Harry E. Chrisman, former Liberal author and historian, donated a large collection of his writings, photographs, and other items to Liberal Memorial Library for the purpose of research. This database searches the contents of the Chrisman Collection.

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CallNo: D9-F2f1
Descriptive Title: Old Cowboy Ed Wright on horse			Type: Document
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 5 1/4 x 8"			Condition:
Text: about the author Ed Wright in my opinion ... [copy of document attached]
Misc Info: Has picture of Ed Wright on a horse. It was from a book dust jacket. Was in manila envelope. There are three of these.
Subject:	cowboys Ed Wright rodeo clown pardners Cheyenne Frontier Days Wyoming buckaroo Barnum and Bailey Circus T. Joe Cahill Gene Fowler Red Fenwick Denver Post All-Round Wold Championship Plano, Illinois Duarte, California horse trainer		Related to:	E5-F2f1 P2-F2f1 D1-F2f1 through D9-F2f1 C6-F2f1 E6-F2f1 NC6-F2f1 L10-F2f1
Other:

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CallNo: L4-Fb5
Descriptive Title: letter about Pat and Mildred Chrisman			Type: Letter
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/2"			Condition: very good
Text: [letterhead] the World of Rodeo and Western Heritage P.O. Box 660 Billings, Montana 59103 . (406) 245-2313 [letter] Mark - Your pic and neg rec this AM give neg to mu Daughter who is into Photographer in school and she made me a pic. Thanks much ole Buddy - ... Stay well kid and Minnie too. showing like hell and I'll rush over and get this fine pic back on bedground. Adios R.r. [top, handwritten] Re. Pat Chrisman & Mildred (Douglas) Chrisman [bottom of letter] dedicated to the advancement of rodeo and preservation of western heritage [accompanying letter on same letterhead] Ore N. (Pat) Chrisman was born on his Fathers Homestead north of Gerinmo Okla. Terr. in 1890 ... I have written Mildreds Bio for Wold of Rodeo. R.R.
Misc Info: Response to L3-F1a; letter to unknown person from unknown person; all typed except Re: at top of page; on business letterhead.
Subject:	Ore N. (Pat) Chrisman Mildred Chrisman animal trainer Lawton, Oklahoma Great Plains Museum Smootsy Bliss, Oklahoma Miller Bros 101 Wild West tight wire WOR (World of Rodeo) The World of Rodeo and Western Heritage Oklahoma territory billy goats Vaudeville leopard cowboy Tom Mix California Mixville Studios		Related to:	L2-F1a L3-F1a
Other:

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CallNo: N126-B1b
Descriptive Title: Train crossing the plains			Type: Negative
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 4 x 5			Condition: very good
Text: [at bottom of negative] 82 Kodak
Misc Info: Positive image on negative paper. A train is moving through a town in the background. There is a field and dirt road on the picture. Train's engine is billowing smoke.
Subject:	train railroad tracks train engine smoke town church steeple plains dirt road crops		Related to:	P525 C19 C20
Other:	Color image.

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CallNo: P11-B1b1			larger image
Descriptive Title: Rock Island Train and workers			Type: Print
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 5 1/8 x 7 1/16			Condition: good
Text: [front] Jim Miller Ed Campbell (in cab) Mexican laborers O.B. Wimmer on tender [back] Jim Miller lived at Liberal, Kansas when he won this Carnegie medal for trying to rescue man and boy buried in cesspool. HEC 6 [6 is circled] Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver Colo. 80125 [back note] Harry: I wrote Geo. Miller asking if he wanted this old picture of his father, and he didn't mention it in his reply, so guess he didn't. It would be worthy preserving in museum, because he's (Jim Miller) the one who got the Carnegie Medal for trying to rescue those w men buried in cave-in. I had the complete acct. in Times not too long ago. -- Maurine
Misc Info: Four men in front of engine No. 1442. Attached car 1442 (both of Rock Island Railroad) sits in front of elevator. Car has load of rock or some other material (tender?)
Subject:	Rock Island Railroad train Jim Miller Ed Campbed O.B. Wimmer Mexican laborers elevator train track tender Carnegie Medal railroad cars railroad engine No. 1442 Liberal Kansas George Miller Southwest Daily Times		Related to:
Other:	Note says the photo is from Maurine, possible Maurine Tate? Photo is in a mat/frame. Frame is 7 7/8 x 9 15/16"

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CallNo: P14-B1b2			larger image
Descriptive Title: Passenger train			Type: Print
Date of Origin:			Provenance:Southwest Daily Times
Size: 8 x 10			Condition: good
Text: [back note] "The Last Highball." Here the news photographer catches the last passenger train as she gets ready to leave Liberal, Kansas. The "no seats available" policy finally ended passenger service to this busy southwest Kansas town. Photo by Joe Cannon, Southwest Daily Times. 25 40 75% [back] 25 [25 is circled] Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215
Misc Info: Railroad worker stands beside passenger train with one arm raised and hand pointing toward depot in background. Worker is in shadow.
Subject:	Passenger train railroad workers depot building cars old wagon Liberal Kansas The Last Highball train track light poles Joe Cannon Southwest Daily Times		Related to:
Other:	Photo has stains on back. Photo has tape on top back.

