USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Volume III > Part 26
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The season being well advanced toward winter, and having reason to anticipate heavy frosts and snowfalls, their energies were soon turned to the building of log cabins for shelter. Not one among them entertained a thought of turning back to escape the anticipated perils. They were unanimous in the conviction that here their several des- tinies were to be shaped; that having planted their tents, nothing but the absolute refusal of the country to maintain them should compel its abandonment. They had faith also that the object of their search would be found. Rather heroic figures these, reminding one of the sturdy old Puritans who established on the bleak and dreary shores of the Atlantic coast the mightiest of modern nations, giving birth to a civili- zation that has revolutionized the world.
Contrary to expectation, the winter was mild and benignant, permitting the con- tinuance of building and exploration. Well supplied with staple provisions, and game being abundant, there was no danger of famine. They built their cabins, laid the foun- dations of their town, and on the 15th of January, 1859, penetrated the adjacent cañon a distance of twelve miles, where they found gold and named the point Gold Hill.
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HISTORY OF BOULDER COUNTY.
This exploring party consisted of Charles Clouser, Colonel I. S. Bull, William Huey, W. W. Jones, James Aikins and David Wooley. There was snow upon the ground, and the deep frost in the soil prevented extended operations at that time, but they inade sure of the fact that a considerable deposit of gold had been found before proclaiming it abroad. It proved a happy accident which led them to this particular place, for it was the richest part of the county, and though long since practically deserted, still remains the center of a very extensive belt of imperfectly developed min- eral veins. It is a part of the history of all the great mining districts of this State that the earlier prospects, usually the very first discoveries made, are the most valuable and productive. It was so in this instance. When every individual in all the regions from the Cache-la-Poudre to Cherry Creek stood anxiously watching for signs of great promise, eager to move wherever they might lead, it was only natural that the reports immediately sent out from Gold Hill should cause a rush of adventurers to that point, for at that time none but Jackson had found gold in the mountains, and his lips were sealed.
As a matter of simple justice, it should be placed upon the record of that epoch that here in the first range, twelve miles above Boulder, a handful of brave and per- sistent pioneers, not one of whom possessed even the crudest experience in pros- pecting or mining, established and heralded the fact to the well nigh disheartened rem- nant of Green Russell's party that to find the object of their search in paying quantities they must abandon the lower valleys and explore the mountain slopes and gulches. Four months before Jackson's discovery on Chicago Creek became generally known, rich placers and lodes had been located and opened in Gold Hill District. As an inev- itable consequence hundreds poured in, many cabins were built, the various forms of mining and sluicing begun; mills were shipped in over almost impassable roads and trails, and a brisk community formed, all before the snows of the first winter had dis- appeared. This sudden and large immigration imparted new life to the little town situ- ated at the base of the hills, and it became a market place for the incoming and out- going tides, and out of it grew the permanent foundation of the present well-ordered picturesque and inviting town of Boulder.
The placers, although not very extensive, paid handsomely for a year or two, when their treasures were exhausted by the multitude of diggers. But these were not the only nor the chief resource of that section. Extremely valuable quartz veins were soon found and some of them opened, the surface quartz yielding well in sluices. The first was named the "Scott," from its discoverer, J. D. Scott, and later in the spring (1859) the greatest of all-the Horsfal-a discovery made by Wm. R. Blore, M. L. McCaslin and David Horsfal, June 13th, which took the latter's name, and during that and the following seasons yielded about $10,000 gold. In the autumn of 1860 the Gold Hill' Mining Company was organized, with Mr. Blore president, who states that in the ensuing two years the Horsfal yielded something over $300,000.
Some of the names of the early miners and residents in Gold Hill have been pre- served in the annals of the period, as follows: E. H. N. Patterson, subsequently some- what noted as an editor and press correspondent; Hiram Buck, Alfred A. Brookfield, one of the first discoverers of gold in Gold Run; George W. Chambers, Lewis H. Dickson, who in 1859 assisted in sinking the first shaft at Gold Hill; Charles Dabney,
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Judge P. M. Housel, John H. Hager, John M. Hewes, Thomas J. Jones, A. J. Macky, Matthew L. McCaslin, John Rothrock, John J. Wallace and George Zweck.
