History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 47

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 47

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).

There are two churches, the Catholic and the Congregational, each owning a fine edifice. The only school in the county is at Silverton, where the citizens have erected a fine brick building, handsomely appointed, at a cost of $10,000. The chief hotel is the Grand. There are two weekly newspapers, the "Miner" and the "Stand- ard," the first established by Alfred Ies in 1874, and the latter in 1889, by C. W. Snowden. Much of their space is devoted to intelligence from the mines and mills. There are two large sampling mills in the town adjoining the railway tracks, one owned by Duyckinck & Co. and the other by G. H. Stoiber, each equal to crush- ing and sampling from twelve to fifteen carloads of ore every twenty-four hours. Here a considerable part of the mineral products are assayed, their value ascertained and consignments prepared for market. There are no less than fourteen mills and concentrating works of various kinds in the region, but the majority are not now in operation. There are several sawmills in the mountains making lumber from the abundance of fine timber, mostly spruce and pine.

The more important mining districts are Eureka, Animas, Mineral, South Mineral and Red Mountain, the latter in Ouray county, but the products tributary to Silverton. Many new discoveries have been made the past year; many incomers from other parts have joined the pioneers, and the work of development is more active than ever before, owing to the opening of competing markets, the enhanced value of silver and lead, the introduction of capital, etc., etc. From the fact that both Ouray and San Juan counties claim credit for the products of Red Mountain district, which is the largest producer in southwestern Colorado, it is almost im- possible to discover the true output of each county. The boundary line between the two is the crest of the mountain ridge which divides the waters of the Animas and the San Miguel, and is just south of Red Mountain district. Emil Fischer's topographical map published in 1891 shows all the mines of Red Mountain to be in Ouray county. But the products of these mines are conveyed to Silverton as the only outlet to market. The newspapers of both Ouray and Silverton take to themselves credit for the tonnage and value of these consignments. In like man- ner Hinsdale county, adjoining San Juan, lays claim to the products of the Polar Star, Syracuse Pride and Mammoth veins because they happen to be located on Engineer mountain and project across the line into Hinsdale. Each county, of

311

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

course, is desirous of making the best possible exhibit of its mining industry, as an evidence of its importance for the attraction of immigration and capital. But it is very confusing to the disinterested statistician.

By patient examination of the old county records, which were rather crudely kept, it was discovered that the first meeting of the commissioners to organize a government for the new county of San Juan was held May 27th, 1876. Dempsey Reese, R. J. Carley and T. M. Trippe constituted the board. The latter, however, had been legislated out of office by the act of division, hence for some time there were but two commissioners. At a later period M. V. Cutler was appointed to the vacancy. The following were appointed to serve until the next regular election: Clerk and recorder, J. L. Ufford; treasurer, M. R. Moore; county judge, S. E. Jones: sheriff, J. F. Grenelle; assessor, Cornelius Williams; county attorney, N. E. Slaymaker.

In the fall of that year the following were elected: Clerk and recorder, Dan M. Dana: treasurer, Jas. Leibee; county judge, H. O. Montague; superintendent of schools, Wm. Munroe; assessor, C. Williams; coroner, R. J. Brunz; commissioners, Jacob Ohlwiler, P. C. Luesley and F. Blaisdell; county attorney, A. W. Hudson.

From the beginning until the completion of the Denver & Rio Grande railway from Durango to Silverton July 8th, 1882, it was a long and desperate struggle with all the people of that region to maintain themselves. Rapid development was impossible, for all the conditions were unfavorable. Its population dwindled away until only a mere fraction remained. Ingress for supplies and egress for ores was alike difficult and expensive. There was little encouragement to produce ores, for a large part of their value was consumed in conveying them to distant markets. When the railway came, bringing new hope and confidence, a period of brisk activity en- sued, but in winter the line was frequently overwhelmed by avalanches and heavy snows, which blocked it for weeks and sometimes for months. The mining seasons are extremely short in that altitude. Baker's Park is a pleasant place to live in from June to October, but the intervening time is wintry and inhospitable. Storms and tempests are frequent, and the bitter winds sweeping down upon the inhabitants chill them to the bone, stagnating all arteries. Its present prestige has been ac- quired in the last few years.

