane, daughter of Colonel J. H. McLane of Erie county, Pa., and has two children, Theodore and Jessie Elizabeth.
In political affairs Colonel Bruback was a believer in the principals of the Republican party. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The colonel owned his success in life entirely to his own efforts, and the position which he occupied in Utah at the time of his death was the result of his untiring energy and application. His administrative and executive abilities made successful many of his enterprises, with the result that while he might not be considered a wealthy man, he was comfortably well off.
Inspectors Passed Him
Colonel Bruback's Story of How He Got Through Custom House
Colonel Bruback was fond of good stories. He liked to hear them and he liked to tell them. One of his favorite tales was in regard to his return from Europe on one occasion.
"When the steamer arrived at the dock," he said, "I was in a hurry to get through with the customs officers because I had some business uptown that I wanted to transact before leaving for the west. In the faint hope of expediting matters I handed the chief customs inspector my card. It read, 'Theodore Bruback, President Sanpete Valley Railway.' My astonishment was great when the inspector bowed low.
" 'Here you,' he said to one of his men, 'this is Mr. Bruback, president of the Santa Fe railway. You needn't examine his baggage. Let it go right along.' Then to me: 'Oh, that's all right, Mr. Bruback. Our people are always glad to accommodate the high officials of our big railway systems.' I didn't stop to explain that I was president of a little bit of a road in a Utah county, and not of the Santa Fe system."
The Salt Lake Herald
February 20, 1904
Page 8
Bruback Funeral Private-The funeral of Colonel Theodore Bruback, who was killed in the Daly-Judge mine at Park City Thursday afternoon by falling from a ladder in a raise, will take place Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the family residence, 147 East Brigham street, it will be private. The remains will be placed in the Masonic vault in Mt. Olivet cemetery preparatory to being shipped east for interment.
February 19, 1904
Falls To His Death In Mine
Colonel Theodore Bruback Meets With Fatal Accident
Tragedy in the Daly-Judge
Was Making Inspection Of The Property At Time
Park City, Feb. 18-At 3 o'clock this afternoon Colonel Theodore Bruback of Salt Lake City fell from a ladder in a raise in the Daly-Judge mine and received injuries from which he died twenty minutes later.
Colonel Bruback came up from Salt Lake City this morning and went at once to the Daly-Judge mine where, after having dinner about 1 o'clock, he and Superintendent John McSorley started on a tour of inspection through the mine. Colonel Bruback, who at one time was one of the heaviest stockholders in the property, has not been in Park City for several months, and was at this time making a very close inspection of the progress made in the mine since his last visit here.
Inspecting The Mine
The two men had gone through the workings on the tunnel level and above it in a very thorough way, and from this point went by the cage to the 1,4000-foot shaft level. They had been in the west drift on the back ledge of the 1,400-foot drift, and from there went through a raise known as the May raise, which is about 1,200 feet from the station.
Colonel Bruback expressed the desire to go up this raise and see how things were looking. Superintendent McSorley advised against his going up, saying that there was nothing new there since Mr. Bruback's last visit, as the rais had not been working, and stated further that he, McSorley, would not be able to go up along with Bruback, as he was suffering from a very lame arm, the result of an accident through striking that member against the timbers in the tunnel while riding out on a truck yesterday morning. Bruback insisted, saying that he would go up but a short distance, and without further conversation started up the raise.
Fall Broke His Neck
Mr. McSorley waited him start and, leaning against the timbers in the tunnel to await the return, heard him going up the ladder until he had gone, so Mr. McSorley states, as near as he could judge, about fifteen feet. For an instant there was a pause, and the next thing Mr. McSorley knew Mr. Burback came plunging head foremost down the raise, his head striking with great force upon the steel rails of the car track, breaking his neck and inflicting several severe cuts on the face and head.
Mr. McSorley hastened back to the west drift, a distance of about 300 feet, where Joe Holland and James Shields were at work, and asked them to come with him at once, that Mr. Bruback was hurt. The two men went with the superintendent and found Mr. Bruback leaning against the timers in a dying condition.
