USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Volume III > Part 25
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Dr. Bancroft many years ago had a small hospital near Eleventh and Wazee streets. Sometime later he was a second time elected county physician. He has been appointed surgeon for several of the Western railroads, notably the Union Pacific; president of the Denver Medical Society, president of the State Board of Health, city physician, president of the State Historical Society, and to many other positions. Years ago he published several important papers on the climatology of Colorado.
In 1870 Dr. John Elsner was appointed county physician. He is a native of Vienna, Austria, and in his youth was a soldier under the Hungarian patriot, Kossuth; was educated for his profession in the leading schools and hospitals of Europe and America. It was this gentleman who instituted the movement which led to the con- centration of all the county patients under one roof, where they could be seen and properly cared for in detail, and where supplies could be collected. For the small sum of $250 he furnished a general hospital in a rented building near Tenth and Stout streets. Next he impressed upon the county commissioners the urgent need of a large and commodious building upon the later improved plans for such institutions, and out of it grew the first of the present structures. He served three years as county physician, and was then followed by Dr. I). Heimberger, who had been his assistant. October 25th, 1873, Dr. S. H. Boone succeeded Heimberger. Dr. H. A. Lemen was appointed May 10th, 1876, and had charge of the work until 1881. During his five years' service Dr. Lemen made many radical improvements in the previously existing order, raising the work to a stage of much greater efficiency. With a well organized staff of night and day nurses, there was a faithful and effective discharge of duties by
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all. Drs. Bancroft, Ambrose S. Everett, George Cox and Noland followed successively until 1886, when Dr. H. W. McLauthlin, the present county physician, was appointed. Mr. Everett (homeopathic) was an army surgeon during the war of the rebellion, and is one of the best known practitioners of that school in the West. Dr. McLauthlin was for some years city physician, at the head of its board of health.
At the county poor farm of 240 acres, just below the city on Platte River, most of the indigent poor are maintained. The produce of the farm materially assists in reducing the cost of their maintenance, and that of the county hospital.
The judicial district of which Arapahoe is a part has been presided over by the following district judges, the various other counties having been served by two asso- ciate justices under the territorial regime:
1861-Judge, B. F. Hall; Clerk, B. B. Stiles.
1863-Judge, B. F. Hall; Clerk, W. D. Anthony.
April, 1864-Judge, S. S. Harding; Clerk, W. D. Anthony.
December, 1864-Judge, S. S. Harding; Clerk, A. L. Harding.
December, 1865-Judge, William H. Gale; Clerk, Henry A. Clough.
December, 1866-Judge, C. S. Eyster; Clerk, Henry A. Clough.
January, 1870-Judge, C. S. Eyster; Clerk, O. A. Whittemore.
April, 1871-Judge, E. T. Wells; Clerk, G. H. Mills.
April, 1874-Judge, E. T. Wells; Clerk, E. F. Bishop.
April, 1875-Judge, A. W. Brazee; Clerk, E. F. Bishop.
Mr. Bishop became clerk of the United States District Court in 1876.
On the admittance of Colorado as a State, the Judicial District was changed in name from the " First" to the "Second" Judicial District of the State of Colorado.
November, 1876-Judge, V. A. Elliott; Clerk, Robert Chalfant.
January, 1878-Judge, V. A. Elliott; Clerk, A. C. Fisk.
September, 1880-Judge, V. A. Elliott; Clerk, Henry Sparnick.
July, 1881-Judge, V. A. Elliott; Clerk, Henry Sparnick; Deputy Clerk, G. S. Richards.
November 30, 1885-Judge, V. A. Elliott; Clerk, H. Sparnick (deceased), A. S. Miller. April, 1886-Judge, V. A. Elliott; Clerk, William Newell.
In 1887 Arapahoe was made a separate Judicial District; the District Court was divided into two divisions, with two judges, as follows:
April, 1887-Judges, V. A. Elliott, Platt Rogers; Clerk, William Newell.
