History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 18

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 18

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).

Gilman was founded in 1886. It was first called Clinton, but was changed to honor Mr. H. M. Gilman, a popular and enterprising citizen. It is the largest town in the county, and is situated high up on the slope of Battle mountain, about 1,200 feet above the D. & R. G. R. R. and the valley of the Eagle. The situation is one of the most remarkable in the Rocky Mountain region now used for human habitations. The causes which incited permanent settlement here were the same as those that led to the peopling of Leadville, Gunnison, Ten Mile, Aspen and most of the other mining towns-the discovery and development of silver mines, There was not room enough in Leadville, nor mines enough to accommodate all of the surging thousands that gathered there, hence the surplusage sought other fields and found them across the ranges to the northwest and south. As we have seen, the earlier prospectors found valuable mines on Battle mountain, then and now the principal seat of production. The lofty and rugged slopes became scenes of won- derful activity. Some great veins and deposits of rich mineral have been opened, among them the Ida May, Little Duke, Ground Hog, the latter an extraordinary producer of gold in nugget form, deposited in strange cavities called "pockets;" the Belden, Iron Mask, May Queen, Kingfisher, Little Chief, Crown Point, Little Ollie and others. A number of camps were established, as Coronado, Ore Creek and Horn Silver.

Some of the principal mines are situated within a stone's throw of the main street of Gilman. Much fine machinery has been placed on the more valuable workings, and hundreds of thousands expended in development. Gilman also lias a system of water works, electric light plant, etc., a good school building, and telegraph and telephone lines. Among the early residents and business men were John Urban and R. W. Scott & Co .; the latter built one of the first general supply stores in the place.

MMinturn sprang up as a consequence of extending the Rio Grande railway down the valley. It is only a small settlement, the end of a freight division.

Eagle, at the mouth of Brush creek, is a thriving hamlet, as also is Gypsum, at the mouth of Gypsum creek.

Fulford mining camp is situated on Nolan creek, a tributary of Brush, and takes its name from A. H. Fulford, one of its pioneers. Prospecting began there in 1887, and some very rich mines were discovered. In June of that year, William Nolan accidently killed himself by shooting, on what is known as Nolan creek.

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A. H. Fulford was killed by a snow slide, January Ist, 1892, near the place which bears his name. B. S. Morgan, A. McLouth, Joe Good, John Bauman and S. N. Ackley were among the earlier prospectors in this district.

Agricultural .- Ernest Ingersoll, in his "Crest of the Continent," says: "Agri- culture in the valley of the Eagle is hopeless, excepting the cultivation of some of the hardier vegetables like turnips, and perhaps risky crops of oats and barley." But Ingersoll wrote in 1884, after a rapid ride through that section. In the last few years the valleys below the mining fields have been put under cultivation, watered by irrigating canals and made to produce not only vegetables, but satisfactory crops of cereals-wheat, oats, barley, timothy and alfalfa, potatoes, and, in the more favorable localities, certain of the hardier orchard fruits. Large herds of cattle and horses are pastured on the grazing ranges.

The more prominent ranches are those of Nottingham & Co., J. L. Howard, Hollingsworth & Co. and the Crescive Land & Cattle Co., along Eagle river; Mrs. S. M. White, John Love and A. D. Mckenzie, on Brush creek, and the Derby Land & Cattle Co., on Derby creek; Frank Dall, A. F. Grundel, Ed. Slaughter and Grundel Bros., on Gypsum creek; Dall, Condon & Co., on Sweetwater, and H. B. Gillespie, on the Roaring Fork.

Among the earlier settlers on the ranches of the county are Henry Hermage, Robert Mathews and W. E. Frost, on Brush creek; W. W. Livingston, R. M. Sher- wood, C. M. White and C. B. Stone, on the Eagle; Stratton Bros., F. M. Skiff and Casper Schumm, on Gypsum; W. H. Harris, Robinson & Sons, Thos. O'Connell and Luchsinger Bros., on Roaring Fork; Jack Stewart at Dotsero. Aspen Junc- tion is a railroad town of some importance on the Colorado Midland railway.