Before Mr. McSorley got back with his men the 3 o'clock relief men going to work in the drift - S. S. Taylor and Charles Hollandcamp - had come upon the scene, and on the return of Mr. McSorley they, with Holland were dispatched as messengers to go on top, telephone for doctors, notify relatives and make ready to convey the injured man from the mouth of the Daly-Judge tunnel, while one man, James Shields, was left behind. About twenty minutes after his fall Colonel Bruback died.
The body was put upon a truck and taken on the cage up 200 feet to the tunnel level, where he was put upon a car and taken out to the mouth of the tunnel, from which place he was brought by team to the undertaking parlors of J. H. Richardson, where the coroner's jury, composed of Louis Carpenter, James McDonald and E. J. Beggs, viewed the remains. An inquest will be held on Saturday at 3 o'clock. All evening the undertaking parlors were besieged by crowds of people anxious to view the remains, as Colonel Bruback was very well known here.
Cause of the Accident
The real cause of the accident will never be known, yet two theories are advanced as to the probable cause. The first is that Mr. Bruback was subject to periodical dizzy spells, and while on his way up the ladder had become faint and had lost his hold and fallen. The other is that the deceased was knocked off the ladder by striking his head against a bulkhead in the raise. To some the latter theory seems to be more reasonable, as the raise is a wet one and the ladder is slippery, and every ten feet a bulkhead is put in to keep the rock from falling down upon the track. The raise not having been worked for some time, rock enough had slipped out of the side and fallen upon the door floor of the first bulkhead to hold it down, and Mr. Bruback, forgetting thre presence of the bulkhead, in his hurry struck his head, and owing to the slippery condition of the raise, lost his hold upon the ladder rung and fell. A large cut and bruise on the top of the dead man's head seem to bear out this supposition.
The body was taken to Salt Lake City this evening by Superintendent John McSorley on a special train, which left over the Rio Grande Western at 8:30.
Body Arrives in City
Friends Meet it at the Depot-Sketch of Colonel Bruback's Career
The special train bearing the remains of Colonel Theodore Bruback reached Salt Lake at 90:35 o'clock last night. Accompanying the body was John McSorley, superintendent of the Daly-Judge, who was with Colonel Bruback at the time the accident happened. The body was met at the Rio Grande depot by a number of friends of the deceased and stockholders of the Daly-Judge Mine, among them W. S. McCornick, Thomas Weir and others. Undertaker S. D. Evans took charge of the remains and will arrange for the funeral.
The news of the accident was conveyed to Mrs. Bruback by Rev. Elmer I. Goshen, at the request of W. S. McCornick and W. M. Bradley, Mrs. Bruback bore up bravely at first, but later broke down completely.
Colonel Theodore Bruback received his military tittle from the hands of Governor Heber M. Wells, who appointed him Lieutenant colonel on his staff. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and spent his early life in that state. He was educated in the common and high schools of Allegheny county, Pa., and graduated from the Iron City college in 1866. His family were originally natives of Alsace-Lorraine. His father came to America when but a boy, from Bruback, a small town in his native province, named after the family. The father amassed a fortune in the iron business in Pittsburgh. The colonel's mother, Anna Kunigunda Deitrich, was also of German extraction.
Upon the completeion of his education Colonel Bruback assisted in the development of the Pennsylvania oil fields. In 1877 he came west to Wyoming, engaging in the stock and mining business. He located and developed the Sun Rise and Blue Jay mines, which he successfully operated many years. In 1885 Colonel Bruback came to Salt Lake City and became interested in the mining possibilities of Utah, and in addition to his mining properties secured holdings in railroads.
A year after his arrival in Utah he secured control of the Sanpete railroad, which was constructed in 1882. He was elected president, and made it a standard gauge line. He built a branch to the Morrison coal mines, and later built another to the brown stone quarries at Mount Nebo. At the same time Colonel Bruback acquired mining interests in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
One of the notable mining achievements of the colonel in Utah was his opening and development of the coal mines on Six Mile creek, in Sanpete county, owned by the Sterling Coal & Coke company at that time. The mines are located at the terminal of the Sanpete Valley road. They were discovered in 1890, and three years later came under the control of Colonel Bruback. To properly work them it was found necessary to run a tunnel 60-0 feet below the surface to tap the vein. The bore, 8x8 feet, was driven 2,060 feet. The grade permits a perfect drainage of the workings.
