USA > Colorado > Colorado pioneers in picture and story > Part 32
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
509
The Great State Building Epoch
DENVER AT NIGHT 1915
Curtis Street-Night View
poet of the Denver Post, dedicated the following poem to the building :
NO NIGHT-ALL LIGHT
With amazement on his face, Gazing down from some high place, Stands the aborigine, Wondering at all the light, Muttering the words, "No night"- Utterly dumbfounded, he. -
Flaming, flaming heaven-high, What is this that pales the sky, Lights up earth and air and all? Smoking tepee, flickering flame- What are they since all this came? Meaningless, and O, so small!
510
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
Thus the aborigine; And we others, what say we Of this ever-wondrous thing, Born of mystery and space, Caught and brought from every place, All the earth a-quickening?
When God said, "Let there be light!" He had read all time aright,
And He lit the lambent sun; Now He looks with pleased eyes
On the earth-light in the skies-
And His royal will is done.
DR. PFEIFFER'S PROPHECY
(Dated) Denver. Colo., July 13, 1915.
Within one hundred years Denver will be the capital of the United States, for the same reason that put $750,- 000,000 in gold in the Denver mint just prior to the present Anglo-Germanic war: and that reason is: safety from foreign attack by water, for it is fifteen hundred miles from the Great Lakes. the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific ocean. An enemy would have to defeat our army, which could dig itself in for fifteen hundred miles in all directions in a defense of Denver.
Washington, easily captured in 1812, in the next foreign war would soon fall a prey to a hostile fleet equipped with aeroplanes, which, with bombs, in one night could destroy priceless value in the government buildings and cause Congress to adjourn in a hurry.
In Denver the government would also find the finest climate in the temperate zone for the Anglo-Saxon race. and Congress could sit summer and winter. day and night, and work in comfort the year round. Govern- ment buildings located around Cheesman park would command a view said by Bavard Taylor to be the finest panorama of mountain scenery in the world.
511
The Great State Building Epoch
A capitol located where now is the Catholic ceme- tery, with a government building in the center of each block all the way around the park, all built of Colorado Yule marble, would form the grandest court of honor ever erected by the hand of man, and it would only be exceeded in beauty and grandeur by the snowy range opposite, whose summit is adorned by the handiwork of God.
CHAPTER XXXVI
A GREATER COLORADO
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND BOARD OF TRADE
No part of our nation has achieved so much in so brief a period as Colorado, and Denver, the metropolis of the State, is again building upon new and broader foundations.
The early pioneers began casting about for some means of transportation other than ox teams, and those engaged in commercial trading met and formed a Board of Trade, in order to work together to induce the rail- roads to extend their lines to Denver. So, in 1867, was organized the first
BOARD OF TRADE OF DENVER
President.
JOHN W. SMITH
Vice-Presidents. JOHN PIERCE, ISAAC BRINKER
Secretary HENRY C. LEACH
Treasurer. FRANK PALMER
Directors :
WILLIAM M. CLAYTON
J. H. MORRISON
F. Z. SALOMON
J. M. STRICKLER
GEORGE TRITCH
D. H. MOFFAT
R. E. WHITSITT
J. S. BROWN
In 1884 the Chamber of Commerce was organized on a broader scale than the original Board of Trade. but the two bodies to some extent covered the same field, and to that extent were rivals. The leading members of both organizations felt that a single body could ac- complish more for the city than two rival ones, and in 1885 they agreed to consolidate. The result was the present Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade.
512
513
The Great State Building Epoch
Mr. Wm. Todd was the treasurer of both bodies prior to the consolidation, and was very active in perfecting the change. He was made treasurer of the consolidated organization.
Since that time every new enterprise tending toward the growth and development of the City and State has been fostered by the Chamber of Commerce.
Through the efforts of the Chamber, during the term of office of John F. Campion, the great sugar beet in- dustry was born. A little later, under the untiring
1
Birdseye View of Denver
energy of John W. Springer, while president of the Chamber, the Union Stock Yards was made possible.
The Chamber has persistently carried on a campaign of publicity since its organization to exploit the unde- veloped resources of the State. It gave its aid to organize the Trans-Mississippi Dry Farming Congress, the Na- tional Irrigation Congress and many other enterprises of like character.
