USA > Colorado > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 67
USA > Nevada > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 67
USA > Wyoming > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 67
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San Miguel county, set off from Ouray in 1883, comprises all of the former county of Ouray, except that part drained by the Uncompahgre river and its tributaries, which is still known as Ouray. The boundaries are so loosely described in the act estab- lishing these counties that it would be impossible to say how much of the mineral discoveries being already developed went with the county of San Miguel. But it is safe to say that its new name cannot have deprived it of its established character as a mineral region. The name of the county seat, Telluride, is indicative of the resources upon which it depends. The population, at the period of its establishment, was 2,000, and its valuation $449,856. Telluride had 400 inhabitants, and Placerville 125.
Summit county, established in 1861, extended in its earlier form to the boundary of Utah. Its former ter- ritory was divided up into Garfield, Routt, and Eagle, leaving only its eastern end, resting on the western slope of the Park range, to sustain its ancient name. In 1882 it ranked fourth among the bullion producing counties, whereas, after the excision of Eagle county, it ranked only as the eleventh.22
22 It contained 73 silver mines, which produced, in 1882, $459,550, and placers which yielded $51,000; but the following year the whole yield of the inines was no more than $350,000. The assessable property of the county was valued at $1,026,352, divided among a population of 5,000. The county seat was temporarily located at Parkville, but removed to Breckenridge. The town, although among those founded in 1860, was not incorporated until 1880, at which time it had 1,628 inhabitants. Breckenridge is situated on Blue river. Like all the Colorado towns, it has churches, schools, an opera- house, theatre, banks, and newspapers. Like all mining towns it has stamp- mills and smelting-works. Robinson has a population of 500, Racine 350, Frisco 250, Montezuma 250, Kokomo, Taylor, and Chihuahua each 200, Lincoln City 125, Swan, Wheeler, and Argentine each 100. Remaining set- tlements in Summit co .: Adelia, Argentine, Astor, Belden, Blue River, Blue River Valley, Buffalo Flats, Carbonateville, Chihuahua, Cliff Spring, Clinton Gulch, Conger, Cooper, Crocker, Decatur, Defiance City, Delaware City, Del- aware Flats, Dillon, Eagle City, Farnham, Fisk's Hotel, Fort McHenry, Genera, Golden City, Golden Gulch, Gold Run, Haywood, Hill's Camp,
63S
COUNTIES OF COLORADO.
Weld county, occupying the north-east corner of the state, was organized in 1861, and named in honor of Secretary Weld. It is exclusively an agricultural and grazing county, although it has for a foundation extensive beds of coal. An account of its great irri- gation companies has been given, and of the Greeley colony's acequias. Of a somewhat later date, about 1871, was the South-western, sometimes called the Tennessee colony, although its members were from several western and middle states. This association purchased a large tract of land in the Platte valley, and selected a town site near Fremont's orchard, twenty-five miles below Evans, on the Denver Pacific railway, which they named Green City, after D. S. Green of Denver. A considerable portion of the colony's lands needed no irrigation, being on the Platte bottom; but 8,000 or 10,000 acres had to be brought under cultivation, which was done by means of ditch- ing, as in the former instance. All these improve- ments have made the western portion of Weld a great grain field, while the sheep and cattle ranges in the eastern half are sufficiently watered for that purpose by the numerous branches of the Platte.23
Hugh Flat, Inferno, Intermediate, Junction City, Lake, Loveland, Lower Swan River Valley, Mill Rancho, Monument Toll-gate, Park City, Rexford, St John, Sulphur Spring, Summit City, Surles, Swan, Tariff Mine, Timothy, Warren Camp, Webster Rancho, Wheeler, White River, Williams Fork. This list embraces most of the settlements existing in Eagle, and some in Garfield, or in Summit, previous to the late change of boundary.
A late-comer to this region was H. H. Eddy, who was born in Milwaukee, Oregon, in 1855. He removed to Watertown, N. Y., in 1866, and was edu- cated for the law, being admitted to the bar in Rochester in 1877. He then migrated to Topeka, Kan., and thence to Colorado in 1878. After a few months at Leadville, he removed to Summit ce, locating at Chihuahua. He was elected to the state senate in 1880, and again in 1884. He secured mines and lands in the co., where he made his residence.
