History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 81

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

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Chief Engineer J. A. McMurtrie, of the Den- ver & Rio Grande, evidently suspicious over the presence of Vice President and General Manager Strong, and the departure of Col. Morley, on account of their bold dash and successful occupancy of the Raton Pass, broke camp at. 4 o'clock that day, and went out of that pass, with all their men and grading outfit, in great haste, the men saying and supposing they were going to the Alamosa line. Col. Strong, perceiving their action, telegraphed the Superintendent of the Denver & Rio Grande, at Pueblo, for an engine to bring him to his line, at Pueblo, a courtesy which would have been granted at any other time. He could not telegraph his parties, as the Denver & Rio Grande, he had reason to believe, had

HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.

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fallen in possession of their cipher. He was informed, by the Superintendent, that it was impossible for the company to spare an engine, and his hands were seemingly tied. Not so, however, because Engineer Morley, having learned that Mr. Holbrook had not arrived, started by the first train, and being seen by the Denver & Rio Grande officials to start east on the train, they rested complacently. When two miles below Rocky Ford, he learned that it was likely no train would pass west until 4 o'clock the next morning, on which Mr. Holbrook could possibly go, and, stopping the train, he jumped off and re- traced his steps to Rocky Ford, where he took possession of the telegraph office and over- heard the news over the wires of the Denver & Rio Grande evacuation of the Raton Pass line. He comprehended the situation at once, and grounded the wires east, cutting off connec- tion with the Superintendent of that division, who, he feared, might question him too much. Then seeking an opportunity, when the Den- ver & Rio Grande operator was out of the Pueblo office, he ordered an engine sent him immediately, which, being complied with, by the prompt action of M. D. Thatcher, to whom he telegraphed to have a team in readiness for his use on his arrival, which, being done, at 3 o'clock on the morning of April 19, 1878, he started the famous race of horse flesh and wind against the iron horse and steam, arriv- ing at Canon a half an hour ahead of the Denver & Rio Grande Chief Engineer Mc- Murtrie's train, with 200 graders, under charge of J. B. Orman, that left at 4 A. M., only one hour behind Mr. Morley. Through the assistance of Hon. James Clelland, Director of the Canon City & San Juan Railroad, a party of men were hired to " mend a break in the big ditch," and rushed to the objective point, Col. Morley intended for work on the railroad line just above the large flume of the big ditch, at the mouth of the canon. Imag- ine the consternation among the Denver & Rio Grande officials when they learned that Assistant Engineer Morley was throwing dirt . on the line they coveted.

After placing his men at work, and seeing recruits, under Mr. James H. Peabody, com- ing, he saw in the distance the Denver & Rio

Grande forces coming. Having arranged for men to be sent by wagons, to take possession of the upper end of the canon as well, he at once mounted, and, in a short time, was at Mr. Bradish's place. The men folks were gone away some miles, at their work. He offered the ladies $10 each to go at work, an hour or two, with hoes, the only available tools, on the point of rocks. As they did not understand the situation, and evidently looked upon Col. Morley as a madman, they declined, at which juncture the old gentleman Bradish came up, and, accepting the offer, went to work, scratch- ing over the rocks with a hoe, under orders to tell any parties who might wish to interfere, "that he was in possession of and working for the Canon City & San Juan Railway, under orders from Engineer Morley, and for them to go to h-1."

About the second hour, Mr. Morley's ex- pected force arrived, when the old gentleman, not being informed, suspecting them of being Denver & Rio Grande men, straightened his bent back, carried out his orders to the letter, telling them emphatically "to go to h-1, there was no room for them there." On the other side, it is related, that Chief Engineer McMurtrie and Assistant J. R. DeRemer, had advised and urged their company to commence work at this grand entrance way, months be- fore, the movement being precipitated by Col. Strong's action.

This was the commencement of the Grand Cañon war, that will enliven the annals of railroad history of Colorado, long after many generations of worn-out rail on that line, shall have been re-rolled and resurrected, to span the cycles that shall follow until the final " wreck of matter and crush of worlds."

That evening, Col. William B. Strong was elected General Manager, and A. A. Robin- son, Esq., Chief Engineer of the Canon City & San Juan Railroad, and within one week these gentleman, by wagon transportation, from Pueblo, put 500 men at work in the Grand Cañon, and within two weeks the Canon City & San Juan Railroad had between 700 and 800 men at work, and the Denver & Rio Grande Railway about 500.

