USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Volume II > Part 17
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Many of the people who were members of the Animas Colony in 1861, are yet living in Colorado, and a few are in Denver.
After the fruitless expeditions of Capt. Baker, and those who fol- lowed him in 1860 and 1861, the San Juan country was left to its primeval solitude for a number of years. They had searched only for gulch or gold placer diggings, and there is no evidence yet to prove that their work was not thoroughly done. At that time but few of the Col- orado prospectors knew anything about mineral veins, and silver deposits were unsuspected. Small parties like that of Baker in 1868, no doubt wandered through the mountains to the southwest, but they found nothing to satisfy themselves or excite the public, hence their explora- tions attracted no serious attention.
The next exploration to that distant and almost inaccessible region, that was well planned and systematically prosecuted, occurred in 1869, and strangely enough, it started from the opposite direction. It was composed of brave and determined men, from whose discoveries have grown the splendid developments now witnessed in that highly productive section of our State.
On the first day of August, 1869, a party of twenty-two prospectors and miners was organized at Prescott, Arizona, with Calvin Jackson for leader and captain. Jackson was a Californian with a varied and adven- turous experience,-conspicuously in Indian warfare, which was fortunate, as many conflicts of this kind were to be met in the course of their travels. The party expected to join Capt. Cooley's expedition, a similar company
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of twenty-eight men that had been organized at Forts Goodwin and Reno, in Arizona, for the same purpose. The latter party was supposed to be on its way to Rio del Sal (Salt River), in Northeastern Arizona. The Jackson expedition marched out from Prescott and reached Fort Reno in a week, having had several skirmishes with Apache Indians en route. At Reno they found Col. Sanford of the United States Army,- then in command of Fort McDowell,-with three hundred cavalry in search of the Cooley party. Scouts were sent out in all directions, and in a few days Cooley and his men were found on Salt River, where. Jackson joined them. The military then returned to their post.
The prospectors now numbered fifty men, well mounted and equipped, and armed with breech-loading guns and revolvers. The command was shared equally by Jackson and Cooley, who were alike . devoted to the common good of their respective companies. Hostile Indians swarmed over the country, intent upon preventing the white men from effecting a lodgment in their favorite hunting grounds. At night signal fires were seen on the lofty mountain peaks ; during the day columns of smoke exchanged messages between the savage bands. Alarms and surprises were constant and wearing. A third of the force was required to guard the camps, as many more to care for and protect the stock, while the remainder were prospecting and exploring, though never daring to stray very far from the others.
Near their camp in a small ravine, ran a little stream which they named Cherry Creek, in memory of that which traverses Denver. Along this creek the party made its first venture. The canon was narrow, its sides precipitous. They had proceeded some distance toward its head and settled down to work, when a few minutes later the mount- ain slopes above them, that had hitherto been as silent as the tomb, suddenly swarmed with Apaches who began hurling rocks down upon the little band of miners. The Indians were beyond the range of fire- arms, sheltered and hidden by great rocks and bushes. With an inex- haustible supply of primitive ammunition at hand, they completely commanded the situation. There was no alternative left the miners but
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to abandon the work and escape to their camp, which was accomplished without injury to any one. There a council was held, at which it was agreed that the party was not strong enough to maintain itself and carry out its objects. All but eight resolved to turn back, and soon did so. The eight who decided to fight it out on that line at all hazards and establish their right to search for gold, were Adnah French, J. C. Dunn, Dempsey Reese, N. Marsh, David Ring, Wood Dood, A. Loomis and Graves (the latter known as " Old Boston"), all of whom had been personally acquainted before leaving Prescott. French had been a member of the Baker expedition in 1860-'61, and under his advice and leadership, the seven others decided to proceed if possible, to South- western Colorado. Negotiations were opened by them with the Coyo- tero band of Apaches, who had grown tired of war. Their chief, Miguel, was inclined to be friendly, and the result of the negotiation was a treaty, by the terms of which the white men were to be permitted to travel as rapidly as possible across the country, without stopping to dig holes in the ground or search for gold in any way. In return, Capt. French was to use his influence with the " Great Father" at Washington in behalf of the Coyoteros, for their good. An escort of nine braves was fur- nished them, and the little band of eight white men turned their faces northward.