The first stamp mill, a small, rude affair, compared with the more finished ma- chinery of later times, was introduced by Thomas J. Graham in the fall of 1859, and located on Left Hand Creek, near Gold Hill. Soon afterward Robert Culver brought the second. Benjamin F. Pine also brought a mill to Boulder, but it was not set up, being transferred to Nevada, in Gilpin County. John W. Smith writes me from his present home in California, that he "brought a six-stamp mill from the States in June, 1860, and set it up on Left Hand Creek, and in July following crushed two cords of nice quartz; got Samuel Graham to clean up for me and got a good 'color'; they said it was worth about one dollar. I did not even look at it, but never started up the mill again at that place."
Several others were established, but all subsequently removed to other parts of the mountains, or permitted to fall into ruin from the lack of profitable employment. The first successful milling done there, as we learn from Bixby, was brought about in the spring of 1860, by M. L. McCaslin and Wm. R. Blore, upon surface quartz from the Horsfal lode, these men having persuaded Robert and Cary Culver and John Mahoney, who had imported a mill with the intention of taking it to the Gregory mines, to change their plan and convey it to Gold Hill instead. Although not largely profitable, it dem- onstrated the value of the ores in that region.
July 23d, 1859, Gold Hill district was organized by the people in mass convention. A code of laws was drafted in brief but comprehensive form, according to the manner of men who had little time to waste in legislating, but whose mandates were meant to be obeyed. A musty, time-stained little book of thirty-seven pages, still extant, on the cover of which is pasted the inscription, "Gold Hill District-Laws of 1859," is one of the historic records of Boulder County. It begins as follows: "Miners' meeting of Mountain District No. 1, Nebraska. Meeting of the Assembly of D. No. I, Saturday, July 23d, 1859. Meeting according to order of the President." E. S. Glotfelter was secretary pro tem.
A committee consisting of P. M. Housel, Mr. Weeks, E. S. Glotfelter, J. D. Scott and Wiley Bunch was appointed to revise the present laws and make such amendments as were deemed expedient. Some of the old records of miners' meetings are dated Nebraska, and others Kansas Territory. The base line was the fortieth parallel, between Kansas and Nebraska, which ran about one and a half miles south of Boulder. Thus, according to their calculations, the southern part of the existing county lay in Kansas, and the greater part of the northern in Nebraska.
The act of the legislature of Jefferson Territory which defines the boundaries of counties (only nine were thus defined), designates Boulder as the county seat of Jackson County. We find in the county recorder's office a book on the title page of which is the following: "Boulder City, January 14th, 1860. Records of the Great Western Land Claim Association." At the annual meeting of the members of the association, the permanent officers being absent, Dr. J. Whitney was made chairman, and George Nichols, secretary pro tem. On January 21st Dr. Whitney was duly elected president, and A. H. Sockman, secretary. Several suits at law were heard and determined at
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these meetings, and the docket sometimes refers to the sessions of the "Court of the Jackson Claim Association."
Great activity prevailed from the spring of 1859 to that of 1861, when the placers were mostly worked out, and all but one of the lodes-the Horsfal-failed to respond to the ignorance of the inexperienced operators. Many veins had been located, but none knew how to work them. The excitement passed with the extinguishment of the flame that produced it, general desertion ensued, some passing on to other fields, others disposed to farming, taking up ranch claims along the North and South Boulder Creeks, Left Hand and the St. Vrain, where some of them have ever since remained, and where are to be found some of the most valuable farms in all Colorado. There was no revival of interest in the mining fields until 1869-72, when some of the richest veins of tellurium ores known in the world's history were discovered, together with veins of very rich silver mines at Caribou.
