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TALKS

COLORADO PIONEERS

BY

ALICE POLK HILL.

DENVER;
PIERSON & GARDNER,
1884.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1884, by
ALICE POLK HILL,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

JUDGE WILBUR F. STONE,
GENERAL BELA M. HUGHES,
HON. ALVA ADAMS,
AND
GENERAL FRANK HALL,
Who have taken a prominent and active interest in the material pro
gress of Colorado, and by many little acts of kindness
have given an impetus to my efforts,
THIS BOOK IS INSCRIBED,
WITH EVERY SENTIMENT OF ESTEEM AND REGARD.

PREFACE.

Sept, 13, 1883, Colorado completed the first quarter cen
tury of its wonderful history — the Nation's youngest child ;
and very large and frisky for her age.
The barnacles held a reunion on that occasion, and it
occurred to me while at the banquet, and listening to the
toasts, that incidents in the lives of the brave people who
"First spied the country out, and pioneered the way,"
Might make an interesting book, and now was the time to
do the work, when the stories could be gathered from the
lips of those who had taken part in the " First Act," over
which the curtain had just dropped.
Scholarly iconoclasts have annihilated William Tell
and his apple by showing that no mention of them was
made in Switzerland 'till about two centuries after Tell's
. supposed time. The story of Romulus, Remus and the
wolf, that so charmed us in our impressible and sympa
thetic years, is now a fable.
> I solemnly avow that the tales herein related are —
" told as they were told to me ! "
If I have succeeded in reviving some pleasant recollec
tion for the " old timer," beguiling the weary traveler or
interesting the general reader, my aspirations have, in a
measure, been reached. If I have betrayed confidence or
told anything that I ought not to have told — I will gra
ciously accept all apologies.
THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

. • CHAPTER I.
Gold — Argonauts of '59— The Dutchman who was Hanged— Au
raria — St. Charles — Cottonwood Trees  17
CHAPTER II.
A Retrospect — Coronado — The Name Colorado — The Purchase
from France — Capt. Zebulon Pike — Climbing the Big Moun- '
tain — The Mistake in Distance — Politeness of Pike and
Pursley — Land-Grabbing— Fighting the Indians with How
itzers — Col. Long — Fremont — Discovery of Gold  20
CHAPTER III.
Denver in '59 — After Dinner Politeness — Newspaper Window
Shades  24
CHAPTER IV.
Stampeders — D. C. Oakes Buried in Effigy — If He had Only
Thought — The Sorrowing Pilgrim — Rogues Patches .... 27
CHAPTER V.
Salting a Mine for Horace Greeley — Young Man, Go West — An
Expensive Shave  ,  29
CHAPTER VI.
Stories Heard at a Pioneer Dinner — The Wind Wagon — The
Wreck — The First Issue of the Rocky Mountain, News . . 32
CHAPTER VII.
The Odd Fellows' Lodge— Wolfe Made an Odd Fellow— Riding
the Goat— The , Foot Race  .... 37

O TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
CHAPTER VIII.
A Tale of Horror — An Exciting Coach Ride  41
CHAPTER IX.
Reminiscence of a Freighter — He Dined on Beans — They did not
Wait to Attend the Funeral — Nick-names — Attacked by In
dians — We had a Pass  44
CHAPTER X.
A Bloody Duel— Great Excitement— A Fight it Must Be—
Stone's Death  50
CHAPTER XI.
The Attack on the News Office — Carl Wood Banished .... 54
CHAPTER XII.
The Killing of Gantz by Gordon — Gordon's Capture— The Trial
at Leavenworth — A Violent Mob — The Trial in Denver by
the People's Court — The Hanging  57
CHAPTER XIII.
The People's Court — A Startling Divorce Case  61
CHAPTER XIV.
Uniting Denver and Auraria — An Odd Place of Worship — St.
John's Church in the Wilderness  63
CHAPTER XV.
The Territory of Colorado — Receiving the Governor — Colorado
Loyal— An Incident Cited by Judge W. F. Stone— The First
Victory in the War for the Union  65
CHAPTER XVI.
Half of Denver Destroyed by Fire — The Great Flood — The
Bath Tub — Viewing the New Topography  69

> CONTENTS. 9
CHAPTER XVII.
Indians on the War Path — A Drive for Life — Bravery of Lee
Ayres — The Escort to Denver  71
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Great Indian Scare of '64 — The Dry Goods Box Rose up
— A 'Guard Placed 'Round the City — How the Scare Origi
nated — She Shoots a Stump — The Marriage in a Fort ... 79
CHAPTER XIX.
The Reign of Terror Along the Platte — Capturing Spotted
Horse  85
CHAPTER XX.
Mounting the Third Regiment — Battle of Sand Creek — Col.
Chivington's Speech  87
CHAPTER XXI.
The Cost of Provision — Irrigation in Its Infancy— Hired Help —
The Coming of the Railroads  92
CHAPTER XXII.
We go to the Mountains — Argo— Conversation with a Ranch
man—Golden—He Won the Race— George West's Duel . . 94
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Changes of Time— Black Hawk— The Bobtail— The Pros
pector from the Emerald Isle— The "Switch Back"— Hal.'s
Coasting Story  .101
CHAPTER XXIV.
Central— The Stepping Stones for President Grant— A Lynching. 106
CHAPTER XXV.
Sunday Excursions — Fourth of July  in

10 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Bonanza Tunnel — A Ghost Story — Buying Specimens . . 115
CHAPTER XXVII.
A Lunch at the Junction — The Ride through Clear Creek Canon
— Idaho — A Party who had been to Chicago Lakes .... 117
CHAPTER XXVIII. "
Colorado's Pioneer Bishop— His great Work— His Death ... 121
CHAPTER XXIX.
Georgetown — Green Lake — Expensive Fish — Don't be Afraid —
The Expert's Story  126
CHAPTER XXX.
Gray's Peak— The Tip-top View— Legend of the Mount of the
Holy Cross — The Storm  129
CHAPTER XXXI.
Return to Denver — Meet the Mining Expert again — Many a good
Mine Spoilt by Working it — Georgetown a great Place to get
a Pocket full of Rocks — The Old Man of the Mountains . . 133
CHAPTER XXXIL
Touring in Colorado — Greeley — No Whisky Saloons  137
CHAPTER XXXIII.
The Massacre   139
CHAPTER XXXIV.
The Six Days' Siege  ....  144
CHAPTER XXXV.
The Rescue by General Adams   147

CONTENTS. 11
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Boulder— Novel Divorce Case— Building the First School House
—The First Coal Oil Lamp  155
CHAPTER XXXVII.
The South Park Road— The Mining and Industrial Exposition-
Circle Railway— Rogue's Burying Ground— The Old Stage
Coach — Platte Canon — Miraculous Fish Story — Meeting an
Old Acquaintance  . . 158
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Platte Canon — The First Families of Denver — In the Observa
tion Car — Robbing the Stage in '64  166
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Como — Naming Fairplay — Legend of Fairplay — A Church Ded
ication — Anecdotes of Father Dyer — His Experience in Car
rying the Mail  171
CHAPTER XL.
Take the Cars for Breckenridge — The Attractive Corpse — How
Gold was Discovered in Breckenridge — The sudden change
in Temperature  180
CHAPTER XLI.
Breckenridge— A Sad Narrative — Judge Silverthorn — A Heart's
Secret — The Beggar  182
CHAPTER XLII.
A Ramble over the Mountains — The Old Man and his Young
• Wife — Duel with Hatchets — A Duel that was not a Duel —
The Presentiment   187
CHAPTER XLIII.
The Stage Ride— The Cow Boy— A Pathetic Story— A Fire in
the Mountains   193

12 TALES OE THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
CHAPTER XLIV.
Early Mining in the San Juan Country — The Experience of Hon.
Charlie Hall — A Pioneer taken for a Tenderfoot . . . 200

CHAPTER XLV.
Leadville — Chapin Bought the Turkeys — The Men who Discov
ered the Carbonate Belt  206

CHAPTER XLVI.
Twin Lakes — A Learned Lawyer — One at a Time — Backing up
a Minister — Running the Gauntlet  209
CHAPTER XL VII.
The Pioneer Life of Mrs. Augusta Tabor  218
CHAPTER XLVIII.
The Editors take a Vacation — How one got into Trouble — Start
ing a Western Paper  229
CHAPTER XLIX.
Grand Scenery — Anecdotes of the Bench and Bar — The Angry
Mexican  236
CHAPTER L.
A Latin Phrase Explained — Buying a Wedding Ring — Furnish
ing a Character — The Eloquent Lawyer — She was Permitted
to Leave the Stand — In Contempt — The Orthodox Attorney 245
CHAPTER LI.
Gunnison — The Gunnison Bank  252
CHAPTER LII.
The Hon. Richard Irwin at a Party — The Surprise— A Queer
Courtship — Lo, the poor Indian  . . 254

/ / / CONTENTS. 13
CHAPTER LIII.
A Western Funeral, as told by Mr. Charles Shackleford .... 259
CHAPTER LIV.
Scenery along the Arkansas — Royal Gorge — Canon City — A
Visit to Gov. Rudd  262
CHAPTER LV.
Canon Twice Settled — Religious Trouble — A Marriage by the
Justice  ... 269
CHAPTER LVI.
The Hunt  274
CHAPTER LVII.
Pueblo— Bessemer — The State Insane Asylum — The old Tree —
Fort Pueblo  278
CHAPTER LVIII.
A Good Trade— Juan Chiquito's Lookout  281
CHAPTER LIX.
Dick Turpin— A Resurrection— The Face at the Window 286
CHAPTER LX.
Thomas T. Tobin— The Espinosas— The Capture ... . . 290
CHAPTER LXI.
The Lover's Leap— The Poem  .293
CHAPTER LXII.
Alfred Packer— The Cloud— Arrival of the Mail— The Worn
Traveler— His Story — The Friend Perishing by the Wayside
—Relief— Arrival of Packer  295
CHAPTER LXIII.
The Confession  3°i

14 TALES OE THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
CHAPTER LXIV.
Colorado Springs — The Artistic Choir — The Suspicious Old
Lady — "He has got Religion" — Manitou — Catching the Mule 307
CHAPTER LXV.
A Camping Party— The Stalled Team— "One Soft Foot"— "It's
a Bear" — Bugs — Mosquitoes — The Deserted Town — The
Candy-pulling — The Sunrise . .  312
CHAPTER LXVI.
Jimmy's Camp — Jim Baker — Landmarks Knocked Away — The
Names of Rivers — The Pioneers' Pride  316

Perchance the living still may look
Into the pages of this book,
And see the days of long ago
Floating and fleeting to and fro,
As in the well-remembered brook
They saw the inverted landscape gleam,
Ana their own faces like a dream
Look up upon them from below. — Longfellow.

" Who so shall telle a tale after a man,
He moste reherse, as neighe as ever he can,
Everich word, if it be in his charge.
All speke he never so rudely and so large ;
Or elles he moste tellen his tale untrewe,
Or flenen things, or finden words newe." — Chawer.

Tales of the Colorado Piomers.

CHAPTER I.

GOLD.

A large proportion of the explorers, adventurers, pil
grims, prospectors and colonial "tramps" that, since the
days of Noah, have marched away to establish settlements
elsewhere, have been driven to it by some unpleasantness
at home.
Colorado was to some extent an outgrowth of the great
financial crash of 1857. Time-honored houses had reeled,
tottered and gone down in the overwhelming business
convulsion of that period, and men were ready for any
venture which gave even faint promise of rebuilding
their ruined fortunes, when Green Russell, a Georgian,
returned from Pike's Peak, bearing "tidings of great joy."
He had found gold.
The Old Testament, from Genesis to Malachi, makes
frequent mention of gold and silver. Abraham "was
¦very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." Solomon, the
great king of the Hebrews, had portions of his temple
"overlaid with gold." The followers of Moses made a
golden calf and worshipped it. Even before the recital
of the creation of woman, the existence of gold is men
tioned. Genesis 2 : 12 reads: "And the gold of that land
was good ;" but we are not told who discovered it. How
ever, all peoples in all ages have found it to be a good
2

18 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
thing to have in the house. It's the fulcrum that moves
the world; it buys everything, even a husband or wife.
"When Green Russell exhibited his buckskin bag of
shining dust to the men who had lost their all, it caused
a wild, indiscriminate rush to the new Eldorado, embrac
ing good, bad and indifferent ; the educated and illiterate ;
the merchant, the speculator, the mechanic, the farmer,
the gambler, some of every kind — a sort of human mo
saic, marshalled under a banner which bore the forceful
if inelegant legend, " Pike's Peak or Bust."
A journey from the Missouri river in those days occu
pied from six to seven weeks. Wagons christened "prairie
schooners," drawn by the contemplative ox and the pa
tient mule, supplemented by the " foot and walker line,"
were the only means of transportation. Pullman sleep
ers were unknown. There were no settlements on the
way, no opportunity to procure supplies for man or beast,
save at the occasional stations of Ben HoUaday's overland
stage line to California. It was genuine courage that
prompted the pioneers to such a journey in the face of.
approaching winter, for the plains, covered with snow
and infested with hostile Indians and wild beasts, like the
Clashing Islands that closed after the Argo and her crew
of heroes, would cut them off from any communication
with home or friends for months — years, perhaps; they
knew not how long. It was by the help of Medea, who
was found at the end of the road, that Jason captured the
golden fleece. A few of the Argonauts of '59, thinking
"a bird in the hand worth two in the bush," took their
helpmeets with them. They were not painted society
belles or light-brained coquettes, but women of good prac
tical sense and moral and physical strength. They had

GOLD.

