USA > Colorado > Colorado pioneers in picture and story > Part 5
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The Russell brothers, three in number, with long beards and long vision, organized the first company of goldseekers. directed the locating and building of the first cabin on the site of Denver and made the first shipment of gold out of the country. They took this gold to the mint at Dahlonaga. Georgia. and about five hundred dol- lars were coined out of it. While they did not remain here permanently. they linked their names with the prog-
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ress of civilization and are entitled to rank as our first pioneers.
THE STATE CONVENTION
In the midst of all this confusion the pioneers found time for politics. They argued that they must have a government for the protection of the rights and property of the people pouring into the country. The Kansas jurisdiction was in theory only. Kansas was too remote and means of communication too slow for the people here to acknowledge any such allegiance; for all purposes of practical government and enforcement of the law, the country might as well be under the government of the man in the moon.
The pioneers had grand ideas. No "territorial gov- ernment" for them. They determined to take steps look- ing to the organization of a State, and a jump right into the Union at the first bound was resolved upon.
In compliance with a call, a convention met June 6th to draft a constitution for a State. The first resolution adopted was: "Resolved, That the discussion of this con- vention shall have but one object, viz .: The formation of a new and independent State of the Union." Many names were proposed for the new State-Shoshone. Jefferson, Cibola, Pike's Peak, and one delegate made a strong ap- peal to call it "Bill Williams." He was deeply grieved when the convention gave "the laugh" to his proposition.
Bill Williams was one of the early frontiersmen. He was a Methodist preacher in Missouri before he wandered to the mountains. He often said that he was so well known in his circuit that the chickens recognized him as he went riding by the farm houses and the old rooster would crow : "Here comes Parson Williams. One of us must be made ready for dinner!" Upon leaving the States he lived among the various tribes of Indians on
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the plains and in the mountains. He possessed the fac- ulty of easily acquiring languages, and could readily translate the Bible into several Indian dialects. He was at last killed by the Indians. His friends, who loved him because he was generous and warm hearted, gave his name to many peaks, rivers and passes discovered by him, chiefly in the region now embraced in Arizona.
The constitutional convention was duly held, a con- stitution submitted and adopted, the proposed State named Jefferson, and a full set of State officers elected, including a delegate to Congress, who went to Washing- ton.
James Buchanan was president at that time and the approaching Civil war absorbed the energies of the ad- ministration at Washington. Congress was not in a mood to admit new states.
HORACE GREELEY
On the same day that this convention met, Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune arrived in Denver. Probably no paper in the country wielded a greater in- fluence than the New York Tribune. The venerable edi- tor's words of advice and wisdom were considered worth hearing and heeding. He addressed the convention and spoke strongly in favor of organizing a State without the preliminary form of a Territory.
Mr. Greeley was accompanied by two distinguished newspaper men-A. D. Richardson and Henry Villard. These men drew up and signed a statement about the discovery of gold in Colorado which was published in their respective papers. It was also published in an extra issue of the News and circulated on the various routes. The effect was immediate and a tide of immigration to the Pike's Peak gold fields set in which surpassed any- thing ever before witnessed in this country.
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Mr. Greeley and his distinguished friends stopped at the Denver House. The occupants of the drinking and gambling saloon de- manded of him a speech. LEAVENWORTH AND PIKE'S PEAK STAGE 1859 The tipplers silently sipped their grog, and the
HORACE
GREELEY
1860-NINETEENTH AND STOUT STREETS
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gamblers respectfully suspended the shuffling of the cards while Mr. Greeley, standing in their midst, made a strong anti-drinking and anti-gambling speech which was received with many a sly and humorous wink.
THE CABIN GREELEY JUMPED
The noise of the hotel was too great for literary work. Greeley "jumped" a cabin. His companion, Rich- ardson, says: "A few days later the owner of the cabin came down from the mines and looked in upon us, quite unexpectedly, but observing that the nine points of the law were in our favor, he apologized humbly for his in- trusion (most obsequious and marvelous of landlords). begged us to make ourselves entirely at home, and then withdrew, to jump the best vacant cabin he could find until the departure of his non-paying tenants-best speci- men of the polite gentleman on the terrestrial globe !"