August, 1887-Judges, V. A. Elliott, Platt Rogers; Clerk, William T. Jenison.
December, 1887-Judges, W. S. Decker, succeeding Platt Rogers; V. A. Elliott; Clerk, W. T. Jenison.
January, 1888-Judges, W. S. Decker, George W. Allen, succeeding V. A. Elliott; Clerk, William T. Jenison.
In April, 1889, the District Court was divided into four divisions, with four judges, as follows:
April, 1889-Judges, W. S. Decker, George W. Allen, O. B. Liddell, T. B. Stuart; Clerk, William T. Jenison.
June, 1889-Judges, W. S. Decker, George W. Allen, O. B. Liddell, T. B. Stuart; Clerk, Matt Adams.
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HISTORY OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY.
November, 1889-Judges, W. S. Decker, George W. Allen, A. J. Rising, D. B. Gra- ham; Clerk, Matt Adams.
Miss G. S. Richards has been deputy clerk of the district court since her appoint- ment in 1881. Henry Sparnick (deceased), a journalist and politician of note had been a prominent factor in the Republican party. Matt Adams, the present clerk, was born in Reading, Mass .; enlisted in the Fourth New Hampshire Infantry, August, 1861, and was mustered out in September, 1865, with the rank of captain. His brevet commis- sions were major, lieutenant colonel and colonel. After the war he settled in Port- land, Maine; from 1867 to 1878 was deputy sheriff, and later sheriff in Cumberland County, and deputy United States marshal for the district of Maine; moved to Colo- rado in 1878 and located in Silver Cliff. In 1879 removed to Leadville where he was made under sheriff to Sheriff L. R. Tucker; came to Denver in 1882, and for several years was bailiff in the Supreme Court. His profession is that of a lawyer.
W. R. Perry was appointed clerk of the county court by Judge Miller when the latter first assumed that office. His predecessors under Judge Harrington were E. F. Dunlevy, now clerk of the criminal division of the district court, and Robert W. Steele. Miss Kate Mace has been deputy clerk of this court for the past nine years.
Merrick A. Rogers, the successor of Vincent D. Markham as district attorney, was succeeded by Christian S. Eyster, and he by D. B. Graham, whose deputies were successively I. E. Barnum, John F. Shaffroth and Charles McCord.
Herman Luthe was the next in order, with John F. Shaffroth as deputy. L. R. Rhodes succeeded Luthe, and appointed Ralph Talbot, George A. Corbin and S. L. Carpenter his deputies.
Isaac N. Stevens, the present incumbent, has Thomas Ward, Jr., S. S. Abbott, L. A. Willis and O. W. Jackson as deputies. Mr. Stevens was born in Ohio, and located in Colorado in 1880, since which time he has been one of the more active of the younger politicians. Though a good lawyer, he is an indefatigable devotee of politics, with unquenchable aspirations for the loftiest prizes in that field. If he lives and takes care of himself, he may reach some of them. One thing is certain, he will not lose them for want of diligent effort. He was chairman of the Republican central com- mittee in Denver for four years, and an organizer of great force-generally very suc- cessful. He also served as deputy United States district attorney for some time, and as secretary of the Republican State Central Committee during the chairmanship of ex-Senator Tabor. Mr. Stevens is well calculated to make his way in politics, even against very powerful opposition.
A criminal court for Arapahoe County was established in 1881, with Charles W. Wright as judge, but the law was declared unconstitutional, and the court therefore abolished. The next legislative assembly rectified the error in the original act and such courts were created in Arapahoe, Pueblo and Lake Counties. Platt Rogers was appointed judge of the Denver court by Governor Grant. No better officer ever pre- sided over such tribunal. He was succeeded by Wilbur F. Stone who served until that court was abolished in 1889, simultaneously with the superior court of the city of Den- ver of which General James A. Dawson was the first judge, and Merrick A. Rogers the second and last.
