History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 67

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080

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PONCHA SPRINGS.

Poncha Springs, a station on the Gunnison Branch of the Denver & Rio Grande Rail- way, six miles west from Salida, on the

South Arkansas, at the foot of the Poncha Pass into the San Luis Valley, and of the Marshall Pass into Gunnison County, and is the junction of the Maysville Branch and the extension of the main line to Gunnison City, that at this point leaves the valley of the river, and, climbing the steep and nar- row valley of Poncha Creek, crosses the main range by the Marshall Pass, at an elevation of 10,852 feet above sea level, into Gunnison County.

On the south, the mountains rise abruptly from the river, while to the north the view is unobstructed for many miles, and the grand peaks of Antero, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, and the Buffalo Peaks, are distinctly seen, and nearer, overlooking the town in a westerly direction, stands majestic Mount SI- vano. The valley of the South Arkansas in this . cin- ity, as well as from its mouth to near M ys- ville, a distance of twelve miles, is exc. d- ingly fertile and easy of cultivation, and 1 e number of well-tilled ranches, the neat an.1 comfortable cottages, in contrast with the log cabins of the early days, attest the profits the hardy ranchmen have derived from the culti- vation of the soil. The town is better known from the hot springs that burst out from the side of the mountain, about one mile up the pass, south of and at an elevation of several hundred feet above the town. The springs have been famous for many years for the curative power of the waters in cases of rheu- matism and in cutaneous diseases; but, from the inadequate facilities afforded for bath- ing, have not received the patronage and at- tention that otherwise would have been given. It is the purpose of the proprietors of the springs to put up a large and conveniently arranged hotel, which is greatly needed, the coming season.

The advent of the railroad in the winter of 1880 gave to the town a new impetus, and, dur- ing the few months that intervened prior to the extension of the road to Maysville, and to Silver Creek, in the Marshall Pass, it enjoyed all the excitement and suffered all the terrors incident to being the terminus of a railway in the midst of a mining camp. The exten- sion of the road relieved the town of the dis- turbing elements, and it has again become the

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HISTORY OF CHAFFEE COUNTY.

most quiet and delightful of summer resorts. The public library is especially worthy of mention, a neat and appropriate building and lot having been donated by Mr. James P. True, one of the early pioneers, and the library, of more than sixteen hundred standard works, being the selection and gift of Mrs. Magruder, a niece of ex-Gov. McCook.

The town has several hotels, the Poncha Springs Hotel being the principal one; a number of stores, with well-selected stocks of groceries and miners' supplies, and has a good trade with the neighboring mining camps. The Poncha Springs Bank, James P. True, President, takes care of the banking interests. The Neely Mining and Smelting Company have here a smelter, not yet in operation, but which will be able to obtain an abundance of ores from the surrounding mining camps.

MAYSVILLE.

Maysville is six miles west of Poncha Springs, 229 miles from Denver, and is the present terminus of this branch of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway. The town site was taken up several years ago, prior to the dis- covery of mineral in this district, by Amasa Feathers, as a stock ranch, located at the junction of the North Fork with the South Arkansas, and at the extreme western point of the broad mesa that extends easterly to the Arkansas River. It is the starting-point of the Monarch Pass Toll Road, leading through Arbourville, Garfield and Chaffee, over the Monarch Pass into the Tomichi Mining Dis- trict, and is the nearest route to Gunnison City. A toll road has also been built along the valley of the North Fork about twelve miles, which it is proposed to extend to the head of Chalk Creek. This road is owned by Col. Altman, who also owns a large number of valuable claims about the head of this fork of the South Arkansas. Other valuable prop- erties, owned by companies in Pennsylvania, are located here, which are being rapidly devel- oped, and promise to become large ore-produc- ers this season. Two smelters have been built at Maysville, neither of which is now in operation, but which will have an abundant supply of ore from the neighboring mines. The growth of Maysville has been steady from

the first discovery of mineral in the district, and has not been afflicted with "booms." It has now a population of about one thousand, which is steadily increasing. Good hotels, numerous stores, carrying large and well-se- lected stocks of groceries and miners' supplies, saloons, and all other branches of trade required in a new and growing town, are to be found here, and each receives a liberal pat- ronage.