23 The wheat crop of ISS2 was 370,000 bushels, worth about as many dol- lars, and all the other crops, including hay and potatoes, were valued at $900,000. The population of the county was 8,000, and the assessed valua- tion $7,907,145. The county seat was first temporarily located at St Vrain, but was finally established at Greeley, which had, in 1883, 1,500 inhabitants. Evans, Erie, and Sterling had each 400. There are the following minor towns and settlements in Weld co .: Akron, American Rancho, Athol, Baker Coal Bank, Barrie Rancho, Beaver Creek, Beaver Station, Big Bend, Blair, Blake- ville, Boulder Valley Coal Bank, Brush, Buffalo, Cap Rock, Carr, Corona, Corona Station, Cottonwood Spring, Crystal Spring, Divide, Eckley, Fleming Rancho, Fort Morgan, Fort Sedgwick, Gard Rancho, Geary, Godfrey's Bluff,
639
INDUSTRIAL SUMMARY.
Such is the extent and variety of aspect and re- sources of Colorado that each division has required a separate history, which, at the best my space allows, remains too brief. To sum up the condition of the state in 1883-6, when it had only fairly entered upon a career of settled industries, we have the follow- ing : Wheat produced from 114,000 acres, 2,394,000 bushels ; corn produced from 21,287 acres, 532,100 bushels ; oats produced from 41,250 acres, 1,209,000 bushels ; potatoes, 1,000,000 bushels, and large crops of hay, which with minor productions were not re- ported, the approximate value of which was about $4,000,000. The value of cattle on the ranges was $37,500,000 ; of sheep, $10,000,000. The output of coal was nearly $6,000,000. The iron and steel prod-
Hadfield Island, Hall, Hillsborough, Hopkins Coal Bank, Howard Spring, Hudson, Hyde, Iliff, Johnson, Julesburg, Junction House, La Salle, Latham, Lemons, Lone Tree, Manchester, Meadow Island, Mitchell's Coal Bank, Mor- gan, New Liberty, Old Fort St Vrain, Old Julesburg, Pawnee Creek, Pierce, Platte Valley, Platteville, Pleasant Plains, Pleasant Valley, Riverside, Sarinda, School-house, South Platte, Spring Hill, Sterling, Stewart, Summit, Valley Station, Weld, Weldon Valley, Wild Cat Creek, and Wray.
One of those who freighted across the plains before the railroad era was Jared L. Bacon. He was born in Ohio in 1837, removing to Iowa in 1857, and to Colorado in 1859. After mining two years in Russell's gulch he engaged in the transportation of goods from the Missouri river to Denver until the completion of the Union Pacific. Then he turned to stock raising in Weld co., and had, in company with J. L. Routt, 3,000 acres of land, with an exten- sive range, and 32,000 head of cattle. He was elected sheriff of Weld co. in 1872, and to the general assembly in 1877, and again in 1879. He was also appointed brig .- gen. of the state militia for 4 years, and was chairman of the board of county commissioners for 6 years.
Samuel Southard, born in Ohio in 1846, enlisted in the army at the age of 15 years, serving through the war. He came to Colorado in 1866, remaining unsettled for several years, but going into mercantile business at Era, in Weld co., in 1872. In 1877 he was elected county treasurer and removed to Greeley, being reelected in 1879, and chosen county clerk in 1881. Later he became a merchant at Greeley.
Jesse Hawes, born in Me in 1843, migrated to Ill. at the age of 16 years, and enlisted in the army in 1861, serving through the war. He then com- menced the study of medicine and graduated from Michigan university in 1868, after which he spent two years in the Long Island hospital, and two years in European hospitals. On returning to the U. S. he came to Colo., settling at once at Greeley. He was surgeon of a railway co., and president of the State Medical Society, as well as of the State Board of Medical Examiners.