The Grand Canon war was only in name, so far as loss of life was concerned, as not a

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HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.

single life was lost. From Shipka Pass no projectiles more explosive than rocks were hurled, and Fort DeRemer was a safe position on account of its difficult access. This point, under the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé man agement, called Old Judge City, was an engi- neers' camp. Each side being determined to hold the position, it is a marvel that no clash of arms was resorted to. Finally, an injune- tion was granted, by County Judge R. A. Bain, against the Denver & Rio Grande, which was sustained by Hon. Moses Hallett, of the United States District Court, and the alarm that was felt gradually subsided.

The transfer of the war to the courts, re- sulted in a long struggle, which ended in a compromise, the road falling into the hands of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway, be- fore which the Canon City & San Juan Com- pany was merged into the Pueblo & Arkansas Valley road.

The actual expense of the conflict for the possession of this great highway, which nature has cut through the Rocky Mountains, could not have been less than half a million dollars. To Chief Engineer Robinson the honor be- longs, of completing a work in less than ten months from the letting of contracts, that was set down as a work of years. In many places it became necessary to blast off the rocks for hundreds of feet back, by suspend ing men by ropes, to make the first drill holes and gain a foothold. Few who ride in easy cars can comprehend the dizzy heights from whence came the solid, rocky road-bed over which they glide, and few will award the meed of praise to the railroad President Nick- erson, his Boston associates and Vice Presi- dent Col. William B. Strong, now that it is owned and operated by the Denver & Rio Grande.

There were exciting periods during the con- troversy when both sides were jubilant. For instance. April 21, 1879, the United States Supreme Court decided that, although the Denver & Rio Grande had prior right to the Grand Cañon, that they must be regarded as accepting under act of March 3, 1875, conse- quently, the Canon City & San Juan should be secured in the use of the Grand Cañon, in connection with them, on equitable terms.

Flaming extras were issued, rockets were sent up, bonfires built, and every body was jolly. The Denver & Rio Grande had secured the " prior right," and the Canon City & San Juan the right to build.

While the contest waxed hot in the Grand Cañon, Vice President and General Manager William B. Strong struck what would have been a death blow to the Denver & Rio Grande had it been followed up in their then feeble financial condition, by ordering the work commenced, paralleling their lines from Pueblo to Denver and Canon City. His company thought otherwise, and the famous thirty years' lease of the Denver & Rio Grande road, executed October 19, 1878, was made to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé, as a com- promise; the railroad was turned over to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe by Gen. Palmer, December 13, by a general order. The lease was more honored in the breach than in the observance, and resulted in bloodshed and the nearest approach to anarchy ever witnessed in Colorado. Preparatory to a decision from Judge Bowens, the court being held in Cos- tilla, guns were distributed along the line, and when, about June 10, 1879, a writ, with a forged seal, a writ of injunction-in effect, one of restoration of the road to the Denver & Rio Grande, and restraining the employes of the road in possession from interference- was sent to Sheriffs in counties along the line, they promptly showed their sympathies by serving it, notwithstanding the evidence of its illegality, on the 11th, on station agents and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé employes, and by placing a large number of armed men, called deputies, on duty, guarding the prop- erty, except that at Pueblo, and on Cucharas, fell easily into their hands; in effect, taking forced possession of the road. Ex-Gov. Hunt, with war-trappings about him, taking a train at Alamosa, said to have been loaded with from 150 to 200 armed men, came northward as far as Cañon City, casting consternation in their wake, it was supposed, to take possession of the Grand Canon, by replacing the broken connection between the Denver & Rio Grande and the Pueblo & Arkansas Valley, at Canon, and pushing his train directly into the Grand Cañon. He showed his discretion by returning,

