USA > Colorado > History of Colorado; Volume I > Part 45
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COLORADO BANKS IN 1918
Location. Name of Bank.
Year Organized.
Capital Stock.
Aguilar-First State Bank
19II
$15,000
Akron-City National Bank
1916
30,000
Akron-First National Bank
1907
40,000
Alamosa-Alamosa National Bank
1907
25,000
Alamosa-American National Bank 1905
50,000
Alamosa-Safety First State & Savings Bank 1915
20,000
Alma-Bank of Alma 1882
10,000
Antonito-Commercial State Bank
19II
25,000
Arriba-Lincoln State Bank
1908
10,000
Arvada-First National Bank
1904
25,000
Aspen-Aspen State Bank
1908
25,000
Ault-Farmers National Bank
1906
25,000
Ault-First National Bank
1906
25,000
Austin-State Bank of Austin
1910
12,000
Bayfield-Farmers & Merchants Bank
1910
15,000
Bennett-Bennett State Bank
1917
10,000
Berthoud-Berthoud National Bank
1892
50,000
Berthoud-First National Bank
1906
25,000
Blanca-Blanca State Bank
1909
10,000
THE LOBBY OF THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK IN THE THATCHER BUILDING, PUEBLO
THE THATCHER BUILDING, PUEBLO
410
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Location. Name of Bank. Year Organized. Capital Stock.
Brandon-First State Bank
1910
$10,000
Breckenridge-Engle Bros. Exchange Bank 1888
20,000
Boulder-Boulder National Bank 1884
50,000
Boulder-First National Bank 1877
100,000
Boulder-National State Bank 1877
50,000
Boulder -- Mercantile Bank & Trust Company
1904
50,000
Briggsdale-Briggsdale State Bank
1912
10,000
Brighton-Farmers & Merchants State Bank 1907
30,000
Brighton-First National Bank 1904
25,000
Bristol-Bristol State Bank
1909
10,000
Brush-Farmers State Bank
1915
50,000
Brush-First National Bank
1902
25,000
Brush-Stockmens National Bank
1907
35,000
Buena Vista-First National Bank 1880
25,000
Burlington-Burlington State Bank 1908
15,000
Burlington-Stock Growers State Bank 1910
12,000
Byers-Byers State Bank 1910
15,000
Calhan-First State Bank
1907
15,000
Cañon City-First National Bank 1888
50,000
Cañon City-Fremont County National Bank
1874
100,000
Carbondale-First National Bank 1907
25,000
Castle Rock-First National Bank of Douglas Co. 1903 Cedaredge-First National Bank 1907
25,000
Center-First National Bank 1906
30,000
Central City-First National Bank
1873
50,000
Cheraw-First State Bank
1910
10,000
Cheyenne Wells -- Cheyenne County State Bank 1895 Clifton-First State Bank 1914
10,000
Collbran-Stockmans Bank 1916
25,000
Colorado City-First National Bank
1902
50,000
Colorado Springs-Colorado Savings Bank 1907
50,000
Bank
1907
100,000
Colorado Springs -- Colorado Title & Trust Co. . . 1900
300,000
Colorado Springs-First National Bank 1874
300,000
Colorado Springs-State Savings Bank 1913
25,000
Cortez-Montezuma Valley National Bank 1905
30,000
Crawford -- Crawford State Bank 1910
10,000
Craig-Craig National Bank 1861
25,000
Craig-First National Bank 1904
25,000
Creede-Tomkins Brothers Bank 1899
10,000
Crested Butte-Bank of Crested Butte 1881
15,000
Cripple Creek-Cripple Creek State Bank 1904
30,000
Cripple Creek-First National Bank 1893
50,000
Crook-First State Bank 1916
10,000
De Beque-Bank of De Beque 1910
10,000
Colorado Springs -- Colorado Springs National
15,000
Colorado Springs-Exchange National Bank 1888
25,000
HISTORY OF COLORADO
411
Location. Name of Bank.
Year Organized.
Capital Stock.