To the tourist, it offers many attractions. There is good fishing in the immediate vicin- ity, and, in the short distance of ten miles by trail, or twelve miles by a good road, the summit of the Continental Divide may be reached. To the west lies the beautiful val- ley of the Gunnison; to the south and east, the high peaks of the Saguache, or main range of the Rocky Mountains, and the Sangre de Christo Range, between which lies the de- lightful San Luis Park; to the east, the broad valley of the Arkansas and South Arkansas -views not to be excelled for beauty and grandeur.

THE MAYSVILLE CHRONICLE.

This paper, published by H. B. Neal and C. M. Daley, was started in December, 1880, and very soon gained a large circulation, claiming to have the largest circulation of any paper in the county. In April, 1881, C. M. Daley retired, and the paper was published by H. B. Neal alone until the 1st of July, 1881, and since that time has been published by a company.

The paper is well and ably managed in the interests of the Democratic party, and enjoys the distinction of being the only Democratic paper published in the county.

Its colums are well filled with items of home interest and the more important State and foreign news.

THE SOUTH ARKANSAS MINER.

This paper was started at Maysville in May, 1880, by E. D. Lunt and J. S. Painter. It was a seven-column folio, home print, edited, by J. S. Painter. In July, Mr. Painter sev- ered his connection with the paper, and Mr. Lunt adopting a " patent outside, " the pat- ronage of the paper, which had been good up

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HISTORY OF CHAFFEE COUNTY.

to this time, fell off. In September, 1880, Mr. J. S. Painter, the present proprietor, purchased the paper, and at once restored it to a home print. Under his management, the paper rapidly increased in circulation, and was very soon placed upon a paying basis. Three months thereafter, it was enlarged to an eight- column sheet, making it the largest paper in the county. It has been devoted to the inter- ests of the Monarch and Tomichi Mining Dis- tricts, and has had great influence in bringing these districts into favorable notice. Mr. Painter is a sharp, pungent, as well as hu- morous writer, and Republican in politics. His editorials have influence in shaping the policy of the party in the county.

ARBOURVILLE.

Arbourville, four and a half miles above Maysville, on the Monarch Pass Toll Road, is a prosperous little town having considerable trade with the surrounding mining camps. A smelter was built here the last season, but, owing to some difficulties among the owners, is not in operation.

GARFIELD.

Garfield, or, as more generally known, Junction City, one and a half miles above Arbourville, on the Monarch Pass Toll Road, at the junction of the South and Middle Forks of the South Arkansas, is in the imme- diate vicinity of the rich mines of the Middle Fork and Taylor Gulch, and is, during the mining season, the busiest town in the district. Situated on the side of the mountain, south of and high above the town, is the Black Tiger Claim, sold the last season for $50,000, which is being worked. On the Middle Fork, at the head of Kangaroo Gulch, is situated the celebrated Columbus Mine, which was sold last season to a New York company for $100,000. George K. Sabin, one of the best- known and most reliable of mining superin- tendents, is General Manager, and Capt. Alex Cree, an old-time miner, Superintendent. The mine is thoroughly and systematically worked, no ore being taken out at present except such as is necessary in developing the property, and yet large quantities have been shipped to Argo for treatment. The company have com-

menced the erection of a stamp-mill, on the banks of the creek, for the treatment of the ore, which is free milling, containing no lead, and the ore will be brought from the mine to the mill by a wire tramway, already nearly com- pleted, the loaded buckets suspended from the wire cable as they descend, carrying up the empty buckets, no power being required to operate it except that of gravity. At the head of Taylor's Gulch are the Mountain Chief, which, under a lease to Follett Bros., and A. C. Babcock, the last season shipped large quantities of ore to Pueblo for treatment; the Rainbow, Denver, Mountaineer, Alaska, Desdemona and Ben Hill, with numerous others that have already a more than pros- pective value.

CHAFFEE CITY.

