USA > Colorado > History of Colorado; Volume II > Part 65
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 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131
455
HISTORY OF COLORADO
women, but this ran adrift on the question of putting God in the constitution and by-laws. While the constitution was never completed, at the last meeting-one stormy, snowy night-seven were present and they resolved that the Union should accomplish at least one thing. At Dr. Bates' suggestion three were made a committee to call upon the populist board of public works and obtain the erection of a number of street drinking fountains. Two of the committee visited the board. The Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union had for years tried in vain to have some drinking fountains installed, but it was not until the matter was presented by Dr. Bates that the measure was passed by the efforts of President Arthur C. Harris of the board of public works, together with its other populist member, T. B. Buchanan, and the one republican member, Clarence Rhodes, resulting in transforming forty five hollow iron street corner directory posts into running fountains, about a third of which had a small basin below for dogs. The first was erected at the corner of Sixteenth and Stout streets, opposite the office window of Dr. Bates, whose moment of deepest humane joy was when she saw the fountain's first dog patron discover the water and drink his fill and then saw him race up Sixteenth street to tell another dog about it and saw that other dog turn and race back and quench his thirst on that hot day.
In 1902 Dr. Bates by personal canvass assisted in organizing the Law Enforcement League, whose members were pledged to vote for the gubernatorial candidate who should subscribe to the strict enforcement of the saloon, wineroom and gambling laws or stand impeachment proceedings if he failed to do so. The republican agreed. Then for political reasons and credit the democrats in power "put the lid on" and it stayed on for nine months under the elected republican governor, at the end of which time Denver was given home rule by legislative enactment and the governor no longer had the power to appoint the fire and police board, with power to enforce the laws of Denver. This led to a recognition that better laws were needed for the protection of children and young girls and Dr. Bates labored through three sessions of the Colorado legislature to secure the passage of the present "Age of Consent Law," and through two sessions to secure the passage of the law making the taking of improper, immoral or indecent liberties with either boy or girl under sixteen a felony punishable by from one to five years in the penitentiary. She was responsible for the present "White Slave Law" of Colorado, admitted to be the best in the United States, including both "procuring" and "living on the earnings of" and, not the least in her mind, the section in the game laws to compel the game wardens to feed the starving deer, antelope and elk in winter seasons when they cannot feed themselves. Dr. Bates was also instru- mental in bringing about the passage of the "Law for the Examination and Care of Public School Children," passed in 1909, so that there is now a way to prevent the physical, mental and moral catastrophes to children and their entailed enormous loss to the community through consequent sickness, death or dependency. It would be impossible for any person to take so active a part in reform and corrective work as has Dr. Bates and not awaken the strong opposition of those who do not wish to hold themselves amenable to law. She was appointed by the county judge, whom she had never met, as chairman to the Denver board of county visitors and while acting in that capacity incurred the bitter personal enmity of the judge of the juvenile court for per- sisting against his opposition to carry out the desire of the board to comply with the provisions of the law as construed by the state's attorney general, which had reference to its duties in connection with that court. Because she could not see why the juvenile court judge should oppose such investigations as those to which other institutions had gracefully submitted and refused to have the board go officially to his court if all were properly conducted in the court and could bear investigation, the judge denounced her as a "tool of the beast" and the board its instrument, especially appointed to destroy his court. This disrupted the board and it never met again, although its members were conscientiously attempting to do their duty.
Sometimes as valuable service is rendered to the state by defeating proposed legislation of a vicious character as by procuring the enactment of a good law. In the nineteenth general assembly certain sinister and lawless interests secured the passage of a bill providing that any person charged with crime, provided it was not one of the four capital crimes, murder, rape (first degree only), arson and highway robbery, and providing the person charged had not been previously sent to the penitentiary, might be turned loose upon the community without trial by any judge or justice of the peace, or if tried, and convicted, might be released without punishment. It further provided that these orders might be made in secret and the judge or justice of the peace allowed to make any other order he wanted to medical or surgical also, before any legal determination of the guilt or innocence of the accused and without right
.