Deer Trail-Deer Trail State Bank
1910
$15,000
Del Norte-Bank of Del Norte 1882
10,000
Del Norte-Rio Grande State Bank 1907
15,000
Delta-Colorado State Bank 1909
30,000
Delta-Delta National Bank 1907
50,000
Delta-First National Bank
1900
50,000
Denver-Broadway Bank
1906
100,000
Denver-Capitol Hill State Bank
1912
30,000
Denver-Central Savings Bank & Trust Co. 1892
300,000
Denver-Citizens Exchange Bank
1912
30,000
Denver-City Bank & Trust Company
1909
100,000
Denver-Colorado National Bank
1866
500,000
Denver-Colorado State & Savings Bank
1904
50,000
Denver-Commercial State & Savings Bank
19II
50,000
Denver-Continental Trust Company
1902
300,000
Denver-Denver National Bank 1884
1,000,000
Denver-Denver Stock Yards Bank
1883
100,000
Denver-Drovers State Bank
1916
100,000
Denver-First National Bank
1865
1,250,000
Denver-German-American Trust Company
1905
500,000
Denver-Guardian Trust Company
1912
240,000
Denver-Hamilton National Bank
1910
250,000
Denver-Hibernian Bank & Trust Company
1910
100,000
Denver-Home Savings & Trust Company 1910
100,000
Denver-International Trust Company 1885
500,000
Denver-Interstate Trust Company 1906
200,000
Denver-Italian-American Bank 1909
50,000
Denver-Liberty Bank
1916
10,000
Denver-Merchants Bank 1912
75,000
Denver-Motor Bank 1916
50,000
Denver-North Denver Bank 19II
10,000
Denver-Pioneer State Bank
1912
75,000
Denver-Silver State Bank
1912
50,000
Denver-State Mercantile Bank 1908
70,000
Denver-Union Deposit & Trust Company 1874
50,000
Denver-Union State Bank
1913
30,000
Denver-United States National Bank 1904
400,000
Denver-West Side State Bank 1910
30,000
Dolores-First National Bank 1910
25,000
Dolores-John J. Harris & Company 1887
50,000
Durango-Burns National Bank 1910
100,000
Durango-Durango Trust Company 1909
50,000
Durango-First National Bank 1880
100,000
Eads-First National Bank 1906
25,000
Eagle-First National Bank of Eagle 1903
25,000
East Lake-East Lake State Bank 1914
10,000
Eaton-Eaton National Bank 1907
25,000
412
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Location. Name of Bank.
Year Organized.
Capital Stock.
Eaton-First National Bank
1902
$100,000
Eckley-Eckley State Bank
1915
10,000
Elbert-Elbert County Bank
1902
10,000
Elizabeth-Elizabeth State Bank
1906
10,000
Englewood-First National Bank
1908
25,000
Erie-Erie Bank
1903
12,000
Estes Park-Estes Park Bank
1908
12,000
Evans-Farmers & Merchants Bank
1904
12,000
Fairplay-Bank of Fairplay
1898
10,000
Flagler-Farmers State Bank
I9II
10,000
Flagler-Flagler State Bank
1908
12,500
Fleming-Fleming State Bank
1913
10,000
Florence-First National Bank
1900
50,000
Fort Collins-Farmers Bank & Trust Company . 1916
50,000
Fort Collins-First National Bank
188I
I 50,000
Fort Collins-Fort Collins National Bank
1900
100,000
Fort Collins-Poudre Valley National Bank
1878
150,000
Fort Lupton-Fort Lupton State Bank 1900
25,000
Fort Lupton-Platte Valley State Bank 1912
1903
100,000
Fort Morgan-Fort Morgan State Bank 1915
20,000
Fort Morgan-Morgan County National Bank 1889
50,000
Fountain-First National Bank
1903
25,000
Fowler- First National Bank
1905
25,000
Fowler-Fowler State Bank
1899
25,000
Frederick-First State Bank
1916
10,000
Fruita-First Bank of Fruita
1904
25,000
Fruita-First National Bank
1907
25,000
Genoa-Genoa State Bank
1909
10,000
Georgetown-Bank of Clear Creek County
1876
50,000
Georgetown-Bank of Georgetown
1882
30,000
Gilcrest-Gilcrest State Bank
1914
10,000
Glenwood Springs-Citizens National Bank
1903
50,000
Glenwood Springs-First National Bank 1887
100,000
Golden-Golden Savings Bank 1908
25,000
Golden-Rubey National Bank
1893
50,000
Granada-American State Bank
1915
10,000
Grand Junction-Bank of Grand Junction 1914
40,000
Grand Junction-Grand Valley National Bank . . 1902
100,000
Grand Junction-United States Bank & Trust Co. 1903 Grand Valley-Garfield County State Bank 1907
10,000
Greeley-First National Bank I884
100,000
Greeley-Greeley National Bank 1890
100,000
Greeley-Union National Bank 1877
100,000
Greeley-Weld County Savings Bank 1889
25,000
Grover-Grover State Bank 1909
10,000
· Gunnison-First National Bank I882
50,000
125,000
10,000
Fort Morgan-First National Bank
413
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Location. Name of Bank. Year Organized. Capital Stock.