The great reclamation project of the Rocky Moun- tain region was accomplished by the aid of the Chamber through its representatives in Congress. The first head-
18
514
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
quarters of the enterprise was established in the Cham- ber of Commerce building on Fourteenth and Lawrence streets.
The Chamber has been instrumental in having the bill passed by Congress forming the Rocky Mountain National Park.
The Chamber made the prepara- tion for the hold- ing of the Interna- tional Farm Con- gress and the In- ternational Soil Products Exposi- tion in Denver in October, 1915.
Because of the wise and efficient administration of Mr. Thomas B. Stearns, he was re- elected to the posi- tion of president. Mr. Stearns is a man of courage and enterprising dash; he has the creative and con- structive forces of intellect, united T. B. Stearns with an unusual capacity for or- ganization. He has given attention to politics without seeking office, has been broadened by extensive reading and by a study of the conditions essential to achieve suc- cess in great undertakings.
515
The Great State Building Epoch
He is ranked with the men who have been foremost in promotion, as well as leaders in the social, political and commercial life of the State.
Mr. Stearns is a director of the United States Cham- ber of Commerce, which, as its name implies, is by far the most powerful business combination in the United States, and the Denver Chamber will be a strong factor in the work of that organization.
A new organization has recently been launched-the State Chamber of Commerce-with Thomas B. Stearns president, which will be a power in the future develop- ment of the State. Every town and hamlet in the State will be represented in the State Chamber, and all mat- ters pertaining to development of any legislation that affects the State in any way will be handled through the State organization. This will insure mutual co-operation from every part of the State, and results are sure to follow.
The secretary, Mr. Thorndike Deland, is energetic and evinces fine ability in the duties of his office.
"The Commercial" is published every Thursday by the Chamber under its able editor, Mr. Johnson. It is a live wire in pushing forward the enterprises of the organization.
THE MOFFAT TUNNEL
The Chamber of Commerce, under its energetic and capable president, Mr. Yetter, initiated and pushed for- ward a scheme for the completion of the Moffat tunnel, as follows:
When Newman Erb, president of the railroad com- pany, asked the people of Denver to take part with him in the construction of this tunnel, which would greatly shorten the distance between Denver and Salt Lake City, there was found to be a charter provision against the
516
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
issuing of bonds for the assistance of private enterprises, and one which prohibits the maturity of any of the city's obligations being carried to a period of fifty years. To remedy these objections the people of Denver, on the 20th of May, 1913, voted for an amendment to the char- ter which provides that the city loan its credit for the construction of a tunnel through James Peak.
The contract was then drawn up and signed by Jesse E. Fleming, Charles MacAllister Willcox and Joseph C. Helm, the commissioners on behalf of the city, and New- man Erb for the railroad company.
For the construction of the tunnel a survey was made and an estimation of the cost prepared by three of the most distinguished engineers in the country- J. Vipond Davies of New York. D. W. Brunton and J. Wellington Finch of Denver.
The survey of these men, supplemented by a study of the region made by Professor R. D. George, state geologist, was reported to the commission. The site chosen is at an altitude of 9.100 feet, and involves a tun- nel six miles long. They estimated the cost at $4,500.000. of which the city's share would be $3,000,000.
On February 17, 1914. an election was held to vote the bonds. Mrs. Alice Polk Hill was appointed chair- man of the woman's committee. She succeeded in arous- ing the interest of the women in the importance of the tunnel to the City of Denver and the State. A vigorous campaign was made, and the issue carried.
A suit was then brought before Judge George W. Allen of the district court to test the legality of the bonds. Judge Allen, a man with a profound knowledge of the law, who has been on the bench for twenty years. decided the bonds legal. The suit was then carried to the supreme court, where the bonds were decided illegal. and the enterprise turned down.
517
The Great State Building Epoch
Judge William H. Gabbert, whose record on the bench has been that of an able and impartial judge, gave a dissenting opinion, setting forth the legality of the bonds. However, the commission, which was appointed by the business organizations of the city, is still at work devising ways and means to build the tunnel, which the majority believe, as shown by the campaign vote, will pour new life
William H. Gabbert
into the veins of Denver, and be a lasting monument to the genius of planning and daring of David H. Moffat. "the conquerer of the mountains."