456
HISTORY OF COLORADO
of appeal or protection for the accused and without right of the state to proceed further in that case. To conceal its dangerous character it was called an "Adult Probation Law," which deceptive and alluring title deluded many good men and women into supporting it appreciating what the effect of such a law would be-to do away at one stroke with most of the protection afforded by law to law abiding citizens against criminals, those for instance committing rape in second and third degrees, bigamy, burglary, forgery, kidnapping, assaults to kill, indecent liberties with children.
This "Adult Probation" bill has been described by judges of the highest legal tribunal in the state as "the most dangerous and vicious bill ever passed by a legisla- ture." This bill was awaiting the signature of the governor when Dr. Bates' vigilance discovered its character and it was she who set in motion the influence of law and order which brought about its veto by Governor Ammons. Dr. Bates had organized and was the secretary of "The Woman's Protective League" devoted to the object, "To secure the Legal Protection of Girl Children," which naturally opposed any measure to destroy the protection to girl children afforded by the laws which she had caused to be enacted as well as any judge failing or refusing to enforce them. This same bill in substance was initiated at the next fall election following its veto by the same enemies of law enforcement and again it was Dr. Bates who caused its defeat at the polls. The same attempt to pass it in slightly modified form and the same defeat by Dr. Bates' efforts occurred in the twentieth and twenty-first general assemblies. On four successive occasions, therefore, it was she who saved to the state, whatever protection the law affords against most of the criminals who infest it. Laws and the machinery of law enforcement are futile if there is to be no law enforcement.
Dr. Bates was also very active in bringing about investigations that ultimately, through the generalship of Dr. Ella H. Griffith led to a complete change in the manage- ment of the Old Ladies' Home and through all the years, while engaged in much reform and constructive work, she has continued actively in the practice of medicine with a liberal professional patronage. She has at times written papers for medical societies and for the medical press and she belongs to the Denver City and County Medical Association, the Colorado State Medical Association and the American Medical Asso- . ciation. She was the pioneer in introducing the movement which led to the West Denver Clean City Club, making talks in all of the schoolhouses and organizing the club, which cultivated the spirit of civic cleanliness as next to civic righteousness and made West Denver immaculate.
In the fall of 1913 Dr. Bates presented the educational value of the "Baby Health Contest" as organized and conducted by Mrs. Mary Terrill Watts of Iowa, to Fred P. Johnson, secretary of the National Western Stock Show. This resulted in the establish- ment of the eugenic section of the National Western Stock Show and the organization of the Colorado Baby Health Contest Association with Dr. Bates as chairman of the section and president of the association. The first Colorado baby health contest was held during the January stock show of 1914, with the "Iowa score card." Superintending baby health contests in Wichita, Salt Lake City, Fort Morgan, Colorado; Longmont and in Denver during the stock shows of 1915, 1916 and 1917 led Dr. Bates to arrange "the Colorado Baby Health Contest Score Card" which has been in much demand in dif- ferent parts of the country for similar contests. This score card is admittedly the most complete and at the same time the most simple and quickest to use both by the exam- ining physicians and by the superintendent in totaling the scores by points, the range of grading for each point and sub-point allows of finer and more just judgment and the totaling scheme is a time and trouble saver with accuracy assured.
Dr. Bates established and has practiced in Wichita, Salt Lake, Denver and other contests the only fair plan of arriving at a correct competitive scoring of babies for prizes. Owing to the inevitable variations in scoring of different judges and at different hours by the same judge as he grows more familiar with the work, the assigning of prizes by the score alone is very apt to do an injustice to a "better baby" and bestow an undeserved premium upon a poorer baby. Dr. Bates caused the five to ten or even twelve if scores were close, of the babies scoring, highest by the card in each class to be placed in a "premium class." At the Stock Show "Finals" were had at "Matinees" and in the little glass heated house constructed by Mr. Johnson's order, each class under the Stock Show classification, was called separately into competition and the chosen highest stripped and stood upon tables and judged somewhat after the manner of stock judging for premiums. Trained nurses are in attendance and several physicians familiar with score point standards vote for the first, second, third and fourth prizes which are then awarded. The Annual Eugenic Dinner, devoted to the promotion of plans and ideals "For a Better Race" has been the feature of each baby health contest.