Gunnison-Gunnison Bank & Trust Company. .. 1910
$50,000
Gypsum-Bank of Gypsum I9II
25,000
Hartman-Hartman State Bank 1907
10,000
Haswell-Colorado State Bank 1909
10,000
Haxtum-Bank of Haxtum 1906
10,000
Haxtum-Farmers State Bank 1909
25,000
Hayden-First National Bank 1903
25,000
Hayden-Yampa Valley Bank
1903
30,000
Hillrose-First State Bank 1906
15,000
Holly-First National Bank 1905
25,000
Holly-Holly State Bank
1907
30,000
Holyoke-First National Bank
1888
50,000
Holyoke-Phillips County State Bank
1909
25,000
Hooper-Hooper State Bank
1912
10,000
Hotchkiss-Bank of North Fork 1893
10,000
Hotchkiss-First National Bank I90I
25,000
Hot Sulphur Springs-First State Bank
1909
10,000
Hudson-Hudson State Bank 1909
10,000.
Hugo-First National Bank 1907
25,000
Hugo-Hugo National Bank
1915
35,000
Idaho Springs-Clear Creek & Gilpin Trust Co. I906
50,000
Idaho Springs-First National Bank
1880
50,000
Idaho Springs-Merchants & Miners National
Bank 190I
50,000
Idalia-First State Bank
1916
10,000
Ignacio-Ignacio State Bank
1910
10,000
Iliff-First Bank of Iliff
1907
30,000
Johnstown-First National Bank
1907
25,000
Johnstown-Johnstown State Bank 1916
15,000
Julesburg-Citizens National Bank 1909
25,000
Julesburg-First National Bank 1906
50,000
Keota-Farmers State Bank
1915
10,000
Kersey-Kersey State Bank 1908
10,000
Kiowa-Kiowa State Bank 1908
10,000
Kirk-Kirk State Bank 1917
Kit Carson-Kit Carson State Bank 1909
10,000
Kremmling-Bank of Kremmling 1905
10,000
Lafayette-First National Bank
1907
25,000
Laird-Laird State Bank 1909
5,000
La Jara-First National Bank
1910
25,000
La Jara-La Jara State Bank 1906
30,000
La Junta-Colorado Savings & Trust Company . 1907 La Junta-First National Bank 1890
50,000
La Junta-La Junta State Bank 1893
50,000
Lamar-Citizens State Bank 1908
35,000
Lamar-First National Bank 1887
50,000
Lamar-Lamar National Bank 1900
50,000
75,000
414
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Location. Name of Bank.
Year Organized.
Capital Stock.
La Salle-La Salle State Bank
1908
$10,000
Las Animas-Bent County Bank 1875
30,000
Las Animas-Farmers State Bank
1910
50,000
Las Animas-First National Bank
1901
30,000
La Veta-La Veta State Bank
1903
15,000
Leadville-American National Bank
1888
100,000
Leadville-Carbonate National Bank
1887
100,000
Limon-Limon State Bank
1905
30,000 ·
Littleton-First National Bank
1905
25,000
Littleton-Littleton State Bank
1909
15,000
Longmont-Emerson & Buckingham Bank &
Trust Co.