We now advert to the original town of Boulder for the purpose of tracing its further development, and that of the farming, coal mining and other natural resources, after the retrocession of the first tide of gold hunters from the mountain sides. It was first named Boulder City, the latter pendant being retained until recent years, when it was dropped as a ludicrous superfluity. The town was platted and mapped in the spring of 1859 by two surveyors, G. W. Gregg and T. W. Fisher. Within thirty days after the opening of the mines at Gold Hill, its future as the permanent abiding place of a large number of people was no longer problematical, and there were some among the founders who cherished the hope that it would easily distance all competitors. A town company was formed February 10, 1859, with fifty shareholders, whose plans embraced a site of 1,240 acres. At the height of the mining fever some 2,000 people dwelt or camped on and about the site. At an early stage, however, two factions arose, one favoring high prices for lots, the other, and more sensible, inclined to be liberal toward all who were disposed to become fixed residents, and would agree to improve their holdings by the erection of houses thereon. The latter being overborne by numbers, the prices were raised to a pitch that excited disgust among intending settlers, who turned away without investing at all, leaving the too ambitious scalpers to their own devices. The minority held firmly to the belief that enterprise manifested in dwellings and business houses, the construction of wagon roads and bridges, and unified effort for the diversion of travel from the Platte River route to their own par- ticular settlement, would bring more abundant and enduring rewards than a brief era of mere speculative undertakings, and they were correct. Not discouraged by this rebuff, many schemes of road building and stream bridging were devised. One of the * more advanced among them, Henry Clay Norton, actually bridged the Platte River at old Fort St. Vrain, opened a fair roadway thence to Boulder, and made heroic efforts to change the drift of emigration, but in vain. The columns marched on up the valley to Cherry Creek, and thence into more popular channels via Golden City and the South Park routes.
Until toward the close of 1859, the residents of Boulder possessed no lumber for their houses-neither sash, nails nor glass. Seventy or more log cabins dotted the spacious town site, crowned with roofs of splints, twigs and dirt, with the native soil for floors. In 1860 a firm named Tarbox & Donnelly built a sawmill at the mouth of
Robert Ellingham
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FIRST BOULDER COUNTY COURT HOUSE, ERECTED, 1860.
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HISTORY OF BOULDER COUNTY.
Boulder Cañon. During the same season Dr. P. J. G. Lea planted another on Left Hand Creek, and in 1862 Tourtellotte & Squires produced lumber from a mill of their own within the town limits. In 1863 Samuel Copeland built the first steam mill in Four Mile Cañon. These and others added from time to time, soon furnished ample supplies for all purposes of building, and thenceforward much better, more com- modious and comfortable quarters were provided for such as had families, giving the place a more inviting aspect. The first frame dwelling was erected by A. J. Macky in the year 1860. He was also the first to build a business block of brick, when such pretentious improvements came to be added somewhat later. Daniel Pound put up a frame business house and filled it with merchandise. A. R. Brown, D. H. Nichols, J. H. Decker, A. A. Brookfield, Jonas Anderson & Sons, T. J. Graham, W. G. Pell, M. G. Smith and others not now recalled, were exceedingly patriotic and loyally devoted to the upbuilding of the place. Says Bixby in his chronicles of the time, "The reaction in the mining camps during the winter of 1860-61, drove off the drifting population, but stimulated settlement of the choice valley lands by the more stable and intelligent class -men, and a few noble women among them-who were appreciators of education, and have since carried forward the public schools to the most advanced standards." It is asserted, without denial by any other community, that the first schoolhouse built in the Territory exclusively for educational purposes, had its origin in Boulder in 1860, a frame structure that cost $1,200, the amount being raised by subscription among the citizens, each contributing according to the measure of his means. This building was destroyed by fire on the morning of Sept. 11th, 1890. The amount subscribed for this school would be but an insignificant trifle at the present day, but thirty years ago it took the form of heroic sacrifice by the parents, that their progeny might enjoy its bene- fits. A majority were very poor, scarcely able to maintain themselves, utterly incapable of extravagant outlay. The school thus instituted was maintained until 1872, when the Central, a very large and superior edifice of brick and stone succeeded, at a cost of $15,000. In 1876 more room being required, an addition equal to double the capacity was provided. Amos Widner, the first superintendent of public instruction, divided the county into nine districts. He retained the position from 1863 to 1865 when the Rev. C. M. Campbell took charge. Boulder has at this time three fine school buildings. In addition to the one named above, that on Pine street was built some time later, and the Mapleton of stone in 1889. County Superintendent, W. V. Casey, in his report of Sep- tember ist, 1890, shows that Boulder County has fifty-five schoolhouses, which, with sites and furniture, are valued at $102,979.75. Of these four are log, thirty-three frame and eighteen of stone and brick. The three buildings in Boulder are valued at $40,000, have eighteen rooms and 900 sittings. There are 3,881 persons of school age in the county and the average attendance during the year was 1,885.
