USA > Colorado > Arapahoe County > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 23
USA > Colorado > Denver County > Denver > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 23
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
October, 1858. Blake & Williams were the pio- neers in this line. Kinna & Nye followed them in a few days, and Uncle Dick Wooten brought in a large stock of goods in December. Mr. Wooten astonished the good people of Auraria by building a "mammoth " storeroom, 20x32 feet in size, and one and a half stories high, roofed with boards instead of the standard covering of earth. It had an actual board floor, the boards being sawed by hand with a whip-saw. A four-light glass window illuminated and adorned the upper chamber of this palatial structure. Auraria felt that a new era of prosperity was opening before her, and the strife between West and East Denver became fiercer than ever, if that were possible.
But while Auraria was progressing, the rival settlement was still going forward under a new name. In November, the St. Charles town site changed hands and became known as Denver, in honor of the then Governor of Kansas, Gen. J. W. Denver, of Leavenworth. The new-town com- pany, of which Col. Richard E. Whitsitt was Secretary, was composed of enterprising and liberal men, and they worked hard to induce new-comers to settle on their side of the creek, offering, at first, several lots as an inducement for building a house upon one or more of them. In this way, Denver very nearly kept pace with Auraria during the winter of 1858-59, but the wooden store with a plank floor laid over anything that Denver could boast, and it became headquarters for business, and gossip as well. The upper room with its aris- tocratie window was the scene of all public gather- ings, and it was there that the politics of the young community took form and shape. It was there, too, that justice was dispensed after the sim- ple but effectual fashion of the frontier.
Before the new year opened, Auraria and Den- ver were pretty well supplied with all kinds of shops, as well as the inevitable saloon where cheap whisky was sold at the highest price, and where various games of chance were indulged in by the sports who had thus early begun to gather in the
new camp. A bakery was early established, and a jewelry-shop soon followed suit. " Tom " Pol- lock, well known to all early settlers, opened a blacksmith-shop in Auraria, in December, 1858, and the equally well-known firm of Kasserman & Co., set up as carpenters about the same time.
The irrepressible Frenchman calling himself " Count Murat," who afterward became famous as the barber who charged Horace Greeley $5 for a shave, made his appearance in Auraria about this time, and, on the 1st of February, 1859, opened the " Eldorado Hotel," on St. Louis street, between Fifth and Sixth. The building still stands in West Denver, or did a short time ago.
The arrival out of a saw-mill in March, 1859, was hailed with delight, and immediate arrangements were made for building frame houses in each of the rival towns. The mill was set up in the pineries on Cherry Creek, and the first load of lumber came into Denver April 21, 1859, the same day that William N. Byers reached here with the material of the Rocky Mountain News. The lumber, which was a fair quality of yellow pine, was bought by Tom Pollock and Dick Wooten, both of whom were building frame houses at the time, which were the first frame buildings erected on the creek.
Generally speaking, the houses in Denver were more pretentious than those of Auraria. Hewed logs were used until sawed lumber could be ob- tained, and substantial roofs were the rule rather than the exception. Judge H. P. A. Smith, ap- pointed Probate Judge of Arapahoe County by Gov. Denver, of Kansas, built a fine house on Blake street, near Cherry Creek, which was un- fortunately burned in the great fire of 1863.
Judge Smith was an enterprising, public-spir- ited citizen. Through his efforts, a Lodge of Free Masons was instituted in January, 1859, working under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Kansas. Henry Allen was W. M. and Judge Smith, Secretary. The Lodge met in a log cabin in Auraria. The organization was maintained and presently secured a charter, by which it
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
became independent of Kansas jurisdiction, and formed the nucleus of the present very successful State organization, which embraces many of the most prominent men in Colorado. It is to be regretted, however, that neither the Masons nor the Odd Fellows have ever seen fit to invest their means in a permanent hall building in Denver, but have continued to meet in hired chambers up to the present time. An elegant Masonic or Odd Fellows' hall is very much needed in this city, and could doubtless be made a profitable investment, as well as an ornament to Denver.
March 28, 1859, was a big day on the banks of Cherry Creek. The first election for county offi- cers was held at that time, and the express line to the Missonri River was formally opened.