19

WOOD CARVING.

no time or worsted to waste in
making deformed cats and dogs;
but their husbands' garments were
models of "crazy patchwork," and
they practiced "wood carving"
twice a day, at the morning and
evening camp-fires.
There were no "Mother Hub
bard " gowns in those days.
" Picture," said Judge Stone, in
his address to the Barnacles, "a
pioneer woman in a ' Mother Hub
bard ' gown, sailing around a win
dy camp-fire, or climbing in and out of the hind end of a
prairie schooner ! No ; our pioneer women had no such
'loose habits.'"
Unfeigned joy filled the hearts of the weary and travel-
worn pilgrims when, with eager, wistful gaze they des
cried in the distance the everlasting watch-towers of the
continent, that marked the gold fields they were seeking.
They pitched their tents under the cottonwood trees on
the west side of Cherry creek, near its junction with the
Platte, about twelve miles from the base of the Rocky
mountains, and called the settlement Auraria— after an
unimportant mining town in Georgia — with the belief,
that in the mountains they would soon make their "pile"
and return to their homes to live forever afterwards in
affluence. For not one of the many thousands who came
cherished a thought of building a permanent home here.
~ Apropos is the story of the Dutchman who was hanged
for stealing. (Hanging was the punishment for all dev
iltry in those days.) Before adjusting the noose he was

20 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
asked what he had to say for himself. With a quavering
voice he said, " I come out mit de spring to stay mit de
summer and go back mit de fall, but now I tink I vill
stay all de vile." He was duly planted, and warranted
to remain as a "permanent settler."
The same winter the town of St. Charles was located
on the east bank of Cherry creek. It was afterwards
called Denver, in honor of Governor Denver, of Kansas,
this part of the Territory being at that time within the
boundaries of Kansas.
Those cottonwood trees became a focus for the converg
ing rays of immigration, and the foundation for the
" Queen City of the Plains" was laid without knowing it.
Therefore it may be said, Denver was not premeditated —
it just happened. And now that it is " flourishing like a
green bay tree," the pioneers love to sit under its wide-
spreading branches and tell how it was planted and grew
— talk over the days that " tried men's souls," and laugh
over the customs that were new.
Many of the tales told are more like the "Arabian
Nights" stories than matter-of-fact history, as will appear
in the course of our narratives.

CHAPTER II.
A RETROSPECT.
Colorado had no distinctive position on the maps at
that time, although the country had been explored as
early as 1540 by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, who
was sent out by the Spanish Viceroy of Mexico to glean
information respecting the northern possessions claimed

A RETROSPECT. 21
by that sovereign. Tradition tells us that he went in
search of the seven cities of Cibolla, that were supposed
to be situated in a peaceful, luxurious sort of " Happy
Valley of Rassalas," enclosed by huge mountains of solid
gold. History, however, gives no record of his having
discovered the key to the suspected treasure vaults.
The name Colorado has been by some mistakenly sup
posed to be a corruption of Coronado; but, on the con
trary, it is a common Spanish word, from the verb colorar,
to color, usually to color red, and means colored red, ruddy.
It is a name frequently applied to rivers, mountains and
localities in Spanish America, where the prevalence of
red rocks and soil constitutes a characteristic physical
feature of many portions of the country.
This portion of our continent was a sealed book for
nearly three centuries after Coronado ; and was generally
designated the Great American Desert. In 1803 the
United States purchased from France the immense terri
tory known as Louisiana, the price being fifteen millions
of dollars^ — one of the largest real estate transactions on
record. In 1806, Captain Zebulon Pike was sent with a party
of Government explorers to ascertain the resources of
this new acquisition. They camped where Pueblo now
stands. On the day of their arrival the Captain and a
few of his company started out with the idea of scaling
the Big Mountain, as they called it, and returning the
same evening. When night closed around them they
found themselves at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain, and
the next day toiled to the top of it. On reaching the
summit, the Big Mountain appeared to-be as far away as
when they first began. The enterprise resulted in igno-

22 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
minious defeat. They returned to their camp almost
famished, and with their feet frozen; thereby, possibly,
adding to the vernacular of the West the term " tender
foot." Their mistake in the distance, caused by the rarified
atmosphere, probably originated the story of the two
men who started to walk to the mountains from Denver
before breakfast. After tramping what seemed to them
an unconscionable distance, one suggested to the other to
proceed slowly, while he returned to Denver for a carriage.
When overtaken by the friend, in the carriage, the pedes
trian was sitting on the bank of a clear running brook,
scarcely more than a step in breadth, deliberately taking
off his clothes. On being asked why he did not step
across, he replied: "I've got the dead-wood on this thing
now; you don't catch me making a fool of myself by try
ing to straddle this stream. It looks but a step, but it
may be a mile for all I know; so I shall just take off my
clothes and prepare for swimming."
Every one who has ever heard of Colorado or set foot
in it tells that story.
But to return to Pike. He did not take to himself the
credit of being the first explorer of Western Louisiana,
but accords the honor to one James Pursley, of Bards
town, Ky. Pursley, with amazing generosity, credits it
to Pike. The politeness of these gentlemen is without a
parallel in history. Had they known the importance the
country was destined to assume, half a century later, it
would, no doubt, have taken coffee and pistols to decide
the question of precedence.
Pike subsequently indulged quite heavily in a kind of
appropriation peculiar to the West, called "land-grab
bing." He crossed the Sangre de Cristo Range into the

A RETROSPECT.

23

San Luis Valley, and built a fort on the Rio Grande del
Norte, claiming the land in the name of the United States,
for which he was taken prisoner by the Spanish soldiers,
but afterwards released. It is
said he was the first to fight
the Indians with howitzers
strapped on the backs of don
keys. When the fire was
touched to them and the pow
der began to fizz, the donkeys
whirled 'round and 'round
like a mammoth Japanese pin
wheel, while the men hugged
mother earth so closely as to
i^." leave a deep imprint of their
forms, which can be seen to
this day, by the aid of a dou
ble, back-action microscope of
extraordinary power. This
is supposed to be true, be
cause you can generally tell where one has been lying.
And then the ebbing wave of time threw a mist over
the country for fourteen years more. In 1820, Col. Long
was sent out to explore. He discovered Long's Peak,
which was named for him. At least this is the historical
supposition, but a Colorado barnacle tells me that this
peak is so called "because it takes long to climb it."
The curtain went down, and was rung up again in
1843, when General John C. Fremont passed through on
his way to the Pacific. Soon after the great migration to
California commenced, and Colorado became the gateway
to the land of gold, her own treasure still sleeping, to
startle the continent when its morning should come.

PIKE'S CANNON.

24 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
In 1858, gold was discovered near the present site of
Denver, and with the discovery began the first chapter in
the historv of Colorado.

CHAPTER III.
DENVER IN '59.
From records and statistics of the past twenty-five years,
and conversations with the pioneers, I gathered the fol
lowing stories :
In 1859, immigration rolled into the country with al
most unexampled rapidity. Stretching far out over the
plains, was an apparently interminable procession of white-
topped wagons, moving, it seemed, at a snail's pace, many
bearing the inscription, "Lightning Express," "Pike's
Peak or Bust," "Root Hog or Die," "From Pike County
to Pike's Peak," etc. Strange vehicles of all sorts crawled
on the trail to the golden shrine. One pushed a wheel
barrow laden with supplies, and, it is said, took a boarder
to help defray expenses. Another packed an ox with
tools and provisions, and when weary and foot-sore from
walking, swung himself to the creature's tail as an aid to
locomotion. Many made the journey in pairs, with hand
carts, alternately pushing and riding.
Denver seemed a second Babel. The arrival of teams,
the loud cracking of whips, shouting of voices, and the
sound of the builder's hammer, made "confusion worse
confounded " of tongues and matter. Dwellings and bus
iness blocks — shanties — rose with marvelous rapidity.

DENVER IN '59. 25
The prevailing style has been graphically pictured by
the pioneer poet, Greenleaf :
" Inspect we this, built 'fifty-eight,' by one of bluest blood ;
The logs are all square-hewn, and chinked and plastered o'er with
mud;
The roof of poles, o'erspread with brush and what you'd call dirt-
shingles ;
Its chimney square — stones, sticks and mud artistically mingles.
The earth had been well hardened down to constitute a floor ;
They hadn't got to windows yet — 'twas lighted from the door.
'Twas furnished in Auraria style, and that the very best,
Comprising four three-legged stools, a table and a chest;
The dishes — the prevailing style — were tin ; when meals were o'er
What cared he for hot water? 'twas a step beside the door,
To scoop of dirt a handful, and to pluck a wisp of grass,
Some skillful passes, lo ! each plate would shame a looking-glass !
That's how he washed the dishes ; next he seized each knife and fork,
And found the ground a substitute for rotten-stone and cork.
When, late at night, he stretched himself on skins of buffaloes,
No couch of down held tenant yet who suffered such repose ! "
Entertainments of various kinds were given, and,
though in primitive style, were thoroughly enjoyed. Mr.
Fred. Salomon's dinners, as related, "took the shine off
of everything." He was considered the most punctil
iously polite man in the settlement, a reputation fairly
won and well preserved, as the following story will attest.
His was a bachelor's home, with a bona fide ground floor,
and furnished with pine table and three-legged . stools.
On one occasion he gave a dinner to his lady friends, and
it was a meal that would have delighted the most fastid
ious epicure.
After the repast, the ladies, thinking it time to take
their leave, requested Mr. Salomon to bring their wraps.
Instead of protesting against the brevity of their stay, he
instantly complied with their request, saying, "Certainly,

26 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ladies, certainly ; I will with the greastest of pleasure."
When the force of his speech dawned upon him he hast-.
ened to apologize, at the same time nervously searching
for his handkerchief to mop his perspiring brow. It was
long before he heard the last of his after-dinner politeness.
I remember hearing him say that the bachelors of '59
used newspapers for window shades, and as soon as one
became a Benedict, the papers were replaced by curtains.
If that is the rule to-day, Mr. Salomon still has newspa
per window shades.
"There are stranger things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy,"
and Fred, may yet retire behind the curtains before his
hair is entirely gray — before he comes to dye.
Clothes will wear out, and the pantaloons that were
made to do in a pinch were marvels to those who had
not become accustomed to the ways and means of the far
West. "Oft were their breeches with old flour sacks mended,
In which more truth than poetry was blended."
Buckskin was the fashionable material for all new suits.
They were whanged together with leather strings by the
miners themselves. Mrs. Crull, then a tailoress, had fol
lowed the tide of emigration, with the hope of earning
her bread at the trade, found her occupation gone, and
turned her shingle to read :
* 
j DAY BOARD.
: MEALS AT ALL HOURS.

CHAPTER IV. .

STAMPEDERS.