1871
50,000
Longmont-Farmers National Bank,
1881
50,000
Longmont-Longmont National Bank
1905
30,000
Louisville-First State Bank
1915
15,000
Loveland-First National Bank 1905
50,000
Loveland-Larimer County Bank
1890
100,000
Loveland-Loveland National Bank
1882
100,000
Lyons-State Bank of Lyons 1908
12,000
Manassa-Colonial State Bank 1912
10,000
Mancos-First National Bank
1910
50,000
Manitou-Bank of Manitou
1907
20,000
Manzanola-J. N. Beaty & Company
1898
15,000
Marble-Marble City State Bank
1912
15,000
Matheson-Matheson State Bank
1916
10,000
Mead-Longmont National Bank
1916
Meeker-Bank of Meeker
1889
15,000
Meeker-First National Bank
1904
40,000
Merino -- Merino State Bank
1908
10,000
Mesita-First State Bank
1910
10,000
Milliken-First State Bank
1909
10,000
Moffat-Bank of Moffat
1910
10,000
Monte Vista-First National Bank
1904
25,000
Monte Vista-Wallace State Bank
100,000
Montrose-First National Bank
1889
10,000
Montrose-Home State Bank
1909
30,000
Montrose-Montrose National Bank
1904
60,000
Nederland-First State Bank
1915
10,000
New Castle-New Castle State Bank
1909
10,000
New Raymer-State Bank of Raymer 1915
10,000
Niwot-Niwot State Bank
1909
10,000
Norwood-Bank of Norwood
1907
50,000
Nunn-First State Bank
1908
10,000
Oak Creek-Routt County Bank
1910
10,000
Olathe-First National Bank
1910
25,000
Olathe-Olathe Banking Company
1904
30,000
Olney Springs-Olney Springs State Bank 1916
10,000
Ordway-Citizens National Bank I9II
15,000
415
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Location. Name of Bank.
Year Organized.
Capital Stock.
Ordway-First National Bank
1907
$25,000
Otis-First National Bank 1910
25,000
Ouray-Citizens State Bank
1913
15,000
Ouray-Miners & Merchants Bank 1878
25,000
Pagosa Springs-Citizens Bank
1908
50,000
Palisades-Palisades National Bank
1905
25,000
Paoli-Paoli State Bank
1916
10,000
Paonia-First National Bank
1903
25,000
Paonia-Fruit Exchange State Bank
1909
30,000
Parker-Parker State Bank
I9II
IC,000
Peetz-Peetz State Bank
1915
10,000
Peyton -- Farmers State Bank
1916
10,000
Pierce-Pierce Exchange Bank
1913
10,000
Pitkin-Pitkin Bank
1884
10,000
Platteville-Platteville National Bank
1909
25,000
Proctor-Proctor State Bank
1909
10,000
Pueblo-First National Bank
1871
500,000
Pueblo-Bank of Pueblo
1916
50,000
Pueblo-Minnequa Bank
1902
30,000
Pueblo-Pueblo Savings & Trust Company
1909
100,000
Pueblo-Western National Bank
1881
100,000
Pueblo-Wigton State Bank
1916
30,000
Ramah-State Bank of Ramah
1908
10,000
Red Cliff -. Red Cliff State Bank
1915
10,000
Ridgway -- Bank of Ridgway
1891
10,000
Rifle-First National Bank
1902
50,000
Rifle-Union State Bank 1910
25,000
Rocky Ford-First National Bank
1904
60,000
Rocky Ford-Peoples Home Bank 1908
30,000
Rocky Ford-Rocky Ford National Bank 1908
50,000
Roggen-Roggen State Bank 1916
10,000
Saguache-First National Bank IQII
60,000
Saguache-Saguache County Bank 1880
30,000
Salida-Commercial National Bank 1905
50,000
Salida-First National Bank 1889
100,000
San Acacio-Costilla County Bank 1910
10,000
Sedgwick-First National Bank
1908
25,000
Seibert-Seibert State Bank
1908
10,000
Severance-Farmers Bank 1916
10,000
Silt-First State Bank
19II
10,000
Silverton-First National Bank 1882
50,000
Simla-State Bank of Simla 1914
10,000
Springfield-First State Bank 1914
10,000
Steamboat Springs-Bank of Steamboat Springs 1898
10,000
Steamboat Springs-First National Bank 1902
25,000
Steamboat Springs-Miners Bank & Trust Co. 1889
50,000
Sterling-Farmers National Bank 1909
50,000
Sterling-First National Bank 1900
100,000
416
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Location. Name of Bank. Year Organized.
