USA > Colorado > Arapahoe County > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 24
USA > Colorado > Denver County > Denver > History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado > Part 24
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the entire party, and bringing their heads into camp as ghastly trophies. Papers found on the bodies of the dead men established the fact that, although traveling peaceably through a peaceful country, their mission was one of evil and their death deserved.
It is amusing to hear the old employes of the News tell about the experiences of that eventful period. The editors wrote with their rifles beside them and revolvers cumbering the desk, while each compositor and others employed had a rifle in easy reach, and generally laid his hand affee- tionately upon it whenever the door opened. The item gatherers went about with a body guard, and always took the middle of the street. The lamented A. D. Richardson, then employed on the paper, describes all these events at length in his excellent book entitled " Beyond the Mississippi."
About this time, the number of buildings in Denver began to give it a symmetrical shape, so that the eye could understand the general ontlines of the survey of the town plat. The streets, which were eighty feet wide, were laid out " across the compass," or diagonally with the cardinal points of the instrument, running northeast and southwest, with cross streets at right-angles. All the northwest and southeast thoroughfares gave full views of Long's Peak in the distance, and, in the winter, the view was particularly fine. The blocks were large, having each thirty-two lots, 25x125. The streets were originally lettered from southwest to northeast, but this lettering subse- quently gave way to numbers, by which means F street became Fifteenth, G Sixteenth, etc. Cherry Creek, although a dividing line in the rural dis- triets, was never so regarded by Denver and Au- raria until after the flood of 1864, and no line was ever established between the two cities, pre- vions to that time. Streets and lots were laid out in the dry bed of the stream by both towns, and a splendid crop of lawsnits was springing up when the flood came and washed them away, together with all the improvements that had been made in the bed of the stream. Many of the
C. P. Mundial
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citizens of Denver still hold the fee sim. le of Cherry Creek lots for which they paid big money in early days, but which are valueless now, unless a wild scheme for turning the channel of the creck cau be successfully accomplished.
In 1860, and for some years thereafter, Blake street was the business thoroughfare of the city. Holladay street was then known as McGaa street, taking the name of William McGaa, alias Jack Jones, an early settler. The old News office was located on McGaa street, in the middle of Cherry Creek, standing on low piles, which raised it just high enough to be in the way of the big flood. Larimer street and Lawrence were but little im- proved, and that mainly along the banks of the creek. The town company's office was located on Lawrence strect, however, and the famous " Cri- terion " saloon, headgearters for the thieves and gamblers, stood away out on Larimer street, above Sixteenth, near the present First National Bank building. The Broadwell House was completed during the year, on the corner of Larimer and Six- teenth, and became the aristocratic hotel of the city, remaining so for many years, though the old Planter's House, opposite the present American, was also a favorite hostelrie. Arapahoe street, in 1860, would have been a howling wilderness if it had not been on the open prairie, with hardly a tree or bush in sight.
In March of 1860 occurred the second and last duel ever fought in Denver, the parties being Hon. L. W. Bliss, Secretary of the Territory under the provisional government, and Dr. J. S. Stone, a member of the Legislative Assembly. The prominence of the parties gave unusual inter- est to this affair. It does not appear that the language of Bliss, at which Stone took offense, was sufficient. provocation for the challenge ; but the times were troublous, and political feeling ran high. Dr. Stone was Judge of the Miners' Court in Gregory Gulch, an independent judicial organ- ization, which made its own laws and enforced them with commendable celerity, if not severity. The Territorial officers were jealous of this
encroachment upon their judiciary powers, and some remarks of Bliss, at a banquet in the Broad well House, were resented by Dr. Stone as personal to himself, the result being a challenge. Cherry Creek having had the honor of being selected as the scene of the first dnel, the Platte was chosen for the second, and the meeting occurred at a point just opposite Denver. The weapons were shot- guns, loaded with ball ; distance, thirty paces, and Dr. Stone fell, mortally wounded, at the first fire, Bliss escaping unhurt. Although Stone's wounds were eventually fatal, he lingered, in great agony, nearly five months after the duel, which occurred March 7, 1860.
