USA > Colorado > Colorado pioneers in picture and story > Part 30
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The next morning we were aroused by an ear-splitting shriek. A cold, clammy, 'demnition moist' frog had hopped on the forehead of one of the ladies, and, to our consternation, we discovered we had camped by the side of a graveyard. The punster of the crowd remarked that there was a grave side to everything in life.
"Following the narrow road, all up hill and full of boulders, our horses came unaccountably to a dead stand- still. We persuaded them in every way, even to firing off our pistols, but they persisted in standing still. There has always existed in my mind a logical connection be- tween stalled teams and swearing; so, requesting the ladies to excuse me, I pitched in.
"It produced the desired effect; away we went, jolt- ing, shaking, rocking, swinging, bumping and oscillating. which threatened to crush every bone in our bodies.
"At length, finding our road again, it led us across a rapid stream. One of the ladies expressed great fear. To comfort her I said I would put my arm around her. At the next crossing, as might have been expected. all the ladies were afraid, but that was too much; I declined embracing the crowd.
"On the bank of this stream stood a man crowned with a stove-pipe hat, his hands neatly encased in kid gloves, fishing. Our driver, a Dutchman, called our at- tention to this prim fisherman by saying. 'Look, da ist von soft foot!'
"The next evening we camped early, and several of us went out for a ramble. Miss L- and I took a seat on a log by the side of the trail to await the return of our friend, who felt inclined to prospect further.
"Soon we saw him coming, hat in hand and hair fly- ing in the breeze, yelling. 'Run; it's a bear!' I joined in the race. but the lady. with the curiosity peculiar to her sex, stepped out into the trail to get a view of the brute. Obtaining it. she fainted. and there was nothing left for
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us but to turn and fight the bear. We killed it, because we had to.
"One of our party had a birthday while there," con- tinued Mr. Harwell, "and we gave her a candy-pulling in honor of the event. We cooked the molasses six solid hours, and then had to eat it with a spoon. Like Meg's jelly, 'it wouldn't jell.'
"I had a friend who was mining near the top of Mt. Lincoln. We concluded to go up there and pass a night just to see the sunrise next morning. The night hands had a meal about midnight in the blacksmith shop, and the bellows they used to start a fire at the forge made such an unearthly noise that we were startled wide awake. which resulted in our sleeping too late next morning to witness old Sol's glorious awakening.
"Oh. there is lots of fun in camping, if you can only see it !"
With this profound explosion he seemed pretty well talked out, and we left him.
On the train returning to Denver I was pleased to see Jim Baker, the famous scout and trapper, who had camped on the site of Denver long before Denver was thought of, and had been the companion of Kit Carson. Bent and St. Vrain.
In appearance he was a typical frontiersman-tall and straight as an arrow. Although at the time nearly seventy years old, only his wrinkled visage betrayed his age. There was elasticity in his step and brightness in his eye.
He had spent forty-seven years on the frontier. and I regarded him as a living volume of history.
LANDMARKS KNOCKED AWAY
"My landmarks are all knocked away," said he; "! am very much like the old negro, who said, 'I donno whar
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I is, I donno whar I come from, and I donno whar I's goin' to.' He spoke in the frontier dialect, but I will give it in plain English.
"Even the rivers have different names. They were pretty at first, but now there is no beauty in them."
I suggested that the Grand, the Gunnison, the Rio Grande, the Arkansas and the Swan were musical and appropriate.
"Yes," said he, "they have the same names as of old. with the exception of the Gunnison. which was originally called Eagle river.
"The names given in the early days had a distinctive and comprehensive meaning for the frontiersman. and recalled many memories of life on the plains.
"Clear creek was called Vasquez Fork. by which name it ought to be known today, but later arrivals, at- tracted by its transparent water, and caring nothing for the memory of the old pioneer whose name it bore, called it Clear creek, which has since been discovered to be a misnomer, for it is the muddiest stream in all Christen- dom, yet it gives tourists something to wonder at and talk about.
"The San Carlos they have corrupted into St. Charles.