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The old stage coach in which Mr. Greeley made his famous trip in 1859 was purchased by the Bent County Fair Association of Las Animas from Frank W. Nott, who drove it a number of years in Denver as a tally-ho. This stage ran in every famous route of the West, and was in more holdups than it has spokes in its wheels. It carries thirty people; has been in actual service sixty years. and is still in good condition-the most historic wagon on wheels today.
A pioneer said : When Mr. Greeley arrived in Denver he was received with all the honor the in- fant city could command. He stated that he did not intend to be deceived in this matter. that seeing was believing. and he wanted to wash out some of the dirt himself. So the men put their heads together to see "how they First Stage Coach ( Reproduced from an old print) could come it over" the old gentleman. They themselves were satisfied as to the richness of Gregory Gulch-it was no in- tention to deceive, but Solomon says "there is a time for all things," and they wanted a "good one" on Horace Greeley. They sent a message to the camp that Horace was coming and to salt a mine. The boys cleaned up all the sluice boxes in the diggin's except one and emp- tied their contents into that one. They also scattered some of the richest into the "pit," or bottom, of the gulch where the "pay gravel" was then being taken out. and were then ready for the old man.
Bright and early the next morning a spanking team
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was rigged up, and the distinguished gentleman started for the gulch, accompanied by some of the most plausible. entertaining and versatile talkers of the country. They escorted him over the diggings, related all the interesting events in the history of its discovery, showed him speci- mens of the dirt and the pure gold that had been washed out. Then they took him to the pit to let him test the dirt himself. Mr. Greeley was eager for the task. He called for a shovel and pan, rolled up his sleeves and went down into the pit. They gave him all the neces- sary instructions as to the process of panning and looked on with palpitating anxiety. Mr. Greeley was an apt scholar and put his dirt through like an adept in the art. It panned out big. All the bottom of the pan was cov- ered with nuggets and gold particles. They slapped him on the shoulders in regular western style and told him to try it again, which he did, with the same success. Then they cleaned up the "salted sluice" before his eyes and let him see the output of one day's run. Mr. Greeley gathered up his gold dust in a bag and said: "Gentle- men, I have worked with my own hands and seen with my own eyes. The news of your rich discovery shall go all over the world as far as my paper can waft it."
As soon as he reached New York he devoted a whole side of the Tribune to an ecstatic description of the camp. headed with large, glaring type such as "bill-stickers" use. The report was read all over the country and caused a great rush to the land of promise. Those who had the fever took a relapse and had it bad. It was a raging epidemic and spread faster than the cholera in Egypt. He shouted into the ears of the overcrowded East until the welkin rang: "Young man. go West." It was his glowing articles and earnest advice about "going West" that caused the first great boom in Denver.
Count Murat. a barber, who. in honor of his royal blood, was dubbed "knight of the strop and razor." fig-
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ured conspicuously in the editorial correspondence of the Tribune. While in Denver Mr. Greeley sat under the graceful manipulations of this tonsorial artist. The count, feeling he would be distinguished by a notice from the great journalist, and also wishing to impress him with the liberal product of the gold fields and the cor- responding ability of the people to throw away money, accomplished it by charging the famous editor two dol- lars for a shave. It is said that ever after Mr. Greeley regarded barbers with suspicion and aversion and ceased to patronize them.
PART III THE PROVISIONAL GOVERN- MENT
CHAPTER VII
THE CRITICAL PERIOD THE FIRST LEGISLATURE
The impending struggle between the North and the South absorbed the attention of Congress and nothing was done towards giving a form of government to the new region. The persistent pioneers decided to form a Territory independent of Congress and take it up with that body later. In October, 1859, they organized the Territory of Jefferson; a constitution was adopted by vote of the people, and on the twenty-fourth of October the following officers were elected: Robert W. Steele, governor; Lucien W. Bliss, secretary of state; Charles R. Bissell, auditor; G. W. Cook, treasurer; Samuel McLean, attorney general; A. J. Allison, chief justice of the su- preme court; John M. Odell and E. Fitzgerald, associate justices; Oscar B. Totten, clerk; H. H. McAfee, superin- tendent of public instruction, and John L. Merrick, mar- shal. Beverly D. Williams was elected to Congress. He went, and remained there until the Territory of Colorado was created in 1861. A Legislature was elected consist- ing of eight members of the Senate and twenty-one in the House. Rev. Jacob Adriance was elected chaplain of the House.