Six days afterward, and before the excitement attending the duel had subsided, Judge Lynch was called upon to settle with Moses Young for the unprovoked and vindictive murder of William West. Young was hung the next day, on the spot where the murder had been committed. Those who were present at the trial and execution, affirm that both were conducted in as orderly and quiet a manner as if all the cumbrous forms of law had been observed. Even a chaplain was provided, Father Kehler attending the doomed man in his last moments. Strictly speaking, these " people's courts " were not vigilance committees, but regularly constituted tribunals, in which both sides of the case were fully and impartially heard. If the prisoner at the bar had a good defense, he could and did escape, whereas vigilantes often hang a man first and inquire into his guilt afterward.
Denver was a " wooden town," and the danger of fire was great. The whole city might have been consumed at any time. Auraria narrowly escaped destruction by fire March 18, 1860, when a large new livery stable, belonging to Sumner & Dorsett, and valued, with its contents, at $18,000, was entirely consumed. This was the first fire in the new settlement.
The next event of public interest, outside of the usual routine of affrays, was a movement to unite the two cities under one government. Cherry Creek had been bridged here and there,
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and buildings were being erected on piles in the bed of the stream, so that the two towns were already practically united. The movement origi- nated in Auraria, where a mass meeting of citizens resolved tbat the two cities ought to be one, and consented that Auraria be called the West Divis- ion of Denver. The question was voted upon April 3, and carried by a majority of over one hundred votes. On the evening of the Thursday following, a moonlight ratification meeting was beld on the Larimer street bridge, where a jolly good time was had, apparently by the consolidated population. Mr. A. Jacobs, the well-known clothier, who is still in business here, was Secre- tary of the meeting. Judge N. G. Wyatt pre- sided. Gen. Larimer was a prominent speaker, and, on his motion, the meeting adjourned with three hearty cheers for the city of Denver. The pioneers were already convinced that their village had a bright future before it. There had been dark days and gloomy nights in the new camp, in spite of its bustling activity ; for the constant stream of new-comers hardly ever found things to suit them, and the discoveries of gold prior to the Gregory find were not definite enough nor suffi- ciently extensive to establish the character of the camp. The sands of Cherry Creek did not con- tain gold in paying quantities, and many immi- grants did not take the trouble to look further for the precious mineral. Then the surface of the country was so barren that few believed it could be cultivated, and foresaw starvation if they stopped longer than their provisions would last. All such hurried back home, of course, and ear- ried away with them the most doleful tales of the " Pike's Peak " country. As already stated, noth- ing but Horace Greeley's indersement of the country could have saved it from temporary aban- donment.
May, 1860, was marked by the advent of the first daily newspaper, Thomas Gibson's Rocky Mountain Herald, which, during the summer, competed so strongly with the Daily News for the patronage of the public. These pioneer dailies
were creditable productions, although telegraphic news had to be brought a long distance by mail or courier. May also brought the bombastic " Col- orado Jewett," who soon made himself obnoxious by his great pretensions and positive worthlessness. Col. Chivington, then a Methodist minister, arrived about the same time, and soon became very popular, being emphatically a Western man, and well suited to Western people generally. His subsequent career belongs to another portion of this history. Clark, Gruber & Co. founded the Denver mint, as a private institution, in May, 1860, occupying the same ground now used by the Gov- ernment. The original proprietors found it profit- able, at that early day, to not only refine but to coin gold and silver, whereas now, when Colorado produces millions upon millions of bullion ore, usually the Government mint sends it East and South for coinage.
The month of May was also marked by immense immigration, the arrivals numbering nearly one thousand daily, together with supplies of all kinds, and mills for treating ores. The city grew apace throughout May and June, but the latter month passed without any exciting incidents. The Fourth of July, however, was celebrated in fine style, with artillery salute, procession, the inevitable toasts and speeches, a flag presentation, and danc- ing to crown the day's enjoyment. The flag, an elegant silk banner, was prepared by the ladies and presented by the city, with instructions that it should be turned over to the State when organ- ized. It subsequently passed into the custody of Capt. Sopris for safe keeping, and, almost nineteen years later, in January of the present year, was tendered to Gov. Pitkin by Mayor Sopris. The Fourth of July exercises, of which this flag pre- sentation formed a part, were held in a grove at the foot of Sixteenth street, where the Colorado Central Depot now stands. Few who participated in the ceremonies suspected at that time that a busy, bustling railway station would be located under the shade of those same cottonwoods, in the near future.
