USA > Colorado > Larimer County > History of Larimer County, Colorado > Part 7
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"Leaving this place in the morning we reached the Fritz place, afterward Judge Howes' place,
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HISTORY OF
LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
about four o'clock in the afternoon on the first day of August. This was on Saturday and we all camped near the house. On Monday we moved into a little log cabin which stood across the road, but which we afterward moved onto the land which we took up.
"Taken all together, we had a good time crossing the Plains and with the exception of the scare given us by the bushwhacker and the loss of our teams, we had no trouble on the way. We passed two or three camps of Indians, but they were all peaceable and we were never molested by them."
How Pioneers and Freighters Trav- eled Across the Plains
In May, 1865, Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the National House of Representatives, who was elected Vice-President in 1868 on the ticket with General Grant, Lieutenant Governor Bross of Illi- nois and senior editor of the Chicago Tribune, Samuel Bowles, the talented editor of the Spring- field (Massachusetts) Republican, and Albert D. Richardson of the New York Tribune, left Atchi- son, Kansas, in Ben Holloday's Overland stage for a trip across the continent. Their route took them from Atchison to Julesburg, thence up the South Platte to Denver, where, in the mining regions to the west of that city, they remained several days, investigating the mining possibilities of Colorado. From there they journeyed north, crossing the Big Thompson at Washburn's station, thence across the country to the Sherwood Ranch on the Cache la Poudre and from there up the river to Laporte, where the stream was forded, and then on north to Park Station, which was then the gateway to the mountains on this route. In a series of interesting letters to his newspaper, Mr. Bowles graphically de- scribes the experiences of the party on the trip, and these letters were afterwards published in book form under the caption of "Across the Continent." In one of these letters Mr. Bowles tells how the emigrants and freighters traveled across the Plains; of the perils that beset them on all sides, and the hardships they endured on that long, wearisome journey of 600 miles from the Missouri river to the mountains. It must be remembered that this was six years after the great stream of travel set in from the East to the Pike's Peak region, but the descrip- tion vividly illustrates the methods employed in making the journey from the earliest date, in strik- ing contrast with the experiences of the westward traveler after the railroads were built. He says :
"One great feature in the constant landscape was the long trains of wagons and carts with their teams of mules and oxen, passing to and fro on the road, going in empty, coming out laden with corn for man and beast; with machinery for the mining regions, with clothing, food and luxuries for the accumulating population of Colorado, Utah and Montana, and all intermediate settlements. The wagons were covered with white cloth, each drawn by four or six pairs of mules or oxen, and the trains of them stretched frequently from one-quarter to one-third of a mile each. As they wound along in the distance, they reminded me of the caravans de- scribed in the Bible and other ancient books. Turned out of the road on the green prairie for afternoon rest or night's repose, the wagons drawn around in a circle, as a barricade against Indians, or protection against storm, and the animals turned loose to feed and wander over the surrounding prairie for a mile-like cattle upon a thousand hills; at night their camp fires burning ;- in any portion or under any aspect, they presented a picture most unique and impressive, indeed, summoning many a memory of Oriental methods. The mule trains made from fifteen to twenty miles a day; and the oxen about twelve or fifteen. They depended entirely upon the grass of the Plains for food as they went along; and indeed the animals grew stronger and fatter as they moved on in their campaigns of work, coming out of their winter rest poor and scrawny and going back into it in the fall fat and hearty."
It was thus, that before the Union Pacific rail- road was built, all emigrants and merchandise moved from the East into the great new West, and it was thus the pioneers, who first settled in valleys of Larimer county, covered the long, dreary stretches of the trackless Plains in search of homes in the wil- derness.