Ever since his coming to Utah Colonel Bruback has always been more or less interested in various mining enterprises. He would either assist in the development of properties by interesting eastern capital, or would open them himself, as he did lode claims in Wyoming, disposing of them to investors. He was a constant holder of stocks in many properties throughout the state. It has been said that at one time he was one of the largest, if not the heaviest, stockholder in the Daly-West mine, but relinquished his holdings some time ago. At the time of his death he was a large holder of Daly-Judge stock.
Colonel Bruback was married, in Westfield, N. Y., in 1886, to Miss Jessie White McLane, daughter of Colonel J. H. McLane of Erie county, Pa., and has two children, Theodore and Jessie Elizabeth.
In political affairs Colonel Bruback was a believer in the principals of the Republican party. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The colonel owned his success in life entirely to his own efforts, and the position which he occupied in Utah at the time of his death was the result of his untiring energy and application. His administrative and executive abilities made successful many of his enterprises, with the result that while he might not be considered a wealthy man, he was comfortably well off.
Inspectors Passed Him
Colonel Bruback's Story of How He Got Through Custom House
Colonel Bruback was fond of good stories. He liked to hear them and he liked to tell them. One of his favorite tales was in regard to his return from Europe on one occasion.
"When the steamer arrived at the dock," he said, "I was in a hurry to get through with the customs officers because I had some business uptown that I wanted to transact before leaving for the west. In the faint hope of expediting matters I handed the chief customs inspector my card. It read, 'Theodore Bruback, President Sanpete Valley Railway.' My astonishment was great when the inspector bowed low.
" 'Here you,' he said to one of his men, 'this is Mr. Bruback, president of the Santa Fe railway. You needn't examine his baggage. Let it go right along.' Then to me: 'Oh, that's all right, Mr. Bruback. Our people are always glad to accommodate the high officials of our big railway systems.' I didn't stop to explain that I was president of a little bit of a road in a Utah county, and not of the Santa Fe system."
The Salt Lake Herald
February 20, 1904
Page 8
Bruback Funeral Private-The funeral of Colonel Theodore Bruback, who was killed in the Daly-Judge mine at Park City Thursday afternoon by falling from a ladder in a raise, will take place Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the family residence, 147 East Brigham street, it will be private. The remains will be placed in the Masonic vault in Mt. Olivet cemetery preparatory to being shipped east for interment.
The Salt Lake Herald
February 19, 1904
Falls To His Death In Mine
Colonel Theodore Bruback Meets With Fatal Accident
Tragedy in the Daly-Judge
Was Making Inspection Of The Property At Time
Park City, Feb. 18-At 3 o'clock this afternoon Colonel Theodore Bruback of Salt Lake City fell from a ladder in a raise in the Daly-Judge mine and received injuries from which he died twenty minutes later.
Colonel Bruback came up from Salt Lake City this morning and went at once to the Daly-Judge mine where, after having dinner about 1 o'clock, he and Superintendent John McSorley started on a tour of inspection through the mine. Colonel Bruback, who at one time was one of the heaviest stockholders in the property, has not been in Park City for several months, and was at this time making a very close inspection of the progress made in the mine since his last visit here.
Inspecting The Mine
The two men had gone through the workings on the tunnel level and above it in a very thorough way, and from this point went by the cage to the 1,4000-foot shaft level. They had been in the west drift on the back ledge of the 1,400-foot drift, and from there went through a raise known as the May raise, which is about 1,200 feet from the station.
Colonel Bruback expressed the desire to go up this raise and see how things were looking. Superintendent McSorley advised against his going up, saying that there was nothing new there since Mr. Bruback's last visit, as the rais had not been working, and stated further that he, McSorley, would not be able to go up along with Bruback, as he was suffering from a very lame arm, the result of an accident through striking that member against the timbers in the tunnel while riding out on a truck yesterday morning. Bruback insisted, saying that he would go up but a short distance, and without further conversation started up the raise.