Many of the new arrivals were mere surface deposits,
having come with Utopian ideas in regard to the wealth
of the country, expecting to find great nuggets of yellow
metal lying around loose, and streams burdened with
liquid silver. These romantic fortune-seekers soon re
turned East, anathematizing the country and declaring
Pike's Peak to be an unmitigated swindle, and under the
inscription, "Pike's Peak or Bust," was written, in larger,
blacker letters, "Busted, by Thunder." The plains for
six hundred miles were the theatre of a restless, surging
wave of humanity. D. C. Oakes had published a pam
phlet, describing and lauding the country. It was the
means of inducing many to emigrate. He had returned
to the States, and was on his way back with a saw-mill,
when he met the stampeders. They said he had "sworn
deceitfully" — in other words, had told outrageous false
hoods, which they spelled with three letters, and they
threatened to hang him and burn his mill. He met them
bravely, by stating the fact of his having invested every
dollar he was worth in that mill, which ought to be proof
conclusive of his faith in the country. They gave him
his life, but had the satisfaction of pelting him with exe
crating epithets. A little farther on he came to a new-
made grave, and on the headstone, which was the storm-,
polished shoulderblade of a buffalo, was written the fol
lowing epitaph :
" Here lies the body of D. C. Oakes,
Killed for aiding the Pike's Peak hoax."
27

28 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Mr. Oakes has not yet crossed the range, but still lives
to tell of being buried in effigy, and says he felt rather
shaky, for " let a "bear robbed of her whelps meet a man,
rather than a fool in his folly ; " and they are certainly
convinced by this time that they were, to put it mildly,
egregiously mistaken.
One of these returning pilgrims, a wag in his way, in
formed his friends at home that nothing but unpardon
able ignorance stood in the way of his making a fortune
in those days. If he had only given the subject a thought
he would have known, of course, that domestic animals
are always scarce in .new countries ; but he did not think,
and it was another and a wiser man who was foresighted
enough to bring hither a cat which he had taught to fol
low him. The cat easily sold for five dollars, and then it
followed its master and was sold again and again, as the
story goes. The returned pilgrim always insisted that if
he had brought out a load of cats in his emigrant wagon,
he would have made his fortune. He also told a story of
one of their party who turned back. He was a man of
family, and what is commonly termed a "great home
body," but he had a thirst for wealth, and he, too, started
for the new Eldorado. It was not long before he became
very homesick, and one day when they arrived in their
wagon at a town on the outskirts of civilization, where it
was hoped letters from home would be found awaiting
them, finding none, the poor man withdrew to a secluded
spot and "lifted up his voice and wept," so loudly that
his companions at a distance heard, and hearing, were
filled with great alarm. It sounded to them like the
voice of some terrible monster of the plains. One of
the party, gifted with more bravery than the rest, sug-

SALTING A MINE. 29
gested that it might be a buffalo calf; whereupon they
traced the noise to its source, to the relief of all concerned,
except the mourner himself. By common consent, the
afflicted man was granted permission to leave the organ
ization. "He stood not upon the order of going," but
went at once, and remains at home to the present day, a
very contented being, with no desire ever again to roam
to the " far ends of the earth."
The army of "go-backs" grew greater than the advanc
ing host, and they did many a tale unfold,' declaring
there was not a thimbleful of gold in the country ; it was
all a delusion and a snare. They warned the brave and
bold who pushed forward to beware of the man who had
buckskin patches on his pants ; he was a thief, a liar and
a villain ; he was here, there and everywhere, like the
Scriptural adversary, "seeking whom he might devour."
Forewarned is forearmed, and the pilgrims harassed their
minds devising how they would avoid this scoundrel of
the Rockies. "Lo and behold," said my informer, "upon
our arrival every man in the mountains wore the con
founded rogues' patches."

CHAPTER V.
SALTING A MINE FOR HORACE GREELEY.
In May, 1859, a lone prospector pushed his way into
the mountains and made a trail to the now famous Cen
tral City region, which until then" had "slumbered like a
sleeping child." "And gold he found in ample store,
But not the solid form it wore ;
'Twas in the rock, where sweat and toil
Must delve it from its mother soil."

30 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Gregory Gulch was the name given to the new find.
It continues to be a great treasure-house of precious met
als. This discovery gave the country another boom.
Horace Greeley, of the New York Tribune, had been
making a trip through California and Nevada, and was
on his return to the States when he heard of the gold
strike in Colorado. He determined to feast his eyes on
some of the "paltry stuff " that was creating such a furor
throughout the land.
When he arrived in Denver he was received with all
the honor that the infant city could command. He said
he didn't intent to be deceived in this matter, that seeing
was believing, and he wanted to wash out some of the
dirt himself. So the men put their heads together to see
how they could "come it " over the old gentleman. They
themselves were satisfied as to the richness of Gregory
Gulch, it was no intention to deceive, but Solomon says
" there is a time for all things," and they wanted a "good
one" on Horace Greeley. So they sent a message to the
camp that Horace was coming, and to salt a mine.
The boys took down an old shotgun and fired gold dust
into a hole for all it was worth.
Bright and early the next morning a spanking team
was rigged up, and the distinguished gentleman started
for the gulch, accompanied by some of the most plaus
ible, entertaining and versatile talkers of the country.
They escorted him over the diggings, related all the
interesting events in the history of its discovery, showed
him specimens of the dirt and the pure gold that had
been washed out. Mr. Greeley's soul was in arms, and,
eager for the task, he called for a shovel and pan, rolled
up his sleeves, and went down into the pit. They gave

SALTING A MINE. 31
him all the necessary instructions as to the process of
panning, and looked on with palpitating anxiety.
Mr. Greeley was an apt scholar, and put his dirt
through like an adept in the art. It panned out big. All
the bottom of the pan was covered with bright gold par
ticles. They slapped him on the shoulders in regular
Western style, and told him to try it again — which he
did — with the same success. Then he gathered up his
gold dust in a bag, and said:
'.' Gentlemen, I have worked with my own hands and
seen with my own eyes, and the news of your rich dis
covery shall go all over the-world, as far as my paper can
waft it."
Mr. Greeley left, believing he had made a thorough
test. As soon as he reached New York he devoted a
whole side of the Tribune to an ecstatic description of the
camp, headed with large, glaring type, such as " bill-stick
ers" use. The report was read all over the country, and
caused a great rush to the land of promise. Those who
had the fever took a relapse, and they had it bad. It was
a raging epidemic, and spread faster than the cholera in
Egypt. He shouted into the ears of the over-crowded East un
til the welkin rang, " Young man, go West ! " It was his
glowing articles and earnest advice about "going West"
that caused the first great boom in Colorado. The hon
est old man went down to his grave ignorant of the joke
that was played upon him.
Count Murat, a barber, who, in honor of his royal
blood, was dubbed " knight of the strop and razor," also
figured conspicuously in the editorial correspondence of
the Tribune. While in Denver Mr. Greeley sat under the

32 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
graceful manipulations of this tonsorial artist. The
Comnt, feeling he would be distinguished by a notice from
the great journalist, and also wishing to impress him
with the liberal product of the gold fields, and the corres
ponding ability of the people to throw away money, ac
complished it by charging the famous editor two dollars
for a single shave. It is said that ever after Mr. Greeley
regarded barbers with suspicion and aversion, and ceased
to patronize them.

CHAPTER VI.
A PIONEER DINNER.
Finding my interest in the old timers, a friend, whom
I shall call Hal., anxious to assist me in acquiring infor
mation, invited me to a pioneer dinner. After the feast
the following stories of the early days were told:
THE WIND WAGON.
" It was the happiest day of my life," said Captain Cut
ler, "when I took my seat in the 'prairie schooner,' bound
for the New West. A world of care rolled from my
shoulders. Sheriffs, constables, and bailiffs were left be
hind, and I could commence life on a new page. My
sentiments were similar to the immortal Byron's :
"'With thee, my ox, I'll slowly go,
* * * * *
Nor care what land thou bear'st me to,
So not again to mine.'
" It was somewhere about the middle of August. The
delicate blue of the sky was unblemished by a cloud, and
the weather was superb. I had become wonderfully fas-

THE WIND WAGON. 33
cinated with the comprehensiveness of the country that
lay stretching in airy undulations far away like a billowy
ocean that nature, in a capricious freak, had caught and
held with immovable firmness. It seemed to me that
nothing could be so grand, so romantic.
"One clear, crisp morning we were, as usual, up with
the sun and moving along at a quick gait for ox teams.
Lulled into peace and good-will towards all mankind, by
the soothing, cradle-like motion of our wagon springs, I
threw my head back for a day-dream.
"The flow of my fancy was soon interrupted by a
member of our party calling out:
" ' Hello ! the moon is giving the sun a hot race this
morning. Look ; yonder she comes, just above the hori
zon.' " 'Give us a rest,' said another, in a sort of raillery; 'you
must have been drinking something that's turned your
head. Say, where do you keep your jug?'
"But the cast-iron earnestness on the features of the
alarmist caused us to crane our necks and look — and then
we looked at each other, each one seeming to doubt his
own sanity. For we saw something rising upon the hor
izon that certainly looked like the moon; but, knowing it
to be the wrong place for that luminary at that time, our
minds were soon disabused of the supposition.
" It began to assume a greater proportion, and moved
rapidly in our direction! We stopped our wagon to view
the phenomenon, and conjecture as to the character of
the bird, beast or created thing that was coming toward
us. " 'A cyclone,' one suggested.
"Another said, 'a mirage.'
3

34

TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

"Another thought it was a sailing puff of dust.
'"I have it,' said old Neptune Holman, who had been
to sea ; 'it's a ship turned loose on the prairie, begad.'
"'It's too many for me,' said the driver; 'I give it up.'
" Indeed it was an apparition to us, to all intents and
purposes ; a thing of enchantment and awful mystery.
I am not sure but some of the boys were a little scared.
I didn't more than half like it, myself. The suspense
was not long. x " As it gracefully
approached us we saw
that it was what was
called in those days
a "wind wagon" — a
wagon fitted^out with
sails and rudder like
a ship. Our party
had never seen a
wind wagon before,
though some of us
had heard of them,
and the beautiful floating thing just took our hearts
along with our optics. There was a fine breeze, and it
moved along with the swiftness of a locomotive. The
sails were full set, and one man, whom we recognized as
W. N. Byers, sat at the rudder, while G. M. Chilcott,
David H. Moffat, Jerome B. Chaffee and George M. Pull
man occupied chairs inside and were engaged in a game
of cards. They puffed their cigars with an air of aban
don, ease and comfort. As they passed, they raised their
hats and mingled their voices in the negro song:
" ' If we get there before you do,
We'll tell 'em you are coming too ; '

THE WIND WAGON.

THE WIND WAGON. 35
" Following it up with, 'Go it, boys, we admire your pluck.
Going to Pike's Peak? There's gold there; perhaps you
will get some. Ta-ta. See you later. Au revoir.'
"And the strange white-winged thing whirled away so
rapidly that it seemed to vanish in mid-air.
"Their hilarity oppressed me, and had a general depress
ing effect upon our whole party.
"'Think they are making themselves very facetious
over nothing at all,' said Tom.
'"I can't see the fun,' said Bob Hudgins.
" ' Perhaps it is the effect of the light air,' suggested
Bill Wilson.
"Our spirits went down more and more. Conversation
stumbled and blundered, and at last came to a dead stop,
except now and then a rugged word thrown out at the
toiling ox. We were all put out; that was plain to be
seen. The dust was deeper, the oxen slower and the sun
hotter than it had ever been before, and the melancholy
desert seemed to have no end. All the world was run
ning away from us. Would there be any gold left at
Pike's Peak when we should get there? Or would the
fellows in the sail wagon get it all? Envy was gnawing
at our heartstrings. But we went on in our slow way,
reproaching our unlucky stars in severe language.
" The next morning we were in a more tranquil state of
mind, and had not gone far before we came to a sudden
and unexpected halt. Our way was blockaded — in short,
our high-flyers were wrecked. It was such a wholly un
looked-for disaster that I was completely nonplussed.
That they might come to grief, I had never taken into
account at all. It seems their wagon was no good except
on level ground and smooth roads. They had ttnderta-

36 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ken to cross a ravine, which was their ruin. The wheels
struck, the bottom, the sails snapped off, and the card
players and cigar smokers of the day before were sitting
on the bank in deep dejection. The aspect of things had
changed. "We took the men and their plunder (which was the
office material of the Rocky Mountain News) on board, and
all of us came on together to look for gold.
" Now, that is a thoroughly characteristic story of the
early days," said the Captain, complacently.
"Is it all true?"
"Certainly; don't you believe it? Why, that is how it
came about that J. L. Merrick got in ahead and issued
the Cherry Creek Pioneer twenty minutes before the Rocky
Mountain News. Byers & Co. bought the office of the
Pioneer, and its publication was suspended. The News,
under its capable and hopeful editor, held its own through
evil and good report. It is still flourishing, and may
justly be considered the pioneer paper of the State. It
worked faithfully to build up the country, for which it
was cursed by the malcontents, who gave the editor the
reputation of being the biggest liar in the West. Now
that his prophecies have all been fulfilled, Mr. Byers can
exultingly say, ' I told you so.' "
" You started on that journey in August, 1859, and the
Rocky Mountain News was issued on the 28th of April,
the same year. How — — "
"Oh, you ought not to be so particular about a little
thing like that. Exactness in names and dates often
spoils a good story."

CHAPTER VII.

THE ODD FELLOWS LODGE.

