History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 2

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 2

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).

The Prohibition convention was held in the City of Pueblo, September 15th and 16th, 1890, when the ticket following was nominated:

For Representative in Congress .- George Richardson of Arapahoe.

For Governor .- John A. Ellett of Boulder.

For Lieutenant Governor .- E. Ford of Chaffee.

For State Treasurer .- George S. Emerson of Huerfano.

For Auditor of State .- R. W. Anderson of El Paso.

For Secretary of State .- Phidella A. Rice of Mesa.

For Attorney General .- John Hipp of Arapahoe.

For Superintendent of Public Instruction .- J. A. Ferguson of Larimer.

For Regents State University .- Mark G. Bradford of Pueblo, and J. F. Coffman of La Plata.

The legislature chosen that fall assembled in January, 1891, and the Republi- cans, having a large majority, re-elected Henry M. Teller to the United States sen- ate, the Democrats casting their votes for Judge Caldwell Yeaman. The House of Representatives was a riotous body, and being divided against itself was in almost constant confusion.

2-iv

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

THE CITY OF DENVER.

A TERSE REVIEW FROM THE EARLIEST IMMIGRANTS TO 1890-CONTAINING MUCH MATTER NOT HITHERTO PUBLISHED.

In an address delivered to the Pioneer Association at a banquet given in the Windsor hotel in 1876, I find the following paragraph, which closes with a prophecy that is worthy of permanent record: " In 1857, General Frank P. Blair, Jr., in an address to a public meeting at Boston, Mass., said, that while visiting a Major of cavalry at old Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas river, in 1846, they rode together to an eminence beyond the fort which commanded a full view of the Snowy Ranges, when the Major, pointing to the Spanish Peaks, Pike's Peak and the northern range of mountains, and alluding to his campaign in the Mexican war, made this prediction : ' Beyond those peaks, a few years will discover and develop there a region of the precious metals far transcending all that the human family possess or even imagine to exist.'"

Certificate number one, for lot number one, block one, consideration one dollar. issued by the St. Charles Town association to the old plainsman, William McGaa, alias " Jack Jones," dated Lawrence, Kansas Territory, December Ist, 1858, marks the first recorded stage toward the fulfillment of the prophetic assurance just noted. The block mentioned is that on which the first Denver Water company located its plant at the foot of 15th street in 1871, and is therefore historic ground, for it was the beginning of real estate transactions in the City of Denver.

The certificate, the records of the original Auraria Town company, with much other valuable, because authentic memoranda, hitherto inaccessible, are before me as I write. Let us examine this primitive history with a view of correcting certain errors in preceding accounts, and also of presenting a continuous narrative of events that led to the founding of four remarkable town sites-Montana, St. Charles, Aura- ria and Highlands-almost simultaneously under the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, before gold in any considerable quantities had been discovered by the earlier explorers.

It may be stated in passing, however, that most of the important annals of Denver have been already recorded in the three preceding volumes. But since then, many essential particulars have been secured. At this epoch, therefore, with abun- dant data for the basis, we may proceed without serious apprehension of future controversy over the statements herein set down.

On the 7th day of February, 1858, W. Green Russell left his home in Dawson county, Georgia, accompanied by seven others, bound for the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains in search of gold. It appears that he was led to this undertaking by the circumstance of his having met, while in California in 1849. a Cherokee Indian named Beck, who informed him that he (Beck) and a companion named Ralston in crossing the plains, via the Arkansas route, had paused a while on Cherry Creek and

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

the Platte river, and in prospecting had discovered gold. They then agreed to examine the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains together at some future time. In due course both returned home, Russell to Georgia and Beck to the Cherokee nation. They corresponded, and finally, early in 1858, arranged to carry out the project that had been formulated on the Pacific coast.

Russell's company consisted of himself, his two brothers, Oliver and Levi J. Russell, Samuel Bates, Solomon Roe, Joseph McAffee, William Anderson, and Louis Ralston (Beck's comrade). They arrived in Leavenworth, Kansas, early in May, where they were joined by James H. and Richard J. Pierce, relatives of the Russells, William McFadding, Jacob Masterson, William McKimmons, T. C. Dick- son, George L. Howard, J. Brock, John Young and a Frenchman called " Frenchie." Having outfitted, they left Leavenworth about the middle of the same month, cross- ing the Kansas river at Fort Riley and striking out thence across the country to the old Santa Fe trail, reaching the mouth of Cherry Creek June 23rd. 1858.

