History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 14

Author: Hall, Frank, 1836-1917. cn; Rocky Mountain Historical Company
Publication date: 1889-95
Publisher: Chicago, Blakely print. Co.
Number of Pages: 791

USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV > Part 14

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

With the rapid multiplication of colonists and their location in and about the original base came the organization of three other towns-Sanford. Ephraim and Richfiekl, all in close proximity and on the east side of the valley along the Conejos. Manassa was incorporated April 17th, 1889, by Silas G. Smith, agent of the colony and its presiding eller. The plat was filed in the county clerk's office. February 18th. 1880. Sanford was platted by the same authority. S. C. Berthelson is its president. Although in some respects distinct, the four communities are virtually consolidated, with headquarters at Manassa. Individual Mormons are settled at various points in the county, engaged in farming and other pursuits. Some are in Conejos, others in Antonito. The main church is at Manassa, and is much the

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

largest house of worship in the San Luis valley. The systems of church and local administration are modeled after those at Salt Lake.

Antonito is a small railway town at the junction of the Rio Grande railroads. the main line passing thence into New Mexico with its terminus at Espanola, while the branch turns to the southwest, crosses the Conejos range, and, passing on to the western slope, reaches Durango. The town was incorporated November 14th, 1889, and the plat filed by the Antonito Town Co., December 12th, 1889. It was surveyed by C. Y. Butler. Here there are a number of business houses, a bank, Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist churches, a two-story brick school house. and a neat and commodious depot. It has one weekly newspaper, and a very good hotel. It is just one mile from Conejos, and is surrounded by an excellent agricul- tural region.

Alamosa .- This was the first of the new American towns established in Conejos county after the introduction of railways, and was founded by ex-Governor A. C. Hunt, president of the D. & R. G. Construction Co. After crossing Veta Pass, the railway reached Alamosa July 6th, 1878. It is situated near the west bank of the Rio Grande river, rather to the south of the central part of the San Luis Park, and at the northeastern corner of the county. Under the force of Governor Hunt's sanguine energy, and as the terminus for some time of the rail- way in that direction, it sprang into prominence as the chief outfitting and trading point for the San Juan mining region, Costilla county and New Mexico. An elec- tion for incorporation was heldl July 20th, 1878, though the town site was surveyed, platted, and the plat filed by the Alamosa Town Co. May 13th of that year. The Colorado "Independent," now the "Independent Journal," whose owners had persistently followed the extensions of the road from point to point, found a per- manent lodgment here, and it has ever since been maintained as the leading ex- ponent of the progress of that section. We are indebted to its well edited files for much information concerning the same. The Alamosa "News" was founded by Matthews Custers. J. W. Hamm & Co., Field & Hill and F. F. Struby & Co. were among the principal merchants. The town site of 640 acres, almost as level as a house floor, was patented through the efforts of Governor Hunt, that instrument being personally signed, it is said, by President Hayes, instead of bearing the usual fac simile stamp.

For three years the railroad terminus remained at Alamosa, then it was ex- tended to New Mexico and the San Juan. The division headquarters were there. and round houses and repair shops added to its importance. During this time it enjoyed a large and profitable trade. Most of the houses and stores were cheaply and rapidly built. The spur of the D. & R. G. running 30 miles northwest to Del Norte at the base of the western mountains was built in 1881. On the 29th of August, 1878, an election for town officers resulted as follows: Mayor, D. R. Smith; recorder, Win. M. Thomas; trustees, Ed. Silk, C. W. Ryres, Win. Bingel and J. W. McFarlane. The board met for the first time September 7th, and or ganized. Mr. J. W. Hamm was appointed city attorney: Isaac Morris, marshal: W'm. M. Thomas, treastirer, and J. W. Jones, street commissioner. At a meeting held September 13th the former proceedings relative to the appointment of officers were annulled, and the following appointments made by vote: Town marshal. Samuel C. Townsend; attorney, J. W. Hughes: street commissioner. J. W. Jones: police magistrate, B. Van Zandt. The first ordinances were introduced September ioth, 1878.

The officers for 1891 were: Mayor, Herbert 1. Ross: trustees, John A McDonald, Charles L. Miller, George H. Shone, S. O. Fletcher, Morris B. Colt: recorder, George A. Willis; treasurer, Wm. M. Mallett: attorney, Eugene Engley: engineer, Edward 1 .. Jones: marshal. Joseph R. Simons.