By the others their undertaking was regarded as foolhardy in the extreme. Every argument was employed to dissuade them, but without effect. The main party soon after returned by way of the Pinal Mount- ains to Prescott, where it disbanded. Some months later, Cooley joined the eight seceders at Tierra Amarilla, on the waters of the Upper Rio Grande.
The first night's encampment of the French party was on a stream called Carissa, in the midst of a great number of Indians who were engaged in a drunken revel. The liquor they drank was called tswin, made from corn and vegetable roots. They were holding war dances, decked out in all the savage finery of war paint, feathers and war dresses, whooping and shouting like fiends, and making the mountains
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echo and re-echo with their hideous yells. Consequently our adven- turers passed a sleepless and anxious night. The following day the escort, for some unexplained reason, refused to proceed, but on the next an early start was made, followed by a long march through a hilly country which brought them to the camp of a young Coyotero chief named Juaro (Wah-ro) with a small band of followers. He was much surprised at their appearance, but treated them hospitably; sent their horses out to graze ; supplied fresh venison, and assigned them a place to eat and sleep. They stopped here a short time, and when the march was resumed, Juaro and his band accompanied them. During the day they came among some antelope, when Juaro put on his hunt- ing dress, and taking Reese's rifle, in a short time killed five of the fleet- footed animals. In the afternoon they crossed several large and fresh Indian trails which caused them much anxiety, but the young chief assured them there was no danger,-that he would protect them at the cost of his own life, if necessary. They traveled in this manner for several days, without serious adventure, but with frequent new causes of alarm. At length they ventured to talk with Juaro about the object of their journey, and inquired if he knew where gold could be found. He replied that he did, but dared not reveal such knowledge, because if he did, his life would be taken by his own people.
Several long night marches ensued for want of water, that taxed the strength of men and animals to the utmost. One morning after the severest of all their nocturnal rides, as they were building fires to cook breakfast, a large party of Indians armed with guns, swept down upon them, creating the greatest alarm, but the presence of their dusky escort disarmed hostile intent, and the white men explained that they only came to trade. In the evening they reached one of the Zuni villages, where they were most hospitably treated, and there rested for some time.
They found the Zunis to be a peaceful, industrious, agricultural people, whose proudest boast was that none of their race had ever shed the blood of a white man. The party remained at this village several
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days, trading their jaded and worn out animals for fresh stock, and being treated generously wherever they went among the several villages of the tribe, without expense.
The next camp was at Fort Wingate, where a stay of a week was made, and a fresh stock of provisions procured. Thus happily recu- perated and reinforced with supplies, and filled with renewed hopes, they pushed on toward the San Juan River, via Fort Defiance, at which point there were great numbers of Navajo Indians, who at that time were friendly. From Defiance to the San Juan River they proceeded leisurely, passing through the country of the Navajos who evinced no hostile demonstrations, but Indian like, made many attempts to steal their stock. Arriving at the San Juan they found a delightful region, apparently well adapted to agriculture and grazing. Soon afterward they were pursued by a band of renegade Indians, well mounted and armed, who made numerous hostile demonstrations, but gained no advantage. ,
Following up the river they arrived at a stream which French recognized as the Rio Mancos, one of the principal tributaries of the San Juan. Unlike most of the streams in Southwestern Colorado, it has no valley to speak of, until the forks at the foot of the range are reached. Here there is a valley, or park of several thousand acres, covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, wild oats and rye. From this park they pursued a northerly direction, across a pine-covered mesa or tableland, twenty-five miles to the Dolores River.
