History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 44

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 44

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"The first discovery of gold was made in Wightman's Gulch about the last of June, 1870, by a party consisting of James L. Wightman, E. Baker, J. Cary French, Sylvester Reese and William B. Wightman. All the party excepting Reese and Wightman left by the middle of September, the two last named remaining engaged in sluicing until the 9th of November, when they also took their departure heavily packed, and made their way out through snow waist deep, reaching the Rio Grande three days later. In the spring of 1871 a large number of people flocked into Summit, hundreds arriving while the snow was still very deep and work utterly impracticable. A general disgust followed, and by the last of August there were but three men in the district-P. J. Peterson, J. L. Wightman and J. P. Johnson, who remained until about the 20th of October, Wightman and Peterson being the last to leave. They took the gold produced by slicing to Denver and had it refined at the Mint, dividing $170 between the three after paying all expenses of the season's operation. Meanwhile several lodes had been found and claim loca- tions made thereon. In 1872 a few locations were made, but in 1873 there came a new immigration, and it was in that year the richest mines were located. The Esmond (now the Aztec) was discovered in 1872 by Theodore Goupil, and by him sold to Dr. Adams. On the 13th of September, 1873, F. H. Brandt and P. J. Peterson located the Little Annie, Del Norte and Margaretta mines, the former being named for a daughter of Mr. Peterson, the latter for a sister-in-law of Mr. Brandt. During 1874 a large number of locations were made and the attention of mine owners turned to getting in machinery for reducing the ores. Dr. R. F. Adams, after locating the Summit mine, shipped a small lot of ore to be tested, and, having satisfied himself that it would pay, located a mill site, and ordered a mill which was brought in, set up and commenced running the next spring.

"The owners of the Little Annie, Del Norte, Margaretta, Golden Queen and Golden Star, in the winter of 1874-75, contracted with capitalists to erect mills. Dr. Adams' five stamp mill began work as soon as the advance of the season per- mitted. In the latter part of May the machinery for the Little Annie and Golden Queen mills reached Del Norte from Chicago, and was hauled over the summit of Pintada Peak and various spurs of the main range. The district was occupied

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for the first time during the winter of 1875-76, which was a remarkably mild one. That is, the miners built cabins and remained there all winter. In July, 1877, the population of the district was about 250."

Continuing the narrative down to a later date, it may be stated that this district is twenty-five miles southwest of Del Norte and just within the southern boundary of Rio Grande county. South mountain, in which the mineral value of the district lies, is mainly composed of porphyry, quartzite and feldspar. Sub- sequent to the discoveries heretofore mentioned, the Little Ida, Aztec, Odin, Gol- conda, Golden Vault, Parole and others were located, and according to the re- ports of that period produced about $1,000,000. The entire formation in which these mines occur is eruptive. In 1883 there were nine stamp mills with a total of 155 stamps. The San Juan, Odin, Little Annie and Golconda had gravitation tramways for transporting the ore from mines to mills. The lowa and Colorado company had a wire tramway of the Halliday patent for like purposes. The little town of Summitville is pleasantly situated in a small park at the head of Wight- man's Fork of Alamosa creek at an elevation of 11,300 feet, and is connected with Del Norte by a good wagon road. In 1882-83 Rio Grande county ranked third in the gold producing sections of the state.

November 23rd, 1871, the few Americans who had then settled in this part of the Rio Grande valley held a meeting, elected Warren Richardson chairman, and R. J. McNutt, secretary. They organized a town company, with J. Fred Seims, president, and George U. Ingersoll, secretary. They named their pro- posed town Del Norte. All who should build before May Ist, 1872, were to be- come stockholders. In consideration of his enterprise in constructing a bridge across the river, Mr. Ingersoll was given an interest in the town, June Ist, 1872. For his energy as a promoter, Mr. J. Cary French was also given an interest. The following names were entered of record as stockholders in the town: Peter Robin- son, Charles A. Johnson, J. F. Seims, William Bassett, James Phillips, J. B. Gredig, David Lobatto, David Olsen, A. J. Wilkinson, John H. Shaw, H. G. Lenfest, Andrew Richardson, D. P. Quinn, Ed. Wilkins, Theodore Schock, B. F. Lovett, M. McCormic, George Crane, A. W. Begole, Theodore Goupil, J. Cary French and George U. Ingersoll. October 7th, 1872, a meeting of the town company was held, at which J. Cary French was elected president; B. F. Lovett, secretary, and James Phillips, J. F. Seims and J. B. Gredig, trustees. A block of ground was reserved for town and school purposes. A survey for a town plat was made by Oakes & Kellogg, December 14th, 1872, and the plat was duly filed with Jose Bonefacio Romero, clerk of Conejos county. The same day the county commissioners incorporated Del Norte in the La Loma section, and the follow- ing were appointed trustees: J. Cary French, J. Fred Seims, James Phillips, J. B. Haffey and B. F. Lovett. On the 25th of March, 1873, the trustees called an election to be held April 7th, when the following were chosen (I. L. Russell, Dempsey Reese and W. W. Park being the judges of election): Police justice, P. J. Peterson ; clerk, E. Steinbach; constable, W. W. Park; street supervisor, H. S. Lenfest. The latter declining to serve, F. M. Case was appointed.