The principal fruit section is along the Roaring Fork where H. B. Gillespie has thirteen acres in apples, apricots, plums, pears, etc., with extensive growths of small fruits (see history of Pitkin county); Oliver Jacobs has eight acres in about the same varieties.

Mount of the Holy Cross .- In 1880 some discoveries of gold and silver mines were made near the base of this remarkable mountain, and scores of prospectors followed the reports which came from that locality. A number of mines were opened, and some expensive mills built, but no great degree of success has been attained. The mountain itself, one of the most extraordinary in the entire chain, has been rendered famous by the magnificent painting of the great American artist, Mr. Thomas Moran, who accompanied a party associated with Prof. F. V. Hayden's U. S. Geological Survey in 1874, and there prepared the studies and sketches for the work. Its name, "Mount of the Holy Cross," is derived from a tradition of its discovery and christening by two Spanish monks who traversed the country long anterior to its settlement by white men. Readers of the history of Dolores and San Miguel counties, presented in this volume, will discover that these holy fathers wandered on foot over a considerable part of the San Juan country, and it is only fair to presume that they found and bowed reverently before this colossal symbol of their faith.

The mountain is situated about 200 miles from Denver, and may be seen from any of the higher peaks along the front range. One passing down the valley of the Eagle, by train or otherwise, will catch glimpses of the cross so clearly em- blazoned upon its crest. It is formed by two great transverse fissures filled with snow and ice. The Holy Cross creek flowing from its base is a picturesque and beautiful stream, bordered by pines and firs, and in its rapid descent broken into beautiful cascades. Near at hand is the mining camp. As to the painting, which brought its author both fame and fortune, it is a splendid tribute to American art and the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. According to art critics, Mr. Moran was strikingly successful in his translation of this superh fragment of Rocky Mountain scenery. "In the foreground is Holy Cross creek, a wild and sinuous

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stream, lashing into foam against the numerous dark and jagged rocks that im- pede its course, all skillfully drawn and tinted. But the almost mysterious grandeur of the weird white cross, and above it the mass of fine gray clouds, hold the eye entranced like a lovely vision, while the name suggests matins and vespers and mysterious worship of the old monks." This painting is now owned by Dr. W. A. Bell of Manitou. It has been exhibited in London and several of the more im- portant cities of America and Europe.

ELBERT COUNTY

AREA AND POPULATION-NAMED FOR GOV. ELBERT-CATTLE AND SHEEP GROWING- PRODUCTS, ETC.

This county, named in honor of Hon. Samuel H. Elbert, ex-governor of the territory, and also ex-chief justice of the supreme court, was segregated from the eastern part of Douglas county and organized under an act of the territorial legis- lature, approved February 2nd, 1874.

The county seat was temporarily located at Middle Kiowa. The county is bounded on the north by Arapahoe, south by El Paso and Lincoln, east by Lin- coln, and west by Douglas county. Its area is 1,880 square miles, and by the census of 1890 its population was 1,856, an increase of 148 in the preceding decade. It is located on the eastern Divide, and is almost exclusively a stock-raising region. There are 2,000,000 acres of land available for agriculture, and for grazing purposes there are 986,560 acres. There is, however, but very little farming done in the county. The mildness of its winters, the abundance of water, and the plenitude of nutritious grasses make it one of the superior grazing counties of the state. There are no large streams, but many small creeks. These are East, West and Middle Bijou creeks, Comanche, Running and Kiowa creeks, and also Wilson's and Big Sandy, none of them large enough to furnish water for irrigating purposes on a large scale. The farmers depend mostly upon the rainfalls, which are frequent. There are at the present time six irrigating canals, twenty miles in extent. The loam soil is deep and rich, the surface undulating, and the crops that are annually gathered are equal to any produced in other parts of the state.