"I can tell you an all-fired funny thing," said Mr.
George Clark, his face cheery with smiles, as if inwardly
enjoying the story he was about to relate. " The first Odd
Fellows lodge was established in Denver December 24th,
1860. There was a scarcity of members at the beginning,
and two of them went out recruiting. They wanted men
who would work for the glory of the cause, who had
plenty of. money, and disposed to be liberal with it. So
they tackled Wolfe Londoner. They knew him to be a
leader in all the societies to which he attached himself,
and what was better stilh it never hurt him to strike his
pocket-book. At first he refused, but they finally over-
persuaded him.
"The lodge was located over a grocery store approached
only by an outside flight of rickety stairs. The land
ing was sheltered with rough boards. This became the
resting place of a loud-smelling goat owned by one John
Martin, who kept a livery stable, and because of the of-
fensiveness of the creature it was often ordered away in a
forcible and energetic manner. The grocery man. also
scented out the hiding place of the vagrant animal and
pelted him away. Living, as it were, between two fires,
the goat was constantly on the alert and ready to jump
and run at the least indication of hostile approach.
"At the next meeting of the lodge two of the faithful
and earnest workers buttonholed Wolfe. They said they
would soon make him an officer; that -he would look
37

38 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
handsomer than General Tom Thumb in the uniform of
the order; that he could pay his dues and attend the
meeting only when he chose. Which Wolfe thought
was letting him off lightly, for he was not the man to
shirk the payment of dues or fines, still he felt a little
nervous about climbing the slippery pole and riding the
goat. However, he reflected :
" ' I can but perish if I go,
I am resolved to try,
For if I stay away I know — '
" The persistency of these fellows will make life a bur
den to me.
" So, with an exultant member on each side, he directed
his steps to the lodge. They laughed and chatted gaily
to keep his courage up for the initiation ceremonies. As
they approached the stairway the goat, evidently think
ing it ,his old enemy, the groceryman, went down the
stairs with a plunge as if just expelled from a cannon,
taking the center man on his back. Wolfe .'caught on,'
so to speak, and waving his hand said:
" ' By Chaos ! this is gallant sport,
A league at every breath ;
Methinks if e'er I have to die,
I'll ride this rate to death.'
"The two guides grew pale and looked unutterable
things at the fleeing quadruped as he dashed up one
street, down another, darting around corners and shoot
ing through alleys.
" Soon a crowd of small boys, that would have done
honor to a circus parade, followed in the wake, but
Wolfe kept strongly in the lead. When they reached a
corner occupied by a large drug store, the goat, dazed by

The odd fellows lodge. 39
the light, made too short a turn and went right through
the show window, pitching Wolfe by a double summer
sault amid the wreck of matter and the crash of glass.
"When the clerk asked 'why all this celebration,' he
said 'it's in honor of my being made an Odd Fellow. s It
was worse than Gilpin's race. I would prefer taking my
initiation in installments if it was not so odorous.' The
goat walked off looking dejected and forlorn. Wolfe
paid the damages, purchased some liniment and a bottle
of rose water, and made for home in double-quick time to
wash up, for the air was redolent of him. He entered by
the back way, sent his suit to the steam dyers, his linen
to the laundry, and deliberated seriously about dropping
himself in the cistern for a quiet bath.
" After much scrubbing and fumigation he was again
presentable; but his clothes were a total loss, for the
steam dyer thought he must have caught some contagi
ous disease, and so made a burnt offering of his suit ;
while the laundry was converted for a time into an un
dertaking establishment and had a burying in the back
yard. " Next morning when the earnest workers came pok
ing around, he assumed an air of offended dignity and
said he had been made a victim of a base conspiracy.
He folded his arms on the back of a chair and rested his
chin on them after the style of Raphael's cherubs, and
asked —
" ' Where do you fellows expect to go when you die ? '
"Now," said Mr. Clark, "that will break the monotony
of your book and make it vastly more entertaining."
"For freshest wits I know will soon be wearie
Of any book, how grave so e'er it be,
Except it have odd matter, strange and merrie,
Well sauc'd with lies and glared all with glee.'"

40 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
A FOOT RACE.
"That brings to my mind a foot race," said Mr. Rich
ardson, "that came off between Kendrick and Adams in
the early days of Denver, though I don't know that it
will bear comparison, for it's all truth and no poetry; but
at any rate you shall have it. I was ranching at that
time on Bear creek, and had a neighbor who claimed to
be an M. D. He was the dude of those days and took to
himself the airs and privileges of the species. His favor
ite apparel was a black cloth suit, white vest, in the but
tonhole of which was looped a massive gold chain; his
shirt front was always immaculate, and his cravat as
white as a clergyman's. His boots reflected like a mir
ror, and he wore his plug hat tipped to one side like the
leaning tower of Pisa.
" One of his peculiarities was the Partingtonian use of
big words. He was standing one day quietly contem
plating his cabin, and said it looked well enough on the
exterior -but he was not at all pleased with the intestinal
arrangements. "The Doctor became deeply interested in the aforesaid
foot race. He claimed that Adams was his intimate
friend ; he had known him before coming West, and whis
pered to me as a profound secret that they were going to
throw the race in Adams' favor — 'it was a dead open and
shut, Adams himself was the informer.'
"The Doctor immediately set about betting his effects
— even his watch and chain, finger rings and stove-pipe
hat," and seemed to look forward with contented ecstacy
to an opulent pile ready for use.
"When the competitors went upon the ground, the
gamblers had gotton wind that Kendricks intended to

A TALE OF HORROR. 41
allow Adams to win the race. They surrounded Kend
ricks with drawn revolvers and told him to win or die.
It was a race for life then, and he moved his legs with a
concentrated and desperate energy. The result was, all
who bet on Adams lost.
"The next time I saw the Doctor he was sitting on a
bench in front of his cabin, spoiled of his jewels, stirring
butter in a tin cup with a spoon. He said, 'I'll be tetot-
ally cosmographied if that foot-race wasn't a hyperbolical
swindle.' "

CHAPTER VIII.
A TALE OF HORROR.
"I was in the first coach of the Leavenworth and
Pike's Peak Express Company," said Mr. Barney. "It
arrived in Denver on the 7th of May, 1859. The supply
wagons were sent on ahead, locating the stations, and
every twenty -five miles they would drop a tent, a stove,
and a cook. At that season of the year the twilight is
short, so when we drew up at this station for supper it
was quite dark. When I entered the tent I saw the most
soul-sickening sight that my eyes ever rested upon, and
the flickering light of the candle added intensity to the
horror. At first I thought it was a 'spirit from the vasty
deep' — a ghost or hobgoblin from the great unknown.
I felt sick — it is real weakening to feel one's self in the
presence of the — departed — no, the returned dead.
"The poor'man, from starvation, was reduced to a liv
ing skeleton. Rip Van Winkle jhimself could not have
looked more ghastly.
" He was in the last stages'of exhaustion when an In
dian found him and brought him to the tent. After he

42 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
was refreshed with food and stimulants he told his sick
ening story.
" Three brothers set out from Illinois in a one-horse cart
for the gold region. From Leavenworth they took the
Smoky Hill route. Guided by incorrect ideas of the dis
tance, they were poorly prepared for the hardships of the
journey, and their provisions gave out before they were
half way. They killed their horse for food and loaded
their cart with it, taking time about in the harness of the
slaughtered animal. It was tedious, and their strength
was rapidly going. When the last piece of flesh was
gone they sat down in despair to die, for they had wan
dered away from the trail in search of water, and had no
hope of being found by a human being. One sank faster
than the other, and when dying requested the surviving
brothers to live upon his flesh and try to get through.
He died, and they commenced their cannibalistic feast —
ate the body, and again saw starvation staring them in the
face. Another died, which furnished food to the remain
ing brother. He said he had even crushed the skull and
eaten the brains.
" Mr. Williams, conductor of the Express, after hearing
the story, had the Indian pilot him to the spot, where he
found the bones of the one who died last, and buried
them. " We took the miserable famished creature in the coach
to Denver. His body regained health and strength, but
his mind was gone. He remained always an imbecile.
The citizens of Denver made up a purse and sent him to
his friends in 'the States.'" "fired out."
" Speaking of coach rides," said another pioneer, "prob
ably the most exciting, for those engaged in it, occurred

"fired out." 43
in one of the 'down' coaches between Denver and Leav-'
enworth early in '60.
"Among the passengers were the late Louis F. Bartels,
of Denver, two brothers by the name of Boyd, and a
German. " We were camped at Alkali station with our freight
outfit. The coach drove in about 4 a. m., and stopped
for breakfast. We saw, from our camp, the passengers
alight, go in to their meal, and afterwards take their seats
in the coach and start off. When opposite our camp a
firing commenced in the coach. The passengers bound
ed out and prepared apparently for action against a foe
who was inside. The driver dismounted, opened the
coach door (which had been closed by the party inside)
and instantly received a slash in the face from a huge
knife. The passengers who had been ' fired out' returned
the compliment- with 'overpowering politeness,' and in a
few minutes all was over.
"They drew their victim from the coach, with sixteen
bullet holes in him, but yet alive. They then strapped
the body of their dead' friend on the top of the coach, and
after dressing the wounds that had been inflicted by the
desperate murderer, as best they could, the coach rolled
on for the East.
" The body of the dead man on top of the coach as it
pulled into Cottonwood Springs, caused the arrest of the
whole party, and developed the facts that after leaving
Alkali station the strange passenger suddenly drew a re
volver and shot the man Boyd immediately in front of
him in the face, killing him instantly. He then wounded
another before being seized by Mr. Bartels, who turned
the muzzle downwards, and the remaining shots went

44 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
through the bottom of the coach. When released, he
drew a large knife, and the frightened passengers got out
in tumultuous haste. Upon this statement they were al
lowed to proceed. The strange passenger died soon after
being thrown from the coach, and was buried by the side
of the road.
"It was learned subsequently that the man had lived
in Denver, and being suspected of cattle stealing was
ordered off by the vigilance committee. He took the
first coach for the East, and the probabilities are that his
fright unsettled his mind, and he had attacked what in
his delirium were his foes. His name was never learned,
and perhaps his friends in the East, or over in ' Fader-
land,' are still awaiting his return."

CHAPTER IX.
REMINISCENCE OF A FREIGHTER.
" Twenty odd years ago," said Mr. G., "supplies for all
the country west of the Missouri river were furnished by
wagon trains, and the Pawnees," Sioux and Cheyennes
were the lords of the public domain. In order to avoid
trouble with them, it was necessary for the freighters to
gratify their whims, and occasionally feed them when
they came about the camp, especially if in any considera
ble number. We often had to resort to 'ways that are
dark ' in order to get even with them. I was camping
once with my freight trains down on the old overland
route, and just about dark a band of Cheyennes, number
ing probably thirty oe forty, and headed by a venerable
dilapidated looking sub-chief, came trailing over the

REMINISCENCE OF A FREIGHTER. 45
country and pitched their tepees directly across the road
from us.
" The chief immediately called to pay his respects and
beg a little tobacco, as his ' teeth were very sick.'
" It being late to receive, we Were not again visited till
next morning about ten o'clock, when a large, fine buck
came over, very hungry, ' a good friend of the whites,'
and would like 'something to eat.' We cast around for
some .little delicacy for him in the way of bacon rinds,
wagon grease, etc. — but the larder was empty. We were
about to send him away unfed when one of the party
thought of a camp kettle containing about a gallon of
boiled beans that had soured before we could use them,
and which we had forgotten to throw away.
" He rustled around and set the spread for the innocent
and guileless child of the desert, and by signs and lingo,
earnestly cautioned him not to get away with all of them
as we intended to warm them over for dinner. The red
man had ears but heard not, and stolidly devoured those
beans with an appetite of an anaconda. Then offering
profuse thanks for the elegant repast, and wiping his
mouth on the skirt of his Prince Albert, he withdrew to
his tepee with the grace of a Chesterfield. After an hour
or sO we were aroused from our afternoon nap by a
thiindering rumpus. For a moment I was uncertain
where I was, and what the deuce was going on. There
was a terrible commotion at the Indian camp. The old
chief came rushing over and charged us with having
poisoned the bean-eater, and said he must have some
whisky at once to save his life. We p.rotested that he
was not poisoned, that he had been gluttonous and had
eaten a gallon of beans. We handed the old man the

46 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
bottle containing about a quart of 'valley tan' whisky,
and intimated that if he drank that all down, the beans
wouldn't get a chance to kill him. He looked at the bot
tle as if suspicious of its contents, and tipping it to his
lips, put himself outside of perhaps two-thirds of the
compound, and then pulled out for the sick bed of his
brother. "The howling increased, and with the screeching of
the squaws and barking of the dogs, produced a veritable
pandemonium. "When the twilight shadows were stealing over the
broad plains, Mr. Lo, who so shortly before ate at our ta
ble, a welcome guest, passed in his chips and went over
to the majority, a victim of the seductive sweetness of the
'Bostonian's pride.' We did not wait to attend the
funeral lest the infuriated Indians might wipe us out at
'one fell swoop/ like MacDuff 's chickens. So while they
were forgetful of all else save their dead brother, we
thought it prudent ' To fold our tents like the Arabs
And silently steal away,'
Leaving them alone with one good Indian."
"One story of a kind produces another," said Mr. M.,
"and as this gentleman has brought up the subject, I'll
' keep the stone rolling' by relating a reminiscence of my
own. In the early days on the plains, it was customary
for freighters to go by some nick-name; their most inti
mate acquaintances in many cases knew them only by
such names, and I doubt not many a poor fellow lost his
life there, whose real name was never known to his fron
tier acquaintances, and whose people advertised in vain
for news of his whereabouts. I was forced to think ser-

REMINISCENCE OF A FREIGHTER. 47
iously of this nonsensical habit in a fight we had with
the Indians at Big Springs, down on the Platte. I was
known to my associates as ' Yank Smith,' and if I had
fallen there my people would never have known what be
came of me. During the fight I vowed to myself that if
I came out of that alive I would reveal my real name.
When it was over I forgot all about it, and to this day
those old associates remember me as ' Yank Smith.'
" We were camped at Big Springs, resting our stock
after an all night's drive to get out of the reach of the
military post, having slipped by in the night. The order
of General Pope, then in command of the department, re
quired all trains to be composed of not less than forty
men, well armed, and to avoid being held to await others
toanake our crowd answer the 'regulation' size, we made
it a practice to steal by in the night when the guard was
having his dream of home, or his game of poker with the
landlord at the ranch hard by. The party was composed
of old White, his three sons, Dick Robinson and myself ;
Sim White was down at the river watering a mule, his
father, the two other sons and Dick Robinson were play
ing poker under the wagon. I was looking on. Sim
halloed to us that Indians were coming.
"Looking away to the bluffs, a mile to the south, we
saw them coming, and from the dust they made there
seemed to be at the very least a million of them, and
every Indian ten feet high. Old White looked out from
under the wagon and satisfied himself they were sure
enough after us.
"He turned his cards carefully face downwards, and
said to the boys, 'don't disturb that hand; we will have
it out after we get through with the redskins.'