The first Jefferson Legislature assembled in Denver
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November 7. 1859, in the second story of a large frame building owned by the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express, which stood on the south side of Larimer street. nearly opposite the site of our city hall. Governor Steele presented his message. W. N. Byers says: "The message of Governor Steele was a well-considered document, de- fining the right of the position the people had taken for home government against the claim of sovereignty by Kansas." Committees were then appointed to prepare the framework of the various departments of the government and provisional laws deemed essential.
Robt. W. Steele, Governor of Jefferson Territory
The Legislature ad- journed to wait the readi- ness of the committees. On the tenth of November. three days after adjourn- ment. the governor issued his proclamation calling the Legislature to meet in special session, in Denver. on January 23, 1860, to act upon the reports of the committee.
The law-makers as- sembled at the appointed time and proved to be a most industrious legislative body. An act was passed con- solidating the three towns into one municipal organiza- tion under the name of "City of Denver. Auraria and Highlands." The town of Highlands existed only on paper at that time. Under the authority conferred by this act, an election was held to choose the first mayor and other city officers. John C. Moore. a former resident
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of Louisville, Ky., was elected the first mayor of Denver. and Arapahoe County, Kansas, became Jefferson Terri- tory.
R. W. Steele's second proclamation was for the es- tablishment and observance of the first Thanksgiving day.
PROCLAMATION
"I, Robert W. Steele, governor of the Territory of Jefferson, do hereby appoint Thursday, the twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to the Supreme Ruler of the universe for our pres- ervation, prosperity and happiness in this newly discovered land of gold, and recommend its appropriate observance by the citizens of the Territory."
The News was a loyal supporter of the new govern- ment. It at once discarded "Kansas Territory" as a head- line and substituted "Jefferson Territory." Mr. Byers. the editor, wrote: "We hope and expect to see it stand until we can boast of a million people, and look upon a city of a hundred thousand souls, having all the comforts and luxuries of the most favored." I have quoted this because it shows the enthusiasm of the pioneer.
The adjourned sitting of the Jefferson Legislature met at Criterion Hall. in Denver, pursuant to the gov- ernor's proclamation. and adjourned to Golden for the reason that board was offered at $6 per week. wood. light and hall rent free. As these law-makers were serving without pay, such an offer was attractive. The people of Golden were so anxious to make their city the capital that they paid the traveling expenses of the legislators. One law-maker declared that they should not incur that expense for him-so he walked to Golden.
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A BLOODY DUEL
"There occurred a most sanguinary encounter, or af- fair of 'honah,' between two citizens of the Territory," said Judge H. P. Bennet. "I remember it as though it were yesterday.
"The affair grew out of some personal language used by Dr. Stone against Secretary Bliss. Dr. Stone had drawn his pay as a member of the Jefferson Legislature. After hav- ing sold his pay warrants, the doc- tor publicly repudiated the Ter- ritorial organization. This action by a member of the Legislature was quite annoying to the other officers of the Territory, and par- ticularly so to the sensitive secre- - tary.
"Bliss and Stone were to- gether often, were jovial, free hearted. fond of a joke and a drink, and, up to this time, were the best of friends.
"On the evening before the H. P. Bennet seventh of March, 1860, the sec- retary, Lou Bliss, as he was familiarly called, had invited to his private rooms at the hotel a dozen or more gentle- men friends to break a few bottles of wine with him. While they were making themselves merry with the host and the generous wine, Dr. Stone, who had come down from Central that day, stepped into the room unbidden and took his seat among the convivial party. The call was inopportune, for the party had just been discussing his repudiation of the Territorial organization.
"Shortly after Stone came in, glasses were filled all around and Bliss. rising. said: 'Here's to the man who
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got his pay and then repudiated the government and left his friends.' Dr. Stone understood the remark to be aimed at him, as, in fact, it was. Fire shot from his eyes, and, without taking his wine, he and a friend who came in with him immediately withdrew.
