History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 42

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

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While there are some points of resemblance to the contact veins of the Lead- ville district, in many respects the veins are dissimilar. Most of the productive mines are in contact between limestone walls, the lower magnesian, and the upper nearly pure carbonate of lime of bluish color. That known as the Mother vein, the Aspen, is supposed to extend across the entire width of the county, some forty miles. Claims have been located and extensively opened from the top of Smuggler mountain on the north to Tourtellotte Park on the south, a stretch of nearly four miles. The region last named contains some excellent mines, all developed since 1888, the first strike of valuable ore having occurred in one called the Silver Bell.

Although veins of greater or less importance have been found at various points on Castle and Maroon ereeks, at Ashcroft and in other sections of the belt, extending from the eentral source about the capital of the county down to Frying Pan Gulch, it is unquestionable that the main seat of productive power is within rifle shot of that town upon the slopes of Aspen and Smuggler mountains. It is possible, however, that in the future, when some of the other or outlying sections shall have been exploited to equal extent, vast treasure will be disclosed.

From the best data procurable it is estimated that from 1880 to the close of 1892, Pitkin county has contributed about $44,000,000 to the wealth of the state in silver and lead. Thus far very little gold has been produced. Had it not been for the steady decline of the price of silver from 1801 down to the deadly break in 1893, which paralyzed and nearly destroyed our chief industry, it is probable that Aspen would have led all the silver-bearing distriets of the world in the value of its mineral products.

Among the more famous mines on Aspen mountain are the Durant, the Aspen, Little Percy group, the properties of the Aspen Mining and Smelting company, and those of the Deep Mining and Drainage company. On Smuggler mountain, the Mollie Gibson group, the Park Regent group, Bushwhacker, J. C. Johnson, Della S., St. Joe, Mineral Farm Consolidated, Iowa and Smuggler. The Justice group in Tourtellotte Park, two miles south of Aspen, has been worked with varying results since 1889.

The Cowenhoven Mining-Transportation-Drainage-Tunnel company, which on the 20th of July, 1880, began the work of cutting a double-track tunnel to the principal mines on Smuggler mountain, not only for more perfect drainage, but to ventilate and transport ores from the several operating mines to the railways for shipment, is one of the very great enterprises of Pitkin county. Its length is about 4,000 feet, solidly timbered throughout, and was completed July 29th, 1891. The company is composed of H. P. Cowenhoven, president; Jerome B. Wheeler, vice- president ; Thos. Little, secretary and treasurer; Taylor & Brunton, general man-

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agers of construction. It may be stated in passing that all the principal mines of this district have been conducted by experienced mining engineers, hence the suc- eess attained in tracing out the labyrinths where nature secreted her treasures in so many and diverse forms.

The City of Aspen. - I think no one will question the claim of superiority over all other mountain cities which is advanced by the builders and residents of this really beautiful metropolis. Nature gave them an exceptionally favorable site, with a fine stream of water issuing from perennial springs and snows, at its feet, and a magnificent environment of lofty mountains. The ground on either side of the Roaring Fork inclines to the stream, and on the southern side is broad enough to accommodate a large settlement. Its altitude above the sea is 7,910 feet. Maroon Peak is 14,003 feet high. The climate of the Roaring Fork valley on the whole is mild and equable, delightful in the summer months from June to October, and not more severe in winter than that of the lower sections along the Gunnison and Grand. In the business center, upon broad, well-kept streets, stand many hand- some buildings of brick and stone, some of them fine architectural models that would grace any city, the state capital for example. Along the residence streets are beautiful cottages owned by the wealthier class, fronted by lawns, embellished with flowers, shrubs and trailing vines. Some of the more thrifty miners, by saving their wages and by frugal living, have become possessed of pretty homes, and delight in keeping them sweet, clean and attractive to the eye. The town is illumi- nated at night by one of the most complete electrical systems in the mountains, and the supply of water is equal to every need. Two railways, the Denver & Rio Grande and the Colorado Midland, connect Aspen with all exterior points. The Hotel Jerome is considered one of the best inland hostelries in the state.

A large portion of the Roaring Fork valley has been taken up by ranchmen who cultivate small farms, raising hay, grain, all the hardier fruits, vegetables, etc., for which a ready market is found in neighboring settlements. Abundant water for irrigation is furnished by numerous streams putting down from the mountains. In the western part of the county, adjoining Garfieldl, there are immense beds of superior bituminous coals which are coked in large quantities. For particulars see history of Garfield county. Indications of petroleum exist along Maroon creek, where it is possible that deposits may be found by boring. Large veins of iron ore have been found in the southeastern division, and on the Frying Pan; also on Miller creek are great ledges of carbonate of lime, with different colored sandstones. Many of the mountain slopes are heavily timbered with yellow pine, from which consider- able lumber interests have grown.