Of the outlying towns in the county of Arapahoe, Littleton and Brighton are the
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HISTORY OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY.
most popular and progressive. The first was named for Richard S. Little, who estab- lished it June 3d, 1872. Brighton was platted by D. F. Carmichael February 16th, 1881. Both are surrounded by rich agricultural lands, cultivated by thrifty farmers.
Littleton is situated near the Platte River, ten miles south of Denver, and Brighton on the same stream some twelve miles north of the capital city. Richard S. Little was born in Grafton, New Hampshire, May 12th, 1829. In early life he adopted the profes- sion of a civil engineer and assisted in the surveys and construction of several railroads in the Western States, as will more fully appear in our fourth volume. He came to Colorado in 1860, engaging in farming and ditch building on the place that now bears his name. In 1867, in company with Mr. John G. Lilley, he erected the Rough and Ready Flouring Mills. The town had a small population before it was platted by him. He was elected to the Territorial legislature, and took prominent part in the consider- ation of bills on the subject of irrigation, to which he had given close practical study. The little village maintained its position, acquiring new residents from time to time, but until after the great capital city began to send its suburban offshoots in that direction a few years ago, was scarcely more than an agricultural hamlet of small dimensions, yet it is one of the most inviting spots in the Platte Valley, surrounded by productive farms and possessing sublime scenic attractions. The South Park Railway passes its western mar- gin, and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Denver and Rio Grande, and the trains of the Rock Island its southern. At the present rate of progress it will soon be one of .the near suburbs of Denver. Some of its wealthier residents have already settled and built costly houses near the town. All farming lands thereabouts are very valuable.
Brighton was laid out by D. F. Carmichael, who was born in Canada, but claims New York as his rightful birthplace, the family having located temporarily in Canada, while his father was constructing the Welland Canal. The son, when arrived at maturity, moved West, and assisted in building the Union Pacific Railway. Later on he was placed in charge of the construction of the great bridge across the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha. Still later he was connected with the construction of the road from Julesburg to Greeley, now part of the Omaha Short Line; next with the management of the Colorado Central, Denver Pacific and Boulder Valley Railroads, in their freight and passenger departments. The village of Brighton is prettily situ- ated on the east bank of the Platte at the intersection of the Omaha and Boulder Valley Railways. It has been regularly platted, the streets bordered with shade trees, many handsome residences built, and it bears all the evidences of a rich and prosperous town. Mr. Carmichael has erected an opera house at a cost of $3,000; there are fine tastefully built schoolhouses and churches; a few stores, and a large creamery whose products are marketed in Denver. Its founder and all residents here have every reason to feel proud of what has been accomplished, for Brighton is one of the village gems of the State. The town of
Elyria was laid out by A. C. Fisk, president, and C. F. Leimer, secretary of the Denver Land and Improvement Company, March 29th, 1881. C. Nickerson, John Otto, G. W. Haight, T. Bates and William Brandt were appointed commissioners or trustees. At an election held July 21st, 1890, it was voted to incorporate. It is one of the fine suburbs of Denver, though not within its corporate limits, quite populous, well built and progressive.
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HISTORY OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY.
Valverde, on the west bank of the Platte River, some three miles south of the heart of Denver, was platted by Edward A. Reser, July 17th, 1882. June 4th, 1888, Judge George W. Miller appointed John E. Fletcher, J. H. Kinney, Adam Bender, L. S. Head and William Johnson, trustees, who called an election July 2d, at which time it was resolved to incorporate. It also is one of the suburbs of the capital city, growing quite rapidly. A number of important manufacturing establishments are located there.