The influence that has been most important in opening highways in the San Juan and contiguous counties, providing outlets for isolated, struggling and thinh populated camps, was the courage and energy displayed by Mr. Otto Mears, an ac- count of whose career will be found in our biographical department. Mr. Mears is a Hebrew, born in Russia. We seldom find one of his race engaged in building great public enterprises, for all their inclinations are toward trade and money hunt- ing, therefore the example before us is an extraordinary exception. In what we shall relate there is no thought of extolling Mr. Mears as a philanthropist or as a savior of mankind. He is simply a sharp, shrewd, sagacious man of business: with remarkable foresight, marvelous energy and power of direction, and with the keenest instincts for profits, he has been largely successful in his undertakings. He has constructed, between 1867 and 1886, no less than nine wagon roads in the southwestern mountains, some of them exceedingly difficult and expensive. In 1867, in connection with Mr. Charles Nathrop, he built a road seven miles long from the South Fork of the Arkansas river across Poncha Pass, which opened communication between the Arkansas and San Luis valleys. In 1874, in associa- tion with Enos Hotchkiss and other citizens of Saguache, he built a road ninety- six miles long from Saguache to Lake City, though the original intention was to enter Baker's Park. This opened a more direct route from the San Luis valley to the San Juan mining region. The others were completed in the following order: In 1877, from Barnum station on the Lake City road, twenty-one miles from the latter town, to Cimarron, and thence to the Uncompahgre Indian Agency

312

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

twenty miles below Ouray, a distance of eighty miles; in 1879, from Mears' station, in Poncha Pass, over Marshall Pass to Gunnison, fifty miles, since partly occupied by the Denver & Rio Grande railroad; in 1880 from Dallas Divide to Telluride, twenty-seven miles, now occupied by the Rio Grande Southern railway; in 1881, from Sargent's, six miles below Telluride to Ames, six miles; in 1883, in associa- tion with Fred Walsen and others, from Ouray up the Uncompahgre to Pough- keepsie Gulch, seven miles, now a part of the stage road between Ironton and Ouray; in 1885. with Walsen, from Red Mountain to Silverton, seventeen miles, now occupied by Mears' "Rainbow" railway; in 1886, with Walsen, from Silverton to Animas Forks, twelve miles, the whole aggregating 302 miles at a cost of about $325,000. Some have been abandoned, others converted into railway routes, still others held for such use as the future may demand. But up to 1890 the most in- portant project in which he had engaged was the construction of a narrow or three-foot gauge railway, seventeen miles in length, including several switchbacks, from Silverton across the intervening range to Red Mountain and Ironton on the western slope, over a five per cent. grade, or an elevation of 262 feet per mile aver- age. It was begun in June, 1887, completed to the Red Mountain mines in Septem- ber, 1888, and on to Ironton in November following. Its cost was $725,000. From the terminus of the main line he has thrown out eight miles of switches or branches, leading to all the great mines of Red Mountain district for convenience in deliver- ing supplies and in transferring ores for shipment to the sampling mills at Silverton, or direct to the D. & R. G. railway for conveyance to Durango, Pueblo and Denver. All the switching at the mines is without charge. Mr. Mears derives his revenue from his monopoly of the traffic between the points of reception and delivery aforesaid. In thus ministering to the economy and rapid facility of operating the immense silver mines, Mr. Mears has manifested a shrewdness that brings him large returns, and puts the older railway managers of the state to shame. Like conveniences are to be extended to the miners of Telluride and Rico.

The building of railway connection between Red Mountain and Silverton in- parted great strength to both places. It was the one thing requisite and necessary to stimulate industry and broaden the whole field of productive enterprise. The effect has been witnessed in the increasing number of mines developed and in the heavy increase of receipts at the smelters, in the multiplication of people, and the steadily growing wealth acquired. The Silverton "Miner," a trustworthy authority, places the output of mineral from the various districts of the San Juan region dur- ing 1890 at 42,000 tons, and the value at $7,038,000. If these figures are correct, they show a very great increase over any preceding year. From the same au- thority we learn that the ore shipments from Silverton station on the D. & R. G. railway from January Ist, 1891, to September Ist (August estimated) were 21,609 tons, as against 14,100 tons forwarded in the corresponding period of 1890.