457
HISTORY OF COLORADO
Dr. Bates is corresponding secretary of the Colorado Medical Women's War Service League, actively endeavoring to induce the surgeon general and the war department to recognize women physicians on an equality with men physicians in service of our country by giving them equal opportunity in base hospitals and otherwise, and equal rank and pay for the same or equivalent service; also to promote equality of preparation for highest physical efficiency and endurance of women physicians, nurses and other women in war work abroad and hospital work here, whether in Red Cross or in gov- ernment employ-just as men are developed by appropriate training to achieve their physical and mental best. She is an active member of Denver Dumb Friends League and charter member and worker in its branch of the American Red Star Animal Relief.
Mary Elizabeth Bates has always been actuated by a spirit of defending the right, and has with unfaltering effort adhered to the high purposes which have actuated her. Back of her work has been the spirit of the lines:
"Buckle right in with a bit of a grin, Just take off your coat and go to it, And start in to sing as you tackle the thing That cannot be done, and you'll do it."
Progress has been her watchword and achievement the result of her labors, and her influence has been felt in a constantly broadening circle, so who can measure the effect of her labors?
WILLIAM H. MASTIN.
William H. Mastin, one of the prominent figures in insurance circles in Denver, who has the superintendency of the agencies west of the Mississippi river for the Columbian National Life Insurance Company of Boston, was born in Detroit, Michigan, September 20, 1869, and is a son of Charles H. and Caroline (Battishill) Mastin. The father was born in Ohio and has made merchandising largely his life work. He is now living in Florida, where he is engaged in the raising of grape fruit, and has attained the age of eighty-two years. His wife was born in England and when but a month old was brought to the new world by her parents, the family home being established in Detroit. She has now passed away.
William H. Mastin is indebted to the public school system of his native city for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed, and after leaving the Detroit high school he entered mercantile circles in Detroit, being thus engaged until his removal to Denver in August, 1887. In 1893 he entered the life insurance business in con- nection with the Equitable Life Company, with which he remained for fifteen years. Later he was with the Colorado National and remained with that company until it sold out to the Columbian National Life Insurance Company of Boston. His position as superintendent of agencies west of the Mississippi river is a very important one and he is a most able incumbent in the office, alert and energetic, with excellent powers of organization, combined with notable executive force and keen sagacity.
Mr. Mastin was united in marriage to Miss Ella W. Blair, of Denver and a graduate of the East Denver high school. She is a daughter of Robert Dallas Blair, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1844, a son of Alexander and Sarah M. Blair. In the paternal line his ancestry was traced back to the Rev. Robert Blair, a Presbyterian minister of Ayrshire, Scotland, and to Major Allison, an officer of the Revolutionary war, while his mother was a sister of President Mckinley's mother. Robert D. Blair completed his education in the high school of Davenport, Iowa, and took up printing and newspaper work. In 1863 he became a member of the first surveying party on the Union Pacific Railroad, sur- veying and locating the road from Omaha to Fremont, Nebraska. He first landed in Denver in 1868 and the following year became foreman of the Rocky Mountain News. In 1870 he was foreman of the Denver Tribune and occupied that position until 1883 under the successive managements of Woodbury & Walker, Harry C. Brown and Herman Beckerts. In 1883 he established the Delta Chief of Delta, Colorado, and sold the paper in 1887, at which time he assumed the foremanship of the Denver News under Askins & Burnell. In 1891 he took a position as foreman of the Leadville Herald-Democrat, in which capacity he served until 1903, when he removed to Lewiston, Idaho, where he now resides. During the period of his residence in Denver he was a member of the volunteer fire department
458
HISTORY OF COLORADO
from its organization until the establishment of a paid fire department, having been a member of the Woodie Fisher Hose Company. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and his religious faith is that of the Baptist church. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and in 1911 was master of Nez Perce Lodge, No. 10, A. F. & A. M., of Idaho, and in 1912 was high priest of the Royal Arch Chapter. He was married at Blackhawk, Colorado, to Emma C. Orahood, a daughter of Wil- liam J. Orahood and a sister of Harper M. Orahood. To Mr. and Mrs. Blair was born a daughter, Ella Winifred, who became the wife of William H. Mastin, and to this union four children have been born: Dallas B., twenty-six years of age, who is connected with the United States army in the service of the artillery, being stationed in France; Henry W., in the United States Navy, stationed at the John Paul Jones training station at San Francisco, California; and Caroline *E., and Gladys W., at home.