Montclair was laid out by Matthew P. Cochran May 29th, 1885, who became its first mayor, over an almost untenanted town site. It lies on the elevated plateau east of Wyman's addition to Denver, and will one day be one of its loveliest suburbs. Large sums have been expended in advertising this tract, prodigious efforts made to attract the better class of settlers upon it. The animating spirit of this enterprise is Baron W. B. Van Richthofen, a descendant of the ancient nobility of Germany, one of the most energetic men that has ever made*Western America his home. He has erected a splendid German castle there, of fine stone, adorned with picturesque towers, that remind one of the ancient castles of the Fatherland. John E. Leet, Hayden & Dick- inson, Porter, Raymond & Co., Milo A. Smith, Donald Fletcher, and other of the great real estate operators in Denver have been very earnest and successful in building up the various tracts lying between Denver and Montclair, hence a continuous line of settlement of the best class has been formed. Every foot of land in that direction has been taken in the form of building lots, a great number of splendid homes erected, and in the next five years it is anticipated that Montclair and its immediate environs will be equally prosperous and beautiful. The trend of the wealthier class is in that direction. The town of
Sheridan was founded by Isaac E. McBroom, November 16th, 1887; second filing by Peter McCourt, Thomas L. Wiswall, and G. Oscar Scott in February, 1888. Janu- ary 24th, 1890, Judge Miller appointed Jacob Puff, C. E. Wyman, Adolph Chandler, Peter Olson and C. E. Curran, trustees. It was duly incorporated at an election held February 18th, 1890. This addition is near South Denver and Fort Logan.
Harman was founded by L. B. Harman, March 2d, 1882. In 1886 J. H. Riddle, John McElroy, Frank Boot, James Conroy and G. O. Scott, trustees, called an election for October 28th of that year to submit the question of its incorporation, which was then adopted. Like all the others foregoing except Littleton and Brighton, it is vir- tually one of the additions to the capital city.
Barnum was duly incorporated as the result of an election held July 23d, 1887. Here the famous P. T. Barnum several years ago, when land in that quarter-adjoining North Denver-was cheap, purchased a large tract which was subsequently transferred to his daughter, Mrs. W. H. Buchtel. It is largely occupied by settlers and rapidly growing into a very beautiful town.
Petersburg was laid out by Peter Magnes, September 13th, 1873. It adjoins South Denver, is well situated near the Platte River, and a prominent station on the Denver & Rio Grande Railway.
Argo was established in 1879 under the direction of ex-Senator N. P. Hill as the basis of the Boston & Colorado Smelting Works. It is situated on the north side of the Platte River about three miles from Denver. Its first commissioners or trustees were Henry R. Wolcott, Edward O'Neill, Josiah Burgess, Oren F. Hutchinson, and J.
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HISTORY OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY.
H. Morrison. The town was incorporated as the result of an election held November 22d, 1879.
South Denver and Highlands, the latter situated on the north side of the Platte upon the elevated lands overlooking the city, have distinct municipal governments, with superior schools, churches, light and water plants, and both have made great strides in settlement during the past ten years.
Highlands was incorporated April 8th, 1875, with Horatio B. Bearce, Frederick D. Hager, Patrick McGowan, O. E. LeFevre and James H. Newcomb, trustees. The cable, electric and horse car lines from Denver penetrate every part of that very popu- lous and interesting section.
South Denver was incorporated for self protection in 1886. The town was laid out by William Hodson, Joseph H. Hodson, Susan E. Poole, Theodore W. Poole, Francis M. Hawes and William J. Morgan March 18th, 1874. It is situated on the south side of Cherry Creek immediately adjoining the principal city and traversed by cable and elec- tric lines, lighted by electricity, has an independent water system, and is the most beau- tiful and compactly built of any of Denver's suburbs.
The exterior towns of Magnolia, Watkins, Bennett, Byers and Deer Trail have long been stations on the line of the Kansas Pacific Railway, now a part of the Union Pacific system. Watkins was platted by John L. Fetzer, Judson Gardiner and J. Wylie Anderson, March 12th, 1888, and Byers by John L. Fetzer and L. McDonald May Ist, 1889. These are outlying agricultural towns and shipping points.
Barr City, east of Denver on the Kansas Pacific Railroad, was laid out by W. E. Alexander, O. A. Anthony, M. Schwartz, H. Roeschlaub, H. H. Tanner and H. Menke. As yet it is chiefly a paper town, with more or less prospects for the future.