On the Pawnee Fork, a party of Cherokee Indians-Beck's, presumably, by previous arrangement-were overtaken and the two companies traveled together. Unsettled as to future proceedings, the Indians remained at Cherry Creek, while the others went north to Ralston Creek, eight miles distant, where they hoped to find rich deposits of precious metal. This venture, however, brought only indifferent results, nevertheless evidences of gold sufficient to inspire further search were obtained. They then returned to the Cherokee encampment, where they found the Indians greatly discouraged and bent upon returning to their own nation. Being also apprehensive of trouble with the Utes and plains Indians, they started back the next day, leaving the white men to prospect the country.

We now take up the narrative of Mr. James H. Pierce, as published in the Rocky Mountain "News" of August 13th, 1888, on his return to Denver after an absence of thirty years, who tells us how and by whom gold was found on a tribu- tary of the Platte. Russell, deeply grieved by the threatened desertion of all his associates, with tearful eyes besought them to remain, saying, "if but one man will stay with me, I will prospect those mountains," but only twelve decided to remain. These were, his two brothers, Samuel Bates, Solomon Roe, R. J. and James H. Pierce, of the Georgians; and of those who had joined him at Leavenworth, W. E. McFadding, McKimmons, Masterson, Tierney, Herring and Young. Thus sup ported, Russell started up the Platte toward the mountains, prospecting along that stream. Most of the company passed ahead of the wagons, while Green Russell was somewhat behind them. "Wher about four miles up the river." says Pierce. " I saw a bank which looked as if it might contain gold. I stopped, got a pan of the dirt and gravel and began panning it out. I was about half through when Green Russell came up, took the pan and finished it. It contained ten cents. 'Run ahead. boy,' said he, 'and call the others back, our fortune is made.' Being only twenty- one years old, I was the kid of the party, so I went and brought back the others, when we went into camp. We made a rocker out of a cottonwood log, and the first day obtained about six dollars in gold dust. These diggings were not very rich. however, but in prospecting around we discovered some dirt on Dry Creek, some three or four miles from the Platte, from which we took three ounces the first day. These diggings paid very well, and from all of them we secured some $600 to $700 during the summer.

"While we were working on Dry Creek, a man named Cantrell, who had made a trip from the Missouri river to Fort Laramie alone, came along on his way home and camped with us. He saw our dust and asked for a bushel or so of the dirt. We gave it to him, and when he reached home at Westport he panned it out and pub- lished the results, with an affidavit setting forth the facts just recounted. This was late in the fall of 1858, and is what started the gold hunters in such crowds across the plains."

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

We will now trace the next expedition, no member of which, it must be under- stood, knew aught of Russell or his doings until after their arrival in the region described, but were impelled hither by an entirely different series of events.

In the spring of 1858, reports reached Lawrence, Kansas, through two Dela- ware Indians, "Fall Leaf" and "Little Beaver," that gold had been discovered by themselves near the base of Pike's Peak. "Fall Leaf" said he had been one of Fremont's guides through the mountains. Whether true or not, he exhibited con- siderable gold dust, much of it in the nugget form, as material evidence of the existence of goid in the country named. Naturally this Indian created a good deal of excitement in that quiet Kansas settlement. A number of young men to whom he had related his story met secretly at the okl Commercial hotel, the upshot of which was a resolution to undertake the long pilgrimage to Pike's Peak.

Therefore, on the 22nd of May, 1858, eleven wagons, laden with provisions for six months, implements, etc., departed from Lawrence for the new Eldorado, under command of J. Il. Tierney,* with George W. Smith as captain of the night guard. The train passed up to the Arkansas by the Santa Fe trail, thence to the mouth of the Fountain qui Bonille, and north 15 miles above the present City of Pueblo, where they halted July 4th, and formed "Camp Independence" in honor "of the day we celebrate." Some days later they found themselves in the " Garden of the Gods," where, owing to its vicinity to Pike's Peak, they expected to find immensely ric!) liggings. For three weeks they prospected the region round about, but in vain. t They then voted to go south toward New Mexico and accordingly started in that ‹lirection, but had proceeded no further than Fort Garland near the Sangre de Cristo mountains when they were overtaken by a wandering trapper, who informed them that Green Russell's company had found rich diggings on the Platte, where- upon they immediately packed up and came north, arriving at Russell's camp on Dry Creek, five miles above Cherry Creek, September 9th, 1858. Among those whom they found there were S. M. Rooker, wife, daughter and son (John), Mormons who had escaped the tyranny of Brigham Young, the despot of Salt Lake, and " old Jolin Simpson Smith," the Indian trader.