"One of the most musical names I ever heard given to a river was El Rio de las Animas. which means 'river of spirits.' The Spaniards christened it thus, because of its deep beauty and stillness. The French traders and trappers called it Purgatoire, but now it is pronounced Picketware, which is a desecration," said the old man with an emphatic shake of his head.
" 'The Fountain' is all that is left of 'La Fontaine qui Bouille,' and the Cache a la Poudre (hiding place of the powder). named from the circumstance that the old French trappers. years before. were accustomed to bury
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their powder on its banks to conceal it from the Indians, is now called Poudre. The new-comers of the last de- cade don't appreciate the significance of these names, or in the rush of business haven't time to pronounce them."
Many of the pioneers, like Jim Baker, have lived to see their land-marks knocked away, yet their sympathies are keenly alive for the best welfare of their fellow-men. and their hearts beat responsive to the impulses that throb through the universe of progress. They are proud of the State whose cornerstone they laid,
"Proud of her mines of silver and gold; Proud of her flocks spread over the plains; Proud of her sons, patriotic and bold; Proud of her fields of golden grain; Proud of her mountains and sunny skies; Proud of her Statehood, by birthright a peer; Midst the stars of the Union she shines, the prize, The crowning glory of the hundredth year."
PART X THE GREAT STATE BUILDING EPOCH
CHAPTER XXVIII
PERSONAL GLIMPSES OF STATE BUILDERS
THE QUEEN CITY OF THE PLAINS
When Colorado became a State, in 1876, Denver had a population of 25,000, a small street car with horse motive power. The Governor's Guard Hall took the place of a theater, and where the union depot now stands was open country. W. N. Byers was running the Rocky Mountain News, while the Tribune, which afterwards became the Republican, was piloted by Herman Beck- hurst, with Eugene Field and Rothaker on the editorial staff. The First National Bank had a dingy little office on the corner of Fifteenth and Larimer, and the transfer business of the city was carried on by "Tip" Pearce.
Wolfe Londoner was doing business at his old stand on Fifteenth street, where the pioneers, including George Tritch and Robert Hatten, put in their spare time talking of the old days and regretting that they were gone for- ever. Lots on Capitol Hill were going begging to any- body who would pay the taxes on them, and business men were lying awake nights to figure out how to meet the exigencies of the hour. All railroad business was at a standstill. In fact, the town was as dead as the pro- verbial door nail.
The discovery of carbonates at Leadville in 1877 was
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flashed across the wires to the uttermost ends of the earth, and people of all nationalities, all classes and conditions, - flocked to the great Pike's Peak State, and the boom of 1859 was re-enacted, only a hundred-fold more. A steady stream of supplies for mining poured through the job- bing houses, and Denver became at once a picture of life, color and excitement.
Londoner, it is said, quit telling stories; admitted the days of '59 were back numbers; loaded teams with gro- ceries, started for the city above the clouds, and located a branch store.
The railroad builders, John Evans and David H. Moffat, got busy, and there was a race between the lines as to which would reach the great Eldorado first.
What Leadville has done for Denver is not clearly realized by the people of this time. The wealth of the mines made men rich in a day, and those who had won riches and fame in the "city above the clouds" came one after another to lend Denver of their genius and working energy. Indeed it was the wealth of the mountains that made Denver known everywhere as the "Queen City of the Plains."
H. A. W. Tabor was the father of Leadville. He was there running a general store before the camp reached its high-class boom stage. Two Germans, August Rische and George T. Hook, in the cheerless little town of Fairplay, at the outbreak of the carbonate craze. had a severe attack of the prospecting fever. They hit the trail and never stopped until they landed in Leadville. Then they went to Tabor and asked him for a grub- stake-picks, shovels and pans-agreeing to divide by thirds whatever they might find. Tabor, who was always generous, entered into the agreement. They tramped up to the apex of Fryer Hill and began digging. At a depth of twenty-six feet they uncovered a great body of mineral and christened it the "Little Pittsburg."