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after a short stay at the Cafion City depot, for subsequent developments showed that Col. Morley's men had an engine, throbbing with escaping steam from a weighted down throt- tle- valve, and panting for liberty, to dash into the expected invaders' iron horse, had it made the threatened advance, while a force, with brave hearts and steady nerves, were awaiting in tie-pile forts, the onslaught, while beyond, in the Grand Canon, connected with electric batteries, charcoal and saltpetre mines would have given them a lesson on lawlessness that eternity would not have effaced. That little act of discretion saved all. The United States Mails were stopped; telegraphic dispatches could not be sent; in fact, the line below Coal Creek was destroyed, and a conspiracy formed for lynching the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé operator, which was thwarted by a gentleman well known in Canon. Judge Bowen ap- pointed Hanson A. Risley, Esq., Solicitor of the Denver & Rio Grande, Receiver. On the 25th of June, Judge Hallett decided the case was not properly under the jurisdiction of the State Courts, and issued a writ, ordering the road turned back to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé within three days, which was not done until July 16, after Chief Justice Miller, on July 14, ordered the discharge of Mr. Ris- ley, as Receiver, and enjoined him to restore the road to the Denver & Rio Grande, and, for them to obey the writ of June 25, and turn the road over to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé, which was done in very emphatic terms. Judge Hallett then ordered that each company be restrained from building a line to Lead- ville, and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé not to be disturbed in possession. Col. Lewis S. Ellsworth was appointed, by Judge Hal- lett, Receiver, in July, 1879, to protect the interests of both companies.

The Pueblo & Arkansas Valley construction had been pushed through the Grand Canon and to the Texas Creek Canon, twenty-two miles west of Canon City, to a point where the Denver & Rio Grande claimed the Pueblo & Arkansas Valley had trespassed on their right of way and grading, and where Assist- ant Engineer J. R. DeRemer had established a dead-line and enfilading forts of stone on the mountain sides, where he had lain with a force

of armed men for weeks and months. It is said that this position was mined for quite a distance, and ready to be sprung by electric batteries at any moment, and that here discre- tion on the other side came in play. At any rate, when DeRemer's bristling guns were made ready for action, and the leader gave the order to fire on I. Naramore's Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé construction party, June 17, if another tie was laid, the Santa Fé men, being un. armed, withdrew, under orders, and took to the court's evidence of the proceedings. The Santa Fé officials' orders were not to make armed resistance at any point, and this was steadfastly adhered to through all of the herd- ing about of their men in the Grand Canon, even after their camps had been broken up in the night-time, by armed men, and their opponents were reported in disguise of Ute Indians. These outrages were too much for the equanimity of as peacefully disposed gen- tlemen as Chief Engineer Robinson, and when the men finally were better prepared, he did not attempt to resurrect the dead order against it.

After the Fort Dodge men came up, Col. Lamborn himself suspicioned affairs were get- ting to a desperate climax, and accosted Col. Morley with: "Is it possible? I am told you have armed men." Morley, in a cool manner, replied: "I understand Utes have appeared at the upper end of the canon, and you need not be afraid, Colonel, none of your men shall be harmed by the red skins. We'll protect all laboring men against Indians." A rich episode of the Denver & Rio Grande officials' preparation to take the road by force, is related. The arms for Canon were shipped by express, marked to Davidson, Silver Cliff, care of Dr. Craven, Canon City (who was not apprised of the shipment); there were several cases of guns, pistols and ammunition, marked "Hardware," and valued at only $50. The keen eyes of their opponents fell upon the sus- picious-looking boxes of hardware, and affi- davits were made of their supposed sedi- tious character, under which Judge Bain could not, without violating his oath of office, do otherwise than issue writs of attachment. When the cases got through the toils of law, the emergency for the use of their contents

a Lalean

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HISTORY OF FREMONT COUNTY.

had passed, and they were ordered shipped back to Denver, but by some unaccountable legerdemain, rocks were found in place of about ninety guns and forty revolvers, with large quantities of ammunition. It is not known whether those are the guns that bris- tled beneath the tie-piles above the water- tank, on that great Sheriffs' restoration day in June, 1879, or whether they are stored in Vulcan's gun factory, below Pier No. 2, in River Bridge. Certain it is that Gen. P- waxed exceedingly wrothy, and suit was or- dered commenced against parties for $4,000 damages, as only the $50 valued at on the shipment could be collected of the express company. No progress has been made in the suit, however, as it is said Gov. H-'s Ala- mosians killed off all the evidence at the Cucharas. Be that as it may, time has poured its guiac on the lacerated feelings of both sides, and the suits for contempt of injunc- tions, and other violations of the letter and spirit of the law, in those days of excitement and wild excess has lapsed into oblivion.