Henry B. Jackson, born in N. Y. in 1848, came to Colorado in 1872, locating himself at Greeley, and beginning his money-getting by hewing ties for a railroad company. In 1877 he started a small store, but was burned out in 1883. The same season he built the Jackson Opera house block at a cost of $16,000.
640
COUNTIES OF COLORADO.
uct was about $3,000,000, The gold, silver, lead, and copper amounted to $26,306,000, as nearly as it could be estimated, an increase of $3,000,000 since 1885, but a slight falling off from 1882. According to cen- sus returns in 1880, the capital employed in 599 dif- ferent manufactories, not including smelting, reducing, and refining works, was $4,311,714. The census re- turns prepared for publication at each decade are really prepared the previous year, and therefore this estimate gives the amount of capital employed in manufactures in 1879, when they were in their in- fancy. Without any exact figures to demonstrate the fact, it is evident that in 1883 the amount of money in use in manufactures, of the nature of iron and steel works, brass founderies, machine and car shops, flour and lumber mills, wagon and carriage fac- tories, furniture, clothing, saddle and harness, and boot and shoe factories, breweries, meat packing, brick making, cigar making, printing, and other estab- lishments to the number of over 600, great and small, must have quadrupled the census figures of 1880 ; be- sides which there were 175 smelting, stamping and reduction works in operation. The whole product of the entire manufacturing industries of Colorado exceeded $35,000,000.
At the close of 1883 there were eighty-three bank- ing houses in Colorado, of which two were national banks, with a capital of $1,640,000, deposits of $11,- 171,734, and business to the amount of $16,704, 165.90 ; fourteen state banks and trust companies, with capital of $615,754 and $2,433,417 deposited; and forty-seven private banks, with $774,735 capital and $2,423, 305 deposited. The fire insurance companies had policies out on $32,817,015 ; the life insurance compa- nies on $29,374,019 ; and accident companies for $1,036,981. The state debt consisted only of state warrants, which there was money in the treasury to meet, and a surplus of $372,961. The constitution prohibits the bonded indebtedness of the state.
641
GENERAL SUMMARY.
The biennial expenditures and receipts very nearly balance each other, and average $558,000. The amount raised by taxation in 1883 was $295,104.44, the assessed valuation being $110,729,756. A poll- tax of fifty cents was levied on 27,700 polls. The state tax was four mills on the dollar. The amount of internal revenue raised in 1880, with less than 200,000 inhabitants, was $168,259.
There were 370 school-houses, valued at $1,235,- 491, and a school-fund for distribution amounting to $45,000, but which the improvement and leasing of the school lands was rapidly improving. The state supports by a special tax the state university school of mines, agricultural college, mute and blind institute, state industrial school, insane asylum, and penitentiary. The industrial school had 129 inmates, and the state prison 341 convicts. There are a state board of health, a state historical society, a state library, and a historical and natural history society maintained by legislative appropriation. Other state societies, depending on their members for support, are maintained by the medical or other pro- fessions to which they belong. These intelligent organizations to which the legislature and the people in their homes give their attention, illustrate the pre- vailing character of society in Colorado. Not with- out blemishes or errors, the young commonwealth stands out a shining example of mental, moral, and physical progression rare to find in the first twenty- five years of a nation's political existence. The laws are liberal; public gambling is not prohibited, and drinking saloons are numerous. According to the census of 1880, the whole number of inhabitants was 194,327, with an excess of 65,196 males; 154,- 537 were native born, 39,790 foreign born, 2,435 were colored, 612 Chinese, 154 Indians. The population is largely drawn from New England, but is thor- oughly cosmopolitan. Since the 10th census was taken Mormons have commenced colonizing in this HIST. NEV. 41
642
COUNTIES OF COLORADO.