Presently, true to their American instincts, and also in preparation for winter, they resolved to form a company and build a town. Josiah Hinman was made president, and William Boyer secretary; Charles Nichols, Jason T. Younker, How- ard Hunt and others became active promoters of the enterprise. Excepting the earlier trading posts on the Arkansas, St. Vrain's near the base of Long's Peak, and the military Fort Massachusetts in the San Luis Valley, this was the first settlement of white people in the Rocky Mountain region. It was christened Montana,-the feminine for mountain,-several rows of log cabins were built, and called Kansas Row, Lawrence Row, Leavenworth Row, etc.

The next movement. A few days after their lodgment on Dry Creek as recited above, a number of the Lawrence party by. prearrangement stole away in the night,

* Members of the expedition :- Wm. Prentiss, Peter Halsey, Wm. McAlister, Geo. W. Smith, Wm. Parsons, - Bowen. Robert Peebles, John Easter, Ross Hutchins, Wm. Mills, Jack Turner, Pap Maywood, George Peck, John Miller, -- Voorhies, Wm. Copley, Charles Nichols, Adnah French, John A. Churchill, Charles Kunyon, - Cross, Josiah Ilinman, Jason T. Younker, Howard Hunt, Wm. Boyer, A. F. Bercaw. A. C. Wright, Frank M. Cobb, Nick Smith, Robert Middleton, wife and child, two young men, Charles Holmes, Mrs. Annie Archibald Holmes, Albert W. Archibald, Wm. Regan, Joseph Brown, Wm. Hartley, James White, Giles Blood, - McKay.

+ Inside the main gateway to the Garden of the Gods may be seen to this day the following names of this Lawrence expedition plainly cut in the sandstone: II. Hunt, A. C. Wright, Josiah Ilinman, F. M. Cobb, and Wm. Hartley, and beneath, "the year 1858," left as an enduring memorial of their encampment in one of the most picturesque and beautiful spots in the Rocky Mountains. Mrs. Annie Archibald Holmes with others made the ascent of Pike's Peak to its pinnacle, consuming Three days on the trip, the first accomplishment of that difficult feat since that of Dr. James, the botanist of Major Long's explorers, in July, 1820.

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

with the design of founding a city on the east bank of Cherry Creek. Here are the names :- Adnah French, Charles Nichols, Frank M. Cobb, William Smith, J. .. Churchill, Wmn. Hartley, a surveyor, and T. C. Dickson. At a subsequent period John S. Smith and Win. McGaa were admitted to close communion, by reason of their alleged trapper's rights to possess all the territory between Kansas and New Mexico. Articles of agreement were drawn, taking this expression :-

" Upper Waters of the South Platte river at the Mouth of Cherry Creek, Arap- ahoe county, Kansas Territory, September 24th, 1858.

" This article of agreement witnesseth :- That T. C. Dickson, Win. AleGaa, J. A. Churchill, William Smith, William Hartley. Adnah French, Frank MI. Cobb, John S. Smith and Charles Nichols have entered into the following agreement, which they bind themselves, their heirs, and administrators, exeentors and assigns, etc., forever to well and truly carry out the same."

Article I reeites, that-" WHEREAS the aforesaid parties, as above, have agreed to lay out 640 acres of land for town purposes, the following Constitution and By- Laws are enacted, &c., &c." Provision was made for the election of town officers on the 28th of the same month. To each member was assigned a certain number of lots, the remainder to be sold to defray the cost of surveys and improvements. A rough survey was made by W'm. Hartley. The compact closes with this prudential afterthought, that, "in case the country ever amounts to anything, John Smith and AcGaa shall separately claimt the west side of Cherry Creek, and use all their influ- ence to the end that it may eventually become a part of the company's property." It was at first decided to name the town Golden City, but it was finally resolved to call it St. Charles. At a meeting held in Lawrence, Kansas, November 15th, 1858, a plan for the distribution of lots was adopted. The last meeting of record was held Oct. 24th, 1859, on the town site, when Adnah French resigned as president and J. A. Churchill was elected. It is proper to state in this connection, that the original rec- ords of the St. Charles Town company and also those of the Denver Town company were recovered during 1895 and the faets quoted were taken from them by the author. These books are now on file with the State Historical Society.

At a meeting held in McGaa's lodge on the Platte, Sept. 28th, 1858, Adnah French was elected president, MeGaa vice-president, T. C. Dickson secretary, John S. Smith treasurer, Frank M. Cobb recorder, Hartley, Nichols, Wm. Smith, and J. A. Churchill, trustees.