The rivalry between the embryo cities entered very largely into this election. Anraria outvoted Denver, however, polling 231 to 144 for her rival. . In those days, a corner lot on the west bank was considered worth a whole block on the east side. S. W. Wagoner succeeded Judge Smith as Probate Judge. The five outside pre- cinets cast more votes than Denver and Auraria combined.
Before Judge Smith left the bench, however, he was called upon to preside over the first mur- der trial in the new settlement, the prisoner being a young man named Stofel, who had shot and killed his brother-in-law, Thomas Biencroff. The murder occurred on Clear Creek, a few miles from the city. Stofel made no defense, and listened to his death sentence in sullen silence. As there was no jail or building in which he could be securely kept, little more time was lost in carrying out the sentence than had been expended in find- ing it. The murder and trial both occurred on the 7th of April, 1859, and, on the following day, Stofel was hanged from a cottonwood tree within the limits of the city of Auraria.
Only eight days later, in spite of the warning given by Stofel's execution, another murder was committed in the city, not far from the scene of the recent hanging. One Carroll Wood and a
man named J. W. Scudder became incensed at a carpenter known as Capt. Bassett, and Scudder, either through the influence of Wood, or on his own account, shot and mortally wounded Bassett while the latter was at work. Both Scudder and Wood fled, the former escaping from custody, after Bassett's death, in a mysterious and rather repre- hensible· manner. Afterward, Scudder returned and stood trial before a people's court, but escaped punishment. Scudder has lately returned to Den- ver, after a long absence, but so changed that he is recognized by but few citizens.
Mention has already been made of the advent of the material from which the News was first printed, which arrived in Auraria April 21, 1859, and was unloaded in front of Uncle Dick Wooten's store. The second story of the building was vacated to make room for the printing office, and the first number of the paper was issued a week later, amid general rejoicing.
But while this gratifying progress was being made, there were many new-comers, whose disap- pointment upon beholding the new El Dorado found vent in the most unqualified terms of dis- gust. Among those who reached Cherry Creek in April and May, 1859, nearly one-half turned back to the States, cursing the country with as much vim and venom as "our army " swore in Flanders. Under this depressing influence, building suddenly stopped, business became dull, and only a few brave-hearted and long-headed men, who saw the end from the beginning, had faith in the future of Denver and the country.
The month of May brought encouragement to all who had pinned their faith to the new camp. Gold was discovered here and there throughout the mountains, and the news of rich mines further beyond induced immigrants to persevere after reaching Denver, instead of turning back from this point. The city also became a base of supply for all the new camps, and, even at that early day, miners who made a "stake" in the mountains came down to Denver to spend their money and have a good time while it lasted. Of all men in
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
the world, perhaps, unless it be sailors off from a long cruise, miners are the most reckless finan- ciers, their only apparent object being to spend money as fast and foolishly as possible. There are many exceptions to this rule, of course, but it applics too generally, as every old citizen of Den- ver can attest.
By this time, the fame of Denver and Colorado had gone out through all the land, and the eyes of the country were turned in this direction. Hor- ace Greeley, who was always advising people to go West, was deeply interested in Colorado, and started West early in the summer of 1859, to see for himself whether there was gold here in paying quantities. On the way, he picked up Mr. A. D. Richardson, who had been writing up the anti- slavery war in " bleeding" Kansas, and a third prom- inent journalist named Henry Villard. These three arrived in Denver June 6, via the Leaven- worth & Pike's Peak Express Company, which had been running coaches to Denver from the Missouri River, since the Ist of May, the first coach having arrived in Denver May 7. Mr. Greeley's greatest surprise was to find a Constitu- tional Convention in session, but he took great interest in the proceedings, and advised the mem- bers to make every effort to come into the Union as a State, for the reason that a Territory labors under such serious disadvantages because of its dependency on the General Government, an argu- ment the force of which Colorado realized to the fullest extent in after years.