Capital Stock.
Sterling-Logan County National Bank 1893
$50,000
Stoneham-Stoneham State Bank 1916
10,000
Stonington-Colorado State Bank 1916
10,000
Stratton-Stratton State Bank 1909
10,000
Sugar City-State Bank of Sugar City 1910
15,000
Swink-First State Bank 1906
10,000
Telluride-Bank of Telluride
1889
50,000
Telluride-First National Bank
1890
75,000
Timnath-Farmers Bank
1906
15,000
Towner-Peoples State Bank
1907
10,000
Trinidad-Commercial Savings Bank
1905
50,000
Trinidad-First National Bank
1875
200,000
Trinidad-International State Bank I9II
1886
100,000
Two Buttes-Bank of Baca County
1912
10,000
Victor-Bank of Victor
1895
30,000
Victor-Citizens Bank
1914
30,000
Vona-Vona State Bank
1915
10,000
Walden-North Park Bank
1903
30,000
Walden-Stock Growers Bank
1916
20,000
Walsenburg-First National Bank
1903
60,000
Walsenburg-Guaranty State Bank
1909
30,000
Weldona-Weldon Valley State Bank
1908
10,000
Wellington-First National Bank
1905
25,000
Westcliffe-Henry H. Tomkins & Company 1890
10,000
Wiggins-First State Bank 1909
10,000
Wiley-State Bank of Wiley
1907
25,000
Windsor-Farmers State Bank
1908
15,000
Windsor-First National Bank
1903
40,000
Wray-First National Bank
1903
30,000
Wray-National Bank of Wray
1910
30,000
Wray-Peoples State Bank 1910
15,000
Yampa-Bank of Yampa
1903
15,000
Yampa-Stockmans Bank 1908
10,000
Yuma-Farmers State Bank 19II
25,000
Yuma-First National Bank
I886
40,000
The present banking facilities and resources of the state are shown by the following figures in addition :
Number of national banks 122
Number state banks and trust companies 197
Number savings banks
6
Number private banks
28
Total number of banks 353
Total capital stock of all banks $ 18,904,000
Total surplus of all banks 13,933,000
Total deposits of all banks 221,978,000
Total loans of all- banks
174.362,000
100,000
Trinidad-Trinidad National Bank
CHAPTER XXI
COLORADO'S POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
POLITICS BEGAN WITH THE COMING OF THE GOLD-SEEKERS-ORGANIZING THE TERRITORY OF "JEFFERSON"-NAMING THE NEW TERRITORY-ELECTING THE FIRST "STATE" OFFICERS-THE FIRST GOVERNOR ARRIVES-TERRITORIAL SQUAB- BLES-GILPIN'S REMOVAL-TURNING DOWN COLORADO'S FIRST CHOSEN "SEN- ATORS"-GRANT SPRINGS A SURPRISE BY REMOVING ELBERT-THOMAS M. PAT- TERSON TELLS OF THE WINNING OF STATEHOOD-THE FIRST STATE ELECTION- JUDGE WILBUR F. STONE ONLY DEMOCRAT CHOSEN-JOHN L. ROUTT WINS GOV- . ERNORSHIP-THE BELFORD AND PATTERSON CONGRESSIONAL FIGHT-CHAFFEE AND TELLER GO TO SENATE-BELFORD FOR CONGRESS-N. P. HILL ENTERS THE FIELD-PITKIN CHOSEN GOVERNOR-TELLER GOES INTO CABINET-BOWEN AND TABOR GO TO THE SENATE-EATON ELECTED GOVERNOR-E. O. WOLCOTT CHOSEN SENATOR-ROUTT AGAIN CHOSEN GOVERNOR-REPUBLICAN FACTIONS IN RIOT- WAITE IS GOVERNOR-WAITE RIOTS-THE LONG SILVER FIGHT-THE BRYAN CAMPAIGNS-LABOR WAR OF 1894-THE PEABODY-ADAMS CONTEST-TELLER'S RE-ELECTION TO THE SENATE-GUGGENHEIM'S ELECTION-C. J. HUGHES, JR., GOES TO SENATE-SHAFROTH AND THOMAS WIN OUT-AMMONS, CARLSON, GUN- TER FOLLOW EACH OTHER IN GOVERNOR'S CHAIR-CHANGING THE ELECTION LAWS
BEGINNING OF COLORADO POLITICS
Politics began in Colorado with the coming of its Argonauts. On November 6, 1858, 200 men gathered to create a government, elected Hiram J. Graham delegate to Congress, and A. J. Smith a representative to the Kansas Legislature for what was Arapahoe County of the Territory of Kansas. In April, 1859, at a convention to which thirty-seven precincts sent in all 167 representatives, a state constitution was framed which was promptly repudiated by the people, who had no yearning for the expenses attached to the premature institution of statehood. Another convention followed, and despite the protests of Kansas officials, a constitution was prepared for a provisional government of the Terri- tory of Jefferson, and on October 24th the election was held. R. W. Steele, of Florence, Nebraska, was chosen governor; Lucien W. Bliss, secretary of state; Charles R. Bissell, auditor; G. W. Cook, treasurer; Samuel McLean, attorney general; A. J. Allison, chief justice ; John M. Odell and E. Fitzgerald, associate judges ; Oscar B. Totten, clerk of the court; John L. Merrick, marshal; H. H. McAfee, superintendent of public instruction.