At the first regular town election held April 6th, 1874, the following were elected: Trustees, P. J. Peterson, James Phillips, John A. McDonald, J. Cary French and John H. Shaw; clerk, Louis E. Weiss; constable, Justin Babey; street supervisor, John Miles.

The town being organized under the new law, in April, 1883. C. F. Newcomb was elected mayor. The town hall was built in 1874, and the town ditch in 1877. Mr. J. Carey French, appointed justice of the peace in 1872, was succeeded by John B. Haffey in 1873. The school district was organized in 1874, at a meeting held in the office of Adair Wilson, the directors being John Poole, J. Hughes and J. C.

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Howard. Bonds in the sum of $10,000 were voted in 1876, and a fine school house erected with the proceeds thereof.

Del Norte is a very pretty town, situated on a mesa or table-land on the southerly side of the historic Rio Grande, a large and beautiful stream which takes its rise in the lofty ranges above in the San Juan mountain chain, and about one-third of a mile from the river. It was founded both as the trading center and wintering place for the miners in Summit district, and as the entrepot and general outfitting point for emigrants and freighters to the San Juan mining region in the days of trails and wagon roads, anterior to the advent of railways. It has many brick buildings for business purposes, and tasty dwellings, which lend an appearance of stability and permanence, in marked contrast to the flimsy and temporary structures which generally characterize frontier mining camps. The river front is fringed with cottonwood trees, and rows of shade trees along some of the thoroughfares make it peculiarly attractive. The avenues are broad, well kept, and cross at right angles. Business is confined to one main artery. The environs are at once picturesque, beautiful and sublime. The Rio Grande river debouches from the mountains to the plain through rugged foothills. The climate is mild and equable throughout the year; the soil rich and productive under irrigation. In its prime a considerable wholesale trade was carried on there, but most of this disappeared when the D. & R. G. railway penetrated the San Juan by a different route. The mean elevation of this park is about 7,500 feet. Agriculture and stock raising are conspicuous industrial features of the region. For ten or twelve miles below, the valley along the river was settled by Mexicans, who owned most of the land and were grouped together in little adobe villages. Many of their houses are now occupied by Americans. To the eastward from Del Norte the valley is broad and fan- shaped, containing half a million or so aeres of most excellent agricultural land. In 1875 the town had a population of about 1,500 and it was a brisk and flourishing place. As the mining interests of South mountain became more and more developed. it expanded rapidly. Some of these claims were marvelously rich and profitable. The Little Annie brought its owners large fortunes. In 1882-83-84 Judge T. M. Bowen took from his mines in this district some wonderfully rich ores. A sheet or streak in the vein produced a reddish-brown quartz that was literally filled with gold, and the find, with the enormous yields of his mills, for a time gave him the wide reputa- tion of being a millionaire. Something more of this will appear in the course of our narrative. The Denver & Rio Grande railway was constructed over Veta Pass in 1878, and was extended across the valley to Del Norte and Wagon Wheel Gap in 1881, and it is recorded that during the first three months no less than $300,000 in gold was shipped by express to Denver from the Summit mines. Under the stimulus of augmenting population, the agricultural, stock growing, mining and outfitting in- terests all combined to make Del Norte one of the most attractive points in southern Colorado. Through it all it maintained law, order, thrift and morality. Notwithstand- ing the material loss of revenue from the mines between 1885 and 1800, caused by the suspension of work and the stopping of emigration to the San Juan by that route. it has gained in population, and enjoys a stable prosperity. The fertile lands along the river, both below and above, cultivated under vast canals, as we shall see later on, with thousands of sheep and cattle, maintain a steady expansion.