Mr. Bowles' Second Visit to Colorado
In 1868, Mr. Bowles, editor of the Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican, again accompanied by Hon. Schuyler Colfax and Hon. William Bross, Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, made a sec- ond trip across the continent to the Pacific coast, this time by rail from Omaha to Cheyenne, over the just completed Union Pacific railroad to the latter point, thence by stage to Denver, passing through Laporte, Fort Collins and the Big Thomp- son valley, en route. From Denver the party, augmented by the addition of Governor A. C. Hunt
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and Dr. W. R. Thomas, then an attache of the Rocky Mountain News, but now the popular and well-equipped Professor of History and Irrigation Law at the Colorado State Agricultural College, made the circuit of Middle and South parks, trav- eled on horseback with pack animals, and camped out much of the time where night overtook them. They visited Golden, Black Hawk, Central City, Nevada, Idaho Springs, Georgetown, in the valley of Clear creek, and various other mining camps in Colorado, interesting mention being made of each in Mr. Bowles' book "Our New West," published in 1869. On this trip Mr. Bowles made a careful survey of the agricultural possibilities of Colorado, and predicted a great future for the farming and stock growing industries of the State, which time has since fully justified. In summing up his ob- servation on these points he said :
"But inexhaustible as is Colorado's mineral wealth, progressive as henceforth its development, predominating and extensive as its mountains; high even as are its valleys and plains, in spite of all seeming possibilities and rivalries, agriculture is already and is destined always to be its dominant interest. Hence my faith in its prosperity and its influence among the central states of the continent. For agriculture is the basis of wealth, of culture, of morality; it is the conservative element of all national and political and social growth. Full one- third of the territorial extent of Colorado, though this third average as high as Mount Washington, is fit, more, rich for agricultural purposes. The grains, the vegetables and fruits of the temperate zone grow and ripen in profusion, and through most of it, cattle, horses and sheep live and fatten the year around without housing or feeding."
After speaking of the need of irrigation to get the best results, he gives a rough estimate of the agricultural wealth of Colorado for 1867 as fol- lows: "A million bushels of corn, half a million of wheat, half a million of barley, oats and vegetables, fifty thousand head of cattle and seventy-five thou- sand to one hundred thousand sheep. The increase in 1868 was at least fifty per cent; in the northern counties at least one hundred. Indeed, the agricul- ture of the northern counties, between Cheyenne and Denver, which has grown to be full half of that of the state, is the development almost en- tirely of the last three years. The soil yields won- derfully, north and south. * * * But hardly a be- ginning has been made in the occupation of the arable lands of the valleys and plains. The Cache la Poudre, the first branch of the Platte below
Cheyenne, has two hundred thousand acres of till- able land, only five thousand of which are as yet cultivated. Its oat crop in 1868 averaged forty- eight and one-half bushels to the acre, and its cows paid for themselves in butter in that single year."
The figures included in Mr. Bowles' estimate of the agricultural productions of Colorado in 1867, were furnished by Dr. W. R. Thomas, who had very carefully compiled them from results of his own personal observation while covering the Territory as the traveling correspondent of the Rocky Moun- tain News.
That Mr. Bowles possessed the spirit of prophecy when he predicted in 1867 that agricul- ture in Colorado is destined to be the dominant in- terest is shown by comparing the figures he gives of the agricultural products of the entire Territory for that year, with the products of the farms and orchards of Larimer, one of the northern counties alluded to, in 1909, forty-two years later, as com- piled by the Fort Collins Courier. They were: Wheat 575,000 bushels, oats 325,000, barley 255,000, sugar beets 350,000 tons. Value of fruit crop $300,000, value of alfalfa crop $200,000; the total value of all crops, including native hay, onions, potatoes and other vegetables, being $3,500,000. As additional evidence of the growth and prosperity of the county, it may here be stated that its popu- lation has increased from about 500 in 1867 to nearly, if not quite, 25,000 in 1909, and that its banks, on January 1st, 1910, held deposits aggre- gating a total of $3,448,965.58.
Trip of Union Pacific Engineers
In the fall of 1866 a party of Union Pacific engineers, accompanied by directors of the Union Pacific Railroad company, visited Colorado for the purpose of examining the different routes which had been proposed for the road through the passes of the Rocky Mountains. Col. Silas Seymour, con- sulting engineer, was a member of the party, and in a very interesting little volume, entitled "Incidents of a Trip Through the Great Platte Valley to the Rocky Mountains and Laramie Plains," published by him in 1867, we find a good deal of local in- terest. After examining Berthoud and Boulder passes, the party left Denver on the afternoon of September 22, by Holloday's Overland stage to con- duct further explorations in the Black Hills north and west of Laporte. Concerning this trip, Colonel Seymour says :
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"We reached Laporte, a distance of sixty-seven miles by stage road from Denver, at daybreak on Sunday morning, and found most comfortable quarters at the stage station kept by Mr. W. S. Taylor, and were joined in the evening by General G. W. Dodge, chief engineer, and Mr. James A. Evans, division engineer of the Union Pacific rail- road.