It has large pine forests in the western part, from which much of the lumber was taken in 1859 that was used in building early Denver. The population is generally composed of a wealthy class of ranchinen, who are social and intelli- gent, largely immigrants from the Atlantic states. During the early settlement of the county, portions of it were frequently raided by the Indians, and many of the in- habitants were murdered. Those days have long since passed, never to be re- peated, and with the passing years the people have become prosperous and happy. Coal is found in abundance, principally at the month of Hay gulch, Kiowa creek. and also on Bijou and Sandy creeks. Alum and sulphur springs of medicinal virtue are also found in the county. The scenery is picturesque, especially in the vicinity of Elizabeth, the most important town in the county. The Kansas Pacific railroad cuts across the northeastern corner of the county from River Bend on the Big Sandy to Deer Trail and Denver in Arapahoe county. The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska railroad strikes at, or near, River Bend, and turning to the south-

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west, crosses the southwestern corner of the county en route to Colorado Springs. The Denver, Texas and Gulf, now the U. P. and Fort Worth, crosses the south- western corner en route from Denver to the Gulf of Mexico. Elizabeth, Kiowa and Elbert are located in the western part of the county, and are the principal towns. At Elizabeth the erection of a large hotel and other improvements are content- plated for the benefit of Texas tourists and others from the Southern states. Placer gold mines have been worked in the vicinity of Elizabeth, but the yield was never very large. The other towns are simply small stations-cattle centers. The valleys produce corn and hay, and the highlands alfalfa. The raising of cattle, horses, sheep and the clipping of wool are the important industries, and these are very profitable. The wool chip in 1891 was 628,540 pounds from 87,000 sheep. The first gold that was found in Colorado was discovered in the extreme western portion of this county by the Cherokee Indians and Green Russell, as related in the history of Douglas county, Volume III. To indicate the extent of agriculture, the following abstract of returns to the auditor of state for 1891 is given: Acres of land under cultivation, 851; acres in pasture, 329,662; wheat, 46 acres, used as fodder; oats, 225 acres, cultivated for the same purpose, as were also 17 of barley; 1,784 of corn and rye; 899 acres of potatoes, producing 22,010 bushels; 91 acres of timothy, from which 112 tons were cut; 3,285 acres of native grass, producing 3,880 tons of hay; 361 acres of alfalfa, which made 793 tons. The rolls show 16,97I cattle and 87,000 sheep.

Schools. - At the town of Elbert there is a handsome, substantial brick school building, with capacity for 150 pupils. Near the same place there are several ranehes for blooded stock. A school building was completed at Kiowa in 1885, and one at Elizabeth about the same time, costing about $12,000. A creamery and a race track are also being built at the latter place. By the census of 1890 the total school population was 611, with an enrollment of 371, and an average daily attendance of 241. There were 18 distriets, and 20 school houses, with 568 sittings. The valuation of school property was $12,205. The assessed valuation of taxable property for 1890 was $2,232,200.88. Kiowa is the county seat, and is 42 miles southeast of Denver. Its population is about 150. The town is supplied with daily mails. Its present business men are E. P. Clark, Frank Edinger, Geo. Fahrion, Jolin Hanson, Geo. Hessler, Frank Lang, R. H. Manville, Charles Mathews, Lee Ramsey, Mrs. Amanda Taylor, H. Willard and Geo. A. Wood.

MCNAMARA

TREYEAR

THE MC NAMARA DRY GOODS CO'S BUILDING, DENVER.

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GARFIELD COUNTY.

OLD INDIAN RESERVATION-FIRST PROSPECTORS AND WHAT THEY FOUND-LOG FORTS -THE TOWN SITE OF CARBONATE-GENERAL DESCRIPTION-FRUIT CULTURE- ORGANIZATION-GLENWOOD SPRINGS-OTHER TOWNS-CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS- COAL MINING - RAILROADS-LOCAL INSTITUTIONS-BANKS AND NEWSPAPERS- CRIMES AND TRAGEDIES-EARLY SETTLERS.