Vol. I-27
417
418
HISTORY OF COLORADO
PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
The officials of the Territory of Kansas ordered an election of a legislative representative in what had been organized as Arapahoe County. The pioneering statesmen, however, claimed, and with the law entirely on their side, that the Indian title to what is now known as Colorado remained unextinguished and had been expressly excepted in the organic act creating the Territory of Kansas.
Beverley D. Williams was then elected a delegate to Congress in a free-for- all, with eight candidates in the field and the voting considerably heavier than the male voting population. In these days the election machinery was unor- ganized and utterly inadequate in the way of ballot protection. Mr. Williams remained a provisional delegate to Congress until the organization of the terri- tory and although given the courtesy of the floor of the House was never officially recognized by Congress.
But the political meetings had become an outlet for much of the pent-up energy of the period. With a provisional government, in effect, but still unauthorized, a Senate of eight and House of Representatives of twenty-one were elected. The first consisted of N. G. Wyatt, Henry Allen, Eli Carter, Mark A. Moore, James M. Wood, James Emmerson, W. D. Arnett, D. Shafer. The House was com- posed as follows : John C. Moore, W. P. McClure, William M. Slaughter, M. D. Hickman, David K. Wall, Miles Patton, J. S. Stone, J. N. Hallock, J. S. Allen, A. J. Edwards, A. McFadden, Edwin James, T. S. Golden, J. A. Gray, Z. Jack- son, S. B. Kellogg, William Davidson, C. C. Post, Asa Smith, and C. P. Hall.
William N. Byers, who then owned the News, made this remarkable predic- tion when the Legislature of the Territory of Jefferson convened on November 7th :
"We hope and expect to see it (Territory of Jefferson) 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. Then we will hear the whistle of the locomotive, and the rattle of trains arriving and departing on their way to and from the Atlantic and Pacific. The future of Jefferson Territory-soon to be a sovereign state-is glorious with promise. No country in the world in so short a time has developed so many resources of wealth."
The Legislature proceeded with its work despite protests, created nine coun- ties, provided a revenue in the form of a dollar poll tax, gave a charter to the City of Denver, and appointed a committee to prepare civil and criminal codes. It adjourned December 7, 1859, and on the following day Richard Sopris was elected Arapahoe County representative in the Kansas Legislature. The fac- tions, reactionary and progressive, were beginning the great work of creating a stable government.
NAMING THE NEW TERRITORY
When the question of territorial organization came up in the United States Senate the name "Jefferson" was promptly turned down. It is an interesting list, this of proposed names, including "Tampa," "Idaho," which was the name first accepted, "Nemara," "San Juan," "Lula," "Arapahoe," "Weappollao," "Ta- hosa," "Lafayette," "Columbus," "Franklin," "Colona." When the bill was about
419
HISTORY OF COLORADO
to pass the name "Colorado" was ordered substituted for that of "Idaho" at the suggestion of Delegate Williams. The actual motion was made by Senator Wil- son, of Massachusetts.