It was now the second week in October, and having traversed a well grassed country, their animals were in excellent condition. Their provisions had held out well, as fish in the numerous streams they passed were very abundant. Just as they approached the mineral region, the goal of their ambition, and for which they had endured so many hardships and encountered so many dangers, they went into camp one delightful October evening, and after supper lay down under the clear starlit sky. Next morning they awoke to find themselves covered with twelve inches of snow which had fallen during the night. The
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storm prevailed for five days, when French ordered a retreat to a lower altitude. Dry wood and grass were buried out of sight, therefore to avoid starvation and loss of animals, this step became a matter of neces- sity. When the party set out from Arizona they were provided only with such clothing and blankets as were necessary in that warm climate, hence, being unprepared for such severe weather they suffered intensely from the cold. The direction of their retreat was south, across the Dolores Range, shoveling their way through the drifting snow. They reached the valley of the Animas, a distance of about sixty miles, in the course of ten days of hard work and most laborious travel, entering it within a short distance of the old Animas City, where they found a number of buildings that had been erected by the Kellogg-Pollock expedition of 1861, in good preservation. Here they remained some time resting, recruiting their animals, hunting and fishing. At length their supplies began to run short, when it was resolved to go down to Santa Fé for a new outfit and provisions for the next season. At Abiquiu most of the party remained during the winter. French and Dunn proceeded to Santa Fé, where they interested Governor Pile, E. W. Little and others in the project of thoroughly prospecting the San Juan country. They procured supplies, tools, ammunition and so forth, and a couple of weeks later returned to Abiquiu, where they found a council of Ute chiefs who had heard of the expedition and had followed its trail to the valley. An Indian agent, Major Henson of the United States Army was there also, and used his best endeavors in behalf of the prospectors. Ignacio and Sopatah, with other chiefs, composed the council. They objected to prospecting in the country, but finally gave permission to dig for gold and silver, provided they would not plow up the ground, build cabins nor make fences, and fur- thermore, they were never to forget that the country belonged to them -the Utes.
The council having terminated, the prospectors went to Tierra Amarilla, and encamped for the remainder of the winter in some abandoned government buildings at that place. Before spring their
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numbers were increased to twelve, by the addition of C. E. Cooley, who assisted in leading the expedition in the beginning, with three Scotchmen from Montana, Thornton, Robinson, and another whose name has been forgotten.
In April, 1870, they started again for the San Juan region, trav- eling together until they reached the Animas. There French, Reese and Cooley turned up the river through the canon to Baker's Park, prospecting at several points, and finally discovering the famous " Little Giant" and " Mountaineer" mines. They returned to Santa Fé the fol- lowing winter by way of Animas City and Tierra Amarilla. The larger party, in which were Dunn, Ring, Marsh, Graves and the three Scotch- men, followed the trail made the previous season to the Dolores, where they prospected under great difficulties ; made some locations of galena lodes, and then returned to Santa Fé in the fall for supplies and means to develop the mines they had discovered. They were unsuccessful in this venture, and a majority of the party the next season (1871) settled on the Animas about Baker's Park,-now Silverton,-where they con- tinued to reside for years afterward.
Such is the graphic but simple story of the two great expeditions into the mountains of the San Juan, which, though fruitless to the dis- coverers of the mines, led in a few years after 1871 to the opening of vast stores of mineral wealth, and the establishment of many beautiful and industrious centers that are now pouring their treasures of gold and silver into the channels of commerce.
In 1872 hundreds of emigrants, attracted by the reports of valuable discoveries, began to pour into the region, and in 1873 a number of mining districts were organized. During this year the mining sections were occupied by three or four hundred prospectors and miners. Between two and three thousand locations of claims were made upon veins or lodes discovered, though but little development occurred in any direction. In 1874, after a long and severe winter, the extent and value of the lodes began to be made known. Some of the ores ex- tracted proved very rich in silver, as demonstrated by assays and other
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well known processes for testing. At this time the nearest postoffice was at Del Norte, about one hundred and twenty-five miles distant. All supplies, merchandise, stores, etc., had to be carried in upon the backs of pack animals, over rude and frequently dangerous trails, for there were no roads. The counties subsequently organized, embracing the mineral regions, are Rio Grande, San Juan, Hinsdale, Ouray, Dolores and San Miguel, and include the sources of the Rio Grande, the Animas, Gunnison, Dolores, San Miguel and Uncompahgre Rivers. The general altitude is the highest in Colorado. There are nine peaks which rise to the height of 14,000 feet and many that are above 13,000 feet. Lake City, Silverton and Ouray form the corners of a triangle, with a stately mountain known as "Hurricane Peak," in the center.