This county, taken from Summit, was named for President James A. Garfield. It was organized by an act of the General Assembly, approved February 10th, 1883. Its area is 3,250 square miles, and by the census of 1890 its population was 4,478. It is bounded on the north by Rio Blanco, south by Mesa and Pitkin, east by Eagle, and west by the Territory of Utah.

Up to 1881, when the Indians were removed to other points, named elsewhere (see history of Mesa county), it was a part of the reservation assigned to the L'tes, hence remained comparatively unexplored and unoccupied by white men. So far as is known, the first discovery of mineral occurred in the summer of 1878, when two Leadville prospectors, in crossing the reservation, found on the surface evi- dences of the existence of carbonate deposits, similar to those which had incited the vast activity soon afterward manifest in the valley of the upper Arkansas. They simply made superficial observations. It does not appear that they did any digging, but on returning to Leadville reported what they had seen. In 1879, other parties went in and began exploring the surface indications, which led to the belief that immense mineral treasure lay buried there. Resolved to prosecute the search, but fearing attack and expulsion should the rightful owners-the Utes-find them on forbidden ground, they built a rude fort of pine logs and named it Fort Defiance. This was located some ten miles southeast of the camp. subsequently named Carbonate City, and the latter six miles west from the junction of the Roaring Fork with Grand river. Another account says it was twenty miles nearly due west from the confluence of the Eagle river with the Grand, at Dotsero, and about sixteen miles northwest from the mouth of the Roaring Fork, on the high plateau between Grand and White rivers. It is one of the points laid down on Hayden's geological maps, indicating a mineral formation. Carbonates of a low grade were found there, and much prospecting was done in the spring of 1880, when hundreds flocked in from the winter encampment at Dotsero. A man named Geo. P. Rvan sunk a shaft 100 feet deep, finding large quantities of ore containing lead and silver. The reports of what had been found in the Ryan shaft, more or less exaggerated, inspired strong hopes among the multitude that waited on the ground and at Dotsero for the immense bodies of snow that fell there that winter to disappear and give them entrance to this new and apparently wonderful field.

Mr. W. C. Wynkoop and W. L. Cooper were among the earlier prospectors there. All took their impressions of the value of that region from the showing presented in the Ryan shaft, that being the only one from which any definite in-

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formation could be obtained. As the spring and summer advanced, hundreds visited Carbonate camp, dug pit-holes and procured numerous assays of the mineral, but on the whole nothing to encourage permanent encampment was dis- closed. There was an abundance of material which looked like valuable car- bonates, but it was all of too low a grade to warrant development. Up to the spring of 1883 not a single house or improvement of any kind marked the camp. In that year, however, the Carbonate Town company was formed. The corporators were Chas A. MeBriarty, Hal Sayr, Samuel Mishler, W. M. Chandler, Charles C. Welch, Harper M. Orahood, Willard Teller, A. E. Pierce, Boyd Skelton, John L. Dailey, J. D. Best and J. M. Clement, nearly all residents of Denver. The officers were Chas. A. McBriarty, president; John L. Dailey, treasurer; W. M. Chandler, secretary. They filed upon 640 acres of land in a beautiful park and caused it to be surveyed. One hundred and sixty acres were platted for a town site, and a few lots were sold. When the county was organized in 1883, Carbonate became the county seat. Saw mills were taken in and considerable lumber was cut. Wagon roads to connect the camp with the Eagle and the Grand valleys were built. During the first winter of occupancy, 1879-80, Chas. A. McBriarty, a Leadville prospector- one of the discoverers of the famous Chrysolite mine-located a claim, sunk two shafts and discovered carbonates. The excitement over Carbonate camp took a fresh start in the spring of 1883, but no great finds were made then or since, though many extravagant reports were circulated.