When the United States Courts decided that the Denver & Rio Grande should have full possession of the Grand Canon upon pay- ment for the road constructed, and that the Santa Fé should hold the line from South Arkansas to Leadville, and a commission of the highest authority and ability, consisting of Gen. William Sooy Smith, of Chicago, Col. William E. Gray, Chief Engineer of the Cen- tral Pacific, and Andrew N. Rogers, Esq., Superintendent of the Bobtail Mine, of Gilpin County, were appointed to decide upon the cost of construction, and decide the points where not practicable for two lines to be con- structed, and made their elaborate report, which was followed by the celebrated Santa Fé-Rio Grande Compromise and entire with- drawal from the courts. From this day, the Rio Grande entered upon a career of progress seldom equaled by any large corporation. It is not questioned, but the apparent defiance of law in not carrying out orders of the courts, and. keeping an armed force in Texas Creek Cañon, to impede the progress of the Santa Fé into Pleasant Valley, had its effect in intim- idating the Boston management, and in caus- ing them to yield points they must have ulti-

mately gained in the highest courts, and their share of the fatness of this precious mineral- bearing domain. The office-maneuvering was quite as bold, and had an equally demoraliz- ing effect, for Gen. Palmer saw that the Santa Fé was not a unit in support of Vice Presi- dent, Col. Strong's vigorous measures, and in turning the control of the Denver & Rio Grande virtually over to Jay Gould and the banker, Woreshoffer, gaining strength for the purposes of the contest, and then, by a com- bination with Woreshoffer, or other bankers, taking in a large share of Gould's stock, thrown by him on the market to break it, and secure more, thus leaving him so far in the minority as to be powerless, while they effected the famous thirty years' lease compromise, in which the Santa Fe were to cease work on lines to Denver & Canon City, and build to Leadville, bonds to that end being figured in the estimate for exchange of stocks, and sup- posed they were purchasing ten more than a majority of all the stock of the Denver & Rio Grande, the mistake in which, covering mill- ions or stock claimed to have been previously voted, but not issued; they realized, after get- ting a law passed, entitling the majority to the control of the books, the company's books of the Denver & Rio Grande's custodian, and all, disappeared. When they, by this time, had gained, financially, so that they were enabled to cover all of their transactions, by absolute purchase, effected in the great final compro- mise, which has thrown control of Southern Colorado almost exclusively into their hands.

The people of the section of country in- terested were right in looking upon a road, the coupons of which had lapsed four pay- ments, as being bankrupt, and unable to give them the railroad facilities they sought; and, believing their officials were impeding for personal gain, the progress of other corpora- tions, able and anxious to build, and fearing, in their desperation shown in the struggle, that they might resort to a brokerage expedi- ent, by selling out filings and "prior rights of way," claimed as their exclusive right along all the streams, and up all the gulches leading to every possible mining camp that might ever prove valuable, in all this vast Southwestern mineral country, now that money has flown

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into their coffers in a ceaseless stream, and their schemes have crystallized into realities, by the completion of the lines to Leadville and beyond, to the Blue and toward the Grand, to Silver Cliff and the Gunnison, to Espanola (near Santa Fe), as well as Durango and Wagon Wheel Gap, etc., the country is finding they are able and willing to furnish much-needed railroad facilities, and now applaud with "vive la Rio Grande! and go ahead, Gen. Palmer and Woreshoffer, Gov. Hunt, Gen. Dodge & Co., we admire your pluck and vim, and wish you success with your net-work of rails entwining ours of ore-veins, in this our glorious realm!"

It is specially gratifying, also, to see that the generalship that was shown throughout the controversy, as well as at the opportune moment, by Vice President and General Man- ager Col. William B. Strong, which would have given his company this same field, is now appreciated by his company, and that he has been elevated to the office of President of the only company that can hold independ- ent control of transportation across the conti- nent, as against the machinations of the syn- dicates of Gould. The Santa Fe completed a well-constructed line from Pueblo to Rock- vale, in October, 1880, which, at present, is to be used for coal business only, and the people of Fremont County cannot hope for competition from their lines for ten years, under a provision of the compromise, unless abrogated by parties concerned sooner. The Denver & Rio Grande completed their exten- sion, from Canon City to Silver Cliff, in May, 1881. This well-organized division force at Cañon was soon after put to severe test, when, after Cole's Circus passed up, June 26, the large Grape Creek Bridge, seven miles from Cañon, was burned, which it took weeks to construct, but was replaced in thirty-six hours, being a fair illustration of the energy shown on their lines throughout the country at the present time.