Ashcroft, fourteen miles from Aspen, is a mining district that one day will prove a valuable auxiliary to the main center of mineral production. Its inacces- sibility has prevented extended development, though its veins are large, and under proper advantages of rapid transit, machinery, etc., might become heavy producers. It was brought into prominence in the early eighties by the purchase of the Tam O'Shanter group by ex-Senator Tabor, who made diligent but unsuccessful effort to wrest profit from his ventures there.

Twenty-two miles below Aspen, on the Roaring Fork, in Eagle county, Mr. H. B. Gillespie has one of the finest ranches in Colorado, comprising 1,280 acres of the best land in the valley, upon the improvement of which he has expended, according to his own statement, $185,000. The results are seen in a beautiful summer residence, superbly furnished and supplied with water and electric lights from independent power plants, and capacious enough to accommodate scores of guests. This lovely home is surrounded by green lawns, adorned with shrubbery and flowers, supple- mented by greenhouses, where a great variety of plants are propagated.

At convenient distances are immense barns, stables and corrals for the accom- modation of large herds of blooded horses and cattle, and at other points are fruit

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orchards in bearing, embracing apple, pear, apricot and plum trees. There are gardens devoted to small fruits and vegetables. Upon hundreds of acres of well- watered meadow lands vast crops of hay are harvested. From the porches of his mansion delightful views of neighboring ranges including Maroon, Castle and Sopris Peaks, are obtained.

PROWERS COUNTY.

JOHN W. PROWERS-STOCK GROWING IN THE ARKANSAS VALLEV-ORGANIZATION- GROWTH OF AGRICULTURE BY IRRIGATION-LAMAR AND GRANADA-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC.

Prowers county was created from the eastern part of Bent county, by an act of the General Assembly approved April 11th, 1889. It was named for the late John W. Prowers, one of the oldest and most enterprising settlers of that region. His first appearance there was in 1856, when only eighteen years of age. Entering the serv- ice of Bent & St. Vrain, he remained with them seven years, for the most part en- gaged in freighting merchandise from the Missouri river to their many trading posts in the West. He brought a herd of cattle to the Arkansas valley in 1861. In the same year he married the daughter of a Cheyenne war chief named Ochinee, who in 1864 was slain at the battle of Sand Creek. In 1868 he began farming at Boggsville. When the county of Bent came to be organized, he was appointed chairman of the board of commissioners. In 1873 he was elected to the territorial legislature, and in 1880 to the state General Assembly. He was a tall, fine looking man, intensely active, widely popular, and from the large cattle trade in which he was engaged accu- mulated a considerable fortune.

The county is bounded on the north by Kiowa, south by Baca, east by the state of Kansas, and west by Bent. Its area is 1,650 square miles, and by the census of 1890 its population was 1,969.

The officers for 1800-91 were: Clerk, H. J. Gochenour; treasurer, M. D. Par- menter; county judge, J. K. Doughty; assessor, A. B. Stewart; sheriff, Wm. C. McCurry; coroner, A. Deeter: superintendent of schools, G. T. Feast; surveyor, Chas. E. Sexton: clerk of the district court, C. B. Thoman; commissioners, J. D. Martin, H. A. Pettee and M. M. Priddy.

In the history of Bent county will be found the early chronicles of that portion of the Arkansas valley now embraced by the counties of Bent, Otero and Prowers. As a matter of fact, however, the latter was comparatively unoccupied except as a grazing range for stock until 1888-80, hence had no distinctive history of earlier date, except the fragment presented later on, which relates to the founding of Granada, near the eastern border of the commonwealth.