"The friend who had retired with Dr. Stone soon re- turned with a note bearing a challenge to mortal combat. Bliss immediately accepted.
"Being the challenged party, according to the code he had the choice of weapons and chose double-barreled shotguns loaded with ounce balls; distance, thirty paces; time, afternoon of the next day.
"The place selected was on the west bank of the Platte river, opposite Denver.
"There was no secrecy, for there was no local law against duelling, and, for that matter, in the absence of statutes, the inhabitants of the western border of the Great American Desert were 'a law unto themselves' in all things.
"The town was full of excitement over the impend- ing duel. People conversed in whispers and exchanged glances full of meaning. Some said Bliss would not fight, that he was a Northern man and hadn't the nerve. Others said Dr. Stone was from Harper's Ferry and would make Bliss fight or back squarely down. Others again averred that Bliss would fight and was sure to hit his man; that he was rehearsing for the combat and was a crack shot. He had, at the 'word,' shot the figure of a man at thirty paces distant full of holes from the crown of the head to the knees, hitting the figure every time where he said he would.
"And so the gossip went on, until the opinion became general that Bliss' superior skill would brace him up for the conflict.
"Not knowing the precise hour, I watched to see the crowd start, and then followed, thinking possibly I might stop the fight by reasoning with the parties on the ground.
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"When I reached the appointed place Dr. Stone had just arrived, accompanied by his seconds and surgeon. Shortly after came Bliss. walking and carrying his shot- gun carelessly on his shoulder. He was dressed in a dust- colored 'Raglan' coat, and impressed me at the time as though he was, as near as might be. following out his habit of bird hunting.
"He mingled in the crowd, talking and chatting with his friends and acquaintances with as much appar- ent ease and composure as though the occasion was but a Christmas shooting match. Dr. Stone walked with his surgeon, apart from the crowd. looking pale and highly wrought up.
"I began to counsel peace and compromise, but no one seemed to think a peaceful settlement could be ef- fected. Some told me I had better keep still, or I might get hurt. 'They had come there to see a fight, and a fight it must be.' So, thinking prudence the better part of valor. I concluded to remain and witness. for the first time in my life, a duel.
"In about twenty minutes after the parties reached the place, the distance was measured off and guns loaded -one barrel each. The toss-up for the word was won by Stone's seconds. The belligerents were placed opposite. with left side presented each to the other. guns down in hand. The signal was one-two-fire-stop. The firing was to be done on or between the words fire and stop. Either principal firing before the word fire, or after the word stop, was, by the terms of the code, liable to be shot down by the seconds of his antagonist.
"The principals being ready. the seconds in their re- spective positions each armed with a Colt's navy re- volver cocked and in hand, the word was given in a loud. clear tone, when, in quick but due time. Stone fired first. without raising his gun to his eye. Before the word stop
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was uttered Bliss fired and Stone fell to the ground with a heart-rending cry, 'Killed ! O, my God.' He was pierced through the pelvis from hip to hip. Bliss, un- harmed. except by the stain of murder on his soul, walked away, his face pallid and distorted with misery-it hav- ing been his intention not to kill, but to inflict a slight wound that would merely disable the doctor for a time.
"Stone was carried to his room and lingered for sev- eral months, wasting to a skeleton long before he expired. Bliss was never quite himself after the death of Stone. and soon drifted away."
This famous pioneer dinner which resulted in such a tragedy was held in the Broadwell hotel. which was a noted hotel in its time. It stood at. the corner of Larimer and Sixteenth. EBRUAOWELL EOUSE While James Broadwell was building that house, E he was told many times C that he was throwing N money away: some of the BROADWELL HOUSE disappointed gold-seekers predicted that antelope would be grazing on the streets of Denver within three years.