The public streets of Alamosa are broad, and some of them well shaded. Many

100

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

of the primitive wooden buildings remain, but in late years a number of fine brick and stone business blocks have been erected. It has one public school of brick, with four large rooms, three churches, the Catholic, Episcopalian and Presbyterian. The Methodists hold services in a store building which they own. The water system is sufficient for all public and private needs, supplied by artesian and drive wells and cisterns. It is lighted from the works of the Alamosa Electric Light and Power company.

The first buikling of any importance outside of temporary claim cabins was a two-story frame erected by Governor A. C. Hunt, at the corner of Sixth street and Hunt avenue, in 1878, and was made his headquarters for railway and other pur- poses. It is now the Victoria Hotel, kept by J. C. McClelland, one of the best in the state. At one time the first floor was occupied by the bank of San Juan; sub- sequently the entire buikling was used for hotel purposes. The Perry House, on the same street, was built at Kit Carson on the Kansas Pacific railway, and moved along from point to point until permanently located at Alamosa.

Banks. - The First National was established February Ist. 1884, as the successor of the Bank of San Juan. Its officers are H. I. Ross, president: John L. McNeil, vice-president; W. F. Boyd, cashier; W. H. Mallett, assistant. Its capital is $50,000.

The Bank of Alamosa, first opened by the Schiffer Bros. at Del Norte, as the Rio Grande County Bank, was removed to its present location July 18th, 1890, and re-established under the name given above. Its capital is $50,000.

The Alamosa Milling & Elevator company was organized in May, 1890, with a capital of $50,000, Jerome B. Frank, president; J. A. McDonald, vice-president : J. K. Mullen, general manager: M. A. Bowen, secretary; H. E. Johnson, local manager. It has one of the largest and most complete flouring mills in the state, and an immense brick warehouse for the storage of grain and flour. It is produc- ing about 250 barrels daily. The principal markets are in the neighboring towns and the mining region of the San Juan, the trade extending also into New Mexico.

The great problem confronting the producers of the San Luis valley as the population augments, and the yields are increased from year to year, is where the inevitably large surplus is to find purchasers. At present there is no difficulty. be- cause the demand from neighboring territory is equal to the supply, but when thousands more acres bring forth their abundance, where is it to find a profitable market? It is hoped that at no distant day it will be found in Texas. However, now that new railways are opening the vast treasures of the San Juan mines, and that country is being rapidly peopled. it is probable that markets for the greater part will be found there. Summitville, Creede, Platora, Stunner and other mining districts, all near at hand and directly tributary, are developing into very productive mining sections and will eventually harbor hundreds, possibly some thousands of people. all of whom will be supplied with breadstuffs from the San Luis farms.%

The towns of Monte Vista and Del Norte have been duly considered in the chapter relating to Rio Grande county, and those in the upper portion of the valley in the history of Saguache county, to which they respectively belong.

Alamosa is now growing steadily and rapidly. The constant advances made in the surrounding country have stimulated its growth. There are a few handsome residences, some substantial business blocks. The most extensive operations in farm lands and crop production are controlled by the company of which Mr. T. C. Henry is the directing force.

Secret Societies .- The Masons have a fine stone temple, a large membership and well appointed lodge rooms. Opposite is Odd Fellows Hall, also in an elegant stone building. Both orders are in a flourishing condition.

* Since these notes were compiled, a great settlement has sprung up at ('reede, and some wonderfully rich mines have been opened there.

101

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

La Jara, situated on the east side of the D. & R. G. railway, 14 miles south of Alamosa, was founded by the La Jara Town company. It is platted but not in- corporated. The plat was filed October 24th, 1887. On the west side the San Luis Town & Investment company have laid out an addition. Mr. John Harvey of Leadville lias an extensive horse breeding ranch near La Jara.

Henry is a small station on the Empire farm, eight miles south of Alamosa. It has a few houses, post office, school house, etc. It is neither platted nor in- corporated.

Logan is composed of a small colony of Swedes, about one-quarter of a mile north of Henry.

Schools, - The general public school system of Conejos county owes much of its organization to Mr. C. H. Brickenstein, who was the superintendent in 1888. He established seven new districts that year. In 1887 there were only two graded schools in the county. A year later there were four, and a material increase of in- terest was manifested. By the census of 1890 the total school population was 2,953. with an enrollment of 1,933, and an average daily attendance of 1,027. There were 721 pupils in the graded schools, and 1,212 in the ungraded; sixteen school houses. with 1,587 sittings. The value of the property was $29,882.46.