Lamar, the county seat, named for Hon. L. Q. C. Lamar, then secretary of the interior, later one of the justices of the U. S. supreme court, is one of the more widely advertised, brisk and progressive agricultural centers of Colorado. At no point along the Arkansas valley, or elsewhere, have the people exhibited greater energy or built such costly improvements in so short a time. As we have seen, prior to the creation of the county in the spring of 1889, and the founding of Lamar by new peo- ple, chiefly men, and the interjection of a splendid vitality, supported by much cap- ital, it was simply vacant territory, with no farins to speak of, no irrigating canals, no towns, almost wholly unproductive. For more than thirty years it had been

TABOR OPERA HOUSE BLOCK

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recognized as one of the better agricultural divisions of southern Colorado, but, until this new blood came in and proved it, no plowshare had recently turned a furrow there. Now it is dotted with grain fields and gardens, the center of much develop- ment, and as the years pass it will inevitably become one of our most productive grain-bearing centers. Here, as in the northern half of the state, cattle and sheep raising has been supplanted by communities of thrifty farmers. The soil is mainly a sandy alluvial, capable of yielding great crops of cereals, vegetables, alfalfa and all varieties of grasses. Now let us examine briefly what the settlers have been doing in the last two or three years toward the reclamation of the desert.

Lamar has a population of about 600. It is well situated on the south side of the Arkansas river, and on the main track of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rail- road, in the northwestern part of the county. The United States land office, whose district embraces Bent, Kiowa, Baca and Prowers counties, is located there, and dur- ing the brief period of its existence has disposed of immense quantities of govern- ment land to immigrants. The capital town has constructed a fine system of water works, taking its supply from the river. An electric light plant illuminates the busi- ness houses, offices and dwellings; two churches, the Christian and Methodist Epis- copal, are the centers of religious services; a fine two-story school house has been built at a cost of $14,000 and a court house costing $10,000. It has two weekly newspapers, the "Register," established in the summer of 1886, owned and edited by Seeberger & Merrett; the " Sparks," established in March, 1887, owned by G. W. Butler and edited by Joe T. Lawless. There are two banking houses, many strong mercantile firms, and some pretty residences. The place presents every external evidence of confidence and progress. It was founded May 24th, 1886, by John E. Frost, I. R. Holmes, J. E. Godding and others, and was incorporated January 10th, 1887. Its first mayor was Chas. M. Morrison; trustees, F. W. Burger, George Trommlitz, S. D. Rall, P. M. Noble, U. H. Vanarsdale; marshal, James Talbot; clerk, Geo. Trommlitz.

Many of the inhabitants are from Kansas and Nebraska, others immigrating from states cast of the Missouri river. Thousands of acres have been irrigated and planted, more than 300 miles of canals and ditches built, nearly half a million acres rendered irrigable. The Amity Canal and Reservoir company has 67 miles of ditch ; the Colorado and Kansas Canal and Reservoir company, go miles; the Arkan- sas River Land, Reservoir and Canal company, 40 miles; the Lamar Land and Canal company, 53 miles ; the Bed Rock Mutual, HI miles; and the private ditches by various parties aggregate 55 miles. There are now in use and in course of con- struction four storage reservoirs having capacity for supplying water to 120,000 acres. The largest of these reservoirs is on the line of the Arkansas River Land, Reservoir and Canal company's ditch. It is a natural basin, embracing something over 3,200 acres, and has a maximum depth of o7 feet. It has been used since 1889.

Nearly all the waterways mentioned have been taken from the big river which traverses the entire width of the county from west to east, and along its course, keeping close to the stream, runs the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé railroad from east to west, and it is on this thoroughfare that all the settlements of consequence are located. From the report of the county assessor to the auditor of state for 1801, we find that there were 59,393 acres under irrigation, and 108,853 acres in pasture. From the same source we abstract the following data: ANcres in wheat. 1,471, yiekl, 12,939 bushels; in oats, 460, vicki, 8,845 bushels; in barley, 164, yield, 1,806 bushels; in rye. 65, yield, 540 bushels; in corn, 295, yiek], 1.460 bushels. From 2,750 acres of native grass land the product was 3,615 tons; from 856 acres of alfalfa, 2,055 tons. There were 56 acres in orchards. From the various dairies 8,600 pounds of butter were produced. The sheep yielded 6.400 pounds of wool. Of live stock there were 1,278 horses, 10,027 cattle and 3.235 sheep. While these statistics imperfectly represent the actual condition of the industries named, they

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are the best at our command, and, if nothing else, serve to show something at least of their progress.

Some further impressions of the extent of individual and corporate enterprise may be gained by the statement that the Lamar Farm company has 8,000 aeres under improvement; the Koen Bros., 4,000 acres; Frederick Harvey, 1,500 acres. and the Lamar Land and Canal company, 1,200 aeres. From the experiments made with alfalfa, it is manifest that immense crops can be grown. Thousands of acres of this prolific and profitable forage plant have been seeded. Corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, native and tame grasses, with small fruits, yield profusely under proper tillage. There is room for thousands of settlers upon government and corporate lands.