On a previous page it is stated that the original plat of Del Norte was filed in Conejos county December 14th, 1872. Another plat drawn by Mr. George 1). Nickel, by direction of the board of trustees, was adopted December 19th, 1882, and filed on the 20th, by Arthur Burton, president, and James W. Ross, town clerk. Banks .- The San Luis Valley Bank was opened by E. T. Elliott (president) and H. B. Adsit (cashier) and John G. Taylor in March, 1874. Some time later it went into voluntary liquidation. The Bank of Del Norte was founded by Asa F. Middaugh in 1881, who is the present owner, with E. W. Pfeifer as cashier. The First

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National Bank opened for business May 6th, 1890. W. H. Cochran, president; R. H. Sayre, vice-president, and Charles W. Thomas, cashier. The Rio Grande County Bank, by H. Schiffer & Bro., after running some years in Del Norte, was moved to and established in Alamosa, and is now known as the Bank of Alamosa. The Bank of San Juan was established at Del Norte in 1876 by Daniels, Brown & Co. of Denver, John L. McNeil, cashier and manager. Two years after the Rio Grande railroad crossed Veta Pass and the town of Alamosa was founded, the bank was transferred to that point.

The State Experimental Farm or station is located seven miles below Del Norte, H. H. Griffin, manager, and thus far it has proven a valuable auxiliary as a school of instruction to farmers. A Soldiers' Home has been erected near Monte Vista, and is a refuge for veterans of the civil war.

The Presbyterian College of the southwest was located at Del Norte in the autumn of 1883. The society owns 160 acres of land adjoining the town, on which a fine structure is to be erected. The students' home, already built, has fourteen rooms. Its cost was about $5,000, and additions to the church building for class rooms cost about $4,000. The school opened in 1884 with thirty students, under the presidency of J. Willis Lord and three assistants. Mr. Lord was succeeded by the Rev. George M. Darley, who, at a cost of $3,000, built an observatory on the pinnacle of Lookout mountain, just back of the town, which, with its conical dome and flag at the top, presents a quaint and pretty picture. He was followed by Rev. W. M. Baird, and he by Rev. H. M. Goodell, the present incumbent, who is also pastor of the Presbyterian church. Del Norte has three church buildings, the Presbyterian, Catholic and Methodist. In earlier days the Episcopalians owned a church building, but they abandoning the town, it was converted into a residence. A fine, stately court house of cut stone, surmounted by a belfry, was erected at a cost of $30,000. There is also an opera house, erected by Kiel & Warren. The towir has voted $25,000 in bonds for a water system, but at the time of my visit in Angust, 1801, had not decided what system should be adopted. It has a good volunteer fire department. There is a fine commodious city hall, a frame building. In the line of secret societies, the Masons, Odd Fellows, Grand Army of the Re- public and Modern Woodmen are represented by lodges and numerous member- ships.

Journalism .- The San Juan "Prospector" has the credit and prestige, ably verified by its earnest work in behalf of the community, of being the oldest news- paper in the county. It was established February 7th, 1874, by N. N. Lambert, a brother of the present owner of the Pueblo "Chieftain." The office stood at No. I Columbia avenue, and Hon. Adair Wilson, a learned and estimable gentleman, was its first editor. March 6th, 1875, the Prospector Publishing company took charge, with J. C. Howard as manager. February 5th, 1876, Abe Roberts and W. H. Cochran bought it. May 5th, 1877. Mr. Cochran purchased his partner's interest. \V. S. Alexander (later connected with the Leadville press, and with the Denver "Republican" as city editor) acquired an interest in the "Prospector" June 16th, 1877. May 31st, 1879, J. M. Cochran acquired Alexander's interest, the firm chang- ing to Cochran Bros. April 12th, 1884. they sold to Geo. A. Seibird and John C. Glover. The "Prospector" has a fine plant, and a complete file from the first issue, which contains the record of the county from 1874 to the present date inelusive, naturally a valuable compendium of its history. The "Cactus," founded by Stivers & Ifill, was absorbed by the "Prospector." The "Sentinel" and the "Democrat" suspended, also the "Nugget," published at Summitville, by Elmer Thompson. Outside of Del Norte the Monte Vista "Graphic," established by Knox Burton, is now owned by the Graphic Publishing company, with C. S. Aldrich editor. The Monte Vista "Journal" is still published by its founder, C. S. Conant.