The St. Charles town site thus established remained a brief statement on the pages of an old memorandum book, without improvement until further events, about to be related, transpired to enforce more substantial right of oceupaney. The autunin was deepening into winter, when even the bravest shrank from lingering in these cheerless solitudes, therefore a few weeks later all but thirteen of the Lawrence com- pany departed for their Kansas homes with the intention, however, of returning early the next spring to build their projected metropolis, if it should be justified by intervening favorable prospects. At a point about 100 miles down the Platte they met a considerable company en route to the gold fields. Apprehending confiseation of their town site by the new comers, Charles Nichols was sent back to proteet it.

Finding it important to have at least one cabin upon the site to fortify the claim, and Nichols having neither the means nor requisite tools for the purpose, he approached Mr. A. C. Wright with an offer of 623 lots if he would build a cabin, but Wright politely deelined the munificent temptation. Then something happened to the broad possessions of this ambitious town company, as will appear later on.

We will now consider in the order of their occurrence the further accretions of population from the Missouri river country, that had been impelled in this direction by more or less exaggerated reports of its wonderful resources.

Major D. C. Oakes-some years afterward an influential agent for the Ute

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

Indians-came from Glenwood, lowa, via the Platte river route, in company with H. J. Graham, Charles Miles, George Pancoast and Abram Walrod, arriving at Cherry Creek October 10th, 1858. Oakes returned to the states subsequently, and in the spring of 1859 brought out a saw mill, which was set up in the pineries near the head of Cherry Creek. From the produce of this mill some of the first frame houses in Denver were built.

Judson H. Dudley, E. P. Stout, Hayman Chapman, Henry Springer and A. J. Smith arrived from Omaha October 20th, 1858.

Robert S. Wilson, Peter Hudson, and W. C. Gastin followed the same route; camped at the mouth of the Cache-la-Poudre, October 11th, 1858, then came on to the general objective point about the 25th of that month.

The Plattsmouth-Nebraska company arrived on the scene October 24th with fifteen wagons, fifty-six men and one woman-Mrs. Count Murat. Of the names recalled were, A. H. Barker, Wm. M. Slaughter, Joseph Hooper, George and David Griffith (for whom the mining town of Georgetown was long afterward named), Bart Kennedy, Wm. Liston, Fred Kocherhautz, Wm. Gullion, Wm. Dermit, Miles Fellows, Jervis Richardson, Stocking, Ransom Smith, Andrew Slaine, D. Hoover, "French Louey," Count Murat, Capt. Harrington, George A. Bates and John Anthony. Of the wagons named, six were from Plattsmouth and nine from Kansas and Missouri, the two trains uniting at Fort Kearney. They proceeded to the town of Montana (November 2nd) and built " Kansas Row."

Governor J. W. Denver, on being apprised of the discovery of gold to the west- ward, and the strong emigration thither, decided to organize a new county to be called Arapahoe, from the great Indian tribe of that name to which the country then belonged. Taking advantage of the fact that a large party was about to leave Lecompton with the view of joining the processions of gold hunters, he appointed of their number a set of temporary officers thus :- Probate Judge, H. P. A. Smith; Sheriff, E. W. Wynkoop: Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Hickory Rogers. Wynkoop tells us that the governor had also in mind the creation of a new territory out here, to be called "Shoshone," and had traced its proposed boundaries with a pencil upon a large map that hung in his office.

General William Larimer, Jr., his son, W. H. H. Larimer, Richard E. Whitsitt, Folsom Dorsett, M. M. Jewett, C. A. Lawrence and others left Leavenworth Octo- ber 3rd, 1858, by the Arkansas route .* About fifty miles east of Bent's Fort they met Green Russell going back to Georgia. When near the present site of Pueblo, they were advised that Governor Denver's officials, commissioned to organize Arapahoe county, were just ahead of them. Shortly they were overtaken by the Larimer and Whitsitt party, when they ali proceeded together to Auraria, arriving November 16th, 1858, and going into camp under a big cottonwood tree.

Having thus grouped our immigrants of 1858 together at the common center, we are prepared to trace distinct outlines of the movement from which sprang the now magnificent capital of Colorado.