state, their number amounting to 1,578. The Chinese, though in the main well treated, have been driven out of some of the mining towns. The most remarkable feature of Colorado is the number and size of its cor- porations; and the question to be solved in the future is how far they are beneficial or detrimental to a state, particularly in the form of money preponderance and monopoly. Possibly they will be crippling to individ- ual enterprise, and enslaving to independent will and thought; in which case the most republican of our young states will have taken a backward step in republican principles, and directors of wealthy organ- izations be able to dictate to the producing classes as to their bondsman. 24
24 For yield of metals, see Descriptive America, May 4, 1884; Hall, Ann. Rept to Chamber of Commerce, 1883, 147; Farmer Resources of the Rocky Mts, 17-40; Farrell's Colorado as it is, 1868, 15-46; Stone's Hist., MS .; The Rocky Mtn Gem, Corbett's Legis. Manual, 1877, 316; Hayden's Great West, 116-27; Rocky Mtn Herald, Dec. 18, 1875; Gunnison Sun, Jan. 5, 1884; N. M. Pointers on the Southwest, p. 46; S. F. Call, Jan. 12, 1885; Rept of State Geol- ogist, 1881-2, 126-49; Colorado Condensed, 1881-82, 39-40; Id., 1883, 25-34; Burchard's Productions of Colorado, 1881, 132; Rept Director of the Mint, 1882, 14; N. Mex. Revisita, 1883, 279, Elliott & Co.'s Hist. Arizona; Tucson Fronterizo, Jan. 27, 1882, 2; N. Mex. Mining World, Feb. 1, 1884, 93; The Mines and Miners, 507, 509-10. On other subjects, see H. Misc. Doc., 47th cong. 2d sess., 98, 100; Galveston News, Dec. 1, 1884; H. Ex. Doc., 47th cong. Ist sess., vol. 15, 708-13; Colo. Sess. Laws, 1881, 31; Id., 1883, 23-4; Denver Tribune, Jan. 13, 1880; Colo. Gen. Laws, 1877, 557-9; Colo. Sess. Laws, 1883, 23-4; Denver Hist., 240-1; Transactions of State Med- ical Soc., 1884; Hawes' Charlatanism in Colorado; Reprint from Transactions of State Medical Soc. for 1883; Shinn's Mining Camps, 280; Mining Rights in Colo, by R. S. Morrison; Mining Code, by M. B. Carpenter; Gen. Laws Colo, 1865, 71-2; Fowler's Around Colorado, MS., 8; Leadville Democrat, Jan. 1, 1884; 10th Census, vol. 1, 378-447; Porter's The West Census, 1880, 392; Hall's Ann. Rept Chamber of Commerce, 1880-3, 128; Corbett's Directory of Mines, 1879; Rept Sec. Int., ii. 319, 43d cong. Ist sess. In regard to society, see Harper's . Mag., vol. 1x. 542-57; Bird's Lady's Life, etc., being the obser- vations of an early traveller in Chicago, 40-296; Bancroft, Colo Notes, MS .; Sac. Record-Union, April 7, 1884; S. F. Post, Nov. 15, 1884; Denver Tribune, Oct. 17, 1880. The Chinese were driven from Como in 1879, Denver Tribune, Nov. 13, 1879, and from other places at different times, and always by the other foreign populations, led by political demagogues, who, whether right or wrong, were never governed by a regard for the public welfare, but sought rather to make capital for themselves by pandering to the base instincts of our low and ignorant foreign voters, or their sympathizers or dependents.
CHAPTER XIV.
LATER EVENTS.
1886-1888.
ELEMENTS OF GREATNESS-MINING VERSUS AGRICULTURE-LAND AND WATER MONOPOLY-MATERIAI, PROGRESS-RAILROADS-DEVELOPMENT OF DEN- VER-ELECTION CAMPAIGN-LEGISLATION-EXCELLENCE OF STATUTORY, INSTITUTIONAL, AND SOCIAL REGULATIONS-CHARACTER OF PUBLIC MEN -BIOGRAPHICAL.