There is no longer any doubt whatever as to the wide extent and richness of these mines. They are just beginning to be understood and properly exploited by improved modern appliances and methods. Some millions of new capital have been introduced, much of it from English sources, and the English are excellent miners. Taking the combination together of San Juan, Ouray, Hinsdale, San Miguel and Dolores, all now supplied by railways, it is safe to predict that within three years from this time they will be producing an amount of wealth each year equal to that issuing from all the other mining sections of the state. It is a very rich and a very great country, not alone in the products of its mines, but in agricul- ture and horticulture.

Following are the present municipal officers of Silverton (1891): Mayor, George Thorp; aldermen, Morris Lonergan, Wm. Lugg, Charles H. H. Kramer, Charles Anderson, Theodore Dick and Charles Fisher.

The county officers are (1891): Clerk and recorder, M. W. Emery; treasurer,

J. F. GARDAI.R.

313

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

Frank B. Brown; county judge, M. Stockman; assessor, J. C. Bowman; sheriff, John M. May; coroner, H. G. Prasser; superintendent of schools, J. B. Brown; surveyor, James Dyson; clerk of the district court, James H. Robin; county com- missioners, J. Bordeleau, R. J. MeNutt and Thomas A. Gifford.

The census of 1890 shows the total school population of San Juan county to be 153, with an enrollment of 109, and an average daily attendance of 63. There is but one school house, and that one of the finest structures in Silverton.

The total assessed valuation of property in the county for 1890-mines not taxed-was $872,304.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY.

ORGANIZATION-GENERAL DESCRIPTION-PLACER AND QUARTZ MINING-TELLURIDE AND ITS INSTITUTIONS-OPHIR AND OTHER CAMPS-GREAT MINES OF MARSHALL BASIN-A STUPENDOUS TRAMWAV, ETC.

The county of San Miguel (St. Michael) was created from the western part of Ouray county by an act of the General Assembly approved February 27th, 1883. At that time the name of Ouray was changed to Uncompahgre, and what is now San Miguel took the name Ouray, with its capital at Telluride. But a few days later, March 2nd, the name Uncompahgre was dropped, Ouray reassumed its original title, and the territory segregated was more appropriately christened San Miguel, from the mountains and principal stream of that section, which were so named by some of the old Spanish monks who traversed the San Juan country years anterior to our times. It is bounded on the north by Montrose, and north- easterly by Ouray, south by Dolores, east by Ouray and San Juan and west by the Territory of Utah. Its area is 1,300 square miles. According to the census of 1800 its population was 2,900, since largely augmented by increased activity in the mines .*

The capital, Telluride, is situated quite near the southeastern corner. It is con- nected with the Denver & Rio Grande system at Ridgway and Durango by the Rio Grande Southern narrow gauge railroad. This road, which is more fully described in the annals of Ouray county, was begun at Ridgway, ten miles north of the town of Ouray, April 25th, 1800, and completed to Telluride, forty-six miles, November 5th, following. Starting from Ridgway, the line crosses the Dallas Divide, to the left of which is the splendid agricultural valley of Dallas creek, thence down through the beautiful canon to Hlium, whence the main line continues up the South Fork of the San Miguel to the mining camps of Ames and Ophir, Trout lake and on to Rico in Dolores county, while the branch proceeds to Telluride, San Miguel and other local points by spurs, to accommodate the chief mining settle- ments.

One branch of the San Miguel river takes its rise in Marshall, Ingram and Bridal Veil Basins above Telluride, in the San Juan mountains. The South Fork rises in the San Miguel mountains, and the two unite some eight miles from their sources, forming the main channel, which flows fifty or sixty miles through cañons of red and variegated sandstones and empties into the Dolores. Most of the inhabit-

* The annals of primitive explorations in the San Miguel Mountains appear in the history of Dolores county.

314

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

ants are grouped in the eastern and southeasterly parts of the county, where the major part of the productive mines are located. The western, central and north- western divisions are sparsely settled by farmers and stock growers. Farming, however, is but an insignificant element as yet, for it is only within the past year or two that it has received any encouragement. But it has been demonstrated that wheat, oats, rye, barley and most vegetables can be produced in all the more favor- ably situated valleys, and, as the population of the mining towns multiplies, superior markets will be found there for all kinds of ranch produce.