Granada, near the eastern boundary, second in size and importance, is situated at the mouth of Granada ereek, on the Arkansas river, eight miles from the western line of Kansas. It was ereated primarily by the A. T. & S. F. R. R., which was extended from our state line to that point July 4th, 1873. The town had been pre- viously located and laid out by the mercantile firm of Chick, Brown & Co., for- merly of Kit Carson, on the Kansas Pacific. Almost simultaneously Otero, Sellars & Co., another firm of the same order, moved from Kit Carson and reestablished at Granada. The arrival of the railway caused great activity for a time, and this new settlement entered into competition with West Las Animas for the commis- sion and freighting business with Santa Fe and other points in New Mexico. But when, in 1875, both the Kit Carson branch and the Santa Fe moved on to La Junta, Granada's glory departed, and thenceforward until the new epoch of 1889 dawned, and the country began to be oceupied by a new class of settlers, it made little progress. In June, 1878, the Kit Carson branch was entirely abandoned and the rails were taken up. For the past two years Granada has received considerable accessions and is improving under the stimulus thus imparted.

Between Granada and Lamar are McMillen, Toledo, Blackwell and Ella, small shipping stations on the railway. The principal affluents of the Arkansas within the county are Clay, Wolf, Granada, Two Buttes, Wild Horse and Big Sandy creeks, none of them of sufficient volume, however, to offer much aid to irrigation.

Schools. - Material advancement has been made in educational matters. The authorities in charge employ the best talent that can be procured and pay gen- erous salaries. By the census of 1890 the total school population was 600, with an enrollment of 535 and an average daily attendance of 258. There were nineteen districts and eleven school houses. The value of school property was $16.749.

The total assessed valuation of taxable property in the county for 1890, as shown by the assessment roll, was $1,338,950.

Prowers county is no longer a feeding ground for vast herds of Texas long- horns. The rapid influx of settlers and the broad expansion of farming have broken up the ranges, and where but a few years since there were only small bands of cowboys, two thousand people are engaged in planting the waste places. At Lamar the secret and benevolent orders are represented by lodges of Masons, Odd Fellows, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Woodmen of the World, Grand Army of the Republic and Women's Relief Corps. There is a volunteer fire department of twen- ty-five members. At Granada the Odd Fellows and Masons have flourishing lodges.

Observations taken during the past three years by Mr. T. Herbert, the local observer, show that Prowers county enjoys longer seasons than any other part of the state except its immediate neighbors on the same parallel of latitude. The aver- age annual rainfall is about fifteen inches.

I am indebted to the kindly offices of Mr. J. T. Lawless, editor of the Lamar "Sparks," for certain interesting data furnished.

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RIO BLANCO COUNTY.

HISTORY OF THE FIRST INDIAN AGENCY-THE HORRIBLE MASSACRE AT MEEKER- GENERAL WESLEY MERRITT AND HIS MILITARY POST-THE NEW TOWN OF MEEKER -DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE RIVER REGION-GREAT COAL BEDS-TRAPPERS AND MARVINE LAKES-FIRST SETTLERS AND THEIR WORK.

This county was created from the northern part of Garfield by an act of the General Assembly, approved March 25th, 1889, and its capital located at the town of Meeker. It is bounded on the north by Routt, south by Garfield, east by Routt and the northeasterly corner of Garfield, and west by the Territory of Utah. Its area is 3,600 square miles, and by the census of 1890 its population was 1,200.

The history of this county and its seat is crimsoned with bloodshed and mas- sacre. To reach the causes of the terrible scenes enacted there, it is important to begin with an account of the original location of the White River Indian Agency and follow the course of events in regular order down to the final extinction of the Indian title, the removal of the tribe to Utah and the opening of its reservation to settlers. March 2nd, 1868, the Senate of the United States ratified a treaty which had been concluded by Nathaniel G. Taylor, Alexander C. Hunt and Kit Carson, whereby two agencies were to be established, one for the Grand River, Yampa and Uintah bands on White river, and the other for the southern Utes on the Rio de las Pinos .* In 1868 A. C. Hunt, then governor of the territory, and ex-officio superintendent of Indian affairs, made preparations for executing the provisions of the treaty. In conjunction with Major D. C. Oakes, their agent, he selected a site for the agency at the mouth of a cañon on White river twenty miles above that where Mr. N. C. Mecker and his employés were slain in 1879. About the 6th of September, 1869, Andrew Sagendorf, D. C. Oakes, W. M. Crull and U. M. Curtis, interpreter, with their outfit of wagons, tools and supplies, arrived at the site, entering the park from Rawlins, Wyoming. They drove across the country opening a roadway and fording the streams. The Indians were in scattered bands, some in Middle Park, others on the Bear or Yampa, and a few at Uintah. Runners were sent out to collect and mass them at the place chosen for their future residence. Logs were cut from a fine body of cottonwood timber near by, hewn and erected into dwellings. Six cabins were built, one each for the agent in charge, the carpenter, the blacksmith, the miller and the farmer, with a large ware- house for the storage of goods and other agency property. Soon after the com- mencement of these operations Major Oakes came out, and on the way met the wagon train laden with annuity goods, accompanied by the newly-appointed agent, Lieutenant Parry. Oakes returned with the train and in due time turned over the agency to his successor, Parry. The annuity goods having been distributed to the Indians and the buildings completed, winter coming on, about the 10th of