Mr. Mastin finds his greatest happiness in the companionship of his family and his chief source of recreation is in motoring. He takes frequent trips through the west but spends his summers with his family in Denver. He is prominent in the Knights of Pythias, having filled all the chairs in the local lodge, and is a member of the grand lodge. His career is that of a successful man and one whose record should serve to inspire and encourage others.
FRANK TAYLOR.
Frank Taylor, a general contractor conducting business in Pueblo, was born upon a farm in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, on the 8th of January, 1844, his parents being William and Mary (Kelly) Taylor. The father was a farmer by occupation, devoting . his entire life to that pursuit in order to provide for the support of his family, which numbered ten sons and a daughter, Frank being the fifth in order of birth. Both parents are now deceased.
Frank Taylor pursued his early education in the rural schools and afterward had the benefit of instruction in the Lyman Richardson School near Harford, Pennsylvania, which he attended for two years. He was also for a similar period a student in the Hawley Select School and afterward took up the profession of teaching, which he successfully followed, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. In his youthful days and early manhood he also worked upon the home farm with his father until after the outbreak of the Civil war. His patriotic spirit was aroused by the continued attempt of the south to overthrow the Union and when seventeen years of age he enlisted, joining the army as a member of Company C, One Hundred and Fifty-first Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, under command of Colonel Reynolds. The regiment was attached to the First Army Division under General Doubleday and he participated in a number of hotly contested engagements. He was at Chancellorsville under General Hooker and he took part in many battles which led up to the final victory that crowned the Union arms. Some of his brothers were also in the service and the family has ever been noted for patriotic loyalty to the country. Mr. Taylor returned home with a most creditable military record and it was subsequent to this time that he had the opportunity for a brief period of attending the Hawley school. He also took up the profession of teaching and eventually he left Pennsylvania to come to the west in company with an older brother. He first located at Junction City, Colorado, where he was employed by the Union Pacific Railway Com- pany, and later he was with the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad Company. On severing that business relation he entered the employ of the Denver & Rio Grande Rail- road and in 1888 he turned his attention to contracting, withdrawing from activities in railroad circles. Through the intervening period he has concentrated his efforts and attention upon contracting and among the many buildings which he has erected may be mentioned the Centennial high school of Pueblo, which was built at a cost of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Among the other fine structures which stand as monuments to his skill and ability are the county building of Denver, also five build- ings at Fort Logan, the Pueblo County Courthouse and many of the buildings which form a part of the State Hospital. He is familiar with every phase of building, with all the practical features of the work and with every scientific principle and his efficiency in this direction has led to the steady development of his patronage until he today ranks among the most prominent contractors of Colorado. His business methods have ever been thoroughly reliable as well as progressive and what he has undertaken has
FRANK TAYLOR
460
HISTORY OF COLORADO
brought to him a very substantial measure of success and, more than that, has gained for him an honored name, which is rather to be chosen than great riches.