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
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CHAPTER V.
DENVER IN 1861.
THE last half of 1860 was marked only by the continued improvement of Denver, and though very many of the new arrivals returned East to winter, almost all who had wintered here before decided that it was more comfortable in Denver than down East, and remained on the ground. On the 26th of January, 1861, at a local election, the city of Denver polled 1,291 votes, showing a probable population of 6,000 at the very least. Opinion is divided as to the cor- rectness of this estimate of population or the count of the vote. At any rate, it showed that East Denver had already outstripped its ancient rival, Auraria, in voting population.
Washington's birthday was celebrated patriot- ically by the people of Denver in 1861, very much as the preceding Fourth of July had been, except that the exercises took place in the street fronting the residence of Judge H. P. Bennet, afterward Delegate to Congress, aud still an honored citizen of Colorado. Four days later, Congress passed the bill organizing the Territory of Colorado, and another " rejoicing " stirred up the people of Den- ver, who hastily dropped the name of Jefferson Territory and took upon them their new title.
Just why the name " Colorado " was substituted in this bill for that of Jefferson has never yet been satisfactorily explained to the writer. Thomas Jefferson is named with reverence, as the second citizen of the republic, ranking next to Washing- ton himself in that respect. Politically, he was the superior of Washington. He was the father of civil liberty, as expressed in law, and Washing- ton was only his lieutenant in enforcing the im- mortal principles which Jefferson laid down, yet we study the atlas of our country in vain for any fitting recognition of the name of Thomas Jeffer- son. Not a State or Territory, nor even a princi- pal lake or city or river, is named after him.
Moreover, Colorado is a foreign word, with little or no significance, only meaning " colored," and therefore, having no especial application to this country. Then, the great river and canon of that name are at some distance to the west, and entirely out of the State, so that the nomenclature is likely to become confusing. Had it been called " Cor- onado," in honor of its first explorer, or Fremont, in honor of the Pathfinder, the fitness of things would have been better observed. But Colorado it is, and the name falls trippingly from the tongue, and looks well in print. Colorado let it be.
Of course, intense interest was felt in regard to the first Federal officers of the new Territory. Gilpin's selection as Governor was generally, though not universally, approved. He was known to be a firm friend of the country, but was con- sidered somewhat too enthusiastic, and a trifle visionary and prophetic. The matter-of-fact miners, delving in the rocks for gold and not always finding it, lacked the faith which enabled the new Governor to see everything through rose-colored spectacles, and his enormous command of language was rather overpowering. Life was too short and too busy, with the pioneers, for them to make out exactly what Gilpin was " getting through him," as they tersely expressed it. But Gilpin was all right. His head was full of ideas, but it was also full of brains.
Gov. Gilpin arrived in Denver May 29, 1861, and was warmly welcomed. His arrival was most opportune. The new camp was in a state of fever- ish excitement over the secession outbreak. The mass of Coloradoans were loyal to the Government, but there was a considerable secession element, and, unfortunately, it was largely composed of the worst men in Denver, backed up by a number of more respectable men of Southern birth, who
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openly sympathized with secession. A rebel flag was hoisted on the 24th of April, over Walling- ford & Murphy's store, on Larimer street, nearly opposite the present State offices. It was hard by the Criterion Saloon, and the thieves and gamblers who gathered about that famous den of iniquity declared that the flag should not be taken down.
Henry M. Teller, now senior Senator from Col- orado, and Hon. Bela M. Hughes, a stanch Dem- ocrat, but a strong Union man, had just arrived out by the overland coach. They found the city in a state of most intense excitement. The Union men were firmly resolved to maintain the integrity of Colorado, but they knew little of public senti- ment in the East, and were entirely ignorant of the strength of the secession movement. Teller was young and fiery, and his bold. passionate lan- guage stirred up the Union men to immediate action. Gen. Hughes coincided with Teller, and the wavering Democrats soon arrayed themselves on the side of the Union. A delegation, large enough to command respect, soon waited on the proprietors of the rebel flag, and gave them the choice of taking it down themselves or seeing it and the building come down together. It came down, and that was the end of the Colorado rebell- ion. The leaders of the movement went South, however, and organized the expedition for the cap- ture of Colorado, mentioned in another part of this work, particularly in the sketch of the First Colorado Regiment.