Chaffee City, one and a half miles above Junction City, on the South Fork, is the loca- tion of the Monarch Mine, from which this district received its name. The Monarch Mine was discovered in 1878, but not much development was made until the following year, when it was sold to Eastern parties. The large quantity of ore disclosed and taken out, resembling in character the carbonate ores of Leadville, led to the belief that the ore would be found here in deposits, as at Lead- ville, but, so far as developed, the mines already opened are more of the character of true fissure veins. The formation in the dis- trict generally is lime; occasionally one wall of a vein will be a blue lime, the other white; other veins will have one wall of a porphyitic character, the other lime; and the veins opened to any extent, except in the Columbus and Smith & Gray group of mines, like all veins in a line formation, have been pockety, the ore not lying in a continuous solid body, but being disposed in pockets, sometimes connected by a thin vein or streak of mineral, though often without any connection whatever between the ore bodies-the vein, however, remaining distinct and well marked.

The Smith & Gray group of mines, recently sold to a New York company, are being put in a condition to ship the large quantities of ore on the dump, preparatory to more extended development of the property. The company are putting up a wire-tramway for the trans-

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portation of the ore down the steep incline of the mountain to the road. Among other good properties located near those mentioned are the Lexington and Eclipse, which, having more development, show larger bodies of ore; but enough has already been accomplished to establish the fact that the Monarch Mining District will rival many of the older districts in the richness and amount of output of ore for the coming season, an amount which will be largely increased each year as the develop- ment of the mines already discovered is ex- tended, and the prospecting actively pros- ecuted shall open new claims.

Reviewing the history of the county since the division, in February, 1879, the progress made is wonderful, and should be satisfactory to the old settlers who have had the faith and courage to make their homes within its bor- ders. Chaffee County has increased, in value of property assessed, from $409,000 in May, 1879, to $1,649,990 in May, 1881, and in pop- ulation from less than eight hundred to nearly eight thousand; nor has there been any un- healthy " boom," but the growth has been steady, as the mines have been developed, and, as these are all of the nature of true fissure veins, their permanence is assured, and for years to come Chaffee County must and will continue to increase in wealth and popula- tion; occupying, as it does, the better portion of the valley of the Arkansas, and having a large acreage of tillable land easy of cultiva- tion and producing abundant crops of vegeta- bles and grain, while the mountain ranges afford grazing for the limited number of cattle required, the county is not dependent upon its mines wholly for its continued growth and prosperity, though from its mines will come the greater increase in wealth, and the devel opment of these is now only just commenced. The mines that are shipping ore continuously and making a profit are few, but the mines that have been opened sufficiently to determine that another year will bring them into paying condition are numerous.

The Denver & Rio Grande Railway, ex- tending the entire length of the county, with a branch in close proximity to the large and

rich veins of mineral on the South Arkansas, and the Denver, South Park & Pacific Rail- road, with a line across the county, and ex- tending through the heart of the rich min- eral district on Chalk Creek, will develop and open the mineral resources of the whole county, and enable the capitalist and miner, working together, to accomplish more in one year than would have been possible, without their aid, in ten, or even twenty, years. Ores that could not be profitably mined at all become valuable when near the rails. To these roads, then, the county stands indebted for much the larger portion of the rapid increase made in the last year.

The placer mines, to which, with few ex- ceptions, but little attention is now paid, will in the near future be extensively worked. It is indisputable that the river banks and beds for miles contain gold that will yet be profit- ably extracted. As the county becomes more populous, labor will become cheaper, and im- proved methods of separating the gold from the sand and gravel will be introduced, afford- ing support to thousands, and adding largely to the production of gold in the county.

The climate is always delightful-neither excessively hot in summer, nor cold in winter.

The scenery, whether viewed from the lux- uriously furnished coaches of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway, gliding along the river banks, through the canons or over the plains, or seen on foot or on horseback, is grand and beautiful beyond the power of description. The full grandeur and magnificence of these majestic mountains can only be realized and appreciated when one has seen them through the varying changes of summer and winter, glistening in robes of white, or clothed in the rich greens of the foliage of the pine and spruce, and the lighter shades of the cotton- wood and aspen, while, above the growth of the timber, the gray of bare, uncovered rocks,. seamed and furrowed by the storms of cen- turies, alike, and yet each preserving its own individuality, blends with the light, encircling clouds, and forms a picture that lives in the memory forever, clear and distinct.

VETA PASS.

TOLTEC GORGE ABOVE THE TUNNEL.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

ASA ROGERS ADAIR.

