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Southern Pacific Wanted Poster, NV - Harney,Eureka County

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Western Americana Start Price:150.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 600.00 USD
Southern Pacific Wanted Poster, NV - Harney,Eureka County
IMPORTANT NOTE ON BUYERS PREMIUMS:

Lot 100 to 343 have a premium of 15%.

The rest of the sale is 19.5% as noted in the listing.

Lot Pick Up: Holabird-Kagin Americana,
3555 Airway Drive Ste #309,
Reno NV 89511,
Sunday - December 9, 10am-4pm
1939 - This is a 12” x 16.5” wanted poster issued by the Southern Pacific Railroad’s Vice President J.H. Dyer, offering $5000 for ” information leading to the arrest and conviction of person or persons responsible for wrecking train No. 101, Streamliner City of San Francisco on Aug. 12, 1939, near Harney, NV (About 260 northeast of Reno) .”

First introduced into service in January 1938, the City of San Francisco, was deemed the “world’s most superlative train.” A technological marvel in engineering that cost $2 million to build, she was proclaimed the ‘largest, fastest, most beautiful, powerful, and luxurious streamliner ever designed.” The elegant train pulled 17 coaches instead of the normal 11, and was capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph. When placed into service, the hi-tech train cut 19 hours from the fastest previous time on its route between Chicago and Oakland, California.

The accident, which was a suspected act of sabotage, killed 24, injured 121 and was the worst train accident in the state of Nevada’s history.

Another theory at the time, was that the engineer may have been going too fast, putting undue strain on the track.

Even though the reward was upped to $10,000. and investigators of the tragedy interviewed over 200,000 people and agencies over a five year span, the outbreak of WWII finally putting an end to it. It remains unsolved.



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