* For further particulars, see history of the Ute Indians, this volume.

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December Oakes, Sagendorf and Parry returned to Denver, where they spent the winter, leaving Mr. Crull in charge. Parry never returned. He was succeeded by Capt. Beck, U. S. A. In May, 1870, Oakes, Sagendorf and Beck went to White river, but when they arrived at Rawlins they were informed that a roving band of Utes under Colorow had created great disturbance in North Park by killing two or three prospectors on Willow creek, and that a detachment of the 2nd cavalry under Lieutenant Young had been sent in from Fort D. A. Russell. Later they were provided with a military escort and proceeded to the agency. During the summer they established a sawmill and cut some lumber. Governor Hunt was superseded April 15th, 1869, by Edward M. McCook, as related in Vol- ume I, page 467, the latter arriving in Denver June IIth. By mutual agreement HIunt was given the contract to build and complete the agency, and it was exe- cuted by Mr. Sagendorf. In August, 1870, it was turned over to Governor McCook, who put a special agent named Brown in charge. The sawmill was subsequently destroyed by fire. The main purpose, of teaching and impelling the Indians to cultivate the soil and adopt the ways of civilization, was never accomplished. Among the several agents appointed was the Rev. E. H. Danforth (1875-76), who succeeded in raising some wheat, oats, potatoes and other vegetables, in the hope that the savages might be persuaded to follow his example, but in vain.

In the spring of 1878 Mr. N. C. Meeker, founder of the Union Colony, was appointed,* and accepting the trust, inspired by the philanthropic conviction, born of false theories rather than experience, that he would succeed much more com- pletely than his predecessors had done, proceeded to the agency, arriving in May. His first letter to friends in Greeley bears date May 12th, just after his installation. His route thither was by the Union Pacific railway to Rawlins, thence by wagon 200 miles south through an uninhabited land to the point of destination. There were neither roads nor bridges, not a sign of civilization except a few scattered settlers on the Snake and Bear, none of whom he saw. Arriving at the scene of his labors, he found himself as completely insulated from all intercourse with his kind as if he had been floating on a plank in mid-ocean. The nearest house was sixty-five miles distant and that uninhabited. He was a lonely exile in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the sole white person in a large encampment of red men who neither spoke his language nor were inspired by the slightest sympathy for the cause he had undertaken. Finding the locality unsuited for the plan he had come to execute, that of inducing his wards to cultivate the soil and produce crops, he decided to remove the agency to a much more eligible situation, some twenty miles below, on White river. Requiring assistance for this purpose, he returned to Greeley in July and engaged Mr. J. S. Titcomb, an experienced engineer, to go back with him and survey a ditch, whereby the new lands selected might be rendered tillable by irrigation. Meanwhile, however, he had sent Mrs. Meeker, his daughter Josephine and others to White river in charge of Mr. W. S. Fullerton. A party of men was sent in August in charge of Mr. Ed. Clark. In due time the agency buildings were removed and reestablished as contemplated; an irrigating canal two and a half miles long surveyed by Titcomb, and excavated by the Indians, but not without much urging and many violent protests. It was finally completed in November. Logs for further buildings were cut near the original site and floated down the river. A deposit of coal was found near the new site, opened, and a plentiful supply of fuel thus obtained for the approaching winter. One 80-acre tract was fenced, plowed and made ready for planting. The winter of 1878-79 passed without material incident. Miss Josephine opened a school for educating the children, but it did not prosper. The parents, regarding it as a dan- gerous innovation, obstinately opposed it. The agent, though imbued with the

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History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 42

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