The total assessed valuation of taxable property in 1877, the year before the entrance of the railway, was only $123,227.25. In 1884, the first in which some of the large irrigating canals were operated and farms put under tillage, it mounted to $1,573,086. In 1889 it was $1,889,142, and in 1800, $1,844.460, the decrease partly due to the creation of Archuleta county from the western half. In 1889 there were returned for assessment 112,674 acres of land valued at $521.947. In 1890. 207,606 acres valued at $692,949. In the list were 3.816 horses, 215 mules, 7,015 cattle, 11,205 sheep and 558 swine.

Readers of our first volume will recall the fact that in 1595 the Spanish cavalier. Don Juan de Onate, led a party into the San Luis valley and reported the discovery of mines between the Culebra and Trinchera. Lieutenant-Governor Head and others inform me that these same mines were worked to some extent in 1800 by a man named A. B. Fetzer. Near by is an old ruin of a fort evidently built by these Spaniards as a protection against the Indians.

Platora mining camp is situated 45 miles from Conejos in the western moun- tains at an altitude of 9,500 feet-population about 300. Some excellent mines of gold and silver have been found and developed in that region. Stunner is four miles from Platora. Only three properties were in operation during the fall of 1800, the Mammoth, Peoria and Eurydice lodes, but these and others give evidence of being strong, permanent and valuable mines.

102

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

CRIPPLE CREEK.

AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF GOLD-THE RANCH OF BEN- NETT AND WVERS-ONE OF THE GREAT GOLD REGIONS OF THE WORLD.

The district thus unmelodiously designated, is by many believed to be one of the most extensive and valuable gold mining sections of the world. It occupies a large tract of mountainous country in the southwestern part of El Paso county, whose annals appeared in the third volume of our history some time prior to the occurrence of the events about to be narrated. Lack of time and space forbid anything more than a rapid outline of its career.

Parts of this region were visited by prospectors in the summer of 1859, and at intervals in subsequent years. In 1882 some excitement arose in Colorado Springs over exaggerated reports that gold mines had been found in the vicinity of Mount Pisgah near the western base of Pike's Peak, when scores of ambitious diggers hastened to the scene only to be grievously disappointed. Traces of gold were obtained but at no point in paying quantities. Cripple Creek is several miles cast of Pisgah and was not embraced in the lines of exploration at that time. The first dis- coverer of gold in this region, and also the first to develop the vein formation, was Theodore H. Lowe, a noted mining engineer and surveyor. In October. 1881, ten years prior to any settlement at Cripple Creek, while subdividing some pastoral lands for his uncle, William W. Womack, of Kentucky, in the western part of El Paso county, Mr. Lowe found a detached block of what appeared to be float quartz. Breaking off a fragment, he took it to Prof. E. E. Burlingame, the leading assayer of Denver, for analysis, and in due time received a certificate stating that it contained at the rate of $166.23 gold per ton. Encouraged by this result, he returned to the spot and began searching for the outerop of the vein whence the " blossom " had been eroded, and at length found it. Locating thereon a claim called the "Grand View," he sunk a shaft ten feet deep, as required by law, and recorded the location in the office of the county clerk at Colorado Springs. The vein was large and well- defined, but, subsequent assays of the ore proving unsatisfactory, nothing further was done until the summer of 1882 when, lacking means for its development to greater depths, he persuaded Gen. George P. Ihric to go and examine the find with the view of investing a small sum therein. After two days' work Ihrie became discouraged at the prospect and withdrew. Between 1882 and 1800 several other persons were enlisted in the enterprise, but not one of them remained steadfast. Ten different assays of the vein matter made in 1881 returned from 84 cents to $254.86 per ton; two in 1882 gave from $53.06 to $73.49 per ton, and one in 1886 gave $210.60. In 1887 the shaft had reached a depth of 223 feet, but no one could be induced to ven- ture a sufficient amount of money to carry it on to the paying stage. "Therefore, in January, 1801," says Mr. Lowe. "having failed on all sides, yet firmly convinced the claim and got him to relocate the lode. Womack went to Colorado Springs and that gold in paving quantities existed there. I gave Robert Womack an interest in

103

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

induced Dr. Grannis, of that city, to sink the shaft 30 feet deeper for a one-half inter- est in the property. They relocated the claim, calling it the El Paso, made the improvement mentioned and at the bottom found valuable ore. It is now known as the ' Gold King.' From that time the excitement grew rapidly. The famous Ana- conda, one of the principal mines of the district, is located on this vein."