Fall Broke His Neck
Mr. McSorley waited him start and, leaning against the timbers in the tunnel to await the return, heard him going up the ladder until he had gone, so Mr. McSorley states, as near as he could judge, about fifteen feet. For an instant there was a pause, and the next thing Mr. McSorley knew Mr. Burback came plunging head foremost down the raise, his head striking with great force upon the steel rails of the car track, breaking his neck and inflicting several severe cuts on the face and head.
Mr. McSorley hastened back to the west drift, a distance of about 300 feet, where Joe Holland and James Shields were at work, and asked them to come with him at once, that Mr. Bruback was hurt. The two men went with the superintendent and found Mr. Bruback leaning against the timers in a dying condition.
Before Mr. McSorley got back with his men the 3 o'clock relief men going to work in the drift - S. S. Taylor and Charles Hollandcamp - had come upon the scene, and on the return of Mr. McSorley they, with Holland were dispatched as messengers to go on top, telephone for doctors, notify relatives and make ready to convey the injured man from the mouth of the Daly-Judge tunnel, while one man, James Shields, was left behind. About twenty minutes after his fall Colonel Bruback died.
The body was put upon a truck and taken on the cage up 200 feet to the tunnel level, where he was put upon a car and taken out to the mouth of the tunnel, from which place he was brought by team to the undertaking parlors of J. H. Richardson, where the coroner's jury, composed of Louis Carpenter, James McDonald and E. J. Beggs, viewed the remains. An inquest will be held on Saturday at 3 o'clock. All evening the undertaking parlors were besieged by crowds of people anxious to view the remains, as Colonel Bruback was very well known here.
Cause of the Accident
The real cause of the accident will never be known, yet two theories are advanced as to the probable cause. The first is that Mr. Bruback was subject to periodical dizzy spells, and while on his way up the ladder had become faint and had lost his hold and fallen. The other is that the deceased was knocked off the ladder by striking his head against a bulkhead in the raise. To some the latter theory seems to be more reasonable, as the raise is a wet one and the ladder is slippery, and every ten feet a bulkhead is put in to keep the rock from falling down upon the track. The raise not having been worked for some time, rock enough had slipped out of the side and fallen upon the door floor of the first bulkhead to hold it down, and Mr. Bruback, forgetting thre presence of the bulkhead, in his hurry struck his head, and owing to the slippery condition of the raise, lost his hold upon the ladder rung and fell. A large cut and bruise on the top of the dead man's head seem to bear out this supposition.
The body was taken to Salt Lake City this evening by Superintendent John McSorley on a special train, which left over the Rio Grande Western at 8:30.
Body Arrives in City
Friends Meet it at the Depot-Sketch of Colonel Bruback's Career
The special train bearing the remains of Colonel Theodore Bruback reached Salt Lake at 90:35 o'clock last night. Accompanying the body was John McSorley, superintendent of the Daly-Judge, who was with Colonel Bruback at the time the accident happened. The body was met at the Rio Grande depot by a number of friends of the deceased and stockholders of the Daly-Judge Mine, among them W. S. McCornick, Thomas Weir and others. Undertaker S. D. Evans took charge of the remains and will arrange for the funeral.
The news of the accident was conveyed to Mrs. Bruback by Rev. Elmer I. Goshen, at the request of W. S. McCornick and W. M. Bradley, Mrs. Bruback bore up bravely at first, but later broke down completely.
Colonel Theodore Bruback received his military tittle from the hands of Governor Heber M. Wells, who appointed him Lieutenant colonel on his staff. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and spent his early life in that state. He was educated in the common and high schools of Allegheny county, Pa., and graduated from the Iron City college in 1866. His family were originally natives of Alsace-Lorraine. His father came to America when but a boy, from Bruback, a small town in his native province, named after the family. The father amassed a fortune in the iron business in Pittsburgh. The colonel's mother, Anna Kunigunda Deitrich, was also of German extraction.