During the last six years there has been a considerable lodgment of population upon the eastern border of Arapahoe County, where several small towns have been established as shipping and trading centers for the farmers and stockgrowers in their vicinage. This is what has been termed the rain belt, where many fine crops have been raised without other irrigation than natural rainfalls. In the Beaver Creek region, near the center of the county, are settlements known as Abbott, Harrisburg and Lincoln. Abbott was platted by Albert F. Abbott May 21st, 1882; Harrisburg by W. H. Carring- ton November roth, 1888. Lincoln was surveyed by A. Capporn in September, 1887, and resurveyed by the Linbeck Brothers, May 27th, 1888.
Thurman, near the southern line, in the center, was platted as Stone City by William Dunstan May 7, 1888.
Arickaree City, known in the early days of the cattle trails as Duck Springs, is situ- ated a little to the eastward of Thurman. It was laid off by James W. Minnich December 5th, 1877.
Between the Arickaree, or Middle Fork of the Republican, and the South Fork of that stream are situated the little towns called Friend, Idalia, Logan, Lansing, Rogers, Alva, Cope and other settlements.
Cope was founded by Jonathan Cope, September 6th, 1888. Idalia by Oscar Cal- lihan, November 30th, 1888; Logan by I. N. Foster, E. M. Thurber, J. M. Abbott, Frank Kee, B. F. Leed, F. M. Adams, J. N. Pollard, W. E. Vandeman, and A. W.
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Vandeman, January 7th, 1888; Friend by R. R. Decker, James Dugeon and Sylvester Andrew in July, 1887.
Lansing was first known as Kingsley or Kingston. Landsman and Kirk are in the same section.
Located in the northeastern division are Condon and Wales. In the eastern part the farmers depend upon the natural rainfalls for the growth of crops, which is not always a safe reliance. When the seasons are favorable the fruitage is abundant, but when otherwise there is liable to be a disastrous failure. In the western part the farm- ers rely upon irrigation, and are always sure of excellent harvests.
Educational advantages are widely distributed throughout the county. By the official reports we find that in 1890 there were ninety-five school districts, 28,100 per- sons of school age, 122 schoolhouses, and school property valued at $2,500,910. This of course includes the city of Denver.
The rapid growth of the principal city which is the chief market place for farm produce, has induced hundreds of the agricultural class to locate upon the border lands where perhaps a majority have been prosperous. The assessed valuation of the county in 1889 was $68,057,980, which included 1,122,193 acres of farming land valued at $7,184,690. The improvements on these lands were valued at $526,6ro, and improve- ments on public lands at $50,625; town and city lots, $37,520,090, and improvements on the same at $13,539, 145.
The total assessment for 1890, not completed at this writing, will be about $86,000,000, on a basis of about forty per cent. of the actual valuation.
If the eastern part of Arapahoe could have been widely irrigated, the population would be very large, exceeding that of any other outside the cities and towns. It so happens that all of the mountain streams from which the larger irrigating canals are taken empty their waters into the Platte River, near the western boundary of the county. If, therefore, the isolated section is ever placed under extensive tillage, it will be from artesian wells or artificial reservoirs.
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HISTORY OF BOULDER COUNTY.
BOULDER COUNTY.
A GLANCE AT ITS RESOURCES AND SURROUNDINGS-EARLY SETTLERS-THE DISCOV- ERY OF GOLD IN 1859-ORGANIZATION-FOUNDING OF BOULDER CITY-ESTAB- LISHMENT OF SCHOOLS-BEGINNING OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT-FOUNDING THE STATE UNIVERSITY - NEWSPAPERS -CHURCHES-BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES- BANKS AND BANKERS-GENERAL DEVELOPMENT-LONGMONT AND OTHER TOWNS -COAL, GOLD AND SILVER MINING.