Much respect was paid by the citizens to their distinguished guests. The hotels of the period being poor and crowded, a cabin was secured for Greeley and his traveling companions, who were made as comfortable as possible. Mr. Greeley was called upon for a speech the evening of his arrival, and delivered a lecture on temperance on the following Sabbath. It is not recorded that this avant courier of the Murphy movement in Den- ver turned many old topers from their cups on that occasion, but if he had known from experi- ence the terrific character of the liquor they were
drinking, he might have waxed eloquent in its condemnation. Prof. Goldrick states that most of the '59 whisky came from Taos, Old Mexico, and was universally and very properly known as "Taos lightning." Like genuine lightning, it never struck twice in one place, but laid its victim out the first time.
When Mr. Greeley saw Denver, it contained about three hundred houses, counting both cities as one, as they soon became, practically. He gave the people some good advice, to which they paid small heed, but he did them a substantial service, which was of the utmost value to them and to the new mining camp at that critical juncture. He visited the mines, satisfied himself that they con- tained gold in paying quantities, and published in the Rocky Mountain News a card to that effect, in which he also stated his belief that the new country had in it all the substantial elements of prosperity. His traveling companions also sub- scribed to the same statement, and it was pub- lished in the form of a circular, for distribution along the overland route, where many immigrants were being turned back by the stories of disaffected parties, who stated that there was no gold in the country, and little else but starvation. Grecley's contradiction of these canards not only stopped the back ward flow of immigration, but gave a new impetus to the outward tide. It was received in the East as about the first authentic utterance on the question of gold in the Pike's Peak country, and, with his letters to the Tribune, it constituted the best advertisement Colorado ever had. If proof were needed to show that honesty and integ- rity are invaluable in journalism as well as in all other walks of life, this might easily convince the most skeptical. The word of this one journalist was accepted far and wide as conclusive evidence of the existence of gold in these mountains, and no one questioned the correctness of the verdict which he rendered.
Mr. Greeley was much amused at the intense rivalry existing between Denver and Auraria, and pointed out the fact that they were practically one
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
settlement, but without avail to overcome the bit- terness between the east and west banks of Cherry Creek. In this intense rivalry, political divisions were swallowed up, and the electoral contests were waged wholly between Denver on the one side and Auraria upon the other.
All accounts agree that Denver was particularly lively throughout the summer of 1859. The Constitutional Convention was twice in session in Wooten's Hall during the season, and succeeded in framing a Constitution for the State of Jeffer- son, which was defeated when submitted to a vote in September. Still another Convention organ- ized a Territorial form of government, and this was generally recognized. It was under this quasi government that Mr. B. D. Williams was elected Delegate to Congress, succeeding H. J. Graham, who had been informally elected in the fall of the preceding year.
Even at that early day, Denver was a cosmo- politan city in embryo. The population was made up of all elements and almost every nationality. The social life of the community had not taken shape, and no usages or customs had been estab- lished. The men from the South, of whom there were many, brought to the new settlement the manners and methods of their old home, and sought to implant them on the soil of the incipi- ent State. Matters were fast becoming compli- cated, when an event occurred which had a decid- edly good effect upon the community. It was a duel between two prominent citizens, one of whom is now dead, while the other is still one of Den- ver's most respectable business men. For these reasons, their names will be omitted here; but a short account of the affair may be introduced as showing the spirit of the times.
The survivor of the affair was a Northern man, while his adversary was a fiery Southerner ; and, of course, the challenge came from the latter. It was based upon the outcome of a commonplace business transaction, and the sending of the chal- lenge, to put it mildly, was looked upon as a big bluff by the party of the first part, who may be designated as A, while B will answer as well as any other initial for the title of the second party. The fighting men of the camp, underestimating B's personal courage, expected him to decline the challenge ; but, to their surprise, he at once replied that, while he wasn't " spoiling for a fight," he had nothing to take back, and would not apolo- gize. The meeting was arranged. A was early on hand with his friends, and so was B. Some efforts to arrange the difficulty were made by the friends of both parties, and Mr. A seemed willing enough ; but Mr. B insisted that, as he had been forced into the affair, he wouldn't be forced out of it without an unconditional surrender in his favor. His manly bearing made a most favorable impres- sion ou the spectators, which was visibly increased when he "plugged" his adversary and escaped unhurt himself. Mr. A's wound was not fatal, and he soon recovered, for which happy result his old adversary is grateful to this day, as he had no bloodthirsty motive iu accepting the challenge. From that day forward, however, he found him- self an involuntary hero among the "fighting men," whose respect for him was not only un- bounded, but rather annoying. However, he used his accidental power over the turbulent element to good advantage in quelling disturbances and counseling peace and order, and he was never again called upon to assert his manhood on the field of honor.