Baker's Park is a picturesque valley of limited extent, in which stands the pretty town of Silverton, the capital of the principal mining division, watered by the Rio Las Animas, which flows through the park. The old town of Howardsville is situated about four miles above. Hayden's reports say the mountains are all of volcanic origin, being trachytic, with schists appearing beneath in some cases, and in the faces of the almost perpendicular walls of rock that everywhere rise twelve hundred to fifteen hundred feet above, may be traced dozens of quartz veins bearing gold and silver.
Capt. Moss, with a party of Californians, in 1874 built a ditch on the La Plata River, to facilitate the working of gold placers located there, but which were never very productive. Gold, silver, copper and iron ores were discovered, with coal measures which are well described by Mr. Hills in the second chapter of this volume. Parrott City, of ephemeral renown, was founded a mile south, toward the mouth of La Plata Cañon. The lower Animas Valley is a beautiful and productive region, and its climate is unsurpassed by any other section of Colorado. Its chief town, Hermosa, which has advanced but little, is situate upon Hermosa Creek. Another town, christened for Governor Elbert, was built at a point four miles north, in a forest of pine timber.
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Hinsdale County was organized in 1875, and Lake City, its capital, founded in the same year. Its first Board of County Commissioners consisted of Harry Franklin, Theodore Taylor and A. R. Thompson. County Clerk, W. H. Green ; Treasurer, B. F. Jones; Sheriff, James Sweeney. The first town officers of Lake City were Henry Finley, President ; M. E. Dawn, Clerk, with Joel N. Angine, A. R. Thompson, Enos Hotchkiss, A. Dole, W. C. Lewman, and C. Bartholf, Trustees.
Like most of the new towns and camps in the mountains, the dis- covery of mineral in that section was more or less the result of accident, which was thus related by a correspondent in 1876. In the summer of 1874, Saguache, then a town, but recently founded, had lofty aspirations, and its inhabitants were ambitious to strike out for all the trade within reach. Otto Mears, the great road builder of the Southwest, to whom that entire country is mainly indebted for the greater part of its best and most direct thoroughfares, a man of tireless energy and constantly engaged in schemes of public improvement, was among the first to settle there. But of this hereafter. At the period named, the principal men of Saguache with the view of penetrating and capturing the growing trade of the San Juan, then a source of great revenue and prestige to its rival Del Norte, formed a company to build a toll road from Saguache to the Animas Valley. Enos Hotchkiss, a veteran builder, took charge of the enterprise, which involved the construction of a wagon road one hundred and thirty miles in length before the end of the following autumn. He reached the lovely valley where Lake City now stands, toward the last of August. Following on up the river, he observed upon the hillside some float rock which attracted his attention, for he had had much experience in prospecting and mining on the Pacific slope. He examined it closely and afterward traced out the vein from which it had been eroded, a work of but little difficulty, as it was quite large and distinctly defined. He staked off a claim, writing upon the stakes the names of James Sparling, Ben Hall, B. A. Bartholf, Monett Hotchkiss and his own, as the claimants. He returned to the Animas River, and in due time reported to others what he had discovered,
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which led to the settlement and organization named above. The lode subsequently fell into the hands of Henry Finley who had purchased Hall's interest and substituted his own name for Hall's on the stake, and that of W. C. Lawrence for that of Sparling. The vein was opened and found to be very rich, carrying a tellurium ore which gave large assays in the precious metals. From the reports of this discovery people came flocking in from all directions. The town was christened "Lake City," from the lovely lakes in the near vicinity. The Hotchkiss soon became celebrated for the abundance and value of its ores. Finley purchased Bartholf's interest, and ultimately sold a part of his holdings to the Crooke Bros., who were the first to establish reduction works in the district. The mine was quite extensively worked, the ore being packed by mule trains to Del Norte, and thence shipped to Pueblo and New York. Mr. J. K. Mullen and Henry Henson, partially explored the district in 1871, but made no improvements.
In 1877 Lake City had a population of 2,500, but in a few years it had dwindled down to a very small number, owing to its distance from the larger ore markets and the difficulty and expense of conveying its products to them. A great number of valuable mines have been found there. It is situated in one of the most picturesque and attractive locations in all the mountain counties. The town is very like George- town at the head of the Clear Creek Valley.