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CallNo: P15-A3b1			larger image
Descriptive Title: Rock Island Railroad Depot			Type: Print
Date of Origin: 1890s			Provenance:Private Collection -- Maurine and Crompton Tate
Size: 4 11/16 x 6 5/8			Condition: good
Text: [front] Don't mark photo! [back] Reduce photo to 4 x 2 3/4" [back note 1] Copy G-3 The Rock Island railway depot was one of the fine buildings in Liberal. A fine masonry building was at the east end, where the group stands. Photo courtesy Maurine and Crompton Tate. [back note 2] Harry: Crompton said to give his copy of the picture to the museum, too. Mrs. Watson Rogers at Rock Island (granddaughter of the McDermotts) said she might be able to identify some of the people from old pictures she has. -- Maurine Return photo to Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215 [on building] Liberal Lunch, cigars and tobacco Hotel Lunch Lunchroom
Misc Info: Three men and seven women stand in front of Rock Island Depot in Liberal, KS.
Subject:	Rock Island Railroad Depot Liberal Kansas men women McDermott's Hotel Dining Room Greer House Maurine and Cromptom Tate train tracks wooden deck flags Depot fire cart Mrs. Watson Rogers		Related to:
Other:	Photo is on carboard mat/frame. Frame is 6 15/16 x 8 15/16"

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CallNo: P25-C1c			larger image
Descriptive Title: Blizzard of 1957			Type: Print
Date of Origin: 1957			Provenance:
Size: 8 1/16 x 10			Condition: very good
Text: [front] ROCK ISLAND GOLDEN[S] [back] 24 ; 36 [36 is circled] ; [stamp] HARRY E. CHRISMAN 10245 W 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215 ; [photo has lines drawn on back]
Misc Info: Snow drifts almost as high as train. Three people stand in train entrance; one standing on snowdrift; more people in background on snow.
Subject:	snow drifts Rock Island Train Golden [s] people Liberal area telephone poles fences		Related to:
Other:	Photo has stains on back. Photo has tape on top back.

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CallNo: P263-F2a4			larger image
Descriptive Title: Railroad and crowd of people			Type: Print
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 6 3/4 x 9 7/16			Condition: good
Text: [back] 5 col "Four" [stamp] HARRY E. CHRISMAN LANE D. APT. 74 BLUEBONNET COURTS LIBERAL, KANSAS
Misc Info: Photo is of a huge group of people standing between a train and a railroad track. There are buildings behind the train. There is one automobile in the left side of photo and horse and buggys on the right side of photo. There is a man standing on the rail of the track. There are people on the train. There are electric or telephone poles by the buildings.
Subject:	railroad train train crowd people car Automobile Buildings Horses Wagons Poles		Related to:
Other:

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CallNo: P3-B1b			larger image
Descriptive Title: Orange train wreck			Type: Print
Date of Origin: 1902			Provenance:Chrisman Collection - private
Size: 4 9/16 x 6 5/16			Condition: fair
Text: [front] An other picture of the orange train wreck. [back note] In 1902 the engine of one train crashed into the caboose of a fruit train. Oranges were scattered all over the tracks at Liberal, KS. Dr. J.C. Watkins was obliged to use an axe in cutting a trainman's leg off to extract him from the wreckage near the boiler. The man was deadheading back to his home. Dr. Watkins later lived at Harlingen Texas. Photo from Chrisman Collection. 8 24 65 % [on back] Train wreck on Chi & Rock Island at Liberal, Kansas, circa 1902. Engine of one train hit caboose of second train. Trainman's leg had to be cut off to free him from engine. Several carloads of oranges were scattered [pell mill] over the right-of-way. 8 Harry E. Chrisman Lane D. Apt. 74 Bluebonnet Courts, Liberal, KS Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215
Misc Info: Photo is of a wrecked caboose, train engine. Cars sit on tracks. Crowd gathered, some working on train. Debris and other items litter the ground.
Subject:	orange train caboose train engine gathered crowd debris Liberal, Kansas telephone poles steam from engine train cars Harlingen Texas barrel building train track Dr. J.C. Watkins		Related to:
Other:	Photo is on thick cardboard.