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
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CHAPTER III.
THE FALL AND WINTER CAMPAIGN.
T THOUGH a good many people returned to the States in the fall of 1859, expecting a hard winter in the new camp, enough remained to make both towns very lively, especially as most of the miners from outside camps came into Denver or Auraria for the winter, soon after the first snow fell. Among the amusements provided for their delectation, theatricals figured very prominently, rival theatres having been opened in October, 1859. Apollo Hall, the pioneer institution, was located on Larimer street. Reed's theater was in Cibola Hall, on Ferry street. Charley Thorne was the pioneer manager, and Mlle. Haydee was the first " leading lady " who captivated the playgoers of the new Territory. She seems to have been a prime favorite, not only at the capital but in the provinces, as the New York papers say of Boston and Chicago. Haydee was a very beautiful woman, and her beauty probably disarmed hostile criticism, at least she was not criticised by the press of that remote period. Among the early comedians of note in the country were Mike Dougherty and the still popular Jack Langrishe, who afterward, in 1862, became manager of the old " Denver Theater," which, until a few years ago, occupied the corner of Lawrence and Six- teenth streets, but was destroyed by fire. It was for many years the leading theater of Denver, and was also the scene of many stirring political meet- ings, conventions, etc. Architecturally, it was not a handsome building, resembling a Pennsyl- vania frame barn in everything except color, and growing shabbier with each succeeding year, until the " devouring element" obliterated at once its ugliness and its usefulness. Its leading charae- teristic as a building was excessive ventilation in cold weather, and it used to be said that the coldest place about the old theater was inside of it.
The population of the twin cities at this time was about 1,000 and increasing, the tide of immi- gration having been checked but not stopped by the approach of winter. Contrary to expectations, the season was not particularly inclement, and the stages made regular trips, keeping up communica- tion with the outside world. The mails were car- ried by the stages as express matter, and the mod- est sum of " two bits " was demanded and freely paid as postage on each letter. On the arrival of the mails at the express office, which was located on the corner of Blake and Fifteenth streets, where the Exchange Bank now stands, the crowd would form in line in the street, and march past the delivery window, where Hon. Amos Steck, now Judge of Arapahoe County, would hand out the mail. As usual, the Post Office Department was slow to recognize the necessity for mail ser- vice so far West, and it was some time ere a post office was located in Denver.
Schools and churches were established in both cities about this time, and flourished despite the wickedness by which they were surrounded. Revs. George W. Fisher and Jacob Adriance, with Father Kohler, were the first ministers ; Prof. Goldrick the first school teacher.
No sketch of Deover would be complete with- out mention of this amiable, accomplished, but rather erratic gentleman, who is still, as he has long been, one of the best-known citizens of Den- ver, and editor of the Herald. Mr. Goldrick is an educated Irishman, a graduate of a leading Irish University. Like most of his warm-hearted but impulsive countrymen, he is an " irrepressi- ble," and accepts the smiles or frowns of fortune with supreme indifference, equally content whether he smokes his "dhudeen " or 50-eent cigars. It is said that he " whacked " a bull-team across the Plains, and entered Denver faultlessly attired in a
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
suit of black, with a shining silk hat on his head, around which his ox-whip circled as it descended upon the backs of his bovine chargers. He him- self admits that he landed in Denver with 50 cents in his pocket, half of which he invested in a cigar, and the rest in " Taos lightning," after which he walked up the street with an air so lordly that people looked at him as though he had just bought the town, and would take possession as soon as the papers were made ont. In point of fact, however, with all his peculiarities of style and manner, Prof. Goldrick has been and is to-day a valuable member of the community, and enjoys the warm- est friendship of the pioneer element.