"We are now about to enter in real earnest upon the rough and adventurous features of our excur- sion. General Dodge commenced our education by intimating in the most gentle manner that we would be expected to feed, water and clean our saddle-horse during the trip. Our host at the station also informed us that he had no sleeping accommodations for us, and that we had better look around for lodgings.
"In view of such an emergency, Mr. Williams and myself had fortunately provided ourselves with plenty of buffalo skins, blankets and pouches. We therefore intimated to the landlord that one of us would occupy the lounge in the corner of the din- ing-room, and the other would sleep on the floor near the stove. Upon this, the cook, a buxom mid- dle-aged woman, with a sucking child, called out from the kitchen, in not very gentle tones, that "that lounge was her bed." Mr. Chamberlin, an enterprising merchant in the vicinity, here came to our relief and kindly offered us the use of the floor in the back room of his log store, which we were glad to accept.
"The following day we spent in making prepara- tions for our intended reconnaissance on horseback of the Black Hills and Laramie Plains. An easy- going black saddle-horse was procured of Mr. Chamberlin for the use of Mr. Williams. A chest- nut mare, procured by General Dodge from Fort Collins, was allotted to me. He had previously selected a fine roan from the same place for him- self, and Mr. Evans adhered to a large black mule which he had been riding for some days previously. He very kindly offered this mule to Mr. Evans, with the quiet remark, however, that he was apt to buck once in a while, which meant, as he after- wards explained, that he would occasionally stick his head down between his forelegs, kick up behind and throw his rider off over his head. Mr. Wil- liams, who had some experience with mules on our trip to Berthoud pass, very promptly declined the offer.
"Hon. Green Clay Smith, Governor of Mon- tana, breakfasted with us as he was passing through
with his suite, by stage, on his way to the scene of his future labors.
"On Tuesday morning, September 25th, our party, consisting of Mr. Williams, General Dodge, Mr. Evans and myself, started from Laporte, fully mounted and equipped as cavalry, and armed to the teeth with breech-loading carbines dangling from our saddles, and revolvers buckled around our waists, accompanied by a supply wagon in charge of Mr. McLain, one of Mr. Evans' assistants, in which were our bedding and such supplies as we would likely want on our trip. Our course lay up the valley of the Cache la Poudre a few miles, and then we turned more northerly and followed up the valley of one of its tributaries, which again led us into the valleys of the Pitchfork, Stonewall, Poison and Dale creeks. To the right of us, toward the Plains, were what time had suffered to remain of the rough, jagged crests of the secondary forma- tions as they had rested from the great upheaval of their portion of the earth's surface, when, during some former age, Old Vulcan had undoubtedly fallen asleep and allowed the subterranean fire, which he used in forging those immense iron wedges and other machinery with which he keeps the Universe in equilibrium, to attain too great a degree of heat.
"To the left of us were the higher and more im- perishable debris of these same formations, blanked in the distance by the snow-clad summits of the primeval rocks, which have for so many centuries withstood the combined attacks of time and the ele- ments. The objects of more immediate interest, however, were the Stonewall canon with its perpen- dicular walls of rock several hundred feet in height, and the Steamboat Buttes, which from a distance presents to view all the characteristics of a steam- boat, with upper cabins, chimney, pilot-house, etc., the passer-by pausing unconsciously to hear the bell ring and the familiar cry of 'all aboard' before it shall start away.
"Our wagon, having followed the traveled road which we were compelled in a great measure to avoid, had obtained some distance the start of us, and we did not overtake it until about 2:00 P. M. Having been in the saddle at least six consecutive ·hours, we were very glad to dismount, and, after unsaddling, watering and picketing our horses and extending ourselves upon the grass in the shade of the wagon, partook of a lunch which our commis- sary had made ready for us, after which a ride of three hours brought us to Virginia Dale, one of the stations of the Overland Stage Company."