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CHAPTER X.
1873-74-FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE TERRITORY IN 1873-YIELDS OF AGRI- CULTURE-BANKS AND BANKERS-POLITICAL DISSENSIONS-NOMINATION OF JUDGE BROMWELL AND T. M. PATTERSON FOR CONGRESS-THE SACRIFICE OF BROMWELL AND THE ELECTION OF PATTERSON-PROPERTY VALUES IN 1874-DESTRUCTIVE VISITATIONS BY LOCUSTS-EXTENT OF THEIR RAVAGES-DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN THE BLACK HILLS-STAMPEDE TO THAT COUNTRY IN DEFIANCE OF TROOPS AND ORDERS.
The panic of Black Friday, elsewhere epitomized, caused no material paralysis of industry and trade in Colorado until after its most serious effects in the States east of the Mississippi had passed. The yield of the mines exhibited an increase, crops were bountiful, unusual attention had been given to investments in live stock, trade pursued its natural course, immigration was nearly double that of 1872, and the various lines of trade had been reduced to a firmer and more legitimate basis.
From the official reports and well considered estimates, the follow- ing synopsis is given. The assessed valuation of property for the Territory in 1873 aggregated $35,582,438.50. Arapahoe County re- turned $11,871,908 ; Pueblo, $3, 105, 191 ; Gilpin, $2,536,774 ; Jefferson, $2,190,016; El Paso, $2,108,045 ; Boulder, $2,098,523 ; Weld, $2,056,- 544; Douglas, $1,888,981 ; Clear Creek, $1,394,948; and Fremont, $1,213,689. The balance of the counties returned less than one million each.
The gross valuation in 1872 was $31,260,257.30, and in 1871 $24,112,078.37. The returns made by the assessors did not show, how- ever, more than fifty per cent. of the real value of property.
The published statements of three National Banks in Denver at the
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close of the year, when compared with those given out at the beginning of September, showed a decrease in loans of $228,186.38; in cash, bonds, etc., of $531,529.22 ; in individual deposits of $689,633.75, and in the total deposits of $786,961.56, which illustrates the extent of the shrinkage in this direction from the great financial convulsion, and measurably that in all lines during the last three months.
Some activity was manifested in the agricultural sections, the various entries amounting to 281,864 acres. In addition, the Denver Pacific Railroad Company sold 42,882 acres.
Of buildings in the city of Denver, 648 had been erected at a cost of $1,382,600. The whole number of buildings erected during the three years ending December 31st, 1873, was 2,145, at a cost of $5,100,600.
· The transfers of real estate amounted to $2,879,905, as shown by the conveyances, 2,323 deeds having been recorded. In 1872 the number was 1,188, and the consideration $1,606,258,-an increase of $1,273,647. A compilation of business statistics gave a total of $14,- 323,800 as the volume of trade for '73, showing an increase of $1,284,- 800 over the previous year.
Manufactures returned a total production of $3,249, 100, an increase of $1,855, 100 over 1872. Thus we have a combined total of $17,572,- 900 for 1873, as against $14,433,000 in 1872.
Thirty-five business houses in Pueblo sold nearly two million pounds of merchandise in 1873. The total amount of freight received was something over 2,000,000 pounds. Five million brick were manufact- ured, and 3,000,000 feet of lumber sold. The land office at that place disposed of 129,957 acres of public land.
From Governor Elbert's message to the legislature delivered Jan- uary 7th, 1874, which epitomizes the various reports, we find that Wilbur C. Lothrop, one of the most alert and efficient of all our Terri- torial superintendents of public schools, and under whose vigilant administration the groundwork of the present admirable system was laid, resigned his office in 1873, and was succeeded by Horace M. Hale of
Ino Po Haran
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Gilpin County, under whose fostering care some marked advances occurred.
The report indicated that there had been an increase of fifty per cent. in the number of schools; in school districts of 52 per cent .; in schoolhouses, 56 per cent .; in school population, 100 per cent .; in school attendance, 59 per cent., and in the value of school property, of 216 per cent.
The following was determined upon as a fair average of the crops throughout the Territory :
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