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CallNo: P525-B1b			larger image
Descriptive Title: Train crossing the plains			Type: Print
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 5			Condition: good
Text: [back] Reduce to 2 1/2 x 3" ; THIS PAPER MANUFACTURED BY KODAK ; Please Return to HARRY E. CHRISMAN 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215 [yellow sticky note] 60% .25 [.25 is underlined twice] Back Flap
Misc Info: A train is moving through a town in the background. There is a field and dirt road in the foreground. Train's engine is billowing smoke.
Subject:	train railroad tracks train engine smoke. town church steeple plains dirt road crops		Related to:	N126 C19 C20
Other:	Photo has tape covering address stamp. Photo has ink stains from address stamp.

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CallNo: P71-3b1			larger image
Descriptive Title: Depot at Arkalon, Kansas			Type: Print
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 5 x 7 1/8			Condition: fair
Text: [front] on the [?????] From the Cimarron Flood, May [?] # [?] Arkalon, KAN. [back] 20 (20 is circled) Harry E. Chrisman Lane D, Apt. 74 Bluebonnet Courts Liberal, Kansas. [note] 20 [20 is circled] 24 [24 is circled] Depot at Arkalon, Kansas. The (three x's) faded caption on the picture reads: "on the way back to Liberal, Kansas, from the Cimarron Flood, May 1914, Arkalon, KANS." 60%
Misc Info: Train pulling out of depot. People on a flat car. Train is pulling away from a building behind it. Picture's left top corner is bent.
Subject:	train engine people depot Arkalon, Kansas		Related to:
Other:	Photo has tape on top back.

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CallNo: P72-C2c			larger image
Descriptive Title: train wreck			Type: Print
Date of Origin: July 1919			Provenance:
Size: 5 x 6 7/8			Condition: good
Text: [front] [62 is on a Pole] [back] 15 [15 is circled] ; [there is another circle with scribbles in it] ; Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215 [note] 15 [15 is circled] 24 [24 is circled] In July of 1919, Engine No. 921, Bob Ford and Rex Mathews in the cab, Left the track on the north side as the train they were pulling [following written first and then scribbled out]went over on the south side, killing both men. --- Photos courtesy O.B. Wimmer. 62%
Misc Info: Train on it's side off of track. Track missing in one section. Another train on track behind wreck. 7 men looking at missing tracks. Fence on side. House in background.
Subject:	Train wreck train track men train fence house Engine No. 921 Bob Ford Rex Mathews O.B. Wimmer photo		Related to:	P73-C2c
Other:	Photo is stained on back. Corners were bent.

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CallNo: P73-C2c
Descriptive Title: Train wreck			Type: Print
Date of Origin: July 1919			Provenance:
Size: 5 x 6 15/16"			Condition: fair
Text: [back] B [B is circled, then scribbled out] 16 [16 is circled] Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215. [note] 16 [16 is circled] 24 [right angle drawn] Engine No. 921 rests on her side, the coal she carried in her tender littering the right-of-way. 6[5]% or 6[2]%
Misc Info: Photo is of a picture of a train engine laying on it's side. Coal is spilled out of tender.
Subject:	Engine No. 921 train wreck tender coal		Related to:	P72-C2c
Other:	Photo is stained on back. Photo has tape on top back. Corners were bent.

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CallNo: P80-A1a			larger image
Descriptive Title: Sacajawea Memorial Ceremony			Type: Print
Date of Origin: February 25, 1970			Provenance:
Size: 3 1/8 x 4 7/8			Condition: very good
Text: [front] [?] Sacagawea Memorial tablet. Three Forks, Mont., Oct. 2, 1914 [back] Frame No. 22 Copied Fairfield Foto Film Date Feb. 25 1970
Misc Info: Photo is of a crowd gathering around marker in Three Forks, Mont. Train is coming through town in background. There are automobiles and horse drawn carriages in the photo. Buildings and electric or phone poles are visable.
Subject:	Sacajawea Memorial Marker gathered crowd Three Forks, Montana buggies cars horses buildings silo telephone poles houses train mountains		Related to:
Other:

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CallNo: PC1-C2c			larger image
Descriptive Title: Two train engines wreck			Type: Postcard
Date of Origin: April 19, 1922			Provenance:private collection - O.B. Wimmer
Size: 3 1/2 x 5 1/2			Condition: fair
Text: [back] Correspondence Place Stamp Here Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215; Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215 [back note 1] These are the engines that were in the wreck between Kismet and Plains, Kans., killing both engineers, Phillip Frick and Charles Wideman. In the year April 19 - 1922 out of the two crews of 5 men. Each their is only one man still alive he is Tom Shook who lives in Pratt, Ks. now retired. [back note 2] On the reverse of this photo, my friend, O.B. Wimmer wrote: "These are the two engines in the wreck between Kismet and Plains, Kansas. Both engineers, Phillip Frick and Charles Weideman were killed. Date was April 19, 1922. Of the two crews, only Tom Shook is still living - now at Pratt, Kansas." - Photo courtesy O.B. Wimmer. (sentence underlined) 10 (circled) 24 (circled) 77%
Misc Info: Two train engines collided - note one engine is No. 1230 T18
Subject:	two train engines Kismet, Kansas Plains, Kansas Phillip Frick Charles Weideman engine number 1230 T18 O.B. Wimmer train wreck Tom Shook Pratt, Kansas		Related to:
Other:

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CallNo: PC2-C2c			larger image
Descriptive Title: Freight train wreck			Type: Postcard
Date of Origin: 8/13/38			Provenance:private collection - Turtle Studio, Liberal KS
Size: 3 1/2 x 5 1/2			Condition: good
Text: [front] Wrecked freight train on R.I. RR at Arkalon Bridge - 8-18-38. Engine 5036. Cost $115,000. Wt. 733200 lbs. Power 67000 Drawbar. Booster 70000 lbs. Turtle Studio. 28 [back] Post Card Turtle Studio Kodak Finishing and Gift Shoppe Liberal, Kans. 14 S. Kans. Ave. Correspondence. Address. Place Stamp Here. Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215 [back note] Oil tankers and box cars were piled up like children's toys when Engine 5036 (cost $115,000; wt. 73,320 lbs) plunged through the bridge on flood-swollen Cimarron River. Turtle Studio, Liberal, Kansas photo. (sentence underlined) 32 (circled) 24 75%
Misc Info: Oil tanker, box car and engine wreck on bridge. Debris and cars in river.
Subject:	freight train oil tanker box car - NYC 181306 Arkalon bridge Cimarron River Rock Island railroad Engine 5036 Turtle Studio box cars oil tanker GATX6538 Kodak finishing trees debris oil tanker 5340 Liberal, Kansas		Related to:
Other:

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CallNo: PC3-C2c			larger image
Descriptive Title: Freight train wreck			Type: Postcard
Date of Origin: July or August 18, 1938			Provenance:private collection - Turtle Studio, Liberal KS
Size: 3 1/2 x 6 1/2			Condition: good
Text: [front] Wrecked freight train on R.I. RR at Arkalon Bridge 8-18-38. Engine 5036. Cost $115,000. Wt. 733200 lbs. Power 67000 Drawbar Booster 70000 lbs. Turtle Studio. 21. [back] Post Card Turtle Studio Kodak Finishing and Gift Shoppe Liberal, Kans. 14 S. Kansas Ave. Correspondence. Address. Place Stamp Here. 34 (circled) 75% Harry E. Chisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215. [back note] 34 (circled) 24 Engineer Walter Walker rode old Engine 5036 into the Cimarron when floods caused the bridge to give way, July 18, 1938.
Misc Info: Cranes pull engine from train wreckage. People look on from bridge, ground below.
Subject:	train wreckage Arkalon bridge Walter Walker train engine railroad ties two cranes Rock Island Railroad workers Engine 5036 Cimarron River people Turtle Studio Liberal, Kansas Kodak Finishing		Related to:
Other:

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CallNo: PC44-C2c			larger image
Descriptive Title: Engine 5036			Type: Postcard
Date of Origin:			Provenance:
Size: 3 1/2 x 5 1/2			Condition:
Text: [back] Post Card; Correspondence; [Tartto] Studio; Kodak finishing and Gift Shoppe Liberal, Kans 14 S. Kans Ave; AZO; Place Stamp Here; Harry E. Chrisman 10245 W. 14th Ave. Denver, Colo. 80215 [two stamps] 35 (circled in red ink). [note - handwritten] Walter Walker engineer (smeared) ..... Brakeman Holder that went down in this wreck still live in Pratt Walker is [?] Holder is still working Fireman Powell died several years ago, I do not know about the rest of the crew [note - typed, put in seperate sleeve] Back at the yards, she had the appearance of a male Peacock that had shed its tail, when Engine 5036 was resurrected from her watery grave. ---- Photos courtesy O.B. Wimmer. (sentence underlined) 35 (circled in red ink) 24 75% [front of post card] Engine 5036 Raised from Cimmeron river after R.I.R.R. Freight wreck. 8-18-38. Weight 733200 Power 67000. Draw Bar booster 70000 LBS. Cost 115,000.00 Yurile Stv ---
Misc Info: Picture of a train engine that is beat up. Building behind it and man standing in front of it.
Subject:	Train wreck Cimarron River RI RR freight train O.B. Wimmer Walter Walker engineer brakeman holder Pratt, Kansas fireman Powell		Related to:
Other:	Typed note in seperate sleeve same #.

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