Mears filigree pass at Ridgway museum

The Ridgway Railroad Museum has just placed a significant new exhibit on display - an 1892 Otto Mears silver filigree pass issued for free travel on Mears' Rio Grande Southern and Silverton Railroads. Fewer than 600 of these passes were made by S. Spitz, a skilled jeweler on the south side of the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico who specialized in top quality Mexican filigree work. In addition to the silver passes, Mears had Spitz make three from solid gold.

Given by Mears to friends, supporters, business partners, political associates and other prominent railroad businessmen, these passes are highly prized today. Each pass is highly ornate, with finely braided silver wires overlain with lettering for the Rio Grande Southern and Silverton Railroads, Otto Mears' signature, the year, and the number of the pass and name of the person to whom it was issued. The pass on display, No. 483, was issued to Kate L. Benton, the daughter of William Henry Benton, owner of the narrow gauge Benton Bellefontaine Railway Company of St. Louis, Missouri.

"We are so fortunate to be able to display this significant piece of Ouray County's unique narrow gauge railroad history," said museum president Karl Schaeffer. "These passes are well known among narrow gauge railroaders throughout the world, and we have wanted to be able to show one for many years. This pass was donated to the Ouray County Historical Society with the provision that we display it in our museum here in Ridgway. Now area residents and visitors alike will be able to actually see one of these legendary passes."

We have this pass on display in the one room we currently have in the historic depot in Ridgway. Come see it next weekend for Railroad Days. This is currently occupied by the Ouray County Ranch History Museum, who charge a modest admission fee to the building. When the ranch museum builds their own building on the Ridgway museum campus grounds we will move many more exhibits into the depot, but that is several years in the future.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2021 07:13PM by jgp1843.