Garfield county is drained chiefly by the Grand river and its tributaries. Grand river enters the county near the center of the east boundary and flows southwesterly, leaving the county a little west of the center of the southern boundary. Its principal tributaries are the Roaring Fork river, Divide and Maroon creeks on the south, and Elk, Rifle, Parachute and Roan creeks on the north. Trapper's lake, the source of White river, is situated in the extreme northeast corner of the county. The north line of the county is practically the dividing line between the drainage of the Grand and White rivers. The first fifteen miles of the valley of the Grand river, after enter- ing the county, is a canon, the grandest in the state, terminating at the mouth of the Roaring Fork river. The balance of the valley of the Grand, and the valleys of its tributaries, are broad, fertile and especially adapted to the raising of hay, grain, fruit and vegetables. The mountains between the valleys afford an excellent summer range for cattle, horses and sheep. The western portion is mountainous and is chiefly used for stock raising.

The fruit industry of Garfield county is in its infancy. A few orchards were planted as early as 1888. During the past three years a large number of tracts have been planted. The success of those ventures has demonstrated that the valley of the Grand is one of the finest fruit districts of Colorado. The first orchards were located in the vicinity of New Castle, and now supply the local demand, besides shipping a considerable quantity to the mountain towns. Owing to the difficulty of getting water, improvement of some of the finest fruit land has been delayed. The completion of the Grass Valley canal, and the canal of the Riverside Orchard and Irrigation company have put about 15,000 acres of this land under water. The companies owning these two canals are now subdividing their lands into small tracts and selling them to actual settlers for fruit and garden purposes. Small fruits are produced and in great abundance. The raising of fruit and vegetables is rapidly becoming the leading industry among the ranchmen. The mining towns of New Castle, Aspen, Leadville and Red Cliff afford a good market. The settle- ment of the valleys has so limited the winter range for stock that there are few large herds left except in the extreme west end of the county. Each ranchman keeps a herd as large as he can feed during the winter, but the larger ones will in a few years be a thing of the past.

The county was organized in April, 1883. Carbonate was then the county

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seat as designated in the organic act. By resolution of the board of county com- missioners, adopted August 21st, 1883, the public records were moved to Glenwood Springs for safety, which town was afterward made the county seat, and is so at present. The officers appointed were: Frank Enzensperger, F. C. Childs and Geo. P. Ryan, commissioners; C. A. McBriarty, clerk; Jno. C. Blake, sheriff ; George C. Banning, treasurer; William Gelder, county judge; J. F. Clements, sur- veyor; C. S. Cooper, assessor; G. G. Minor, attorney; Forbes Parker, clerk of the district court. The first meeting of the board was held April 16th, 1883. October Ist following, the office of county clerk was declared vacant, and J. G. Pease was appointed to fill the vacancy, McBriarty having moved from the county. The first election was held November 6th, 1883, when the following officers were elected : J. J. Langstaff, Wm. McDowell and Charles Von Brandis, commissioners; Nims R. G. Ferguson, clerk; Gus G. Minor, county judge; George Ferguson, treasurer; A. J. Rock, sheriff; Frank P. Monroe, surveyor; M. V. B. Blood, superintendent of schools; Samuel A. Parker, assessor, and Pat Tompkins, coroner.

The town of Glenwood Springs was incorporated August 28th, 1885. The first election was held September 21st, 1885, when the following officers were chosen: J. E. Schram, mayor; and J. Il. Pierce, William Young, R. P. Malaby, W. E. Shaffer, Thomas Kendrick and E. M. Carlton, trustees. The present officials are: J. L. Hodges, mayor; and Ed. Korupkat, F. C. Schram, R. P. Malaby, J. F. McFar- land, Wm. Dougan and Paul Blount, trustees.

The town of Carbondale is situated on the Roaring Fork river, thirteen miles south of Glenwood Springs, and was incorporated January 30th, 1888. The first election occurred February 20th, 1888, with the following result: M. H. Dean, mayor; J. E. Chaney, W. F. Scott, Y. B. Ford, E. R. Alexander, Ward Tucker and J. A. Workman, trustees. The present officials are: J. E. Chaney, mayor; Price Wickliffe, B. F. Bogan, Jno. Mahnkin, Sr., J. H. Murfitt, G. S. Alcorn and E. D. Tandy, trustees.