On November 7, 1859, the first Legislature of the provisional Territory of Jefferson met in Den- ver, and during its session considerable business was done, most of which amounted to nothing, as
the country still belonged to Kansas, and was rep- resented in the Kansas Legislature by Capt. Rich- ard Sopris The political history of the Territory being given elsewhere, it will be unnecessary now to enter into details of the doings of this Legisla- ture at this or the subsequent session in January, 1860.
Building was continued with little interruption throughout the winter, and a better class of build- ings, including some brick stores and residences, were added to the frame houses and log cabins hitherto mentioned. Maj. D. C. Oakes, of Den- ver, brought in the second steam saw-mill, and located it up Cherry Creek, in the nearest pine- ries. From this time forward, Inmber and brick were plentiful enough to supply the demands of builders, and Denver especially began to assume the air of a metropolitan city.
CHAPTER IV.
THE CITY OF DENVER IN 1860-LOT JUMPING. ETC.
A MONG the acts of the provisional Legisla- ture was one granting a charter to the city of Denver, and, under it, a city government was organized by the election of John C. Moore as Mayor, December 19, 1859. This, however, did not prevent occasional outbreaks of lawlessness, and an affair, which threatened serious results, marked the closing days of January, 1860. This was the claim-jumpers' war. Some enterprising citizens "jumped " a portion of the town site, and the resulting conflict between them and the town company came near ending in bloodshed ; but the better class of law-abiding citizens interfered and arranged a compromise of the difficulty. Col. Dick Whitsitt, Secretary of the town company, had a rifle leveled at his head during the contro- versy, but was saved by the interference of friends. Maj. R. B. Bradford was shot at three times, at short range, by a party named Parkinson ; but the latter was a poor marksman, and missed every
time. Disgusted with his bad aim, Parkinson retired from the field, and the Major went about his business as if nothing bad happened.
While the Denverites were settling the town site question, the denizens of Auraria were ridding themselves of certain obnoxious characters who had been making free with the property of others. The thieves and their friends offered a show of fight, parading the streets heavily armed and occa- sionally firing a shot at some peaceable citizen. They were driven out of town, however, and peace was soon restored. Had a few of them been hung, it might have been better for the city, for its effect on those who remained behind.
It was about this time that the famous attack on the News office occurred. A desperado, known as Charley Harrison, shot an inoffensive negro, and the News, in condemning the act, added some very severe strictures upon the sporting fraternity, particularly the "Criterion gang," as it was then
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
known. This greatly incensed both Harrison and his gang, and they threatened to "clean out" the News office. Mr. Byers, the editor, was threat- ened with assassination, and was actually seized at one time, with the evident determination, on the part of the roughs, to murder him, but he was finally released. Then the News force was armed to resist attack, and a volunteer guard of citizens, armed with rifles, remained at the office each night for some time. One of the rifles in use during this "guard mounting," remains in the editorial room to this day, as a reminiscence of the stirring events of that time. Finally, one of the roughs, named Steele, primed himself with fighting whisky, mounted a horse, and rode past the office, dis- charging two shots into it as he passed. The shots were returned. The firing aroused the citizens, who turned out en masse to capture the would-be assassin. Steele was shot dead, and preparations were made to move on the rest of the gang, when they suddenly decamped. One of them, named Wood, was captured and tried by the people's court, but his participation in the acts of violence was not clearly proven, and he was per- mitted to leave the country, which he did without any loss of time. An interesting sequel to this story is told to the effeet that Harrison and sev- eral more of the same gang who attacked the News office, were killed during the war under peenliar circumstances, and in a horrible manner. In 1863, it will be remembered, seeret agents were sent from Richmond all over the West and Northwest to inaugurate a new rebellion, their mission being to organize the "Knights of the Golden Circle." It appears that Harrison was selected to operate in Colorado, but he never reached the scene of his labors. In crossing Kansas with his party, he encountered a troop of wild Osage Indians who were seonting for the Government, with a view to cheeking guerrilla raids into that portion of the country. The Indians were not very particular to inquire into the character of their game before killing it, and so opened on Harrison and his men on sight, killing
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