The railroad, or in fact any history of this county, would not be complete without allu- sion to the sad fate of Col. William H. Green- wood who went to Old Mexico in the interest of the Rio Grande, or rather Palmer Sullivan roads, summer of 1880, on a salary of $10,-

000 per year. August 18, 1880, he was out on the line with his assistant engineer, Mr. Miller, and a servant. Separating from them at a baranca to examine country but little off the line near Rio Hondo, less than a mile from the baranca, but a short time having elapsed, they came upon his lifeless body, which was perforated by two bullets; his money, watch and papers undisturbed, but his horse and revolver, gone. Was on the road between Tlalnepantla and City of Mexico, only eighteen miles distant. The mysterious assassination caused a general feeling of regret. President Diaz exhibited much indignation and ordered the entire police of the district to apprehend and punish the perpetrators. The State Department of the Interior sent dispatches to all the Governors of the several States, and August 30, an offi- cial order to Governor of the State in which the crime was perpetrated. His funeral in City of Mexico was attended by all the lead- ing foreigners in the city; the leading repre- sentative Mexicans, military, legal and official in the capital. The pall-bearers were repre- sentative Mexicans and Americans. Sixty coaches were in the procession that bore his remains to the American Cemetery. On the anniversary of the sad event in 1881, his grave was decorated by Mexican friends. Mrs. Eva D. Greenwood, his noble-hearted widow, received a memorial signed by forty of the leading Mexicans of the city, which is so beautifully worded we deem it proper to produce it in this connection, as follows: When you return to your lonely home, tell those who will come to mourn with you, that if Mexico, as all other nations of earth, unfor- tunately has her criminals, she has also hon- est hearts that repel them, and authorities to prosecute them. Tell your friends that if there are vile men, as there are in all human societies, there are thousands of souls that worship the good and see a brother in every worthy man. And tell them, too, that amongst them not a single tear of the widow or orphan fails to find a friendly hand extended to wipe it away."

Col. Greenwood was forty-eight years of age; was native of Marlboro, N. H., and resided in Dummerston, Vermont; was one of the

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most noted civil engineers in the country; was through the war of the rebellion, perform- ing great service as engineer of works requir- ing great skill, as well as dispatch. For which, and a constant round of successful and daring exploits, he was promoted to Colonel on the staff of the General commanding the Army of the Cumberland.

In 1869, he purchased considerable property in and about Canon City, and after his resign- ing the Chief Engineership and General Manager's office of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway, in 1874, made Cañon his Colorado home. Latter part of 1878, he had charge of the construction of the line from Canon City to Leadville. Afterward built the Mc- Pherson Branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. He started from here for Old Mexico in May. Mrs. Greenwood retains their property in Canon, seeming to have imbued Col. Greenwood's spirit of hopeful- ness over the brilliant future for Canon City and the Arkansas Valley.

CAÑON CITY.

. The Arkansas River debouches from the mountains about twenty-five miles from the eastern limits of the county, and enters into a beautiful crescent-shaped park-as it is familiarly called here-" sweeping off grace- fully to the north and south, its circumfer- ence crowding the foothills of the mountains, its horns bending to the east till they sink

from view among the low hills which form the incipient features of the great plains. Canon City, the capital of Fremont County, occupies a position at the apex or bow formed by the crescent. It is located on the north bank of the river, and elevated above it about thirty feet.

" As we near Canon City tall masses of rock rise abruptly like great buttresses, or still more like the massive and forest-grown ruins of mighty rock-structures. Now the scene is simply indescribable in its grandeur and beauty, for upon three sides tower the bald, bold frowning masses of rock, and beyond mountain lines upon mountain lines until the very heavens appear peopled with craggy heads set against the exquisitely tinted clouds that hang so lovingly above them. Almost in

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History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 81

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