But it was a bitter struggle in Congress. The "Slavery" controversy had been injected into the bill organizing the new territory, and the North and South were divided on the question of repealing that portioin of the law passed by the Legis- lature of New Mexico, recognizing slavery in the new territory. Schuyler Colfax claimed that it was the "slave power" in Congress that even defeated his name "Colona" for the new territory.
Congress adjourned without passing upon the measure. In the Territory of "Jefferson" the people were divided on the question of the legality of the pro- visional government, and failed to give it financial or even moral support. A convention at Golden City, on August 7th, proposed united action with other communities in the gold region for the creation of a state government. The adherents of the provisional government met in Denver August 6th and, repudi- ating all allegiance to Kansas, issued a call for a convention to frame a state constitution.
These movements did not develop owing to the action of Congress at its next session, but on October 22d the regular ticket of the provisional govern- ment, headed by Governor Steele, was elected, although the voters were generally opposed to it on principle.
On February 28, 1861, President Buchanan signed the bill creating the Terri- tory of Colorado, and political activities which for two years had been confined to Kansas legislative campaigning and to the bitter struggle for a distinctive territorial government assumed a new interest.
FIRST TERRITORIAL OFFICERS
On March 22, 1861, President Lincoln nominated and the Senate immediately confirmed the following first territorial officers of the Territory of Colorado :
William Gilpin, of Missouri, governor.
Lewis Ledyard Weld, of Colorado, secretary.
William L. Stoughton, of Illinois, attorney general.
Francis M. Case, of Ohio, surveyor general.
Copeland Townsend, of Colorado, marshal.
B. F. Hall, of New York, S. Newton Pettis, of Pennsylvania, and Charles Lee Armour, of Ohio, judges of the Supreme Court.
But in these appointments there had been no end of politics. Gen. William Larimer was a prominent candidate for governorship, and until Frank P. Blair, of Missouri, entered William Gilpin, of his state, as his personal choice, it was believed the former would surely secure the honor.
Missouri was a border state in the impending Civil War, and many conces- sions were made to those of its politicians who were struggling to hold the state in the Union. In these early days there was still a vague hope that civil war could be averted.
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HISTORY OF COLORADO
FIRST GOVERNOR ARRIVES
When, on May 20, 1861, Governor Gilpin arrived in Denver he was welcomed by Judge H. P. Bennett, chairman of a reception committee, with the remark that "We accept you as governor of Colorado under the palladium of the Union and the principles of the Constitution."
The removal of Governor Gilpin in 1862 was the result of an enormous un- authorized military expenditure, the details of which will be found in the chap- ters devoted to the Military History of the State. His successor was Dr. John Evans, of Illinois, who became one of the greatest of Colorado's builders.
But the injury done him by the national administration rankled and he deter- mined to run for delegate to Congress as the candidate of the "People's" party. Hiram P. Bennett was renominated by the Union Administration party, to which democrats and republicans alike, who were pro-Union, gave adherence. There was but this one issue, and all elections were fought out along the lines of anti- or pro-secession.
Bennett was reëlected by a substantial majority over Gilpin.
DEFEAT OF STATEHOOD
The first effort in Congress for statehood was made by Mr. Bennett on Jan- uary 5, 1863. But the bill was not even reported out of the committee. At the second session of the Territorial Legislature held in Colorado City-which was the seat of law-making for a few months only-a further futile effort was made to frame the machinery for a state government.
On March 21, 1864, Congress passed the act enabling the people of Colo- rado to form a state government. The population was at this time about forty thousand, and the great majority was opposed to assuming the burdens of taxa- tion which statehood would create. Governor Evans, however, issued the call, the constitutional convention met first at Golden City, and later in Denver, with C. A. Whittemore as chairman, and Eli M. Ashley as secretary, and framed a state constitution. The ticket of the Union men was named, and after some changes was headed by Daniel Witter for governor, and Col. John M. Chivington for Congress. Governor Evans and Henry M. Teller were named for the United States Senate. The former, when the struggle became bitterly partisan, declined the nomination. Allen A. Bradford, the Union candidate for Supreme Court, repudiated the nomination and ran for delegate to Congress on an anti- statehood ticket. He was elected by a large majority and statehood was defeated. The rancor of this campaign extended into politics for over a decade.
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