48 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
"On they came; but the distance was great, we had
ample time to secure our animals by tying them to the
hubs of the wagons, and get our guns ready for action
before they were upon us. As they drew near we found
there were only thirteen. They tried the old dodge of
presenting the butt end of their guns, saying they wanted
to 'swap.' 'You'll get no swap here but lead, you 
thieves,' said Old White, and immediately opened the
fight by blazing away. The Indians at once fell back,
firing as they did so, and for two long hours they kept up
a running semi-circular fight, never still, and continually
firing, always lying on the opposite side of their horses
from us.
"We could do nothing but shoot at their horses, in
hopes of killing them and then killing the Indians when
dismounted ; but they kept on the go so that it was only
occasionally we could hit a pony.
"After a two hours fight, with no loss on either side,
Dick Robinson asked me for an old musket I had in the
wagon, which my mother had taken from one of John
Morgan's men while attempting to plunder the house
during his raid through Ohio.
" We had, during our trip over the plains, occasionally
taken that old gun down and rammed a charge of pistol
balls down, until we had about six inches of a load in it.
I advised him not to attempt to fire it, but he said he was
determined to kill that old chief. I gave it to him with
the admonition to shut his eyes and say his prayers before
pulling the trigger. But he fearlessly walked out towards
the old scoundrel, who also advanced, each eyeing the
other. " When about seventy-five yards apart, both raised their
guns at the same instant — and both fell.

REMINISCENCE OF A FREIGHTER. 49
" The chief's horse started off with a gallop, and the In
dian, being a very large man, broke the strap with which
he was tied on, and fell to the ground near where he was
shot. We saw the blood fly from Dick's face and the gun
bound away out of his hands, but he quickly jumped to
his feet, wiped his face, grabbed up the old musket and
ran as only a long-legged Missourian knows how to run,
for the corral. The musket had kicked, and the hammer
had torn away a ' chunk ' — as he said — of his cheek.
" Upon the fall of the chief, the Indians made a rush to
secure his body; but we kept up such a continuous fire
that they could not get near it safely. Dick then pro
posed that as he had killed him, if we would charge on
them and drive them back towards the south side of the
corral, he would go out and get his 'sealp.' This we did,
and Dick bounded out with an old butcher knife, and in
less than a minute he sat himself across old Lo, and we
could hear him tearing the scalp away. When the In
dians saw what he was doing they made a desperate
charge and drove us back, but not until Dick had secured
the prize from that Indian's head.
" The loss of the scalp of their chief seemed to be a
signal for retreat, for without any apparent order or sign
from any of them, the remainder rode rapidly off towards
the river, and disappeared among the hills.
" The trophy justly, belonged to Dick. He stretched it
and tacked it on the hoop of a keg, and from there to
Fort Morgan, despite our entreaties and protests that it
would certainly invite our destruction should we meet a
large war party, it floated from the mast of his 'prairie
schooner.' We were stopped of course at Fort Morgan by
the commanding officer, who, I believe, was a brother of
4

V V

50 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Phil. Sheridan, and directed to go into camp until a proper
number had collected to come within the order of the De
partment Commander. Dick suggested that as we had a
pass, pointing to the scalp floating over his wagon, we
ought to be permitted to proceed. The officer directed us
to move on, which we did with our colors flying, and for
tunately had no further molestation on the trip."
" Were there any duels in those days ?" I asked.

CHAPTER X.

A BLOODY DUEL.

" Yes, there was a bloody duel among the old-time ro
mances. I remember it as though it was yesterday," said
Judge Bennett.
" It was the 7th, not the ides of March, A. D. I860,
when there occurred a most sanguinary encounter or af
fair of 'honah,' between two citizens of the Territory.
Dr. Stone, Judge of the miners' court in the Mountain
City District, had been a member of the Legislative As
sembly. Hon. L. W. Bliss was Secretary, and at the time
acting Governor of the Territory.
" There was no woman in this case, but money, the
' root of all evil,' according to respectable authority, did
have something to do in the primeval cause of the quar
rel, and wine warmed up the blood and caused the latent
heat to escape.
" The affair grew out of some personal language used
by the former against the latter. As I remember it, Dr.
Stone had drawn his pay as a member of the Legislature
during the first and only session of that body that ever

A BLOODY DUEL. 51
met, which was in the fall of 1859. A Provisional Gov
ernment had been organized, with Jl. K. Steel at its head.
The Territory was then called Jefferson. The Dr^ after
having sold his pay warrants, publicly repudiated the
Territorial organization. This action, by a member of
the Legislature, was quite annoying to the other officers
of the Territory, and particularly so to the sensitive Sec
retary. "Bliss and Stone were together often; were jovial, free
hearted, fond of a joke and a drink, and up to this time
were the best of friends.
"On the evening before the 7th of March the Secretary,
Lou. Bliss, as he was familiarly called, had invited to his
private rooms at the hotel a dozen or more gentleman
friends, to break a few bottles of wine with him. While
they were making themselves merry with the attractive
host and the generous wine, Dr. Stone, who had come
down from Central that day, stepped into the room un
bidden and took his seat among the convivial party. The
call was inopportune, for the party had just been discuss
ing his repudiation of the Territorial organization.
"Shortly after Stone came in glasses were filled all
around and Bliss, rising, said : ' Here's to the man who
got his pay and then repudiated the government and left
his friends.' Dr. Stone understood the remark to be
aimed at him, as in fact it was. Fire shot from his eyes,
and without taking his wine, he and a friend who came
in with him immediately withdrew.
" The friend who had retired with Dr. Stone soon re
turned with a note bearing a challenge to mortal combat.
Bliss immediately accepted.
" Being the challenged party, according to the code he

52 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
had the choice of weapons, and chose double-barreled
shot-guns, loaded with ounce balls; distance, thirty paces;
time, afternoon of the next day.
"The place selected was on the bank of the Platte river
near Denver.
"There was no secrecy, for there was no law against
duelling, nor, for that matter, against any other form of
murder, except that in the absence of statutes the inhab
itants of the western border of the Great American Des
ert were 'a law unto themselves.'
" The town was full of excitement over the impending
duel. People conversed in whispers and exchanged
glances full of meaning. Some said Bliss would not
fight, that he was a Northern man and hadn't the nerve.
Others said Dr. Stone was from Harper's Ferry, and
would make Bliss fight or back squarely down. Others
again averred that Bliss would fight, and was sure to hit
his man ; that he was rehearsing for the combat, and was
a crack shot. He had at the 'word ' shot the figure of a
man at thirty paces distant full of holes, from the crown
of the head to the knees, hitting the figure every time
where he said he would.
"And so the gossip- went on, until the opinion became
general that Bliss' superior skill would brace him up for
the conflict.
" Not knowing the precise, hour, I watched to see the
crowd start, and then followed, thinking possibly I might
stop the fight by reasoning with the parties on the ground.
"When I reached the appointed place Dr. Stone had
just arrived in his carriage, accompanied .'by his seconds
and surgeon. Shortly after came Bliss, walking and car
rying his shot-gun carelessly on his1 shoulder. He was

A BLOODY DUEL. 53
'dressed in a dust-colored 'Raglan' coat, and impressed
me at the time as though he was, as near as might be,
following out his habit of bird hunting.
" He mingled in the crowd, talking and chatting with
his friends and acquaintances with as much apparent
ease and composure as though the occasion was but a
Christmas shooting match. Dr. Stone walked with his
surgeon apart from the crowd, looking pale and highly
wrought up.
" I began to counsel peace and compromise, but no one
seemed to think a peaceful settlement could be effected.
Some told me I had better keep still, or I might get hurt.
' They had come there to see a fight, and a fight it must
be.' So, thinking prudence the better part of valor, I
concluded to remain and witness, for the first time in my
life, a duel.
" In about twenty minutes after the parties reached the
place, the distance was measured off and guns loaded —
one barrel each. The toss-up for the word was won by
Stone's seconds. The belligerants were placed opposite,
with left side presented each to the other, guns down in
hand. The signal was — one — two — fire — stop. The firing
was to be done on or between the words fire and stop.
Either principal firing before the word fire, or after the
word stop, was, by the terms of the code, liable to be shot
down by the seconds of his antagonist.
"The principals being ready, the seconds in their respect
ive positions, each armed with a Colt's navy revolver,
cocked and in hand, the word was given in a loud clear
tone. When in quick, but due time, Stone fired first,
without raising his gun to his eye. Before the word stop
was uttered Bliss fired and Stone fell to the ground with

54 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
a heart-rending cry — 'Killed! 0, my God.' He was
pierced through the pelvis from hip to hip. Bliss, un
harmed,, except by the stain of murder on his soul, walked
away, his face pallid and distorted with misery — it hav
ing been his intention not to kill, but to inflict a slight
wound that would merely disable the doctor for a time.
" Stone was carried to his room and lingered for several
months, wasting to a skeleton long before he expired.
Bliss was never quite himself after the death of Stone,
and soon drifted away."
Thus ended the stories at the pioneer dinner.

CHAPTER XI.
THE ATTACK ON THE NEWS OFFICE.
In July, 1860, a series of murders were inaugurated by
the desperadoes who infested Denver during the spring
and summer. The News dealt vigorous blows against
them, and bravely condemned the killing of a negro
named Starks, by Charlie Harrison, one of the worst of
the outlaws. Harrison sought the editorial sanctum to
rehearse the whys and wherefores, claiming that he killed
Starks in self-defense, and exhibited his pistol covered
with hacks, which, he declared, were made by Starks'
bowie-knife in the struggle between them. The subject
was then dropped to the mutual satisfaction of the News
and Harrison.
Carl Wood, however, who delighted in bloodshed and
violence, and who exercised a sort of despotic influence
over his confederates, summoned them to his support, and
one morning suddenly appeared in the News office and
threatened to "clean it out." Approaching the senior

THE ATTACK ON THE NEWS OFFICE. 55
editor, Mr. Byers, he seized him by the collar and com
manded him to go at once to the Criterion saloon and
apologize to the proprietor, Harrison, for the offensive edi
torial. He emphasized this order by flourishing a large
navy revolver dangerously near the editor's head.
Wood was informed that the difficulty with Harrison
had been settled satisfactorily to all parties concerned,
and1 an apology at that time would not be in order.
The appearance of these armed desperadoes in the News
sanctum caused great uneasiness among the employees.
A few printers in the composing room were for showing
fight, but, unfortunately, they were not armed.
Mr. Byers stated his willingness to be escorted to the
Criterion saloon by the ruffians, and so went with them.
Wood walked close by his side, occasionally shoving his
Deringer under his nose, asking him how he liked the
smell of gunpowder, and playfully threatening to blow
his brains out "just for luck."
Arriving at the saloon Harrison corroborated the state
ments made at the office, that all was quiet between him
self and the editor, and urged that the matter be dropped.
While Wood and his friends were filling themselves with
liquor at the bar, Byers succeeded, by a ruse of Harri
son's, in escaping through the back door and returned to
his office, which, during his absence, had assumed the
appearance of a hastily improvised arsenal. The employ
ees, apprehensive of another visit from the desperadoes,
had armed themselves and prepared for a siege.
When the escape of the captive was made known,
Wood and his riotous friends, armed with double-barreled
shot-guns, mounted their horses and drew up for consul
tation at an unoccupied log house a few rods away from

56 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
the editor's office. They evidently realized the necessity
of being cautious.
To George Steele, who was full of drunken bravery,
was entrusted the honor of reconnoitering the enemy's
camp. He advanced to the steps of the building, and
peered long and earnestly, but could see nothing — all was
as still as the heart of the dead, yet at that very moment
he was covered with a dozen rifles from within. Stand
ing awhile as if debating in his own mind the course to
pursue, he returned to the log house, but soon appeared
with a pair of heavy dragoon revolvers strapped around
him. When in front of the building, he whipped out a
pistol and fired into the sanctum, but no one was wounded,
nor was there any response. He then put spurs to his
horse and sped like the wind over a condemned bridge
that reeled and rocked under the clattering hoofs of his
horse. Gaining the opposite bank, he rose in his stirrups
and turning, fired again, but the bullet passed through
the building without harm.
A signal was then given to the News men, when they
opened fire upon him from their windows. His coat was
completely riddled with buckshot, and he staggered in
his saddle, but did not fall. He rode rapidly to a brothel
where his mistress lived, informed her of his wounded
condition, and then dashed away to the Highland sub
urbs. A man by the name of Tom Pollock followed in
his wake, and shot him from his horse.
There were flying rumors, that Byers had been killed,
and in a few minutes the streets of Denver were filled
with armed men. Search being instituted for Carl Wood,
he was apprehended, just as he reached the door of his
cabin, and compelled to throw down his arms and sur
render.