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This was the beginning of H. A. W. Tabor's spec- tacular career. Rische disposed of his interest to Jerome B. Chaffee and D. H. Moffat for $262.500 and bought a mansion on what is now Capitol Hill in Denver. Tabor sold his interest to Chaffee and Moffat for a million, which was paid him over the counter of the First National Bank in Denver. and with it he bought one-half of the stock of the bank. His in- come from the Matchless mine was $80,000 to $100,- 000 per month. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold; he was the Midas t of the camp, and his fame spread over the world. He H. A. W. Tabor bought the home of Henry C. Brown, the finest residence in Denver. Then he bought the corner of Curtis and Sixteenth and built on it an elegant opera house.
Tabor transformed Denver from a straggling village to a metropolis: his work for the beautifying of the city was pointed out to tourists, who were eager to see and hear about this modern Croesus. He was elected to the United States Senate for a short term to fill a vacancy.
Through a long process of unfortunate investments the whole superstructure of his wealth fell to pieces, and he died a poor man.
He had his faults and weaknesses, but all good citi- zens esteem him, because he was a powerful factor, work- ing for the general benefit, and the time will come when people pondering over the achievements of heroes in the 17
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upbuilding of Colorado will feel that the State owes him a monument.
John C. Mitchell made his money in Leadville, and came to Denver. where he has been a prominent banker for many years. He is a man of generous impulses, always loyal to his friends and as- sociates, and al- ways ready to lend a helping hand whenever
needed. He has sound common sense, quick per- ception, a marvel- ous grasp of busi- ness affairs and an almost intuitive knowledge of men, which is so essential to safe banking. He mar- ried a daughter of R. E. Goodell. built an elegant home on the brow of the hill, and the Mitchells are
John C. Mitchell
known far and wide for their generous, open-handed hos- pitality. Mr. Mitchell derives pleasure in smoothing out rough places in the paths of those less fortunate than himself, and his gracious wife is equally generous. Mrs. Mitchell prides herself upon her skill in the culinary art. She has published a cook book, the proceeds of which she
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gave to the domestic science department of the Woman's Club. Mrs. Mitchell never lets her left hand know what her right hand is doing, and her right is ever busy with acts of practical charity. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have two children, Clark G. Mitchell and Mrs. Henry C. Van Schaack.
William H. James, who for twenty years had lived in the mining districts of Colorado, went to Lake County in 1875. He was elected a member of the constitu- tional convention from the counties of Park and Lake and was the prime mover of that clause in the con- stitution which provides that mines shall not be taxed for the period of ten years; he maintained that mining at that time was in its infancy and needed to be encouraged. He later formed a part- nership with Edward Eddy in buying and sell- ing ores. In 1878 he was elected mayor of Lead- William H. James ville, an office which he filled to the entire satisfaction of the citizens. During the great strike of the miners in 1880 Leadville was placed under martial law. The State troops were called out to protect the lives and property of the people; Mr. James was appointed brigadier gen- eral, and did fine service in quelling the riot. He held an enviable position in the hearts of the people of Lead- ville and also in Denver. where he made a home and brought up his family. His two children. Mrs. Lewis Lemen and Mr. Harry C. James, reside in Denver. They
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possess the kind and genial nature of their father, and make many friends.
David May owned a clothing store in Leadville; was elected county treasurer; engaged successfully in mining and established his pres- ent great business in Den- ver.
Dennis Sullivan
Dennis Sullivan be- gan mining in Central. When the gulch ceased to offer a field wide enough for his energies. he went to Leadville, bought sev- eral claims on Fryer Hill. and held large interests in the first gas and electric plant. He cleared up sev- eral fortunes, retired from business. and was a mil- lionaire at the time of his death. which occurred quite recently.
J. J. Brown, a retired capitalist of Denver, was in the early '80's superintendent of the Maid of Erin. He successfully developed that bonanza which made millions for the owners. He was one of the owners of the Little Jonny, and when the great Ibex Company was formed he secured a substantial block of stock, which has netted him a handsome fortune. His wife has given her time to travel and study. She is philanthropic, and won fame by her heroism in the recent Titanic disaster.
Thomas F. Daly, a man by nature generous and con- genial, answered the alluring call to Leadville in 1884. But he failed to find happiness in mining; the insurance business was more to his taste: he was successful in it. In 1894 he came down out of the golden hills, and has followed the insurance business in Denver.