Jesse E. Fleming, the president of the commis- sion, is a man of quick de- cision, keen judgment and tireless industry. He owes his sucess in life to his in- born capacity for hard work. Whatever the busi- ness at hand, he spares himself no amount of labor until he has a thor- ough knowledge of every phase of it.
In 1893, when the en- tire country was struggling
Jesse E. Fleming
518
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
with financial disaster, Jesse E. Fleming, in spite of the uncompromising conditions, employed workmen and kept on building houses. He helped to give Denver a new lease on life. Because of his faith in the future of the city, and his tenacity in buying real estate, he is called the builder of South Broadway.
He is loyal to his friends, has a full appreciation of the rights of others, and conducts business along the lines of justice and integrity. All movements which tend to the material and social benefit of the State receive his strong support. He is a business man of whom any com. munity might be proud.
Charles MacAllister Willcox is a young man of keen business instincts and rare good judgment. While he is the most approachable of men, he is quick to detect fraud. It would be diffi- cult to impose upon him. He is general manager of the Daniels and Fisher stores, a student of finan- cial conditions, and keeps himself in touch with the current thought of the time. His close applica- tion to business is the se- cret of his success. Al- ways at his post, he gives himself to the routine of his duties, and holds a Charles MacAllister Willcox sure, strong grasp upon the work before him. In his dealings with others his honesty is unquestioned. When once his friendship is given, it can be relied upon in adversity as well as in prosperity, and he is ever ready to help a worthy charity to the extent of his ability.
519
The Great State Building Epoch
He considers the Moffat tunnel a public enterprise which means greater success for the city and also for the individual; hence he looks upon the position of commis- sioner as a duty in rank or importance with personal in- terest, and gives it ardent support and willing work.
*Joseph C. Helm is a gentleman in the highest sense of the term. His legal knowledge is profound and his penetrating intellect sees to the heart of a matter at once.
He was elected to the position of supreme judge when only thirty-six years old-the youngest supreme judge that has ever sat upon the bench in Colorado.
He came to Denver from Colorado Springs, built a beautiful residence, and, as he is a home-lover. he spends most of his leisure time there.
He is a man upright in character, with exemplary habits. His kindness of heart has endeared him to many friends. In a quiet way he has been a vital factor in the building of Denver.
LIBRARY
The Denver Library Association was organized in 1876 by a number of public-spir- ited men, many of them taking life memberships at $50.00 each ; and a very good library, reading room and gymnasium was opened on Larimer street between Six- teenth and Seventeenth. It ran about two years and was forced to quit, leaving quite an indebted- ness to Mr. Walter S. Cheesman for rent, and to Mr. W. D. Todd. the treasurer, for money advanced. Mr. Todd and Mr. Cheesman do-
*Recently passed away.
Wm. D. Todd
520
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
nated the books to the city school board, conditional upon the library being kept open to the public and made the nucleus of a general public library.
M. J. McNamara was a member of the Board of Trade, and in 1884 was one of the committee of three ap- pointed to build the Chamber of Commerce on Fourteenth and Lawrence.
Roger W. Woodbury was president of the Denver Chamber of Commerce in 1885, and Mr. M. J. McNamara was vice-president. One of Mr. Woodbury's early acts was to formulate a plan for a public library, there being no State law under which one could be established and maintained by a municipality. At a meeting of the di- rectors it was voted :
"That a room be set apart in the Chamber of Com- merce building for a library, to be known as the Mer- cantile Library of the City of Denver, under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce." In order to carry out this plan it was necessary to increase the size of the pro- posed building, and this was done by adding a fourth story.
It was a unique idea for an organization whose ob- ject was to promote the commercial, financial and indus- trial interests of the city to enter the library field, but the members recognized the necessity for it, and too great praise cannot be given for the work so wisely planned and so well carried out.
Establishing the first free library here remains the crowning act of that organization. It had more than local significance, for it was the first free library between the Missouri river and the Pacific coast.
The committee which had charge during the actual formation of the library was: M. J. McNamara, chair- man; Dr. Henry K. Steele. secretary: Chester S. Morey. Fred Z. Salomon, Alfred Butters. David H. Moore and Frank C. Young.
