Big Dan: The Story of a Colorful Railroader

Dr. Frank Cunningham

Oct 2016 · Pickle Partners Publishing

About this ebook

Born in 1873, Daniel Goode Cunningham started working for the railroad at age 18 as a machinist apprentice and became general foreman on the Norfolk and Western Railroad; general foreman for the Santa Fe at Needles; Superintendent of Shops for the Denver & Rio Grande Western at Salt Lake City; Superintendent of Motive power for the Denver & Salt Lake; and master mechanic of the Salt Lake Division of the Rio Grande. He was a community leader in modernizing the Salt Lake City Fire department. When he retired from active service on the railroad in 1941, he was honored by the railroad, the families of the employees, Salt Lake City, and the State of Utah. This book, by acclaimed author Frank Cunningham, is the biography of “Big Dan” Cunningham and a history of the railroad in Denver and Salt Lake City.

About the author

Dr. Frank Cunningham (1911-1972) was a newspaper journalist, film and television scriptwriter and award-winning literary author. He is the author of five “best of the year” books, including his biography of General Stand Watie, Confederate Indians (1959). He received numerous distinguished writing awards as well as honorary life memberships in many literary organizations, such as the Manuscripters of Los Angeles, the International Mark Twain Society, the Penguins and the Hollywood Branch of the National League of American Pen Women. Dr. Cunningham received the Military Service medals of the S.C.V. and O.S.B. and was on Special Duty, Army of the United States, G-2, Military Intelligence in 1941. Honored with a Life Membership in the Confederate High Command, Major-General Cunningham, CHC, headed the Fort General Stand Watie Outpost, Los Angeles and commanded the Confederate Armies of the Far West.