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He organized the Cap- itol Life Insurance Com- pany. By his determina- tion and persistence he has brought it from a begin- ning of $200,000 assets to over $2,000,000. This is mostly invested in Colo- rado, of which Mr. Daly is very proud. He is to- day one of Denver's most active and enthusiastic cit- izens, and has a natural desire to aid the advance- ment of every worthy pur- pose. His frank and open- hearted manner inspires friendship.
O
Thomas F. Caly
Henry Bohm was one of the body of citizens who entered the mining field in the bonanza days-not to mine, but to sell jewels. During his residence in Leadville he made many friends among the prominent men in the state, and these friendships have continued to the present time.
Henry Bohm
He came to Denver with the rush from Leadville in 1881, and established the Henry Bohm Jew- elry Co., which later became the Bohm-Allen Co. His judgment in his line of work is the very best. and he has won the confidence and good will of the people by his hon esty and high business standards.
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Mr. Bohm is a fine, kindly gentleman, and while his business activities draw heavily on his time, he is never too much engaged to ignore his duty as a citizen, and always takes a patriotic interest in every movement for the public welfare.
Judge Luther M. Goddard, another Leadville man, made a home in Denver. He is an able jurist and has served on the bench of the Supreme Court. His hon- esty and integrity of char- acter ins pir e confidence and respect. Mrs. God- dard is a woman of genial, affable manners, a fine musician and a student. She has been president of the Woman's Club, and is still interested in club work.
O. E. LeFevre, upon his arrival in Denver, es- tablished a home in the Highlands, and immedi- Luther M. Goddard ately began the practice of law. He was elected attorney for the Highlands in 1875 and re-elected in 1876. Later he was elected district judge. He made a fortune from the mines at Creede and invested a large part of it in Denver. His elegant home is the center of art, litera- ture and music. He is a lover of books, and his home library is one of the finest in the city. His disposition is sunny and cheerful; his wit is pleasing and his humor kindly. The walls of his residence are adorned with a choice collection of modern French paintings, which re-
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veal his artistic nature. His wife is interested in the charities of Denver. His daughter, Mrs. Harry Bellamy, is a woman of broad education, a pleas- ing writer, has had fine musical training and often gives her talents in aid of charitable entertainments.
Then there is John M. Maxwell, Phil Golding, Jesse F. McDonald, H. E. Wood-indeed if I had the space I could mention scores of men who, after digging out a fortune in O. E. Le Fevre the mountains, helped to make Denver the metropolis of the State. The experi- ences of these men and women have placed them among the pioneers of the West. They have witnessed and aided the development of a great State, the like of which will never be seen again.
James B. Grant was prominent among the men who helped to unfold the wealth of Leadville, which trans- formed the face of the State from its look of business gloom to the smiling energy of glad prosperity.
He was born in Alabama in 1848, attended a country school until he was twelve years old. At the age of seven- teen he was enrolled in the Southern army. He went to Iowa at the close of the war, and was three years a stu- dent in the Agricultural College at Ames. He then went to Cornell University, and from there to the School of Mines at Freiberg, Germany, where he studied metallurgy and kindred branches. His vacations were spent in travel through Europe.
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Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
After completing the course in the School of Mines he went to Australia and New Zealand, where he spent six months inspecting the gold mines and stamp mills. In 1877 he came to Colorado and mined in Virginia canon. The excite- ment over the Leadville discov- eries led Mr. Grant there. He plunged at once into its busy life, and after making a personal investigation o f the ores, he re- ported to his uncle. Judge Grant, of Davenport, Iowa, that smelting works at Leadville would be a rich in- vestment. Such was the confidence of the judge in his nephew's judg- ment that he James B. Grant placed $300,000 at his disposal. The nephew pushed the work of construc- tion, and in September, 1878, commenced smelting, which proved remunerative from the start. He bought half a million dollars' worth of ore a month from the Leadville miners. A half interest in the works was sold to Eddy & James.
In the early days of Leadville there was a good deal of friction between the miners and smelting people. The
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fairness and justice of Mr. Grant were well known, and when the troubles were referred for arbitration, he was selected as umpire to settle the matter. His adjustment of the dispute was accepted as final.