The mineral regions yield gold, silver, lead and copper, while the placers, which are very extensive, have yielded and under proper management will continue to yield large returns in free gold. It was the discovery of these placers which caused the primary settlement, although they were long since completely over- shadowed by the greater magnitude of quartz or lode mining.

Prior to 1880, when Otto Mears constructed a wagon road from the valley of the Uncompalgre across the Dallas Divide to the present seat of San Miguel county-afterward used for his railway-the few inhabitants of the little nooks on the San Miguel river and about Marshall Basin, some five miles above, were well nigh isolated from all intercourse with the outside world, therefore while they had made discoveries of great value rapid development was simply impossible. The enterprise just mentioned gave them an outlet which, thoughi long and rugged, was better than none. In 1881 Mr. Mears built another road from Sargent's, six miles below Telluride, to the mining hamlet called Ames, six miles distant. In 1890, as elsewhere mentioned, he crowned these primitive achievements by laying a steel thoroughfare, and it was this which set all the arteries of a very great industry in motion and made Telluride one of the more productive sections of the south- western country.

Some placer mining was done with fair results upon the margins and bars of San Miguel river, as early as 1875-76. In 1877 it is said nearly 300 men were employed in these workings. The town of San Miguel was established in 1878, on the west side of the mountains below the section called Iron Spring. The rude early efforts to render the operation of the sands and gravels profitable were fol- lowed by a number of capitalized corporations as the Keystone, the Red Cross and other hydraulic mining companies. In 1877 Wheeler & Kimball built a ditch to convey water to their claims; the Keithly company, a flume three miles long, which floated 1,200 inches of water, for hydraulic appliances. The Montana bar was worked by Green & Co. of Keokuk, Iowa; and the Ware bar and other proper- ties were in operation. Nos. 2, 3 and 4 were located in July, 1876, on the lower San Miguel, beginning at Placerville and extending two miles east. These, in 1883, were owned by R. H. Stone of Telluride and O. P. Posey and Peter Hough- ton of Silverton. To continue the narrative, the San Miguel Gold Placer company was. in 1888, organized in Colorado with a capital stock of $3,000,000 to operate nearly all the auriferous margins of the San Miguel, put in some expensive im- provements, operated a short time and then apparently collapsed.

The Rio San Miguel and its affluents in the eastern part and the Rio Dolores, which flows northwest in the western division of the county, are the principal water- courses. There are many tributaries, as Naturita, Gypsum, Valley, Disappoint- ment, Basin, Leopard, Fall, Big Bear, Summit, Willow, Deep, South or Lake Fork, Turkey. Remine, Prospect. Eder, Cornett and others, hence the country is abund- antly watered for all purposes, agriculture, mining and stock raising. It has long been known as an excellent grazing region.

Soon after the discovery of mines near Ouray and Lake City, prospectors began to penetrate the wild and weird canons of the San Miguel in search of minerals, with what result will appear as we proceed. Mount Sneffels, near the castern boundary of the county under consideration, stands directly to the north

315

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

of Telluride, and other gigantic peaks to the east, while to the southwest and south of Ames and Ophir is Trout lake, a lovely sheet of clear water, a mile in length by three-fourths broad, and extending to depths that have not yet been fathomed. Its altitude above the sea is nearly 10,000 feet, nestled in between the Yellow moun- tains on the east and Mount Wilson on the west with the Lizard's Head" and Sun- shine Ranges. Apart from the surpassing grandeur of the spot there are some valuable mines, the San Bernardo, Honduras and Mosquito, owned by an English company and quite extensively operated, with a complete outfit of improved ma- chinery, including a large reducing mill. These lodes, with the San Juan, Kendrick, Fox and Kent on Lake Fork, were located in 1878, and on Howard's Fork the Colo- rado, Caribou, Montezuma, Parsons, Spar and Fulton. The Rio Grande Southern railroad touches this point in passing around the lake. Throughout this mountainous region there are many magnificent views, fairly rivaling in interest the justly celebrated ranges that border the Uncompahgre above Ouray. The San Juan mines, operated by the San Juan Mining company, are on the east side of Lake Fork.