It may not be amiss to contrast the prediction of those early Denver pio- neers that the grass would vet grow in the streets of Denver with the facts of Denver's growth, and the proud position she now occupies among the great cities of the country. That
BROWN PALACE HOTEL
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same Broadwell hotel has long since been torn down, and upon the site stands the splendid Tabor block. The pala- tial hotel costing $2,000,000, built by that optimistic pio- neer, Henry C. Brown, and named in his honor. Its fame is world-wide. When we think of the Brown today, we think of the public-spirited and popular manager, Calvin H. Morse. The Albany hotel, which covers nearly a block in the heart of the city, and daily houses a good- sized colony of the traveling pub- lic. The Shirley hotel, the Savoy hotel, the Metropole, and a dozen other great hotels, with hundreds of apartment houses, that, in size and furnishings, rival the hotels of other cities. Denver's theaters and opera houses are in the list. The Denham, which is equal in size and artistic appointments to any of the great theaters of New York; the Broadway theater, the Tabor opera house, the moving picture theaters, rivalling in size and beauty the best of the metro- politan moving picture houses anywhere in the country, making C. H. Morse Curtis street at night a great white way that is the wonder of strangers when they enter Denver's gates. Denver's church architecture, of which a number of the structures are replicas of the great churches of Europe. Its great department stores, which extort confessions from eastern visitors that they far surpass those of any city that is west of the Missis- sippi river and rival in variety and richness of their goods the best of the stores on the Atlantic coast. All of these are Denver's present boast ! What of those early croakers who sought to discourage Jim Broadwell when
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he planned, in the early 60's, the now defunct Broadwell hotel ?
THE PEOPLE'S COURT
For a brief period in 1860 Denver was literally over- run with ruffians, thieves and gamblers: a series of mur- ders was inaugurated by desperadoes. The various gov- ernments were unable to find ways and means of effec- tively enforcing laws for the preservation of public order.
The solons of the place were called together in the fall of '60 to draft a code of laws suitable to their needs. They organized a tribunal which they dignified with the title of People's Court. This was hastily called together when a murder occurred. It was speedily followed by retributive justice; there was no stay of proceedings, no appeal to a higher court, no imprisonment.
THE ATTACK ON THE NEWS
The News dealt vigorous blows against the despera- does who infested Denver, and bravely condemned the killing of a negro named Starks by Charlie Harrison, one of the worst of the outlaws. Harrison sought the editorial sanctum to discuss the whys and wherefores, claiming that he killed Starks in self-defense, and ex- hibited his pistol covered with hacks which, he declared, were made by Starks' bowie-knife in the struggle be- tween them. The subject was then dropped, to the mu- tual satisfaction of the News and Harrison.
Carl Wood, however, who delighted in bloodshed and violence, and who exercised a sort of despotic influ- ence over his confederates, summoned them to his sup- port, and one morning suddenly appeared in the News office and threatened to "clean it out." Approaching the senior editor, Mr. Byers, he seized him by the collar and commanded him to go at once to the Criterion saloon and apologize to the proprietor, Harrison, for the offensive
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editorial. He emphasized this order by flourishing a large navy revolver dangerously near to the editor's head.
Wood was informed that the difficulty with Harri- son had been settled satisfactorily to all parties concerned and an apology at that time was uncalled for.
The appearance of these armed desperadoes in the News sanctum caused great uneasiness among the em- ployes. A few printers in the composing room were for showing fight, but, unfortunately, they were not armed.
Mr. Byers stated his willingness to be escorted to the Criterion saloon by the ruffians, and so went with them. Wood walked close by his side, occasionally shoving his pistol under his nose, asking him how he liked the smell of gunpowder. and playfully threatening to blow his brains out "just for luck."
Arriving at the saloon. Harrison corroborated the statements made at the office. that all was quiet between himself and the editor, and urged that the matter be dropped. While Wood and his friends were filling them- selves with liquor at the bar, Byers succeeded, by a ruse of Harrison's. in escaping through the back door, and re- turned to his office, which, during his absence, had as- sumed the appearance of a hastily improvised arsenal. The employes. apprehensive of another visit from the desperadoes. had armed themselves and prepared for a siege.
When the escape of the captive was made known. Wood and his riotous friends. armed with double-barreled shotguns. mounted their horses and drew up for consul- tation at an unoccupied log house a few rods away from the editor's office. They evidently realized the necessity of being cautious.
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