Mr. Henry Head, the friend of Mr. Grant for twenty years, said: "No man could long be associated with Mr. Grant without growing to love him for his genial man- ner, his very high sense of honor, his clean, moral life and his broad charity for all. While he knew the serious side of life, he had the happy faculty of seeing something funny in nearly all matters, however serious, which made him a most enjoyable companion. When absorbed in a subject, Mr. Grant would often become oblivious to other things, which the following story illustrates :
"One of his earlier ambitions was to have good horses. New Year day, 1880, at his invitation, I joined him in making New Year calls on mutual friends in Leadville. His turn-out, a handsome horse and cutter, proved to be very attractive to people along the street. He was earnestly discussing a question with me while driving down Harrison avenue at a very lively pace. My attention was attracted by violent gestures of persons passing us on both sides. Looking for the cause, I saw one line dragging along on the snow, the governor, bliss- fully happy, holding the other one. For a time I felt I would be far happier if I were walking. The horse soon answered the call to stop, however, and the line was re- covered."
The Grant smelter at Leadville was destroyed by fire, and new works were built at Denver on a larger and better scale, because they determined to enlarge the field of usefulness by treating. in addition to the ores of Leadville, the products of other camps, not only of Colo- rado, but of Montana, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.
Mr. Grant was nominated for governor at a Demo- cratic convention in 1882, by acclamation, and was elected
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by a large majority, the only State officer of his party chosen. He was a favorite with all parties-indeed it was the admiration and love of the people for James B. Grant that made him the first Democratic governor of Colorado. At the exposition in Denver, in 1884, I saw the people lift him and carry him on their shoulders around the grounds.
As chief executive of the State he labored to increase the importance of every industry and to aid in public- spirited and progressive enterprises. His administration was one of the most satisfactory in the history of the State. Governor Grant, having no desire for re-election or ambition for further political preferment, was in a position to act according to his own judgment, regardless of parties or coteries who might wish to influence his actions. It was said of him at that time that "while he was neither a statesman nor a politician, he was what all statesmen and most politicians desire to be-an influence."
He was intensely interested in educational work, and gave freely of his time and influence in the building of our splendid public school system. He served nine years on the board of education and was president of the board for seven years, filling the position with the accuracy and efficiency that was characteristic of his business life.
Mr. Aaron Gove, who was principal of the high school at that time says: "When Governor Grant as- sumed the duties of his office on the board of education it was promptly suggested to him that as he was con- nected with the Denver National Bank, it would be proper that that bank be made the depository of the school funds. The funds of the district were deposited with the Colorado National Bank, Mr. William Berger of that bank being treasurer of the board, and, at his death, followed by Mr. Kountze. Mr. Kountze preferred no objection, but Governor Grant assured the board that as the Colorado National Bank had that position. and
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through a series of years had been always obliging and efficient, he could see no reason for making a change in the treasurership of the board. Furthermore, he assured the board that so long as he was a member, the Denver National Bank would decline to be the custodian of the school funds.
"This illustrates the character of the man. Doubt- less, the banks received a material profit from the posi- tion, which would have accrued to the Denver National, had the change been made.
"Through Governor Grant's long career as director on the board of education that line of conduct was per- sistently adhered to by him; nothing whatever that could possibly accrue to a personal advantage was permitted."
It was not only in this country that the record of James B. Grant as a mining engineer and metallurgist was recognized. The record of his searching investiga- tion into the physical condition of the Leadville district was translated into Dutch by General William J. Palmer and submitted to Holland capitalists. The possibilities of the camp, as shown by Mr. Grant's investigation, in- duced these financiers to buy the bonds of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad's extension from Canon City to Leadville.
When Prince Henry of Prussia visited this coun- try in 1903, Governor Grant was invited to attend the banquet given "captains of industry" by J. Pierpont Mor- gan in New York.
Mining and assaying engaged Governor Grant's at- tention, and he became interested in a number of mining companies.
Owing to his activity in the organization of the Denver National Bank, he was made vice-president, which position he held to the day of his death.
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