The incident following, of the manner in which some of the early settlers lived, is related by Bixby: "Tourtellotte & Squires occupied a double log building, in the front part of which they sold groceries and mining supplies, and the rear portion was used as a hotel, kept by their wives, Maria and Miranda, twin sisters, fair types of the better class of New England women. The first thing after their arrival, they with their own hands cut willows and wove them into brooms for sweeping the dirt floors of their cabin hotel." And they were fond of relating how delighted they were to see the
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HISTORY OF BOULDER COUNTY.
unaffrighted herds of antelope come down to the creek to drink; how it rained every afternoon, and how awfully their mud roof leaked, compelling them to cover every- thing inside with rubber horse blankets; how they had no tables but a couple of boards they had brought with them from the East, and their chairs and bedsteads were hewn out of logs, etc. No severe stretch of the imagination is required to portray in vivid colors the hardships and privations that fell to the lot of pioneer settlers here or else- where. It was much the same everywhere, and the experience in one part of the desert might be applied to every other, with only the changes incident to differing con- ditions. The attention of those who came to gather gold, but were disappointed, for the reason that the area was so contracted that only a few of the first comers could be accommodated, was early turned to farming by the great prices paid for flour, feed, hay, grain and vegetables. In the winter of 1860-61 times were extremely hard; flour brought $30 per sack, hay $80 to $100 per ton, vegetables and other farm produce in like proportion, owing to scarcity.
Here as elsewhere, only the bottom lands along the streams were tilled, and those only in small garden patches. For two years the little settlement struggled with mani- fold adversities, making little or no progress; accessions to its members were few and far between. But for the tenacity of the fathers who resolved to win or perish, the place would have been abandoned; but for the promise held out by the agriculturists and the discovery and extended operation of coal mines in the near vicinity, general despair would have caused a general exodus. Says Bixby, "The first to test the capa- bilities of Boulder soil and climate for vegetable and fruit gardening, were Marinus G. Smith and William G. Pell. Mr. Smith pitched his tent in the beautiful grove that still bears his name, close by the town of Boulder on the 15th day of June, 1859. In Septem- ber of that year, Mr. Pell, then occupying the adjoining place, joined Mr. Smith in plow- ing a garden patch. In November following they dug an irrigating ditch for this plowed land, the first constructed in the county. The next season they proved that any kind of seeds planted would grow and bring forth abundantly-that only a proper applica- tion of water was required to make the 'desert rejoice and blossom as the rose.'" The original experiments in broader farming-wheat culture, etc., are given elsewhere.
Having planted the germs of local education for their own children, the people began to move unitedly for the consummation of a project long contemplated, to create a center of higher education, and thus attract to their community the better class of immigrants-people of intelligence-learned scholastics, exalted types of men and women who might be seeking health and prosperity in this new land, with a dominating preference for kindred social conditions. Therefore they took measures before the first legislature of 1861 to secure the passage of a law providing for the establishment of "The University of Colorado" at Boulder. The active spirit in this enterprise was Robert Culver. Chas. F. Holly, then a resident of Gold Hill (some years later a justice of the Territorial Supreme Court) being ambitious to represent the county in the first legislature, was induced by Culver to pledge himself to procure the enactment of such a law, then set about his nomination and election. Holly framed the bill and procured its adoption. It provided that a fund to support a Territorial university for the promotion of literature and of the arts and sciences should be created, and denominated the Seminary Fund, "which shall consist of all moneys arising from the sale of all lands
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which may be donated by the Congress of the United States for seminary purposes," etc .* The following were named as original corporators and governors of the insti- tution: D. P. Walling, J. Feld, A. O. Patterson, Allen A. Bradford, William Gilpin, Edwin Scudder, C. Dominguez, Byron M. Sanford, William Hamind, J. B. Chaffee, Chief-Justice B. F. Hall, Amos Steck, Jesus M. Barela, George F. Crocker, John S. Jones and M. Goss.