Upon the completeion of his education Colonel Bruback assisted in the development of the Pennsylvania oil fields. In 1877 he came west to Wyoming, engaging in the stock and mining business. He located and developed the Sun Rise and Blue Jay mines, which he successfully operated many years. In 1885 Colonel Bruback came to Salt Lake City and became interested in the mining possibilities of Utah, and in addition to his mining properties secured holdings in railroads.
A year after his arrival in Utah he secured control of the Sanpete railroad, which was constructed in 1882. He was elected president, and made it a standard gauge line. He built a branch to the Morrison coal mines, and later built another to the brown stone quarries at Mount Nebo. At the same time Colonel Bruback acquired mining interests in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
One of the notable mining achievements of the colonel in Utah was his opening and development of the coal mines on Six Mile creek, in Sanpete county, owned by the Sterling Coal & Coke company at that time. The mines are located at the terminal of the Sanpete Valley road. They were discovered in 1890, and three years later came under the control of Colonel Bruback. To properly work them it was found necessary to run a tunnel 60-0 feet below the surface to tap the vein. The bore, 8x8 feet, was driven 2,060 feet. The grade permits a perfect drainage of the workings.
Ever since his coming to Utah Colonel Bruback has always been more or less interested in various mining enterprises. He would either assist in the development of properties by interesting eastern capital, or would open them himself, as he did lode claims in Wyoming, disposing of them to investors. He was a constant holder of stocks in many properties throughout the state. It has been said that at one time he was one of the largest, if not the heaviest, stockholder in the Daly-West mine, but relinquished his holdings some time ago. At the time of his death he was a large holder of Daly-Judge stock.
Colonel Bruback was married, in Westfield, N. Y., in 1886, to Miss Jessie White McLane, daughter of Colonel J. H. McLane of Erie county, Pa., and has two children, Theodore and Jessie Elizabeth.
In political affairs Colonel Bruback was a believer in the principals of the Republican party. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The colonel owned his success in life entirely to his own efforts, and the position which he occupied in Utah at the time of his death was the result of his untiring energy and application. His administrative and executive abilities made successful many of his enterprises, with the result that while he might not be considered a wealthy man, he was comfortably well off.
Inspectors Passed Him
Colonel Bruback's Story of How He Got Through Custom House
Colonel Bruback was fond of good stories. He liked to hear them and he liked to tell them. One of his favorite tales was in regard to his return from Europe on one occasion.
"When the steamer arrived at the dock," he said, "I was in a hurry to get through with the customs officers because I had some business uptown that I wanted to transact before leaving for the west. In the faint hope of expediting matters I handed the chief customs inspector my card. It read, 'Theodore Bruback, President Sanpete Valley Railway.' My astonishment was great when the inspector bowed low.
" 'Here you,' he said to one of his men, 'this is Mr. Bruback, president of the Santa Fe railway. You needn't examine his baggage. Let it go right along.' Then to me: 'Oh, that's all right, Mr. Bruback. Our people are always glad to accommodate the high officials of our big railway systems.' I didn't stop to explain that I was president of a little bit of a road in a Utah county, and not of the Santa Fe system."
The Salt Lake Herald
February 20, 1904
Page 8
Bruback Funeral Private-The funeral of Colonel Theodore Bruback, who was killed in the Daly-Judge mine at Park City Thursday afternoon by falling from a ladder in a raise, will take place Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the family residence, 147 East Brigham street, it will be private. The remains will be placed in the Masonic vault in Mt. Olivet cemetery preparatory to being shipped east for interment.
February 19, 1904
Falls To His Death In Mine
Colonel Theodore Bruback Meets With Fatal Accident
Tragedy in the Daly-Judge
Was Making Inspection Of The Property At Time
Park City, Feb. 18-At 3 o'clock this afternoon Colonel Theodore Bruback of Salt Lake City fell from a ladder in a raise in the Daly-Judge mine and received injuries from which he died twenty minutes later.
Colonel Bruback came up from Salt Lake City this morning and went at once to the Daly-Judge mine where, after having dinner about 1 o'clock, he and Superintendent John McSorley started on a tour of inspection through the mine. Colonel Bruback, who at one time was one of the heaviest stockholders in the property, has not been in Park City for several months, and was at this time making a very close inspection of the progress made in the mine since his last visit here.