But before proceeding to the establishment of Auraria, let us see what happened to the St. Charles town site, and the obliteration of its distinguishing title during the absence of its projectors. Whitsitt, Larimer and their associates, finding the west bank occupied, came over to the east side and by some means unexplained secured the constitution and by-laws of the St. Charles company, probably from old John Smith or MeGaa. Assuming abandonment, notwithstanding the presence of Nichols, its representative, they incontinently jumped the entire 640 acres, organized

* In opening the record book of the Denver Town Company, Gen. Larimer states that their journey was long and tedious with a four yoke ox team. Then adds: "I am now living in a house built for a blacksmith shop."

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

a new company, changed the name to Denver, produced a new survey with definite platting, and proceeded to sell and donate lots to whoever would agree to build, and sent back an agent (Ned Wynkoop) to procure a charter of incorporation from the Kansas legislature, printed stock shares and other needed stationery, etc. Then Mr. Charles Nichols, who had endeavored in vain to save it for his comrades, went back to the states discouraged and disgusted. Meanwhile, Dickson, French, Cobb, Churchill and the rest, in peaceful ignorance of the destruction of their enterprise. had gone to the Kansas capital with their plat of St. Charles, and obtained a charter and certificates of stock, the first of the latter being issued to Win. MeGaa for lot one, block one, as hereinbefore set forth. In June, 1859. they returned, only to find their cherished plans swept out of existence. It is said that the matter was finally com- promised by giving Cobb, French and Dickson an interest in the new corporation. Thus arose, and perished in infancy, the city of St. Charles.

Auraria .- A few weeks subsequent to the first endeavor to found a settle- ment on the east side of our unsightly and sometimes exceedingly vicious channel of Cherry Creek, many residents of Montana came down to the west bank near its mouth, and there located the town of Auraria, so named by the Georgians from a small town in their native state. From this point, for greater accuracy, we follow the record of the town company. It begins:

"At a meeting of the citizens of the South Platte, held October 30th, 1858, for the purpose of selecting a site for a town, Wm. MeFadding was appointed chairman and A. J. Smith secretary." A committee of five, composed of Ross Hutchins, Jud- son H. Dudley, Dr. L. J. Russell, A. J. Smith and S. M. Rooker, was named to select a town site, and to inquire into all prior claims if any existed. It may be stated in passing, there were no valid rights to any part of the ground, yet McGaa and old John Smith, who had been roving plainsmen, consorting with the wild Indian tribes for years, set up certain prerogatives under their previous agreement with the St. Charles town company hereinbefore mentioned. Another committee of five, consist- ing of the same men as the first, save Rooker, whose place was filled by McGaa, was chosen to draft a constitution and by-laws. October 31st, two reports were rendered and adopted.

The town site committee " selected a tract having Cherry Creek for the easterly line, the South Platte for the northerly line, and extending west and south sufficiently to include not less than 640 acres, reserving and excepting for the benefit of Wm. McGaa and John S. Smith the privilege of a ferry landing (Platte river) within the river boundary of the town lands."

November 6th, following, the stockholders of the Auraria town company met and elected these officials for one year (Wm. M. Slaughter being the judge of elec- tion, which was by ballot): President, Wm. McFadding; Vice-President, Judson H. Dudley ; Secretary, Dr. L. J. Russell; Treasurer, John S. Smith, and these, with Henry Allen, also constituted the board of directors.

The preamble to the constitution recites, that "We. the citizens of the South Platte, have assembled on this, the first day of November, 1858, and agreed to asso- ciate ourselves into a company to be known and distinguished as the Auraria Town company, by which name we hold ourselves liable to sue and be sued, and to transact business as an individual and legal body." Under section 9, the board of directors was empowered to supervise the surveying, platting, lithographiing or mapping of the town site; to print or write shares of stock, levy taxes and take control of all improvements.

Article 10 of the by-laws provides that shares of stock shall be issued to each and every stockhokler, when he shall have constructed or caused to be constructed within the city limits a house not less than sixteen feet square, to be approved by the directors, and to be completed on or before July Ist, 1859, under penalty of forfeiture.

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

One hundred signatures are appended to the instrument, probably not all at one time, but in due course of membership accretion."

In providing for the survey, it was ordered that the lots be 66x132 feet; the four main streets leading from the public square 100 feet wide, and the remainder 80 feet, with 16-foot alleys. At the same time-November 8th-it was resolved to isstie four extra shares of stock to the person or persons who would first establish a printing press in the town and continue the same for one year. It is needless to say in view of all that has been written and published during the last thirty years, that Wm. N. Byers & Co. won the prize by founding the Rocky Mountain "News " April 23rd, 1859, which, excepting a few months in 1864, when their office was destroyed by the tremendous flood in Cherry Creek, has been published continuously to the present date.

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History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 2

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