The land now occupied by the town of Cripple Creek was first claimed as a homestead by Wm. W. Womack, of Kentucky, in 1876, who some years later obtained a government patent for it, as surveyed by Mr. Lowe. Womack sold to the Pike's Peak Cattle and Land company, in 1884, of whom it was purchased by Ben- nett & Myers, of Denver, in 1885. It was held by the latter and used continuously in connection with their cattle business in that district, the home ranch being on this particular tract and occupied by George W. Carr as foreman and manager. Bennett & Myers also owned several other tracts in the neighborhood, which had been taken up to secure water rights and for hay land, they having at that time a herd of 3,000 cattle in the district. One of the other tracts is now partly covered by the town of Arequa; another by the Grassey town site and still another, close to the town of Cripple Creek, is still unplatted. The old town called " Moreland" adjoined the town of Fremont-both subsequently incorporated under the name of Cripple Creek -on the north. It was located in 18ot under the title of "Hayden Placer," by F. W. Howbert, II. C. McCreery and others of Colorado Springs.

During 1891, Mr. Carr wrote his employers, Bennett & Myers, that goldl had been discovered there: that strangers were coming in and were building houses on their land. Whereupon the owners visited their property, finding the reported dis- coveries true and the excitement general. Being shrewd and energetic real estate operators, they at once saw their opportunity and took swift advantage of it. Early in October of that year they platted 80 acres for a town site, naming it Fremont, in honor of the historic Pathfinder. By February, 1892, more than half the lots had been sokl. The success of this venture induced them to plat the adjoining 80 acres. known as the " First Addition to Fremont." The first day after it was placed on the market, 200 lots were sold, which illustrates the rapid growth of the embryonic camp. Many of the lots that then brought only $25 to $50 each are now held at $2,000 and $3,000. The first discovery of placer gold was made by a Florissant blacksmith known as "Dick Hooten." The first houses built in the town were a general store by Peter Hettig, and a hotel by Fred Appleton. Robert Womack's report of gold at Cripple Creek, in January, 1891, soon spread and in due course induced Messrs. F. F. Frisbee and Edward De La Vergne to have the samples hc brought to them assaved. The returns from some of them were highly favorable. but the winter season had begun, and the mountains were so deeply covered with snow as to forbid immediate examination of the region whence they came. On the 20th of January, 1891, Frisbee and De La Vergne, after procuring an outfit, began their journey to Cripple Creek for the purpose of verifying Womack's account. According to their own recital, after four days of unhappy experiences in blinding storms and fierce blizzards, they reached the cabin of Mr. George W. Carr, and in due course apprised him of their mission. He said he had lived there nineteen years, and while more or less prospecting had been done in the vicinity, nothing worthy of serious attention had been found. However, the next morning he took them to some of the okl workings, but in none did they find any tangible evidences of min eral. Says Mr. Frisbee. "we were somewhat discouraged by our investigations, but nevertheless collected some twenty-five samples during our stay with Mr. Carr, and on returning to Colorado Springs we employed Mr. S. Y. Case, an assayer, to test them. The values shown ran from Sio to $204 per ton in gold. About the 4th of February, we again visited Cripple Creek, and made the first locations under the law in that district, covering the Eldorado, Old Mortality, Robin and others, and also Cripple Creek Placer No. 1, at the mouth of Arequa, and 140 acres known as the

10!