THE HANGING OF GORDON. 57
The trial which ensued occupied three days. All
business was suspended, and Judge H. P. Bennett, always
a faithful and earnest advocate of the people's cause, did
great credit to himself on this occasion.
It was decided that Carl Wood should be banished
from the country on pain- of death if he returned. He
was provided with a fleet horse, led out on the prairie
and given the word "go," which he obeyed without any
unnecessary delay.

CHAPTER XII.
THE HANGING OF GORDON.
The damp morning newspaper so often brought tales
of blood, that a "man for breakfast" became a common
expression. The killing of Jacob Gantz by James Gordon in July,
1860, created the most intense excitement that ever agi
tated the public mind.
Gordon was subject to periodical sprees. On this occa
sion it is said he was crazy drunk. He entered a saloon,
and seeing Jacob Gantz seated on a keg in a corner, po
litely and pressingly urged him to take a drink. While
standing at the bar, Gordon lifted his glass, sneeringly
viewed Gantz from head to foot, threw the whisky in his
face, struck him with his pistol and shot him dead. In
the darkness he made his escape to Fort Lupton. The
Fort was surrounded by his pursuers for twenty-four
hours before he came out. At sundown the gate was
thrown open and Gordon, mounted on a fleet horse, and a
pistol in each hand, plunged through the crowd and dis
appeared in the gathering darkness.

58 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Weeks passed before he was heard of again. He wrote
a friend to sell some property and send the money to him
at Kansas City. The letter fell into the hands of W. H.
Middaugh, acting as the people's sheriff, and who under- -
took the dangerous mission of capturing him.
Taking the coach to Leavenworth, he intercepted Gor
don on the high prairies, within sight of the line of the
Indian Territory, whilst he was lying on the grass by the
side of the trail, holding his horse by the bridle and al
lowing it to feed. When Middaugh read the warrant for
his arrest, a death-like paleness covered his face and every
nerve seemed to tremble.
He was taken to Leavenworth, where a single half-
hour's trial was held, and, in mockery of justice, he was
acquitted, on the plea that the deed was committed out
side the jurisdiction of that place, notwithstanding the
long-asserted authority of Kansas to the contrary. A
violent mob gathered around the house, however, with
the avowed intention of hanging him. He placed him
self under the protection of the Mayor.
The wildest excitement prevailed. The seething, angry
crowd surged to and fro, and, as night came on, bonfires
were built, which threw their lurid light far out over a
scene at once weird and fearful.
Infuriated men armed with muskets, revolvers and
knives, were sending up the fierce demand : " Hang him !
Hang him ! "
Mayor McDowell expostulated with the rioters, and
made several speeches urging obedience to the law.
The ruling spirits at last agreed that Gordon should be
delivered to Middaugh. The scene that ensued was in
describable. The brave officers gathered around the pris-

THE HANGING OF GORDON. 59
oner. They were forced by the frenzied crowd into a
narrow, rocky glen. Several times a halter was thrown
around the neck of Gordon, and as quickly cut by an
officer. Darkness closed about them, and the howls and
oaths of the mob made a din that was fearful.
The prisoner begged to be hung, shot, anything to put
him out of his misery.
He was bruised and lacerated; every shred of clothing
torn from him ; nothing left upon his body but clanking
chains. Middaugh at length carried his prisoner through
the storm, and on the 28th of September they reached
Denver. Intense feeling began to manifest itself. The crowd
which met them soon adjourned to a grove to organize a
court, for they intended Gordon's trial to be in accordance
with law and justice. Judge H. P. Bennett, who sat
far off with his back to the crowd, was nominated as
prosecutor for the people, but he declined, saying the
the Judges appointed would control the jury. If they
would appoint a new set of Judges, he would prosecute.
The request was acceded to, and the Judge was chosen
for the prosecution with a deafening yell. He arose and
stated that it would require some time to collect his evi
dence, and requested the trial to be adjourned until the
next morning at nine o'clock. He urged the people to
let right be done, though the heavens fall. He said, "the
trifling of one of the highest tribunals in the land with
the life that is now in our hands, has turned the eyes of
tens of thousands in the States towards Denver, where no
law of the great American Union claims jurisdiction.
Let us temper justice with mercy, and let no mob or un
lawful attempt interfere with the ' People's Court.' " Even

60 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
after this ardent address, an attempt was made during
the night to rescue Gordon.
The next morning they entered upon the trial. ' Gor
don was allowed every advantage that could have been
accorded him by the highest and best regulated court in
the land. He was supported by able lawyers, who labored
faithfully in his behalf. The verdict, "guilty," was ren
dered by twelve of the most respectable and responsible
citizens of the country, and the sentence of death passed
by the court and endorsed by the assembled hundreds.
He was given time to make temporal and spiritual prep
aration for his unhappy end. Petitions were circulated
for a reprieve, but without success. If to be hanged was
inevitable, he wished no delay, for there was no reprieve
from his conscience.
From the depths of his misery thoughts came thick
and fast of his misspent life, of the alluring woman who
placed the red wine to his lips and led him to ruin — of
the life he had taken — of the horrible death before him —
of the hopes, prayers and tears of his gray-haired mother.
In the words of Byron's " Manfred,"
" Though thy slumbers may be deep,
Yet thy spirit shall not sleep ;
There are shades which will not vanish,
There are thoughts thou canst not banish ;
And to thee shall night deny
All the quiet of her sky."
On the following Saturday, October 6th, as the sun was
sinking behind mountains shrouded with mystic light,
Gordon was led to the gallows. Rev. Dr. Rankin, Sheriff
Middaugh and a few others, mounted the scaffold with
him. Prayer for the doomed was offered, during which

people's courts. 61
Gordon knelt and the vast assemblage stood with uncov
ered heads. At the close he said, in a faltering voice :
"Gentlemen, you who have been my friends and en
deavored to obtain a reprieve for me in the hope of secur
ing my banishment from the Territory, I thank you from
the bottom of my heart; I thank the ladies and gentle
men who have visited me during my confinement, and
been so good to me. Speak of me kindly to my mother.
Oh, if some good friend here would shoot me! But it is
all well — good-bye. Mr. Middaugh, remember to fix the
knot so it will break my neck as soon as possible. Oh,
God have mercy ! "
And thus ended the career of one who had many
friends — but the people were inflexible in administering
justice. Truly the "way of the transgressor" is hard, and
his sins will find him out.

CHAPTER XIII.
people's court.
Kansas failing to exercise judicial authority over the
region, the Solons of the place were called together in the
fall of '60 to draft a code of laws suitable to their needs ;
and organized a tribunal which they dignified with the
title of "People's Court." They elected a mayor, judges
and city council, levied and collected taxes, and perform
ed all the functions of a legally constituted city govern
ment. J. C. Moore was the first mayor. Major Downing
was the first judge. In looking over the archives I
found a record of very startling divorce case. A wife's
petition for divorce, and the husband's quit-claim deed
of her, of which the following is a true copy :

62 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

DIVORCE — JUDGE HOWARD'S QUIT-CLAIM DEED TO HIS WIFE.

In Court of Chancery,
Denver City,
fefferson Territory.

MARY E. HOWARD, ]
Plaintiff,
vs.
JOHN HOWARD,
Defendant. _
PETITION FOR DIVORCE.
To the Plaintiff in the above entitled action:
Whereas, having been citied through the press at Denver, to ap
pear before one Judge Downing, of the above entitled Court, to show
cause why your prayer to be divorced from me should not be
granted :
I, the defendant, hereby state (waiving my own oath in the prem
ises) that I don't know any such cause whatever, and, therefore, con
fess the corn. And said defendant, as Judge of the Canon City Dis
trict Court, enters a decree in your favor accordingly ; and in order to
relieve you of any embarrassment in the matter, I have executed and
send you herewith attached as part of this answer, a quit-claim deed
of all my right, title and interest whatever in you, leaving a blank to
be filled up by the name of the party  grantee, by whom you
may in future be claimed under squatter title. Hoping you will fully
appreciate my good feeling in the premises, I hereby attach the said
deed, as follows, to wit :
Know all men (and one woman) by these presents, That I, John
Howard, of Canon City, of the first part, do hereby give, grant, bar
gain, convey, and quit-claim, all my right, title and interest in and to
the following (un) real estate, to wit: The undivided whole of that
ancient estate known as Mary Howard, (the title to which I acquired
by discovery, occupancy, possession and use,) situated at present in
the town of Denver, Jefferson Territory, together with all the im
provements made and erected by me thereon, with all the rents,
profits, easements, enjoyments, long suffering and appurtenances
thereto in anywise appertaining, unto  of the second part, to have
and to hold unto the said  so long as he can keep her, without re
course upon the grantor or endorser.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this,
the 24th day of Jan., 1861.
[sealJ Signed, John Howard.
Signed in the presence of A. Rudd, clerk of District Court.
Per Wilbur F. Stone, Deputy.

CHAPTER XIV.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

Denver and Auraria were separated by Cherry Creek, at
that time a very insignificant stream, which had a flow
of water .in the spring, from ten to twenty feet wide and
about six inches deep. The "high water" continued two
or three months, after which it diminished to a silvery,
thread like current. The rise and fall of the stream was
considered of so little consequence that houses were built
close to the water's brink, and many in the channel itself.
Two flattened pine logs with a rough board railing, formed
a foot bridge from bank to bank, where Larimer street
now crosses. A flour barrel had been sunk at this point,
which supplied the citizens with water.
Rivalry between the towns ran high. Society was full
of "envy, hatred, malice and all uncharitableness." "Are
you a Denver man or an Aurarian ?" was the one absorb
ing local question.
On the last week of March, 1860, the citizens held a
mass meeting and passed the following:
"Whereas, The towns at and near the mouth of Cherry creek are,
and of right ought to be, one ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That from this time Auraria proper shall be known as
Denver City, West Division, and we hereby authorize the board of
directors to change the name on the plat accordingly."
At the close of the year 1860, there were sixty thou
sand people in the Territory, and Denver had a popula
tion of about four thousand. Even at this early day the
young metropolis was fairly supplied with the three great
63

64

TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

forces of civilization, to wit : schools, churches and news
papers. The pioneers liberally encouraged religion, mor
ality and education. With Whittier they believed :
" The riches of our commonwealth
Are free, strong minds and hearts of health ;
And more to her than gold or grain,
The cunning hand and cultured brain.
Nor heeds the sceptic's puny hands,
While near the school the church-spire stands, ¦
Nor fears the blinding bigot's rule,
While near the church-spire stands the school."
The first voice of
one preaching in the
wilderness was that
of George Washing
ton Fisher, a Meth
odist minister, who
jl was kindly tendered
a saloon to hold
divine service in.
The house was filled
with the old and
young, the giddy
and sedate, the pious
and the dissolute. The good man took his stand in front
of the bar, and preached from the text, " Ho, every one
that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath
no money, come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come buy wine
and milk without money and without price."
Behind him were bottles and glasses in glittering array,
and placards adorned the walls, reading, "no trust," "pay
as you go," "25 cts. a drink."

AN ODD PLACE OP WORSHIP.

LOYALTY. 65
The minister gave a kind and loving lecture, present
ing Christ as the cup and the loaf to refresh the^christian
soldier and guide him to the new Jerusalem.
Even those who were inclined to laugh at the incongru
ity of the scene, bowed in holy reverence to receive the
benediction. Rev. J. H. Kehler arrived in Denver from Virginia on
the 17th of January, 1860, and established St. John's
Church in the wilderness.
One gloomy, stormy Sunday morning there were only
two persons in the church, Mr. Amos Steck and Col. J.
H. Dudley. They thought of course they would be dis
missed without a sermon, but Father Kehler, equal to the
situation, selected the text, "Where two or three are gath
ered together in my name, there will I be, in the midst of
them," and thereupon preached an excellent sermon.