THE elements of a great commonwealth were in Colo- rado from the beginning. Like all the mid-continent states, it was misunderstood. From being a desert, ac- cording to early explorers whose experience was of heavily timbered countries, it was at length discovered to be a land rich in minerals, but it was not regarded as a farming, or even a grazing, region until accident revealed its capabilities in these directions. After thirty years of settlement, farming was hardly sec- ondary, though the mining and grazing interests over- shadowed it. The era of neglect of this industry was attributed to the scarcity of water on the surface, and the dryness of the atmosphere. Then came the water-grabbers, and fenced off the rivers from the common use of the people; or water companies con- structed miles of canals, carrying water through im- mense tracts, which were thereby greatly augmented in price. They condescendingly sold the water which belonged to the people to the farmers along their route, and charged them with a "royalty" upon their land-that is, they exacted a bonus for benefiting the land irrigated in addition to the water rent.1 Another
1 The question was mooted in the legislature of 1887 whether the companies should not be denied the right to own water, and be treated simply as com-
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644
LATER EVENTS.
abuse was the practice of aliens in taking up large tracts of land in the state for grazing or for speculative purposes. The legislature of Colorado, following the example of congress, passed an anti-alien law, to pre- vent English capital from fastening upon state lands. Mining property was not guarded in the same man- ner, but was owned to a considerable extent by aliens. Foreign capitalists, however, had not the same success in securing returns that American owners enjoyed, owing, perhaps, to the fact that they paid large prices for the undeveloped mines, and reserved too little capital with which to work them.
The state of Colorado was never more truly pros- perous than after a period of dullness from 1883 to 1885. In 1886 there was considerable immigration, particularly to Weld county, it having been found that crops could be grown there without irrigation. The citizens of that region petitioned the legislature of 1887 to create two new counties out of the eastern portion of Weld .? A large number of new towns were founded about this time, and had a surprising growth. Lamar, in Bent county, founded in May 1886, had on its first anniversary twelve hundred in- habitants. Yuma, another town of about the same age, 138 miles east of Denver, on the Burlington & Missouri river railroad, gained five hundred inhabitants its first year. Hyde, another railroad town in Wash- ington county, took its start in 1886, along with many
mon carriers-a principle undoubtedly correct, for the water in the streams which they robbed belonged to the people, and they could do no more than convey it to the points where it is required. The legislature passed an anti- royalty bill for the relief of the farmers. At the same time a company from the neighborhood of Boston was planning an acequia to be 175 miles long, and to irrigate a large area east and south-east of Denver. The ditch was to be 10 feet wide and 3 or 4 feet deep.
2 The county of Archuleta was also created in 1885 out of the western portion of Conejos, with the county seat at Pagosa Springs. In 1887 the authority of county commissioners (republicans). was defied by the sheriff (democrat), and the house of commissioner Scase burned. The trouble arose from the fact that these officers were not only republicans, but Mexicans. Mesa county was created by the legislature of 1885 out of a portion of Gun- nison co. Logan, Washington, and Chilcott counties were created.
645
MATERIAL PROGRESS.
others.' Real estate advanced rapidly throughout the state,4 the sales in Denver in 1886 amounting to nearly $11,000,000; the rise in property in other towns being also marked. This advance implies sub- stantial improvements.5 Among these were a new capitol building,6 and a federal court-house and post- office, the first costing $1,000,000, and the latter half that sum. The trade of Denver amounted in 1886 to more than $72,000,000, of which the smelters pro- duced $10,000,000. This also indicated a good con- dition of the mining industry. The total output of 1886 was $27,837,896.7 This progressive movement
3 The following is a partial list of new towns of about the same age: Armour in Pueblo co .; Battle Mountain and Clinton in Eagle co .; Rogers and Kingston in Arapahoe co .; La Salle in Weld co .; Orson in Mesa, a new county in west Colorado; Otis and Red Lion in Weld co .; Parkville in Saguache co .; Parma in Rio Grande co .; Rangeley in Garfield co .; Romley in Chaffee co .; San Antonio in Los Animas co .; Sunnyside in Hinsdale co .; Woody and Emma in Pitkin co .; McMillan and Butter City in Bent co .; Prospect in Gunnison co .; Abbott, a farming settlement, in Arapahoe co.
4 Glenwood Springs was sold in March 1887 to Louis R. Ehrich of New York for a syndicate belonging to the Midland railway. The price paid for about 5 acres was $125,000 cash. The springs were purchased to make popular resort.