The old original San Miguel City, one and a half miles below Telluride, has been almost wholly absorbed by the latter. Although it has been known since the first occupation of that country by white men, no plat of the town site was filed until March 2nd, 1885. It was surveyed by Charles Sharman, October 10th, 1877. At present it has a post office and a cluster of houses. Among its pioneers were Thomas Lothian, John P. Heisel, W. G. Jones. J. H. Harvell, L. C. Witt, F. P. Brown, Jones & Ilolderman, Mrs. Carroll, W. W. Remine, Peter Barclay and Thomas E. Breckenridge, the latter entitled to special mention as one of those who accompanied Col. John C. Fremont in his expeditions to the Rocky Mountains in 1845 and 1848. The discovery of the great Sheridan vein in Marshall Basin, five miles northwest of Telluride, however, made and will perpetuate the fame of the district, not the placer mines. Ames, Howard's Fork and Placerville are all more or less historie points.

Telluride, while not quite so picturesque and spectacular, so to speak, as Ouray, its near neighbor and contemporary, is in many of its aspects as beautiful and attractive. The mountains that inclose it are as lofty, and in form even more fantastic, while the slopes are as highly adorned with trees and verdure. Except in the matter of colored rocks, it would be difficult to draw the line of superiority between the two superb situations, yet Ouray is perhaps more desirable in some respects for a summer resort. We are speaking now of its aspect between June and October, when it is almost royal in its luxuriance of weirdly inviting landscape. In winter, when covered with snow, and icy winds sweep down the ravines, no mountain settlement can be called attractive. But seen at its best, in its resplen- dent livery, Telluride is a charming spot to the stranger, especially if he goes there with a view to investment. Situate in a narrow valley, hemmed in by great, massive, strangely carved ranges, with the little San Miguel flowing across its southern margin, the town bristling with activity, the various mines pouring their treasure into its channels, the effect is striking to the visitor, however commonplace these phases may be to those who built the vigorous young metropolis and have lived in daily contemplation of them.

The present seat of the county was first named Columbia, and was located January 10th, 1878, the site comprising eighty acres. A petition of the citizens, praying the county judge of Ouray for authority to incorporate Columbia, was filed June 8th by J. P. Cassady, their attorney. The prayer being granted, Edward Me- Farlane, A. B. Cooper, G. N. Hyde, John Eder and Henry F. Lake were appointed

* A fantastic chocolate colored shaft some 500 feet in height and about 100 feet square at the base, tapering gradually to the apex, where it assumes the shape of a lizard's head.

316

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

commissioners to call an election. The vote was taken July 13th, 1878, when twenty-eight votes were cast, all in favor of incorporating the town. George N. Hyde was the first mayor. In 1879-80 the board of trustees consisted of Geo. N. Hyde, A. B. Cooper, E. N. McClain, Henry F. Lake and W. H. Trout. The town site was surveyed August Ist, 1883, and the plat filed September 6th that year. Prior to the coming of the railway in November, 1890, they maintained their posi- tion under trying difficulties. Immediately after that happy event a general transfor- mation took place. Many new sources of wealth have been discovered and opened; those previously operated have assumed wonderful activity; building became gen- eral, and all things assumed an air of renewed strength, hope and confidence. Busi- ness men are prospering, money circulates freely in volume hitherto unknown. The principal part of the town is of frame buildings, erected in haste for temporary occupancy until the developing resources in the hills are sufficiently advanced to justify more elaborate and costly structures of brick and stone. There are many substantial, well-stocked business houses, two or three indifferent hotels, and more than a sufficiency of saloons, features common to all mountain towns, where ex- treme dryness induces thirst. During my visit in September, 1891, the sound of stonecutters' chisels, the hammers and saws of carpenters and the steady movement of bricklayers on every side indicated a new epoch of growth. There are illimitable. masses of granite and sandstone near at hand in many varieties of color. The com- merce is confined to one street running through the center, with pretty cottages on either side. The residences, though not large and imposing, are neatly con- structed and painted, with shade trees and lawns in front of spacious grounds.

The county building is a large two-story brick which, duly furnished, cost $17,000. The system of water works, built by a stock company, but afterward pur- chased by the municipal government, cost $23,000. The supply is taken from Cor- nett creek. There is a good volunteer fire department. The public school is one of the more admirable institutions of the place. The Congregational church is the finest building in Telluride, of modern design, and its windows are filled with rich stained glass. It was dedicated February 15th, 1891, the sermon being delivered by the Rev. W. F. Slocum of Colorado college. Rev. N. S. Bradley is the resident pastor.

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

History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 47

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