CHAPTER XV
LOYAL TO THE GOVERNMENT.
In the spring of 1861 the Territory of Colorado was
organized. President Lincoln immediately appointed
William Gilpin its first Governor, in recognition of his
services as an explorer of the " great West." The people
of Denver set about to receive their distinguished execu
tive with every manifestation of pleasure and respect in
their power.
To Judge H. P. Bennett was assigned the honor of mak
ing the reception speech. To give greater tone to the
affair a platform was erected in front of the Tremont
house, West Denver, where the reception was to be held,
5

66 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
and a large anvil, in lieu of a cannon, was loaded for a
welcoming salute. In due time the Governor and his
escort, in a spring wagon, which was newly painted and
gaily decorated for the occasion, drew up in front of
the orator. The Governor thrust his hand in the breast
of his closely buttoned coat and assumed, from force of
habit, a dignified and striking attitude.
Bennett had prepared a real old-fashioned spread eagle-
speech, full of solid" rhapsodies on our Italian climate
and exhilerating atmosphere. But, just as he had
launched out with " fellow citizens," the cannon went off,
whether by accident or in a spirit of mischief, was never
known ; but it certainly did " spread itself " in the effort
to make its presence known, and gave the speaker a
mightier " send-off " than was expected or desired. The
enthusiastic crowd scattered in every direction, and the
orator was so stunned that he forgot what came next, or
what he was there for.
This, mind you, occurred about the beginning of the
war. A majority of the people of Colorado were loyal to
the Government. A better illustration cannot be cited
than that related by Judge Wilbur F. Stone : " Soon after
the Territorial organization, two young men, who had
been working for a miner at Gold Run, in Summit
county, stole a large quantity of gold dust from their em
ployer. They were pursued, captured, brought back to
the gulch, tried by a ' miners' court ' and sentenced to be
hanged. In the meantime A. C. Hunt, then United
States Marshal for the district of Colorado, learned of the
affair while passing through Park county in charge of
some prisoners, and at once dispatched to me a warrant
for the arrest of the culprits, sending me, at the same

LOYALTY. 67
time, a commission as deputy to execute the warrant. I
was then at Buckskin Joe, in Park county, and mount
ing my horse rode with all speed over the range twenty
miles to Gold Run, which I reached just as the crowd of
nearly a thousand miners had gathered to see the execu
tion. " Under a pine tree two graves had been dug, and be
side them was placed a wagon upon which the two con
demned criminals were standing with ropes noosed about
their necks and fastened to a limb of the tree above, look
ing down upon their open graves, and waiting the signal
when the wagon should be drawn from under them. A
hollow square of men, with loaded rifles, inclosed the
wagon. "I jumped upon a pine log and harangued the crowd,
urging them to allow the prisoners a trial in the Territo
rial courts. The people feared an escape and were inflex
ible. The crisis had come. Suddenly breaking through
the guard, and leaping upon the wagon, I claimed the
criminals as my prisoners.
"Instantly every rifle of the guard was leveled at me.
Snatching the warrant from my pocket I held it up,
showing the seal and the American eagle on the corner,
arid commenced in a loud voice to read the formal printed
mandate of the warrant. 'The President of the United
States to the Marshal of Colorado, greeting : You are hereby
commanded to take the bodies of — ' I got no farther
with the reading than this, for those words were no sooner
uttered than a voice in the crowd shouted : ' Boys, we can't
resist the President of the United States. Hurrah for Abe
Lincoln ! ' The crowd echoed the cheer, ' Hurrah for Abe
Lincoln ! ' A serio-comic mixture of the sublime and the

68 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ludicrous. Immediately the guns of the guard were
brought to a ' present arms.' With my camp knife I cut
the ropes which bound the prisoners, pushed them before
me through the crowd, remounted my horse, and, accompa
nied by a single assistant — a staunch fellow named Bill
Burdett, who is now a faithful guard at the State peniten
tiary at Conon City — marched back across the mountains
in the night, by a lonely trail, and sent the prisoners to
Denver, where they were tried, convicted and sentenced
to a term of years in the penitentiary at Alton, Illinois.
"And so were the foundations of law and order laid by
the pioneers. When they were without Territorial organ
ization each separate community was an independent sov
ereignty, with a democracy as pure as was that of Greece,
and a republic as potent as was that of Rome."
Soon after the Governor's arrival in Colorado, he issued
a call for a regiment of volunteer troops, with which to
hold the Territory for the Union. In a few weeks one
thousand men from the mountains and the glens rallied
around him, in appearance a motley concourse, clad in
all the odd fashions ever seen in a new and mountain
district, and armed with such guns as the Governor had
been able to purchase from individual owners — old rifles,
shot-guns, old muskets, and anything, indeed, that re
sembled a firearm. But the loyalty and courage of these
men saved the Union cause in Colorado and New Mexico,
and well earned the uniforms and approved rifles with
which they were afterwards supplied at Fort Union.
Pressing southward, they met Sibley's force and drove it
back into Texas. This is claimed to be the first decisive
victory won by the Government in the war for the Union.

CHAPTER XVI.

FIRE AND FLOOD.

On the 19th of April, 1863, one-half of the business
part of Denver was destroyed by fire. The alarm was
given between the hours of 2 and 3 in the morning, and
before the town was fairly aroused, the flames had made
such headway that all effort to extinguish them seemed
unavailing. The most that could be done was to save
the contents of the burning buildings.
The loss of property by this ,fire exceeded two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, and embraced the principal
business portion of the town. Before the wreck of the
burnt district was cleared away, while the ashes were still
hot and smoking, the work of rebuilding began. The
new structures were principally of brick, and the indom
itable energy that characterized the pioneer caused a fine
city to spring up, Phoenix like, from the ashes; and com
mercial transactions soon resumed their former bustling
activity. Most of the losers in that fire are the prominent
business men of Denver to-day.
The Cherry creek flood began about midnight on the
13th of May, 1864. It swept away a number of build
ings and drowned fifteen or twenty people.
Said a lady : " I heard a terrible sound rolling through
the air, like a discharge of cannon. I threw open the
door, and beheld a gigantic wave, like an approaching
Niagara, reflecting on its crest the light of the moon. At
first it was slow and majestic in its movements, then it
came faster and faster, mounted higher and higher, tear-
69

70 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ing up solid soil until it held in suspension nearly half
its volume in sand. Trees were toppled down, houses fell
and everybody rushed in fright away from the mad tor
rent. "After the sorrowful tales were told and the gloom wore
away, we found much to laugh at. One lady awoke her
husband and asked him to get up and see what was the
matter, 'she heard a noise like the screaming of people.'
He said it was the wind and gave himself up to sleep ;
but she 'refused to be comforted,' and aroused him again.
He said, 'if I go to the door and look out, I suppose
you will be satisfied.' • Stepping on the floor, he plunged
knee deep in water; then, muttering a few crusty words
about leaving the children's bath-tub in the middle of the
floor, he took another step, only to discover that some
thing was radically wrong. They were saved from a
watery grave by the gallant men on horses, who were
dashing through the surging waves, rescuing families
from their flooded homes."
Cherry creek left the old bed and broke another for
itself farther north, undermining the bluffs, and by the
various magic of creative change formed new knolls and
mounds, which stood fixed and permanent in their sud
den heights, as if the Divine Architect was remodeling
the earth.
Many slept peacefully through it all, awaking long af
ter the sun's bright beams had dispelled the darkness and
revealed their narrow escape from death.
One man's house was torn from its foundation and car
ried by the flood wave to a hill, where it was stranded,
like the Ark on Mt. Ararat. The next morning, when
viewing the new topography, he exclaimed : "Has the

A DRIVE FOR LIFE. 71
earth been turned upside down, wrong side out, or have
I lost my wits?"
A gentleman living on the North Side advertised :
" Lost — On the night of the 19th four first-class build
ing lots. They are probably Stateward bound. Any
one who will overtake and return them will be liberally
rewarded by the owner."
Another requested the removal of other people's lots
from his real estate.
A negro woman and five children took a deck passage
on their cabin roof for a couple of miles, and were safely
anchored on the limbs of a cottonwood tree.
.Of course there were many theories and speculations
about water spouts, cloud bursts, and so on. When the
facts were developed it was found fo be the result of a
storm on the Divide, of rain and hail alternately, which
raged almost continuously for Several days. One good
effect of the flood was the washing away of all hostile
or sectional feelings between the east and west divisions
of the city. The turning of the bed of Cherry creek was
then energetically discussed, and became an intermittent
disease with which Denver is still to some extent afflicted.

CHAPTER XVII.

A DRIVE FOR LIFE.

In the spring of 1864 the Indians started, on the war
path. Stages and wagon trains were waylaid and passen
gers massacred. For a time communication between
Colorado and civilization was almost stopped ; the road
was literally paved with the bones of the dead and
sprinkled with the blood of the wounded and slain.

72 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. '
An incident more vivid and thrilling than any of
fancy's written tales, and highly illustrative of the
anguish of mind and body endured by the traveler dur
ing those perilous times, was told me by Mrs. Bowman, a
very interesting and intelligent lady now residing in
Gunnison: "I was full of youth and vivacity," said
she, "jny constant buoyancy of spirit made me a joy to
my friends. I never borrowed trouble, and had one
risen from the dead and prophesied the danger before
me, I would not have believed. I knew that Ben. Holla
day had withdrawn his coaches, and the U. S. mail had
been discontinued because of Indian depredations, but I
feared no evil. I had been East hoping the change of
climate would improve the health of my delicate, beauti
ful boy, who was just seventeen months old. But he
seemed not to strengthen, and after several months I con
cluded to return to my home in Denver.
" My husband had telegraphed a friend in Atchison to
see that everything was provided to make my journey as
pleasant as possible. Accordingly I was fitted out with a
light wagon, nicely covered, and drawn by two spirited,
fleet-footed mares. I hired a negro driver, Lee Ayres, a
man of gigantic physique, and known to be perfectly trust
worthy. I also engaged a man to assist in attending the
team and helping about camp. My companion was a
woman somewhat older than myself. I had known her
from my childhood and addressed her by the name of
'Muzzey.' She was a very devout christian, and exacted
of me a promise that I would not travel on Sunday. I
said, 'all right, Muzzey, you can pray and I will watch.'
I can never forget that Sunday's camping on the plains.
It added ten years to my life. The sun seemed to stand

A DRIVE FOR LIFE., 73
still, and I thought, if this is time, what is eternity ? But
I anticipate, as they say in books.
"The fact of our husbands being both in Denver,
formed a strong sympathetic link between us, and the
hope of meeting them inspired us with courage to under
take the hazardous journey.
" For the first four days out we lingered with a train of
ox teams. Picturesque Indians with feathers in their
hair, would crowd around us, begging for whisky and
swearing in pure English. They are famed for adding to
their list of accomplishments a readily acquired Billings
gate vocabulary of unrivaled opulence.
"A kind friend, thoughtful of protecting my complex
ion on the plains, made me a lavender barege sun-bonnet,
lined with pink, and finished with a long skirt; they
were greatly in vogue in those days. I could but laugh
when an Indian, regarding it as a curiosity, snatched it
from my head, placed it on his own, and went galloping
over the plains, performing wild and dexterous evolutions
with the long gauzy skirt of the bonnet floating around
his head like a cloud.
"Ten days after we left Atchison the telegraph wires
were cut and the operators deserted their stations. We
met men on horseback, who rode wildly from ranch to
ranch, heralding the news of savage warfare. They told
us that the Indians were on the outbreak back of us — we
could not retrace our steps, so we left the ox teams and
pushed forward. I stopped at Fort Kearney and asked
for an escort, but was gruffly refused ; I thought there
must be a pharmacy at the fort, and I asked where I could
get medicine for my sick child ; but received no answer.
I said, my husband wrote that he would send money and

74 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
a letter here for me. The stern official looked carelessly
through a bundle of letters, and said in the same metallic,
harsh voice, ' nothing for you.'
" ' Oh, sir,' I said, ' there must be a letter for me.'
" With corrugated brow, he thundered out, ' I told you
once, and I don't propose to look again !'
"All that was left to us was to go on; who can imagine
our hopes, our fears, our prayers, in the gloom that sur
rounded us.
" When evening came we were out on the rough green
plains that ' no man reaps,' in the midst of an eternal
and infinite solitude, with a horrible death at the hands
of the ' noble red man,' staring us in the face. Our hearts
seemed to be beating funeral marches, and our watches
served only to arouse the old superstition of death ticks.
Oh, what a procession of phantoms went dashing through
my highly excited brain !
"We camped one night at Roper's ranch, where we
found a number of women and children, who had gath
ered from the ranches around, and were wringing their
hands and crying in great confusion.
" They said the Indians had been there dressed in 'airy
nothing,' and gorgeously ornamented with 'war-paint.'
The men had gone to gather in the stock.
"A train of eleven wagons had camped there for sup
per. They had freight that was due in Denver at a cer
tain time, and it was imperative for them to move on, so
they resumed their journey at eleven o'clock that night,
and said to me, ' come right along with us, we will pro
tect you.' The woman who had been so kind in her ef
forts to relieve my sick child, urged me to stay there, but
something impelled me to go on. With pallid lips we