During the summer of 1861, Denver continued to grow rapidly, Larimer street especially being much improved by the crection of fine buildings, or what were considered fine in those days. The organization of the Territorial Government and the political parties marked the year and made the city lively. The Legislature met in Septem- ber, and continued in session several weeks. The Supreme Court of the Territory was organized. and among the list of attorneys admitted to prac- tice, figured the names of such eminent citizens as Judge Moses Hallet, Senator Henry M. Teller,
Judge Amos Steck, Gov. Gilpin and others. Even at that early day, the bar of Denver included some of the brightest intellects of the country, and it has ever since maintained its emi- nence.
The first Territorial Legislature granted a char- ter to the city of Denver, on the 7th day of November, 1861, which was the first regular incor- poration of the new town. It had been chartered by the provisional Legislature, but, like most of the acts of that body, the charter was not quite conclusive. There had also been an effort to secure a charter from the Legislature of Kansas. but that body had granted corporate powers to the St. Charles Town Company instead, and the Den- ver men had to buy out their rivals. This was in the fall of 1858. and the price paid for the whole of East Denver at that time would hardly buy a Jot in the suburbs to-day.
The original "city of Denver" embraced the following limits, as set out in the charter:
"Beginningon the northwest side of the Platte River, at that point where the northeastern por- tion of the northeast line of Denver town plat produced would touch the water-mark ; thence fol- lowing said line to the north corner of said town plat ; thence along the northeast line of said town plat to the east corner; thence along the southeast line of said town plat to the point where it inter- sects Cherry Creek ; thence up the center of said creek to the point where the southeasterly line of the Auraria town plat intersects it ; thence along said line produced to high-water mark on the northwest bank of the South Platte River; thence down said Platte River to the point where the most southwesterly line of the Ilighland town site produced would intersect it; thence along said produced line, following the line of said town plat with its angles, to the westerly corner of said town site ; thence along the northwesterly line of said town site to the northerly corner; thence along the most northeasterly line of the same, produced to high-water mark on the South Platte River; thence' up said river to the point of beginning,
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THE WINDSOR,
PATATINA
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
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shall be, and the same hereby is, declared to be "straight line, and splendidly shaded most of its within the limits of the city of Denver." length.
The town of Highland had been laid out some time previously, but its growth was slow, and it has not yet attained much importance, although it constitutes a pleasant suburb of Denver. High- land and North Denver are practically one and the same, both being situated on the high bluffs of the Platte River, opposite Denver. Very fine views of Denver and the mountains are obtained from these bluff's, and, in time, they will, no doubt, be covered with handsome villas, some of which may be seen already in that direction. A famous drive is the North Denver and Highland boule- card, a wide avenue, nearly five miles long, in a
C. A. Cook was the first Mayor under the new charter, and P. P. Wilcox, Police Magistrate. Cook was, for many years, a leading politician of the city and State. He died a few years since. Wilcox is, at present, United States Marshal for the District of Colorado, and is perhaps as well known as any man in Colorado, though few late-comers know how he acquired the title of " Squire," by which he is ahnost universally addressed. "Squire" Wileox was a terror to evil-doers during his term as a Magistrate, and the title he then took on still sticks to the worthy gentleman.
CHAPTER VI.
FROM 1862 TO THE FLOOD.
THE year 1862 was a comparatively uneventful | that additional coinage mints were not needed. T era in the history of Denver, except that Nevertheless, the last Congress ordered the old New Orleans Mint to be re-opened, and Colorado has been invited to ship her bullion to that point for coinage-an invitation she has taken care not to accept. Already the second bullion-producing State in the Union, and soon to be the first, Col- orado is entitled to coinage, especially as her mint has waited for nearly eighteen years for the appro- priation for that purpose, which ought to have been made long ago. improvements were numerous and of a good class, and the real-estate market was exceedingly active. April 16, Congress passed an act establishing a branch mint at Denver, but without any provision for coinage. It was to be conducted under the direction and supervision of the Philadelphia Mint, as a branch of that institution. Its officers were to be a Superintendent, an Assayer, a Melter and Refiner, and one Coiner, the last position being rendered superfluous, however, by the failure to make any appropriation for his branch of the mint service. Ever since that time, Colorado has been fighting for an appropriation to carry out the purposes of the original aet, but hitherto without avail. The opposi- tion has been for the most part captions, though sectionalism has had much to do with our repeated failures. St. Louis, Chicago, Omaha, Indianapo- lis, and half a dozen other cities. also wanted a coinage mint, and opposed our claims in the hope of advancing their own, while the Directors of the mint have based their resistance on the ground
The early summer of 1862 was also marked by the first change of Federal officials in the new Territory. Gov. John Evans succeeded Gilpin, and Secretary Elbert took Weld's portfolio. Gov. Evans arrived in Denver May 17, 1862, and See- retary Elbert a few days later. Gen. S. E. Browne succeeded W. L. Stoughton as Attorney General about the same time, and the eventful month of May also brought to Denver tidings of the pas- sage by Congress of the Pacific Railroad and Tel- egraph Bill, an announcement full of promise for the young but thrifty Rocky Mountain settlement.