Wagon Wheel Gap .- This became a somewhat noted watering place in 1877,

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when the hotel at the stage station was kept by Mr. C. D. Peck. The Denver & Rio Grande spur or branch was built through the Gap, in 1881, from Del Norte up the canon thirty miles. The Ilot Springs hotel was built in 1877 for the ac- commodation of invalids and pleasure seekers, hunters and fishermen, and the place made one of the most inviting of our many mountain sanitariums. It was opened in the spring of 1878 by J. C. MeClelland, who kept it nine years. The Gap is, or seems to be, a riven gorge through the mountain, with red, yellow and brown rocks rising to tremendous heights on either side. For half a mile the river and the railroad seem to contend for the right of way, as there is barely room for both. At the upper end of the Gap the valley opens out, presenting a series of beautiful views. Lovers of splendid scenic effects find the measure of their admiration com- pletely filled by the spectacle before them. The primitive settlement here was a stage station built in 1874 on the route to Lake City, standing solitary and alone in the wilderness. The Hot Springs are situated a mile to the south of the rail- way and the river in the valley of Spring creek, a considerable stream, and are reached by public or private conveyance. Years ago there was an interesting but apocryphal tradition respecting the derivation of the name of the Gap. It was related that when the first modern settlers came they found, strewn along the river banks in this gorge, a number of wagon wheels and various other fragments of wagons, and that they formed a part of Col. John C. Fremont's expedition which passed that way in 1848. These explorers, as the story runs, were attacked by Indians at this point and compelled to abandon some of their wagons; that the Indians secreted themselves among the cliffs and built rifle pits of loose stones from which they fired down upon the intruders, etc., etc. Now all this except the single fact that Fremont attempted to cross the mountains through this Gap is pure fiction. He had no wagons at all, but pack mules, nor was he attacked by Indians. The true account, taken from his diary, may be found in Volume I, beginning at page 123. However, the earliest prospectors of our day, in traveling up and down the river, made their camping place at the Gap, where the wagon wheels lay and hence it came to be known as "Wagon Wheel Gap." As to the derivation there is no dispute. These relics long ago disappeared. "The most curious one, a per- feet wheel, with a tire an inch thick, hub and felloes well preserved, but the spokes worn away to the thickness of a man's finger, was taken away by an English traveler," and may now be ornamenting his home, or some museum in his native land. A much more probable story as to the origin of the wheels appears in Ernest Ingersoll's "Crest of the Continent," as given him by an old settler named Judge Jones, who affirms that the members of the Baker expedition of 1861 left them there on their way out of the San Juan mountains via the Rio Grande and Del Norte.

The springs were taken up in October, 1872, by Henry Henson, Charles E. Goodwin, Albert Mead and Joel K. Mullen, who later on pre-empted 480 acres, including the creek valley from its mouth to a point half a mile above the springs, which are five in number, all hot but one, which is cold. "One of the freaks of nature is a large hot spring from which the steam is constantly rising, while within half a dozen feet bubbles up another spring of cold water." The nomadic tribes of the plains and mountains frequently resorted to them, giving them the distinction of "Little Medicine." A well-worn trail led hence to Pagosa Springs, twenty-eight miles northwest of Amargo, on the northerly bank of the San Juan river, now in Archuleta county, which they dignified by the supreme title of "Big Medicine," to which thousands of their pale-faced brethren of later days gratefully respond Amen! and Amen! There is a good summer hotel at the Wagon Wheel Springs, with baths and accommodations for a considerable number of guests. Hundreds of invalids fully attest the curative effects of these waters. Antelope Springs, which

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possess similar properties, are located some twenty miles west of the Gap in Antelope Park. The scenery here is wild and beautiful.

Within the past two years a new element of wealth and prosperity has been added to the resources tributary to Del Norte, in the discovery of exceedingly val- table silver-lead mines at a place called "Creede's Camp," near the northwest corner of Rio Grande county, but at this time it is not determined whether they belong to Saguache or to Hinsdale county. The better claims which are being quite ex- tensively developed at this writing are owned by David H. Moffat and associates, and those adjoining by ex-Senator Thomas M. Bowen and others. If the promise of 1891 is realized, there is no doubt that this will become one of the more pro- ductive mining regions of the state according to the territory under operation. The paying mines of Summit district in 1890 were the Golconda, formerly owned by ex-Senator Bowen; the Bobtail by F. F. Riggs, and the Little Annie by the Gold Mining company of that name. The production, according to the U. S. Mint Report, for 1889, was $38,910.29, of which $5,430.29 was silver, the balance gold.