Mr. Adair was born in Giles County, Va., March 20, 1846. He was reared upon a farm and received a common school education. He was in the Confederate service for the last year of the war, and was in twenty-two bat- tles. In January, 1870, he went to Texas and went into the cattle business. He was driv- ing cattle to Utah, Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado for five years, after which he was shipping cattle along the Kansas Pacific Rail- road, till November, 1878. In April, 1879, he came to Colorado, and has been mining in Custer and Chaffee Counties since. He is the owner of the Kentucky, Stone Wall and Old Dog Tray lodes, near Hancock.

CHARLES F. ABBOTT.

The name of Charles F. Abbott is familiar to all the old miners and early settlers of Colorado. Perhaps no man in Colorado has been through more thrilling scenes, seen more hardships, and located and handled more mines that proved valuable than the subject of this sketch. He was born in Montpelier, Vt., February 17, 1838; his father was a stone-cutter, and early in life he learned the trade of his father. At the age of fifteen years, he went to Chicago, III., and after one year, he and his brother carried on the stone- cutting business together till 1857; he then went back home for a year, and then returned to Chicago, and built some of the best build- ings there, one of which was the Michigan Central Depot. March 26, 1860, he started West, stopped in Omaha till April, 1871, and then he, in company with his brother Rich- ard A. Abbott, and A. D. Cooper, now of Canon City, footed it all the way to Denver, Colo., having nothing to eat but Bologna sau- sage and crackers and tea to drink; he imme- diately went to Mosquito Gulch and engaged to work for $1 per day. Here he worked till

he got $28, and then went to French Gulch and worked a claim on his own hook, taking out $300 in one month, after which he and his brother bought a claim, 150x12 feet; and took out $1,600 in three weeks; they then started the Fegagle Fluming Company; in the fall, they went to Mosquito Pass, and took a contract to find the lead in a mine for two tons of ore, when they found it. They did find it, by digging sixteen feet; they sold their two tons of ore for $1,600, but Mr. Ab- bott was severely injured while at work on this job, by a premature blast, having one arm and one leg broken, and his skull fractured. In 1864, he went to prospecting on his own account and discovered some valuable mines, but through a sickness of long duration, he lost them all. On account of poor health, he went back to Michigan, and farmed it for four years. In March, 1879, he returned to Colorado. After spending a short time in Leadville, he came to Buena Vista, where he has been mining since, with good success. He was one of the founders of the Free Gold Mining Company, and has several good claims outside of this company.

MRS. J. A. D. ADAMS, M. D.

The history of Chaffee County would be in- complete without a sketch of Mrs. Adams. When the county was almost unknown, she investigated the Cotton Wood Hot Springs, and after satisfying herself of their medical properties, set to work to get a hotel and san- itarium built, which she has accomplished, and now there is no place in Colorado which surpasses hers, as a place of resort, both for the sick and those who are in search of rest and recreation. Mrs. Adams is the daughter of Benjamin Wood, being born in Oneida County, N. Y., July 29, 1830. She was educated at Oberlin College, Ohio. In 1853, she married William P. Dunning, at Gaines, Orleans Co.,

BIOGRAPHICAL:

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N. Y. She and her husband had studied medicine together, and she assisted him very much with his practice. In 1866, the Doctor died. After his death, she attended lectures one winter, in New York City, after which she had charge of Dr. Cook's office for five months, in Buffalo, N. Y. After this she took a full course in Cleveland Homoeopathic College, Cleveland, Ohio, graduating in 1871, and in 1872, became a member of the American In- stitute of Homoeopathy. Immediately after graduating, she located in Corry, Penn., where she had a very successful practice, till April, 1878. She was married in Corry, to Rev. Joseph Adams, in 1875; he having come to Colorado for his health, she was induced to give up her practice there, which she did, and came here, in 1878, and, in connection with her husband, and son-in-law, G. K. Harten- stein, built, and has since conducted, the Cot- tonwood Hot Springs Hotel. She has full charge, everything being under her immediate supervision.

JOHN BURNETT.