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HISTORY OF LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
Our explorers passed the first night out from Laporte at Virginia Dale, which Colonel Seymour describes as "a most beautiful amphitheatre, sur- rounded by mountains, with Dale creek running through the center, and is near the boundary line between Colorado and Dakota." The next day they followed up Dale creek to Antelope pass, where they obtained the first view of Laramie plains, "extending as far to the Northward as the eye could reach, bounded on the east by the Black Hills and on the west by the much higher range of the Medicine Bow Mountains, which form the easterly side of the North Park." That night was spent at Fort Saunders, built to take the place of Fort Halleck and Camp Collins. On Friday, September 28th, the party started eastward, diverg- ing near Willow Springs station in a more north- erly direction, crossing the Black Hills at Evans' pass, and going into camp for the night on Dale creek. The next night they camped on Lone Tree creek, and on Sunday afternoon they went into camp on Boxelder creek near what is now known as the Bristol ranch after a lunch in the middle of the day at Jack Springs. On Monday, the 30th, they reached Laporte, where they spent the night, Mrs. Taylor serving them an excellent supper of antelope steak and other fixings. On the evening of October 1st, Colonel Seymour and Mr. Wil- liams took the stage for Denver, going thence east in the Overland stage to Fort Kearney, where they boarded a special train on the Union Pacific rail- road for Omaha. As a result of his observations on this trip, Mr. Williams, who seems to have been imbued with prophecy, declared :
"First-That the great Platte valley, extending as it does, in a direct line eastward, nearly 600 miles from the base of the Rocky Mountains to the
Missouri valley, was intended as the great thor- oughfare for the overland commerce of the world.
"Second-That the Platte river itself was in- tended, in the first instance, to supply water to the early pioneers and emigrants in their pilgrimage to and from the Rocky Mountains; and subsequently to afford the means for irrigating the immense plains along its borders, and thus render it event- ually one of the finest pastoral and agricultural regions upon the continent, and
"Third-The perpetual snows upon the moun- tains were intended to furnish an unfailing supply of water to all the mountain streams which flow into the Platte, and, thus during all time, afford the means of irrigation to the extensive table-lands along the eastern base of the mountains."
Mr. Williams' predictions have been fulfilled. The valley of the South Platte and its tributaries from Julesburg to the base of the mountains are now thickly settled by intelligent, industrious and prosperous communities, and, several large and thrifty cities may be found where only the prairie dog and sneaking coyote held dominion when Mr. Williams traveled in the Overland stage from Denver to. Fort Kearney. What Captain Long de- clared in the report of his exploration in 1819-20, "a barren region unfit for the habitation of civilized man," is now teeming with the life and activity of large and prosperous communities that have grown up through the magic of irrigation and the appli- cation of the life-giving waters of the streams that flow down from the snow-tipped summits of the mountains ; through irrigation and the genius and en- terprise of man, the Great American desert has been made to "bloom like the rose," and those portions of it that can be brought under cultivation through the wise application of water, are today acknowledged to be the most productive sections of the country.
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HISTORY OF LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
ized during the summer months by tourists from the Eastern states. The scenic attractions of the county and its charming summer resorts, with their hunting and fishing privileges, magnificent moun- tain views, so easily accessible, are yearly attracting
AN ARAPAHOE WIGWAM
more and more attention. Indeed, Larimer county, as a whole, for utility, beauty and for grandeur, picturesqueness and variety of attractions is not sur- passed in the Rocky Mountain region. Splendid crops of grain, potatoes, fruit, alfalfa and native hay are produced in the valleys, glades and parks of the foothills, mountain potatoes being especially noted for their superior excellence over those grown on the Plains.
There are approximately 400 square miles, or about 256,000 acres, of plain land lying between the hogbacks, as they are called, and the east line of the county, and it was in the valleys of the streams crossing these lands from west to east that the principal settlements were first made and also where the first attempts were made at farming in Northern Colorado. The thrifty towns of Fort
Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Wellington and Timnath are located on these lands and agriculture has reached its highest stage of development in their vicinity. This narrow strip of plain land now con- tains and supports a population of about 24,000 people and the population of the entire county is 25,270.