This county was organized in 1861. It is bounded on the north by Larimer, south by Jefferson and Gilpin, west by Grand, and east by Weld and Arapahoe. It is about thirty miles in length from east to west and twenty-four miles wide, three-fifths moun- tainous containing many mines of gold and silver, the remainder as fine agricultural land as ever the sun shone upon, as demonstrated by thirty years of cultivation and exceptionally bountiful harvests. Intermingled with productive farms are vast deposits of superior lignite coals, whence are derived the principal supplies of fuel for railway, domestic and manufacturing uses. The plains at the base of the mountains are watered by four considerable streams, whose origin is in the snows that cling changelessly to the crests of the great Sierra Madre Range, viz .: The North and South Boulder, the St. Train and Left Hand. The counties of Jefferson, Boulder, Larimer and Weld, com- prising what may be termed the northern tier along the base of the lower range of mountains, or the northwestern section of the Platte Valley, embrace within their ample boundaries the most fertile and highly cultivated portions of Colorado, dotted with fruitful farms, occupied by an industrious, enlightened and prosperous people. Boulder in the central position, is endowed also with immense stores of coal and iron ; many of her mountain slopes ribbed with veins of gold and silver bearing ores. The iron ores, although at this epoch undeveloped, have been defined and located, and are held in reserve, as it were, among the latent forces to be utilized when the exigencies of the future shall demand their employment for the further expansion of local industry. No other division of the State is more favorably situated for all purposes of mining, manu- facturing and husbandry. The plains slope gently to the eastward from the main range of foothills from whence flow abundant waters for ditches and canals, that are so constructed as to convey them over most of the ranches, thus insuring large and never failing crops. The landscape is wondrously attractive. The town of Boulder, the county seat, is advantageously situated upon the delta of Boulder Creek, just at the point of its emergence from the cañon.
The local historian, Amos Bixby, very accurately describes it by saying, "This little county embraces all the attractions of sunny climate, clear and exhilarating air,
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HISTORY OF BOULDER COUNTY.
pure waters, magnificent waterfalls and majestic scenery. Its foothills are high and graceful in outline, its peaks lofty, near and accessible. Between are mountain lakes, glades and parks, with numberless streams and springs of cold and crystal waters. The mineral springs near Jamestown are, as shown by analysis, almost identical with the celebrated Seltzer Springs in Germany."
The scenic grandeur which glorifies the stupendous background to the broad sweep of plains country lying to the eastward, presents a series of pictures that are well calculated to set inspired painters wild with desire to transfer them to canvas, and for descriptive writers to dilate upon until the measure of panegyric is exhausted, yet still with all their efforts the better part would remain untouched by brush or pen.
Let us consider briefly the impulse that led to settlement in this enchanting spot, the initial scene of its reclamation from the dominion of aborigines who neither toiled nor spun. The first immigrants arrived October 17th, 1858, fifteen or twenty in number, whose first view of Boulder Valley was obtained by climbing the walls of Old Fort St. Vrain where their wagon train and its attendants had halted for rest and refreshment. Here the party, which was a large one, divided, Captain Thomas Aikins, his son and a nephew, A. A. Brookfield, Charles Clouser, Captain A. K. Yount, W. Moore, W. Dick- ens, Daniel Gordon and brother, John Rothrock, Theodore Squires, Thomas Lorton, the Wheelock brothers, and others whose names have not been preserved, taking the direction of their' morning vision, finally halted and fixed their camp just below the mouth of Boulder Canon, while the others, presumably, though the record is silent on that point, continued on to Denver. The encampment was fixed at Red Rock, just above the present town. These pioneers were not then inspired by any other motive than gold mining. It was this, and this alone which caused them to cross the plains. The fact of their lodgment here, and of the numerons other rude camps formed then and in the ensuing year, had no further significance than the execution of that purpose. Nevertheless, they could not fail to be impressed by the natural beauty of the region and its advantages for permanent occupation, for they were given to thoughtful consider- ation of all matters worthy of it, and they saw what might be accomplished by such as were inclined to break the virgin soil with plows.
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