A history of Chaffee County would be in- complete without a sketch of the late John Burnett; he was born in Canada March 1, 1839; he received a good common school ed- ucation, and, at twenty years of age, he went to Napoleon, Ark., to act as overseer in a large lumbering business. After a short time, he went to Iowa and engaged in farming, for one year; in 1861, he came to Colorado and located in California Gulch, working in a saw-mill, and later in mining. He was the discoverer and one of the locators of the prop- erty afterward known as the Star Mining Company property, and was one of the owners for some time. After selling out his interest in this property, he, in 1865, located a ranch, three-fourths of a mile from Poncha, Chaffee Co., and was engaged in farming, stock-rais- ing and mining, on a large scale, till he met his unfortunate death, October 16, 1878. He went out hunting with friends and was acci- dentally shot by the premature discharge of his gun. He was a man highly respected, and his death cast a gloom over the entire com- munity. He had acceptably filled the office of County Treasurer and County Commissioner at different times. He was married to Min-

erva Maxwell in 1868. Mrs. Burnett still runs the ranch, with her six children, and is a perfect success as a manager.

WILLIAM BALE.

Perhaps no one who went to Leadville by stage, before the days of railroads, will fail to remember Bale's ranch, and the genial proprietor of the eating-house there. He was born in Butler County, Penn., August 19, 1820; he remained at home, upon his father's farm, till he was twenty-five years of age, after which he was farming for himself, till 1855, when he went to Iowa, where he lived for several years. In 1861, he went to Mis- souri, and had several contracts for carrying the mails; in 1863, he emigrated to Colorado, and was engaged in mining in California Gulch, for one year. He then took up a ranch, on Cottonwood Creek, where Buena Vista now stands, and lived there two years. The grasshoppers ate up all his crops, so he ran for Sheriff of Lake County, and was elected and served two terms. He afterward bought the ranch upon which he lives, near Salida, and kept a stage station there for six years. He was married, in Butler County, in 1852, to Miss Sarah Williams. Mr. Bale is one of the best known and highly respected citizens of Chaffee County.

THOMAS I. BRISCOE.

The subject of this sketch, while not an " old timer," in Colorado, is largely identified with its interests, and was one of the first to start the flourishing town of St. Elmo. Mr. Briscoe was born on a farm in Pike County, Ill., August 27, 1845. At the age of nine years, his parents went to Texas, but not find- ing that country all they expected and desired, soon returned to their native home; at the age of ten years, his father died, and he was deprived of advantages he would otherwise have enjoyed, but at the age of eighteen years, he commenced attending school, and at the age of twenty-three we find him teaching; he taught two years, and then entered the McKendree College, from which he graduated in 1873; he then taught school one year, and, in 1874, entered the University of Michigan, graduating from the law department of that

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institution in the spring of 1876. In the fall of the same year, he commenced practice in Pittsfield, the county seat of Pike County, Ill. After a successful practice for one year and a half, he emigrated to Colorado, locating in the Chalk Creek Mining District, in Chaffee County, and has been interested in mining since. He was elected County Commissioner for Chaffee County in 1879, which office he still holds to the entire satisfaction of the people. In 1881, he was elected Mayor of St. Elmo.

ISAAC N. BARRETT.

Mr. Barrett was born in Delaware County, Iowa, December 30, 1851; his father died when he was five years of age; he remained at home, on the farm, until he arrived at the age of twenty-four years. He then went to California and followed lumbering three years, after which he returned to Iowa and spent one winter, and in the spring of 1878 came to Colorado and spent the summer in the Gunnison, building the Pioneer Toll Road. In the spring of 1879, he came to Buena Vis- ta, Chaffee Co., and has been engaged on the police force since; is now Marshal of the city. Mr. Barrett was married, February 12, 1870, to Margaret R. Prentice, of Crescent City, Iowa.

DANIEL H. BOWRING.

The subject of this sketch is now spending the evening of his days in a beautiful spot near Poncha Springs. He was born in May, 1818, in York, Penn. He was educated at the academy, under Prof. Boyer. At the age of seventeen, he came to St. Louis, thence to Hannibal, thence to Palmyra, and finally set- tled in Wellington, La Fayette Co., where he remained three years. Here he met his brother, Dr. Bowring, whom he had not seen for twenty years. This brother, singularly enough, was born with only one arm, and at one time was intimately associated with Dr. Buckingham, of Denver; was also a corre- spondent of Prof. Agassiz. With this brother, Mr. Bowring studied three years, but was em- ployed, mainly, in compounding medicines. He then removed to Clay County, where he married, at the age of twenty-one. Here he was engaged as builder and farmer for over twelve years. About this time, Mr. Bowring

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History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 67

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 1080

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080