Inspecting The Mine
The two men had gone through the workings on the tunnel level and above it in a very thorough way, and from this point went by the cage to the 1,4000-foot shaft level. They had been in the west drift on the back ledge of the 1,400-foot drift, and from there went through a raise known as the May raise, which is about 1,200 feet from the station.
Colonel Bruback expressed the desire to go up this raise and see how things were looking. Superintendent McSorley advised against his going up, saying that there was nothing new there since Mr. Bruback's last visit, as the rais had not been working, and stated further that he, McSorley, would not be able to go up along with Bruback, as he was suffering from a very lame arm, the result of an accident through striking that member against the timbers in the tunnel while riding out on a truck yesterday morning. Bruback insisted, saying that he would go up but a short distance, and without further conversation started up the raise.
Fall Broke His Neck
Mr. McSorley waited him start and, leaning against the timbers in the tunnel to await the return, heard him going up the ladder until he had gone, so Mr. McSorley states, as near as he could judge, about fifteen feet. For an instant there was a pause, and the next thing Mr. McSorley knew Mr. Burback came plunging head foremost down the raise, his head striking with great force upon the steel rails of the car track, breaking his neck and inflicting several severe cuts on the face and head.
Mr. McSorley hastened back to the west drift, a distance of about 300 feet, where Joe Holland and James Shields were at work, and asked them to come with him at once, that Mr. Bruback was hurt. The two men went with the superintendent and found Mr. Bruback leaning against the timers in a dying condition.
Before Mr. McSorley got back with his men the 3 o'clock relief men going to work in the drift - S. S. Taylor and Charles Hollandcamp - had come upon the scene, and on the return of Mr. McSorley they, with Holland were dispatched as messengers to go on top, telephone for doctors, notify relatives and make ready to convey the injured man from the mouth of the Daly-Judge tunnel, while one man, James Shields, was left behind. About twenty minutes after his fall Colonel Bruback died.
The body was put upon a truck and taken on the cage up 200 feet to the tunnel level, where he was put upon a car and taken out to the mouth of the tunnel, from which place he was brought by team to the undertaking parlors of J. H. Richardson, where the coroner's jury, composed of Louis Carpenter, James McDonald and E. J. Beggs, viewed the remains. An inquest will be held on Saturday at 3 o'clock. All evening the undertaking parlors were besieged by crowds of people anxious to view the remains, as Colonel Bruback was very well known here.
Cause of the Accident
The real cause of the accident will never be known, yet two theories are advanced as to the probable cause. The first is that Mr. Bruback was subject to periodical dizzy spells, and while on his way up the ladder had become faint and had lost his hold and fallen. The other is that the deceased was knocked off the ladder by striking his head against a bulkhead in the raise. To some the latter theory seems to be more reasonable, as the raise is a wet one and the ladder is slippery, and every ten feet a bulkhead is put in to keep the rock from falling down upon the track. The raise not having been worked for some time, rock enough had slipped out of the side and fallen upon the door floor of the first bulkhead to hold it down, and Mr. Bruback, forgetting thre presence of the bulkhead, in his hurry struck his head, and owing to the slippery condition of the raise, lost his hold upon the ladder rung and fell. A large cut and bruise on the top of the dead man's head seem to bear out this supposition.
The body was taken to Salt Lake City this evening by Superintendent John McSorley on a special train, which left over the Rio Grande Western at 8:30.
Body Arrives in City
Friends Meet it at the Depot-Sketch of Colonel Bruback's Career
The special train bearing the remains of Colonel Theodore Bruback reached Salt Lake at 90:35 o'clock last night. Accompanying the body was John McSorley, superintendent of the Daly-Judge, who was with Colonel Bruback at the time the accident happened. The body was met at the Rio Grande depot by a number of friends of the deceased and stockholders of the Daly-Judge Mine, among them W. S. McCornick, Thomas Weir and others. Undertaker S. D. Evans took charge of the remains and will arrange for the funeral.
The news of the accident was conveyed to Mrs. Bruback by Rev. Elmer I. Goshen, at the request of W. S. McCornick and W. M. Bradley, Mrs. Bruback bore up bravely at first, but later broke down completely.