5 A beautiful club-house, a $40,000 methodist church, a $25,000 unity church, and a larger number of substantial brick buildings than ever before erected, mark the local improvement in Denver for 1886. The Denver pub- Lic library was opened this year. This year also the beautiful academy of music was destroyed by fire. Id., Jan. 1, 1887. The Highland park was projected in 1887, and several additions were made to the city. Early in 1887 General Sheridan visited Colorado to select a site for a permanent mili- tary post. It was selected at a point between seven and eight miles from Denver, on Bear creek, and communicating with Denver.' The government appropriation of $100,000 sufficed only to commence the improvements of the 640 acres chosen, for which the citizens of Denver paid $31,000. This gave them an interest in the post; and their admiration for Sheridan led them to name a magnificent avenue opened between Denver and Golden, the Sheridan boulevard. In addition the cable road to the military post was set on foot in August of this year. A real estate exchange was organized in June 1887. The art glass works were opened for manufacture at Denver in 1887. Several miles of street railway were projected and partly constructed, and the electric motor road carried over the Platte.
6 The style is classic, of the Corinthian order. The main pediment will have an allegorical group representing the wealth, progress, and promise of the state. A magnificent rotunda will light the halls and corridors. Its dimensions north and south are 294 feet, or with its projections 383 feet, and it will contain 160 rooms. The building stone used for the front will be sandstone from the Gunnison quarry; for the foundations, Georgetown granite, and other stone for the remainder of the building.
7 Of this amount $4,446,417 was in gold, $18,209,406 in silver, and $5, 182, - 073 in lead and copper. Iron and coal are not estimated, although large. New prospects were opened in the La Plata and Needle mountains, also in the mountains of the San Miguel, and in those west of Fort Collins. The
646
LATER EVENTS.
continued through 1887 and 1888. The assessed valuation of the state in 1886 was $124,269,710; in 1887 it was $141,269,706.
Railroad progress was quite as marked during 1886-7-8 as other improvements, if, indeed, it did not lead them. At the close of the latter year there were not less than four thousand miles of railways in the state-roads that reached out to the gulf of Mexico and to the Missouri river on one hand, and to the Pacific ocean on the other-and local roads that, clambering among the mountains, sought to bring the remotest mining region into communication with com- mercial centres.8 Colorado railroads during one year produced a revenue from freight shipped from the east of $7,600,000, and from competitive passenger traffic $3,000,000, while the traffic of the strictly local roads amounted to $3,000,000 more. The importance of the state, and its geographical position, invited, and must ever invite, the transcontinental roads to make connection with its local roads, if not to send lines direct to its business capitals. Denver is the railroad centre-Denver, "Queen City of the Plains," as her people have been pleased to name her, because she sits at the foot of the mountains, whence she looks
Gunnison country had produced a bonanza in 1887, in the Sylvanite mine at Gothic, yielding 2,000 ounces per ton of metallic and wire silver. There was an increase in the coal output of 1887 over 1886 of 300,000 tons.
8 The most important mineral district reached in 1887 was that of Aspen in Pitkin co. Both the Rio Grande and Midland railways were extended to this important town, next to Leadville in wealth. The valley of the Roar- ing Fork thus became opened to settlement. Glenwood springs was another point reached by these roads, and beyond Glenwood the Newcastle coal fields, while the Midland was carried to the coal region of Jerome park. The Missouri Pacific extension into Colorado opened a large grazing and agricultural area from the state line to Pueblo. The Atchison line from Pueblo improved the whole country east of the Sierra Madre range. The Rock Island and the Northwestern also caused rapid settlement in the eastern portion of the state. During the year of 1887 nearly 800 miles of railroad was constructed within the state, as follows: Missouri Pacific 175 miles, Colorado Midland 239 miles, Denver and Rio Grande 157 miles, Santa Fé 147 miles, Denver, Texas, and Fort Worth 65 miles of new track and 96 miles of third rail construction. The cost of these roads and the wealth added to the state by railroad building in one year was $16,000,000, or $2,000,000 more than they received for carrying freight and passengers. The increased value given to property along the lines could not be estimated.
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