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

Hayden Placer town site. Very soon the intelligence that valuable gold mines had been discovered awakened much attention in Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Denver. Nevertheless, during that year progress though encouraging was not so rapid as it became in 1892. It is estimated that 2,000 people entered the section in 1891; some excellent mines were opened, and their richer products shipped to the smelters. At this time also, Creede in Rio Grande county was undergoing its first impetuous excitement caused by the large returns from the Amethyst and Last Chance mines, and the rival camps vied with one another as to which should attract the greater share of population and capital. Bennett & Myers spent large sums in advertis- ing Cripple Creek, which were returned to them with interest from the sales of lots in the towns they had platted. Other parties interested in mines availed themselves of every opportunity to spread the glories of the new gold region far and wide through the newspapers. Scarcely an issue of the Denver daily journals but contained glowing accounts of gold at Cripple Creek and silver in Creede. Each day brought reports of surprising finds in both. At that time the more available route was via the Colorado Midland railway to Florissant, and thence. by stage or other conveyance, 18 miles to the center of interest. Some of the veins that have since become large producers of rich ore were then penetrated by shafts, adits or tunnels. The growth, as also the material development, was much more rapid in 1802, for by that time both capitalists and miners had become fully convinced of the greatness of the resources existing there. Hundreds of people with wagons lined the rugged road from Florissant. As the area of prospecting widened, new sources of wealth were disclosed which caused the building of separate towns or camps, as Barry, Lawrence, Mound City, Arequa, Hull's Camp. Cripple City, etc .. and later on, Altman and Victor. Stamp mills with other processes for reducing the lower grades of ore were built, while the higher grades were sent to the smelting works at Pueblo and Denver. The output of gold for 1892 was estimated at $600,000 from only a dozen partly opened mines. In the spring of 1893, the improvement on all sides was much more rapid and satisfactory. Hundreds of new discoveries occurred and many reached the paying stage. The output for that year was approx- imately $2,400,000, quite a remarkable advance. The depression following the events of midsummer, 1893, as the closing of the Indian coining mints, the unprecedented fall in the price of silver, the extra session of Congress, and the repeal of the silver purchasing act, together with other stagnating forces of previous years, all operating together to produce universal paralysis, naturally impeded progress here by check- ing the investment of capital and preventing the expansion of all enterprise.

From the spring of 1892, until about the opening of 1894, many perplexing problems confronted the miners, first of all the character of the matrix in which gold appeared. In the primary efforts it was impossible to discover whether the gold bear- ing matter lay in veins or in a general porphyritic overflow. Few were bold enough to declare in favor of regularly defined and continuous fissures. In brief, it was a condition that baffled the wisest examiners. Then came learned geologists who, by patient study, evolved certain theories which answered the main purpose for the time being. As the shafts and tunnels extended deeper into the formations, revela- tions of great value occurred. Metallurgists connected with the principal smelters experimented long and earnestly with the different classes of ores, and, in due time. promulgated the results of their analyses.

The first well-known geologist to emumciate practical ideas on the subject was Prof. Benjamin Sadtler, of the State School of Mines, at Golden, who went down to Cripple Creek under the joint patronage of Bennett & Myers and the Rocky Monn- tain " News," and on February 28th, 1892, published in this journal a well-digested review of the gold fickl. He was followed at a later date by Mr. R. C. Hills, now con- nected with the U. S. Geological survey, who reported as follows:

"The principal ore bodies at present developed occur in consolidated volcanic

J. W. FASSETT.

105

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

ash resting on upturned granite and gneiss of the western foothills of the Colorado range. In places, dykes and intrusive bodies of andesite traverse the tufaceous rocks of the district, and in the case of the Gold Key this is the material which, having been more or less altered and mineralized, contains pay ore. The majority of the ore bodies of the district may be properly described as mineralized zones, where the decomposition, kaolinization and accompanying deposition of gold have taken place along zones of multiple faulting and fracture. There is good reason to believe that the zones themselves will continue downward through the volcanic tufa to the granite basement. It is equally probable that the pay ore, subject to the breaks in conti- nuity incidental to deposits of this character, will persist to the same depth, and though a direct connection has yet to be shown between the zones in the tufa and the veins found in the basement rock, the occurrence of gold and granular fluorite as minerals common to both systems of deposit argues that such a connection will be demon- strated eventually. For the same reason the presumption is strong that the mineral- izing process was not one of lateral secretion, such as we see in the San Juan moun- tains and elsewhere, but that the source of the precious metals was at least as deep- seated as the granites of the district."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 14

Author: Hall, Frank, 1836-1917. cn; Rocky Mountain Historical Company Publication date: 1889-95 Publisher: Chicago, Blakely print. Co. Number of Pages: 791

Author: Hall, Frank, 1836-1917. cn; Rocky Mountain Historical Company
Publication date: 1889-95
Publisher: Chicago, Blakely print. Co.
Number of Pages: 791