Mr. Taylor was married in 1872 to Miss Clara E. Keech, of Kansas City, and to them was born a son, Frank E., who is now engaged in the automobile business. In July, 1906, Mr. Taylor was again married, his second union being with Mary Etta Watson, of Illinois.
The religious faith of Mr. Taylor is manifest by his membership in the First Presby- terian church, in which he is now serving as trustee, while in the work of the church he takes an active and helpful interest. His political allegiance is given to the republi- can party and fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks at La Junta. He also belongs to the Lions Club and he is a most public spirited and respected citizen, loyal to every interest for the general good, his life having at all times measured up to the highest standards of manhood and citizenship. He is today regarded as the pioneer builder of Colorado.
FRANK P. HUGHES.
The time of the arrival of Frank P. Hughes at Boone antedates that of all other settlers of the locality and for an extended period he was identified with farming and stock raising interests but now rents his land, from which he derives a substantial income. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 11th of July, 1858, a son of G. B. and Margaret Hughes. The father was born in Virginia and was of Welsh descent, while the mother was born in Pennsylvania and came of German ancestry. G. B. Hughes was a butcher by trade and carried on business along that line in order to provide for his family, with whom he removed to Colorado in the year 1873, settling two miles east of Boone. He afterward engaged in the butchering business up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1899, while his wife survived only until 1901. They had a family of seven children.
Frank P. Hughes, who was the fifth in order of birth, pursued his education in Clarksville, Missouri, and for a short time attended school in Colorado. He then engaged in handling horses and cattle and for a long period devoted his attention to the raising of live stock. In 1917, however, he sold his cattle and now rents his farm. He met with fair success and is today in possession of a comfortable competence that supplies him with a good annual income. He is the oldest pioneer living in this section. The railroad had not been built at the time of the arrival of the family and there were no fences to mark off boundaries over the broad prairies. It was a wild country in which the work of progress and improvement had scarcely been begun. Mr. Hughes and his family were among those who planted the seeds of civilization in this part of the western frontier and through all the intervening period he has been connected with the further develop- ment and improvement of the region, rejoicing in what has been accomplished and at all times doing his full share to promote public progress.
In February, 1893, Mr. Hughes was married to Miss Bertha McGur and their children are Charles, Arthur and Frank G. In his political views Mr. Hughes is a democrat and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day but has never been an office seeker. Fraternally he is connected with the Woodmen of the World. Practically his entire life has been spent in this locality, for he was only a youth of fifteen years at the time of the removal of the family to Colorado. He is well known in this region, where his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present.
CHARLES W. HOOD.
Charles W. Hood, general sales agent for the Rocky Mountain Fuel Company of Denver, is numbered among Colorado's native sons and possesses the spirit of progress and enterprise which has been the dominant factor in the upbuilding of the west. He was born in Georgetown, Colorado, December 30, 1875, and in the paternal line comes of Irish ancestry, his father being William B. Hood, who was born on the Emerald isle and who crossed the Atlantic to the new world during the '40s. He was then a young boy and he took up his abode in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he afterward engaged in the practice of law. He began preparation for the profession there and after thorough and comprehensive study was admitted to the bar. He practiced for a time in Phila- delphia and in 1870 came to Colorado, establishing his home at Georgetown, where he
461
HISTORY OF COLORADO
engaged in law practice and also in mining until his death, which occurred in 1892, when he had reached the age of sixty-eight years. His political faith was that of the demo- cratic party, which found in him a stanch advocate, and he actively supported its prin- ciples not only at the polls but by every effort that he could put forth to promote party success. He stood for all those measures which have to do with civic virtue and civic pride and was a valued resident of his community. He married Rebecca Dinges, a native of Woodstock, Virginia, who belonged to one of the old families of that state of English lineage. Mrs. Hood was reared and educated in Woodstock, Virginia, and by her mar- riage became the mother of six children, five sons and a daughter.
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.