521
The Great State Building Epoch
In 1886 Mr. McNamara resigned the vice-presidency, and was appointed chairman of the library committee.
It was found necessary to raise a fund by popular subscription to establish a public library. Mr. McNa- mara and Mr. C. S. Morey raised the first money that started the library. To Mr. Charles R. Dudley was given the work of purchasing the first books. The library was opened November, 1886, in the Chamber of Commerce building, under the name of the Mercantile Library of Denver, with 30,000 volumes for circulation. Mr. Dud- ley, who had ably performed his task, was appointed librarian.
In 1891 the expenses reached a point where the Chamber found it difficult to meet them, and an appeal for assistance was made to the City Council. This re- sulted in an appropriation of $500 a month, one-half of which was devoted to the purchase of books. During the succeeding seven years the council annually set aside sums varying from $5,000 to $8,000 for the library. In 1893. in recognition of this aid, the name was changed from "The Mercantile" to "The City Library."
In 1897 the General Assembly passed an excellent library law, drawn by members of the library committee. and soon after it was learned that the City Council was willing to act under its provisions. Correspondence be- tween the library committee and the board of education. which had been conducting a free library for nearly a decade in the East Denver High School building, re- sulted in an agreement that when the necessary ordinance was enacted, each would give its books to the city. The Council passed the ordinance. and the Public Library of the City of Denver came into existence on the 13th of August, 1898.
Because of his untiring energy in the work of creat- ing the Public Library, Mr. McNamara was made hon-
522
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
orary member of the Chamber of Commerce. He was a public-spirited man and an active worker in many or- ganizations for the bettering and uplifting of Denver and Colorado, and his early death was a great loss to the community.
The consolidation of the libraries, which took place the following year, made it necessary to secure more ex-
-
. . ...
M.J. MỸ NAMARA . ROGER W-WOODBURY
. CHARLES R· DUDLEY
.
-
-----
٠٧٥٠١٠ ٧٦يقي مه ١٠٨٥ %)
---
AC
*
tensive quarters, and a two-story building on two lots was erected on the east corner of Fifteenth street and Court place, under a five years' lease. This was opened to the public on the library's thirteenth birthday.
In January, 1902, the directors bought the ground on which the new building has been erected.
In February, 1902, through the offices of Mr. W. L. Palm, an offer of $200,000 for a building was made by
523
The Great State Building Epoch
Mr. Andrew Carnegie, a man who, more than all others combined, has given wisely and lavishly for the upbuild- ing of that great educational factor-the public library. Of the $70,000 needed for the building above what Mr. Carnegie gave, $35,000 was furnished by special ap- propriation. The balance was taken from the book fund. The total expenditure for the ground, building, furniture and fixtures was about $430,000.
The building combines the beauties of the highest types of both Grecian and Roman architecture, and as a perpetual educational fac- tor in the life of Denver it speaks for itself, in a silent, yet eloquent, lan- guage.
The library has an annual appropriation of $65,000. The books have increased to 167,630 vol- umes. Mr. Chalmers Had- ley is now librarian. He is held in high esteem be- cause of his ability, ener- gy and efficiency in di- recting the affairs of the library.
The enterprises enu- merated show that during Chalmers Hadley its thirty years of continuous service to the City and State the Chamber of Commerce has met the needs for which it was organized.
CHAPTER XXX PIONEER WORK OF TODAY PRESENT DAY PIONEERS
The pioneers of the past saw clearly and wrought wisely, and the pioneers of today-men of ability, cour- age and strong resolve, guided by the knowledge of what has been done-are now engaged in the fascinating work of State building, and planning for other triumphs.
CHESTER S. MOREY
No one can think of Denver men without calling to mind Chester Stephen Morey, at present president of the Great Western Sugar Company, and who has done more to build up the sugar industry of the western States to its present surpassing importance than any other half dozen people. Mr. Morey takes pride in the fact that he is neither a politician nor a reformer, nor does he seek the limelight of publicity. He claims to be nothing but a faithful, hard-working man, who won his rank among the captains of industry by tireless and unceasing efforts. He is now daily seated in a building, as the head of this great sugar corporation, in which he but presses a button to give the world his orders. He credits his success to hard work; he says that his start was due to faithful at- tention to details in a cellar in a place where he worked as porter.