In 1880-81, prospectors discovered a number of rich silver-bearing leads on the northern slope of the Rabbit Ear range of mountains, in the south- eastern corner of North Park, then a part of Lari- mer county, and these discoveries being made known soon attracted wide attention. Hundreds rushed in to secure claims and a bustling mining camp was established which was named Teller, in honor of United States Senator. H. M. Teller. A daily mail by a line of stages, operated by S. B. Stewart, was established from Fort Collins to Teller in 1881, the route passing through Liver- more, Rustic, Chambers Lake and thence over Cameron pass into the camp. The town grew rapidly, like all mining camps, and in the latter part of 1881 had a population estimated as from 1,200 to 1,500 souls. Stores and a hotel were opened, a newspaper called the Teller Miner was established, and active development work in the mines was started. A daily stage was also put on between Laramie City, Wyo., and Teller, and con- ditions at that time looked very promising. Some two or three years before this, however, the rich pasture lands of North Park had attracted the at- tention of stockmen, and several thousand head of cattle were driven into the park in 1878-79, and a
INDIAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN
number of big ranches were established on the North Platte and tributary streams, so that by 1882 the park contained a large amount of tax-
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HISTORY OF
LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
able property. That year a controversy arose be- the Medicine Bow range. From the lake the tween the counties of Grand and Larimer over the jurisdiction of the park, both claiming it and each contending for the right to assess and collect taxes from the property holders. The controversy arose over the construction of the act of the Territorial Legislature creating Larimer county, the latter claiming that, according to the boundaries estab- lished by the act, its jurisdiction extended to the summit of the Snowy range, or the Continental Divide. Grand county, on the other hand, con- tended that the western boundary line of Larimer county rested upon the summit of the Medicine Bow range, a spur of the main range. The Com- missioners of Larimer county refused to accept this construction of the act, and the dispute finally got into the courts when Grand county sought to enjoin the Commissioners of Larimer county from exercising any jurisdiction over North Park.
The hearing on the application for the writ of injunction was had in the district court of Summit county before Judge Luther M. Goddard, later a Justice of the Supreme court, and the writ denied. Grand county appealed to the Supreme court which, in 1886, affirmed the decision of the lower court, thus putting an end to a dispute that had caused a great deal of ill-feeling. The opinion of the Supreme court was written by S. H. Elbert and clearly established the western boundary of Lari- mer county on the summit of the Snowy range, or Continental Divide, and also the county's right to exercise full jurisdiction over North Park.
Messrs. Haynes, Dunning & Annis of Fort Col- lins represented Larimer county, and Messrs. W. I. Hughes and Hugh Butler of Denver appeared for Grand county.
The principal water courses of the county are the Cache la Poudre and the Big Thompson rivers and the Little Thompson creek. The two first named have their sources high up among the mountain ranges which form the western boundary of the county, the last named among the high hills sepa- rating Estes Park from the Plains and discharges its waters into the Big Thompson river a few miles above the latter's junction with the South Platte. The Big Thompson heads in Estes Park among the snow-capped peaks of the Continental Divide, flows an easterly course through the park and empties into the Platte a short distance southwest of Evans. The Cache la Poudre heads in Chambers lake, situated at an elevation of more than 9,000 feet above sea level. The lake is fed by several small streams which head on the eastern slope of
stream pursues a zigzag course through deep, dark canons whose granite walls often rear their heads 1,500 feet above the bed of the stream, finally de- bouching on to the Plains about four miles west of Laporte. From this point the stream flows a south- easterly course and empties into the Platte a few miles east of Greeley. Among the principal tribu- taries are the Big and Little South forks, which come into the main stream high up in the moun- tains from the southwest; the North fork, which flows down from the northwest and discharges its waters into the main stream about fifteen miles above the city of Fort Collins; the Boxelder creek, which heads up near the Wyoming line, flows a southeasterly course and empties into the Poudre about five miles southeast of Fort Collins. The principal tributaries of the Big Thompson are Fall river, which joins the main stream in Estes Park; the North fork and the Buckhorn. It is from these main streams, after they reach the Plains, that water is drawn through an extensive system of canals and ditches for use in irrigating the culti- vated fields and meadows of the farmers. In the mountains the water of the streams flows with great velocity over rocks and ledges and are ex- ceedingly turbulent in flood times. After they reach the Plains, where the fall of the country is less, they take on a tamer mood and flow over pebbly bottoms in a quiet and orderly manner. They are all beautiful mountain streams, carrying clear, cool water, and are well stocked with trout. The Laramie river rises in the Medicine Bow Mountains a short distance northwest of Chambers lake, flows a northerly course into Wyoming and empties into the North Platte a few miles below Fort Laramie. At some time in the distant past the head waters of the Cache la Poudre flowed into the Laramie, but some convulsion of Nature filled the channel and turned the stream into a deep de- pression known as Chambers lake. From this lake the water forced its way through the hills in an easterly direction and formed the Cache la Poudre river. The origin of the names of these streams will be given elsewhere in this volume.
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