Section 13 provides that "as soon as the necessary funds can be raised by donation from Congress, the Territory, or individuals or otherwise as will justify * * a com- mencement, they may then proceed to erect buildings," etc. January 25th, 1870, an amendatory act passed naming as trustees for the University at Boulder John H. Wells, Granville Berkley, Thomas J. Graham, James M. Smith and Amos Widner. Up to that time, although the main purpose had been kept in view, very little else had been accomplished. Immediately after the adoption of the amendment noted above (Jan- uary 29th) the trustees thus designated met in Boulder and organized the university board. While no funds had been provided for buildings, the public spirited citizens donated fifty-two acres of land upon a fine promontory overlooking the town on the south side of Boulder Creek, estimating its value at $10,000. A suitable building site having thus been secured, the trustees applied to the legislature of 1872 for an appro- priation of funds for buildings, which was refused, owing to a political complication. In 1874, however, the request was renewed and an appropriation of $15,000 granted on the condition that the citizens of Boulder donate an equal sum for the like purpose, which was acceded to, and the amount raised by subscription. In due course a contract was let; the corner stone was laid by the Grand Lodge A. F. and A. M. of Colorado, September 20th, 1875, but as a violent storm prevailed at the time, only the few necessary to lay the stone were on the grounds. About the Ist of January fol- lowing, the resident members of the board of trustees, viz .: Clinton M. Tyler, Ira E. Leonard, Amos Widner and Thomas J. Graham, together with the town board of trus- tees and citizens, invited the legislature to inspect the building, which was done. In 1876 the Territorial assembly made a further appropriation of $15,000, to be expended in completing the building, and also provided for the election of regents by the electors of the State, then upon the eve of admission into the Union. The first board of regents was composed of L. W. Dolloff and Junius Berkley of Boulder; George Tritch and F. J. Ebert of Denver; W. H. Van Gieson of Del Norte, and C. Valdez of Conejos. The presidency was tendered Prof. Joseph A. Sewall, who for sixteen years had been pro- fessor of chemistry in the State Normal University of Illinois, a gentleman renowned for his scientific attainments, and accepted. Under his supervision preparatory and normal departments were instituted, and opened for the reception of students September 5th, 1877. The regular collegiate course was begun in 1878 with a freshman class of twelve. The nucleus of a fine library was founded by a donation of $2,000 from Charles G. Buckingham, one of the bankers of Boulder, and in his honor it was named the " Buckingham Library." It has expanded to very liberal dimensions in the fullness of years, by contributions from the citizens and the addition of many useful reference books from the various departments of State at Washington. Prof. J. Alden
* Laws of Colorado, Ist session, page 144.
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Smith, a resident of the town, for many years State geologist, gave a large cabinet of rare and valuable minerals, about 4,000 in number, which has since been augmented by other specimens gathered in the course of his scientific researches. A fine chemical laboratory, selected with great care by Prof. Sewall, was added soon after he assumed control. The grounds have been adorned with shade trees, and otherwise beautified.
A special tax levy by the State which yielded about $40,000 was used in the erec- tion of the president's residence, a young ladies' dormitory and boarding house, a dor- mitory for young men, a hospital for the medical department and other improvements.
Dr. Sewall remained in charge until July, 1887, when he was succeeded by President Horace M. Hale, who had superintended the public schools of Central City for fifteen years and served two terms as Territorial superintendent of public instruction. The university has been greatly prospered under his administration. The attendance was 150 in 1889-90-and in the fall of the latter year the university opened with seventy new students. The medical hall was built in 1888 at a cost of $2,500. In 1890 Wood- bury Hall, a dormitory for male students, named in honor of R. W. Woodbury, one of the board of regents, was added at a cost of $25,000. It is of red and grey sandstone, well furnished, and by far the handsomest structure on the grounds. The young ladies' dormitory has been doubled in capacity at a cost of $4,000 during 1890. The library has more than 10,000 volumes. Since 1887 the regents have purchased 3,000 volumes, most of them very valuable, obtained in Europe. A biological chair was established in 1889, and a fine nucleus started for a museum and biological labora- tory. The chemical, mineralogical and geological, physical and biological laboratories with cabinets, give this institute a superior equipment for scientific study and inves- tigation.
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