Mr. Morey was born on a farm in Dane County, Wisconsin, in the year 1847. His birthplace was in what was at the time called "the wilderness of the Northwest," and until he was ten years of age he often went to bed
524
525
The Great State Building Epoch
hungry, and went about suffering from cold for want of an overcoat. Poverty made him, when a boy of but nine years of age, one of America's serious little men, and at this early age he took up life's burdens, going to work on his father's farm. He did not fall in love with the occupation of a farmer. Folks lived too far apart, and getting about was too difficult. He was sociable in his yearnings, and the isolation of the country life that all young embryo farmers led caused him to abandon that pursuit, and strike out on lines for himself, in the more congenial surroundings of towns and cities. At this time his chief aim was to obtain an educa- tion, and he put by hard-earned pen- C. S. Morey nies to this end.
Mr. Morey came to Colorado in 1872. He claims to be the pioneer salesman of the West. As a traveling salesman, which he had before that time taken up, he covered an unusually wide scope of territory-Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and California. There was little traveling done in those days by train-the
526
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
stage coaches, a horse or a mule were the traveling facili- ties of which he was compelled to avail himself. So well did he succeed as a traveling salesman that in 1881 he was taken into the firm of Sprague, Warner & Company as a partner, and he opened a branch of that firm in Denver. A few years later he bought out the Chicago firm's Den- ver interests, and the C. S. Morey Mercantile Company was substituted for the then famous house of Sprague, Warner & Company. Since that time his interests have been identified with the making of the State's history.
Mr. Morey takes his success in a typical American way. Looking down from great heights makes some men dizzy, but Mr. Morey has kept his head cool. He is the same frank, genial and generous spirit that he was in his very earliest days when he cultivated geniality, frank- ness and generosity to help along his business as a sales- man.
The Denver Club, the Denver Athletic Club and the Country Club all rejoice in Mr. Morey's membership and in the good cheer he scatters about their halls and grounds when he visits them.
As Mr. Morey moves about in Denver one would know that he is on good terms with life. Time has dealt kindly with him, and fortune, which has brought him so many favors, has in no wise spoiled him.
VERNER Z. REED
Mr. Verner Z. Reed, who has been actively engaged in development of various kinds in Colorado and Wyo- ming for many years, is now chiefly interested in the development of the Salt Creek and other oil fields in Wyoming, which work, in connection with its representa- tive companies, the Midwest Refining Company and the
527
The Great State Building Epoch
Midwest Oil Company, occupies a great deal of the time which he devotes to business. Mr. Reed is also interested in the development and construction of irrigation works in Wyoming, as he has been at times past in Colorado. He was one of the pioneers in the Cripple Creek district, and continues to have large inter- ests in that dis- trict.
A considera- ble part of Mr. Reed's time is de- voted to matters relating to the charitable institu- tions of Denver and to matters for the common good.
.
Mr. Reed has done a great deal of international financing for Colo- rado and Wyoming enterprises, includ- ing the introduc- tion of Cripple Verner Z. Reed Creek mining se- curities on the London stock market, some sixteen years ago.
TYSON S. DINES
Honorable Tyson S. Dines is one of the marked and public-spirited men of the State. Since removing to
528
Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story
Colorado some twenty years ago he has been actively as- sociated with many of the State's important public events, and following the death of Winfield S. Stratton, of whose estate he was appointed one of the executors and trustees, he, in conjunction with his co-trustees, com- menced the erection of the Stratton Home at Colo- rado Springs, which has become one of the institu- tions of that beautiful and thrifty city, and is now in active and successful oper- ation.
Mr. Dines was born in Fayette, Missouri, in 1858. He received a collegiate education. and commenced his active life as an educa- tor. in which calling he won substantial fame. Later in life he became a practicing attorney, and T. S. Dines is now recognized here in Colorado as one of the most successful of that learned profession. He is the attorney of a number of the great corporations of the State, as well as the trustee of a num- ber of the boards of its different charitable and eleemosy- nary institutions. He was a member of the Denver school board for two terms, trustee of the State Board for De- pendent and Neglected Children under four governors, a trustee of Denver University and of the Agnes Memorial Sanatorium in the suburbs of Denver. Taking it all in all, there are few men in the West of wider and greater activities, or more generally trusted and admired.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.