Colonel Theodore Bruback received his military tittle from the hands of Governor Heber M. Wells, who appointed him Lieutenant colonel on his staff. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and spent his early life in that state. He was educated in the common and high schools of Allegheny county, Pa., and graduated from the Iron City college in 1866. His family were originally natives of Alsace-Lorraine. His father came to America when but a boy, from Bruback, a small town in his native province, named after the family. The father amassed a fortune in the iron business in Pittsburgh. The colonel's mother, Anna Kunigunda Deitrich, was also of German extraction.
Upon the completeion of his education Colonel Bruback assisted in the development of the Pennsylvania oil fields. In 1877 he came west to Wyoming, engaging in the stock and mining business. He located and developed the Sun Rise and Blue Jay mines, which he successfully operated many years. In 1885 Colonel Bruback came to Salt Lake City and became interested in the mining possibilities of Utah, and in addition to his mining properties secured holdings in railroads.
A year after his arrival in Utah he secured control of the Sanpete railroad, which was constructed in 1882. He was elected president, and made it a standard gauge line. He built a branch to the Morrison coal mines, and later built another to the brown stone quarries at Mount Nebo. At the same time Colonel Bruback acquired mining interests in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
One of the notable mining achievements of the colonel in Utah was his opening and development of the coal mines on Six Mile creek, in Sanpete county, owned by the Sterling Coal & Coke company at that time. The mines are located at the terminal of the Sanpete Valley road. They were discovered in 1890, and three years later came under the control of Colonel Bruback. To properly work them it was found necessary to run a tunnel 60-0 feet below the surface to tap the vein. The bore, 8x8 feet, was driven 2,060 feet. The grade permits a perfect drainage of the workings.
Ever since his coming to Utah Colonel Bruback has always been more or less interested in various mining enterprises. He would either assist in the development of properties by interesting eastern capital, or would open them himself, as he did lode claims in Wyoming, disposing of them to investors. He was a constant holder of stocks in many properties throughout the state. It has been said that at one time he was one of the largest, if not the heaviest, stockholder in the Daly-West mine, but relinquished his holdings some time ago. At the time of his death he was a large holder of Daly-Judge stock.
Colonel Bruback was married, in Westfield, N. Y., in 1886, to Miss Jessie White McLane, daughter of Colonel J. H. McLane of Erie county, Pa., and has two children, Theodore and Jessie Elizabeth.
In political affairs Colonel Bruback was a believer in the principals of the Republican party. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The colonel owned his success in life entirely to his own efforts, and the position which he occupied in Utah at the time of his death was the result of his untiring energy and application. His administrative and executive abilities made successful many of his enterprises, with the result that while he might not be considered a wealthy man, he was comfortably well off.
Inspectors Passed Him
Colonel Bruback's Story of How He Got Through Custom House
Colonel Bruback was fond of good stories. He liked to hear them and he liked to tell them. One of his favorite tales was in regard to his return from Europe on one occasion.
"When the steamer arrived at the dock," he said, "I was in a hurry to get through with the customs officers because I had some business uptown that I wanted to transact before leaving for the west. In the faint hope of expediting matters I handed the chief customs inspector my card. It read, 'Theodore Bruback, President Sanpete Valley Railway.' My astonishment was great when the inspector bowed low.
" 'Here you,' he said to one of his men, 'this is Mr. Bruback, president of the Santa Fe railway. You needn't examine his baggage. Let it go right along.' Then to me: 'Oh, that's all right, Mr. Bruback. Our people are always glad to accommodate the high officials of our big railway systems.' I didn't stop to explain that I was president of a little bit of a road in a Utah county, and not of the Santa Fe system."
The Salt Lake Herald
February 20, 1904
Page 8
Bruback Funeral Private-The funeral of Colonel Theodore Bruback, who was killed in the Daly-Judge mine at Park City Thursday afternoon by falling from a ladder in a raise, will take place Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the family residence, 147 East Brigham street, it will be private. The remains will be placed in the Masonic vault in Mt. Olivet cemetery preparatory to being shipped east for interment.
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