Monte Vista has the most beautiful town site in the great San Luis valley. It lies between Del Norte and Alamosa, on the branch of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad. It was laid off and platted by the Monte Vista Town and Land company, J. J. Bronk, president, and F. J. V. Skiff, secretary, March 12th, 1887. This plat corrects and more fully explains one executed January 18th, 1886, then acknowl- edged by J. P. Bronk. Both surveys were made by Walter H. Graves, an accom- plished engineer. The signification of the name is "Mountain View," and well expresses the location. On the one hand in the distance rise the massive and rugged peaks of the San Juan Range and on the other those of the Sangre de Cristo ("Blood of Christ"). Observed from Monte Vista this mighty chain seems to terminate abruptly in Sierra Blanca, the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains. The range from Sierra Blanca, with its stupendous line of snow sheeted pro- montories, is a wondrous spectacle, extending along the park toward Salida, where the D. & R. G. railway finds its outlet into the Arkansas valley. What incompara- ble Ouray is to the mountain towns, by virtue of its location among the gigantic peaks that stand guard around the picturesque amphitheater which forms its site, Monte Vista is to the San Luis valley with its thousands of acres of agricultural lands covered with glistening grain fields, forming a view at once fruitful and enchanting. Over the Sangre de Cristo lies the Wet Mountain valley, which, as set forth in the history of Custer county, is also a fine farming and grazing region, supplemented, however, by mining. Monte Vista is a conspicuous center of husbandry. The great canal systems from the Rio Grande river are making this one of the fairest and most fruitful sections of the commonwealth. Yet, less than fifteen years ago this region was almost without inhabitants, considered fit only for pasturage, with no evidence of enterprise, neither railways, canals, towns nor cities. Monte Vista is one of the newer settlements, the outgrowth of a prodigious movement instituted during the past ten years for the peopling and tillage of this wilderness. It has a fine hotel, many churches, schools, business houses, tasteful though not expensive dwellings, banks, and all the accessories of moral, material and religious development. There are seven religious organizations, some of which have erected buildings. The handsome public school edifice cost about $8,000. The thrift and success of the farmers is illustrated in the Monte Vista Farmers' and Milling Elevator company, C. A. Pond, manager, a very large, useful and flourishing enterprise which affords a market for grain. It is surrounded by 300,000 acres of the richest irrigable lands, with no lack of water for the fructifica- tion of crops. There are no saloons or liquor houses, the place being founded upon the well-established principle that temperance insures peace, order, industry and prosperity. It has a first-class roller process flouring mill, fifteen to twenty stores, two banks, a planing mill, three lumber yards, two weekly newspapers, a

J D. WHITE.

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large public library, several secret societies, a military company and a cornet band. In the vicinity is one farm of 7,000 and another of 4,000 acres. A number of artesian wells have been bored and abundant water found. It receives and ships great quantities of freight.

Banks .- The Bank of Monte Vista was opened by R. B. and John Wallace, under the firm name of Wallace Bros., the present proprietors. The State Bank of the same place was instituted as the Bank of Commerce, by A. M. Isbell and E. M. Perdew. It was subsequently changed to its present name, with J. D. Mablen, president, and E. M. Perdew, cashier.

The local press is represented by the "Graphic" and the "Journal;" the first by the Graphic Publishing company, the second by C. S. Conant. There are several other but smaller and less important towns in Rio Grande county, of which the following is an abstract:

Lariat was surveyed by J. M. Gardner and W. H. Cochran, November 20th, 1884, and laid off by the Lariat Town company, which purchased the land from Charles Ydren, trustee for co-owners. The section was known as La Loma (The Hill).

Henry was laid off and platted by the Henry Town and Land company, C. S. Aldrich, vice-president, July 15th, 1884.

Cornwall .- The plat of this town site was filed by James W. Shields, county judge, April 5th, 1881.

Loma .- Plat acknowledged by Ruel Rounds, president of the board of trustees, February 2nd, 1876; surveyed by W. C. Lewman, county surveyor. Plat filed July 29th, 1874. It was founded by Mead, Goodwin and Pollock in February, 1873, but is now deserted.

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History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 44

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