New Castle was incorporated February 2nd, 1888. At the first election held April 12th, 1888, M. C. Van Deventer was chosen mayor, and R. H. Mitchell, A. A. Harris, W. D. Grant, R. H. McBride, S. B. Stewart and M. F. Collins, trustees. The present officers are: Jno. W. Ritter, mayor; and D. Barry, C. W. Schmeuser. Hugh McBurney, D. A. McPherson, Chris. Prechtel and E. E. Drach, trustees. Rifle and Parachute are the only other towns in the county, and neither of these is incorporated.

There are five churches in Glenwood Springs, as follows: The Presbyterian organized in 1885, the Christian in 1887, Catholic in 1886, Methodist in 1888, and the Episcopal in 1888. In New Castle there are the Congregational and Catholic churches. The former was organized in 1880, and the latter in 1801. Rifle has one church, the Methodist, organized in 1890. In Parachute, the Methodist church was established in 1890, and the Catholic in 1801, and in Carbondale the Methodists organized in 1889.

School Houses. - Glenwood Springs built one in 1887, which cost $25,000: Carbondale one in 1800, at a cost of $6,000; New Castle in 1892, at an expense of $10,000, and Rifle and Parachute one each, at a cost of $8,000 and $7,000 re- spectively. There are also twenty-four other school houses in Garfield county, con- structed chiefly of logs, or are cheap frame buildings, and cost on an average about $500 cach. In 1890 there were 1,033 school children in the county. The assessed valitation of taxable property in the county that year was $1.443-319, and in 1893 it was $2,567,843, on a basis of about thirty per cent. of the real value. The present officers of the county are: Commissioners, 1I. R. Kamm, P. Randolph Morris. A. J. Saint ; Paul Blount, county clerk ; Geo. 11. Moulton, treasurer; T. W. Thomas, sheriff; W. B. Weaver, assessor; Sam M. White, superintendent of schools; W. II. Bradt, surveyor; L. G. Clark, coroner; Jno. L. Noonan, county judge; J. G. Pease,

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clerk of the district court; H. W. Hallett, member of the house of the state legis- lature, and David A. Mills, of Eagle county, state senator from the 21st district.

Coal Mines .- Coal mines were first discovered in 1882. They were developed, and the shipment of coal began in 1887, upon the completion of railroads. They are located at New Castle, Sunshine and Vulcan. The two first named were opened in 1887, by the Grand River Coal and Coke Co., and in August, 1892, they were sold to the Colorado Fuel company. A month later, upon the consolidation of the Colorado Fuel Co. and the Colorado Coal and Iron company, they became the property of the consolidated organization. The Vulcan mine, about one and one- half miles from New Castle, was opened in the summer of 1892, by the Vulcan Fuel company, and a year later was sold to the A. T. & S. F. railroad company, when it acquired the Colorado Midland railway. At Cardiff, three miles from Glenwood Springs, are located 240 coke ovens of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co., built in the summer of 1887. Shipments of coke began that winter upon the completion of the Colorado Midland railroad to that point. They are supplied with coal by the mines at Spring Gulch, situated in Jerome Park, just across the line in Pitkin county, to which point a branch road is built. The coal belt runs diagonally across the county from southeast to northwest, and is readily traceable. It is located in the great hog-back, and crosses the Grand river at New Castle. The veins pitch at an angle of 45 degrees, and are accessible at numerous points. The output of Sunshine in 1892 was 30,833 tons, and in 1893, 17,100 tons. This mine was worked out and abandoned in July, 1893. In 1892, New Castle produced 169,399 tons, and in 1893, 82,387 tons. In 1802 Cardiff produced 43,693 tons of coke, and in 1893, 57,484 tons. On account of the change of ownership it is impossible to obtain com- plete data covering the total output since the opening of the mines.

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History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 18

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