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HISTORY OF DENVER.
The prospect of a railway connection East and West was hailed with unbounded delight by the people of Denver, not only for the mere conven- ience of transit but for its effect upon all the material interests of the young community. Travel across the Plains, by the slow stage-coach or lum- bering ox-train, was even less provoking than the effect of such transportation on the Denver mar- kets, which fluctuated with every change of weather, and often without any perceptible reason. The non-arrival of a goods train when it was expected, would put up prices, and when this train did arrive, prices would tumble below cost. An Indian scare would have the same effect. Some- times living was enormously high, and again it would be comparatively moderate; but no one could foretell or foresee the fluctuations of this market.
Fourth of July, 1862, passed without any pub- lic celebration, but the firemen of our present department may be interested to know that the first volunteer company in Denver was organized on the 15th of that month, consequently our excellent Fire Department was seventeen years old last July. On Sunday, July 14, 1862, Rt. Rev. Bishop Talbot, afterward, for many years, the beloved Bishop of this diocese. dedicated the new brick church of "St. John in the Wilderness," still standing and occupied by the same denomina- tion, though greatly enlarged and improved.
Colorado having been created a military dis- triet, a provost guard was mounted in September and the city of Denver was placed under martial law as far as the soldiers were eoneerned. Though the soldiers and citizens occasionally came in con- fliet, the provost guard rendered good service in keeping the city quiet and orderly.
The early spring of 1863 was marked in Den- ver by the departure of the Colorado troops for the theater of war in Missouri, where they did good service, as appears elsewhere. Judge Amos Steck was elected Mayor of the city, in which position, as in every other, he acquitted himself with credit, and the city grew apace, until checked
momentarily by the most disastrous and extensive fire that has yet marked its history.
This notable and disastrous event in the history of Denver, occurred on the morning of April 19, 1863. The fire was discovered in the rear of the Cherokee House, then standing on the lot now occupied by the Fillmore Block, corner of Blake and Fifteenth streets. At that time, this was the very heart of the business portion of the city. The alarm was given between the hours of 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning, at the time when most of the citizens were soundly sleeping, and some of them knew nothing of the great confla- gration until awaking several hours after the calamity was complete. The flames spread with lightning-like rapidity. In less than two hours, the center of the city was a blackened waste, from Wazee to Holladay streets, and from Cherry Creek to Sixteenth, except a few fire-proof buildings.
The flames leaped Fifteenth street very soon after starting, and attacked W. S. Cheesman's drug store on the east corner, as well as the Ull- man Block, where the Exchange Bank and Wolfe Londoner's store now stand. Brendlinger's store, which then occupied its present location, soon fol- lowed suit, except a warehouse in the rear, which was saved by a southerly wind, but the wind only served to fan and force the flames in other direc- tions, and, at one time, the whole city seemed doomed to destruction. Before the town was fairly aroused, the fire was beyond all possible control, and the people turned their attention to saving goods from imperiled buildings. The sands of Cherry Creek were soon covered with heaps of goods from stores and the household paraphernalia of residences. The worst feature of the affair was the demoralization of those who were attempting to fight the fire; but the fire department was then in its infancy, and was all untrained in the peril- ous and important duty to which its services were dedicated, nor were its appliances and convenien- ces complete. Such a conflagration would soon be checked to-day by our excellent department ; but there was a vast difference in those days.
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