A DRIVE FOR LIFE. 75
clasped the hands of our new-made friends and spoke the
sad good-'bye.
" That very night they were attacked by the Indian^,
some of them killed, the rest taken prisoners, and sub^
jected to brutal treatment. I afterwards learned the sor
rowful story from one of the young girls, who was res
cued by Major Ed. Wynkoop. With our fleet team we
were soon in sight of the freighters, who had two hours
the start of us.
" Between four and five o'clock in the morning, when it
was beginning, to look rosy in the east, we stopped in a
little ravine to feed our horses and take our breakfast.
" We were then two miles and a half from Thompson's
ranch, the goal for which we were striving, for there they
had arms and ammunition.
" While preparing my breakfast, Lee Ayres, in a feeHe
effort to dispel the gloom, said, ' We are just like morn
ing glories, out first thing in the morning.' 'Better
than that,' said Muzzey, 'is the old proverb, " The morn
ing hours bring gold in the mouth." '
" Suddenly our attention was arrested by a smoke that
rose higher and higher, and grew blacker and blacker,
until the whole heavens seemed to be draped in mourning.
Lee Ayres climbed to the bow of the wagon and gazed as
if looking in to sure destruction, his countenance betok
ening a soul stricken dumb. At last, in smothered tones,
he exclaimed, ' O, my God ! We are gone.' He could see
forms moving to and fro. The wagons were all on fire ;
the black smoke from the burning bacon, drifting towards
us, prevented the savages from seeing our little wagon in
the ravine. I felt that death was overshadowing us, and
we all knelt in. prayer. Oh, the agony that we suffered

76 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
made that half hour a living age to us, for ' those who for-
see calamities suffer them twice.'
" I shrank from contemplating the misery and despair
of the cowardly white man, while the heroic energy and
inflexibility of the bold Ethiop commanded my homage
and reverence. The good woman at my side seemed to
be whispering her dearest secrets into the ears of God.
Her face shone with a heavenly light, that fell upon me
like a benediction, and I felt resigned to say, ' Father, not
my will but Thine be done.'
"Lee Ayres said 'I will crawl, on my hands and knees,
up the ravine, until I can command a better view, and if
I find that death is inevitable, you must kill your baby, I
will kill you and then kill myself; they cannot have us
alive.' " Kill my child ! The dear little innocent babe ! The
thought seemed to shatter my heart and brain. All grew
black around me, and I thought of nothing but heaven
and eternity.
"When Lee returned his face was lit up with renewed
hope ; he said, ' the Indians are gone and we will now
make the drive for life.'
'•' When we reached the top of the hill we could see
Thompson's ranch. It looked like a little mound in the
distance, and to our anxious hearts it seemed millions of
miles away, and lured us, like the will-'o-wisp, to the verge
of the soul's extremest woe. As we neared the conflagration
the horses became unmanageable, and the one on the right
jumped out of the traces. The Indians had gotten some
distance up the ravine, when they caught a glimpse of
our moving wagon. They turned with a fiendish whoop
and commenced firing upon us. Their flaunting and

A DRIVE FOR LIFE.

77

fantastic embellishments, arms and ornaments, glittering
in the morning sunshine, were enough to strike terror to
the stoutest heart.
" The white man, who was completely unstrung by the
ordeal through which he had passed, sprang to the tongue
of the wagon, and drawing a knife commenced to cut
the harness from the horse, saying that he intended to
make his escape.
" 'Stop ! ' commanded the negro, leveling his revolver at
him, 'if you cut another strap, you die.' The miserable
wretch crouched on the tongue paralyzed with mental
fear and watched me with glittering eyes, s
" 'As when the tiger's sought for prey,
And sees no 'scape, he turns at bay.'
"The negro said to me,
'give your baby to Muz
zey and drive, while I
-^shoot at the Indians,' who
; 'were rapidly gaining upon
us. Superhuman strength
seemed to be given me.
Clasping my child to my
throbbing heart, I seized
the reins. We went dash.
ing, rearing, plunging
around burning wagons.
On either side were horses groaning in the agonies of
-death, and men dead and dying, wrapped in winding
sheets of flame.
" All passed before me like a horrible panorama, and
left an indelible picture on my mind.
" As soon as we were near enough for the men at the

A DRIVE FOR LIFE.

78 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ranch to see our distress, they hastened to our assistance
and drove the Indians back. It was a fearful drive. We
reached the ranch with our wagon-cover full of arrows,
and the would-be deserter crouched upon the tongue.
Lee Ayres, with a look of scorn, said to the men, 'he is a
coward and ought to die. It fills me with contempt to
think that such a dastard would place value on his own
worthless self when women are in danger.'
" The poor creature hung his head low, and sat like a
sinner confessing his sins.
"Once at the ranch, we were corraled in a large barn
that was full of port-holes. The Indians attacked us and
were repulsed.
"A brave man who had a hand battery rode eleven
miles under the cover of night, attached his battery to
the cut wires and succeeded in sending a message to Fort
Cottonwood. "At the end of the third-day we heard a bugle sound,
and the clear liquid notes were sweeter than any music I
ever heard before or since. It seemed that heaven had
opened and from the' angel choir floated the strain, bear
ing peace to our troubled souls. When we saw the
mounted soldiers, a shout of thanksgiving went up to
Him who 'marks the sparrow's fall.' The next day we
went with a guard of sixty-five cavalry to Fort Cotton
wood to wait the opening of the road to Denver. My
husband received news that we were prisoners ; and three
coach loads of men, well armed, volunteered to go with.
him to our rescue. Just as they were starting a swift
courier arrived, with the news that we were safe at Fort
Cottonwood. Thither they hastened to escort us to Den
ver. The day after we left for Denver my child died.

THE GREAT INDIAN SCARE OF '64. 79
The beautiful bud sprinkled with the morning dews of
life, was taken to unfold its petals in Paradise. Like a
piece of rare sculpture he lay, the long heavy lashes
rested upon his marble cheeks, and the golden locks
clustered around his chiseled features, that bore no trace of
pain. I reached Denver carrying in my arms the precious
bundle of mortality. I was ill for months, the savage
war whoop was ringing in my ears, and the sight of a
hatchet, ax, or arrow, conveyed terror to my heart. It
seemed that my faculties would never recover their for
mer intelligence. I often think of the heroic negro
driver, and feel that too much honor cannot be given him
for so bravely enduring the strain which only a noble na
ture could have borne."

CHAPTER XVIII.
THE GREAT INDIAN SCARE OF '64.
To call it the- "reign of terror" but feebly expresses the
state of affairs existing in Colorado in 1864.
"Then Lo, the poor red-skin, with unscrupulous mind,
Boldly scalped, stole our stock, and left no hoof behind.
Occasionally a straggling Indian mounted on the inev
itable pony, would ride straight up to the windows, (for
fences were few and far between in those days,) flatten his
face against the pane and scream, ' how,' which, although
a polite greeting enough, served to frighten timid women
and children well nigh out of their wits. A lady in re
plying to such a salute, opened her mouth wide and lifted
her false teeth out on her tongue. The Indian, who had

80 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
never seen the like before, regarded her as a spirit, and
beat a tumultuous retreat.
One day as Mrs. S. was arranging her bonnet before a
glass preparatory to making a few calls, by the side of her
serene face was reflected the squalid features of a squaw,
who had stolen into the room unawares, and seeing her
own image in the glass, was thrown into a paroxysm of
delight by contemplating her beauty, perhaps her toilet,
which was nothing more than a string of beads around
her neck. Beyond the advantage of protection from the
weather, they were in the most unsophisticated ignorance
as to the ordinary uses of clothing. But so great was
their vanity they would give anything they possessed for
a mirror. The Hungate family, father, mother and children, had
been murdered at the very threshold of Denver, and
threats had been made to sack and burn the city. The
nerves of the people were strung to the highest tension,
and ready for a panic at the least intimation of danger.
Late one evening a man dashed into town, frightened
almost out of his senses, and reported that a large com
pany of hostile Indians were driving off stock and mur
dering the ranchmen. The scene that followed beggars de
scription. Every bell in the city sounded the alarm.
Men, women and children pushed through the streets en
deshabille, and literally crazed with fear. The United
States branch mint was prominent among the places of
refuge. In the general alarm, wells, cisterns, dark alleys
and dry goods boxes became hiding places for the terror-
stricken inhabitants. One man said to another, "my gun
has been idle for so long, I wonder. if it will go off; I be
lieve I will shoot at that dry-goods box and see." Imme-

THE GREAT INDIAN SCARE OF '64. 81
diately the box rose up on two legs, and a voice from within
exclaimed, "don't shoot!"
An old lady who stopped to leave things in order, and
pack her new silk dress in a valise which she intended to
carry on her arm, excited the" alarm of her son, who went
in search of her. She saw him coming, and supposing
him to be an Indian, made- a rapid exit from the back
door. He followed, calling her to stop. The old lady
being a little deaf, failed to catch the words, but the voice
excited her all the more, and impelled her to the highest
speed, never stopping until she reached a place of safety,
where, trembling and exhausted, she discovered she had
been running from her own son.
Winding along a lonely country road was Dr. B  ,
with his "traveling hospital." When the excitement
reached its highest he received a call to the country.
Friends advised him not to go. But true to the chief
duty of a physician, which is to strain every nerve, and
run every risk to save life, he went. Upon reaching his
patient he found that her trial had come; it was prema
ture, but required attention just the same. At the urgent
request of her nurse and friends, who had seen the neigh
bors going, and caught the alarm, he placed her bed on a
wagon and conveyed her to Denver.
As usual with people under great mental excitement,
the first act is insignificant or ridiculous. Mrs. C  ,
who lived in the suburbs, shouldered a bag of bullets,
and gently put them down with tender solicitation in one
corner of the mint, where they served as a seat for the
children. Another lady took her hoop-skirt on one arm, her
child on the other, and sought a place of safety.
6

82 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
So great was the confusion incident -to the fright, it is
believed that one hundred Indians could have taken the
city. The armory was opened and the arms distributed to the
distracted men, who rushed about like peripatetic ar
senals. A guard was placed around the city and regularly re
lieved during the night.
Not being aware of this military arrangement, a pioneer
woman wrapped a blanket about her, and taking a gun,
laid down by the side of a high wall to await the approach
of the Indians, determined to have the first shot at them.
Soon she descried four men coming towards the town; her
heart performed wonderful evolutions, and she prepared
to fire ; when she observed four more coming from the
town, and it suddenly flashed across her mind that they
were the night watch going on duty. Then she began to
realize the unpleasantness of her situation. If she arose
to run away with that great white blanket around her, they
might take her for a ghost, and perhaps shoot at her. If
they should discover her ambush, it would be in the
morning paper, and become the town talk. Her distress
of mind was almost as bad as being confronted by an In
dian. In her, dilemma she concluded to crawl on her
hands and knees in the shadow of the fence until out of
their sight, and by so doing, reached her house without be
ing detected.
Squads of armed men were sent scouting the surround
ing country, but found no trace of the enemy. The at
tack by 1,000 strong dwindled to 0 little Indian — a beau
tiful red-skin diminuendo gradation. The city soon re-

THE GREAT INDIAN SCARE OF '64. 83
sumed its business-like tranquility, but the great scare
furnished a topic for conversation long after.
It originated from a train of Mexican freighters, camp
ing for the night some fifteen miles east of Denver. They
were throwing their arms high in the air and shout
ing to their unruly cattle, which caused the headlong
arrival of the ranchman into the city, who so admirably
succeeded in imparting his fears to the citizens.
These panics were not confined to Denver alone. A
Mrs. C  , who owned a ranch way up the country, had
sent her men out to gather in the stock. While sitting
alone in the house, cogitating on the various Indian ru
mors, she began to feel afraid, and looking out of the
back door she saw an Indian in the willows. She remem
bered hearing the boys say something about having seen
fresh tracks in that gulch, and now she was satisfied that
they were Indian tracks. There were sixty guns in the
chamber above, that had been left there by the Govern
ment, and quick as thought she rushed up stairs, seized a
gun, rested the end on the floor, and while examining to
see if it was loaded, it went off, sending the bullet with
such force that it tore up the floor, went through and
through her new patent churn in the kitchen, and bat
tered up the milk pans in the cellar most shamefully.
Without stopping to meditate upon the danger and power
of that weapon,, she took another, tore out a port hole,
and seeing the black head just above the willows, she took
aim and fired. The bark flew in every direction, and lo
and behold, in the heat of her imagination, she had shot
an old stump.
The ranchmen clubbed together, built forts and block
houses, and moved their families to them for safety.

84 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
"Apart from an occasional fright," said Mrs. O, "we
had much to amuse and interest us. Among other
things was a wedding. ' It is not meet for man to live
alone,' is a great law of nature, the force of which is ex
perienced as well in the fort as in the city. We had
everything needed, young girls, widowers and a ' Justice of
the Peace ;' no licenses, but they were not necessary. When
single people are thrown together in that idle sort of way,
they will fall in love, and love leads to matrimony. So
an old widower and a young girl concluded to be made
one. It was soon noised from one to the other and we all
went to work with a hearty good will to adorn the bride.
Every lady who had anything suitable gave it. We were
much perplexed to find a pair of stockings that would fit,
but the bride said not to bother about that, as she would
have to change at once to go and cut their grain.
" It was the first time the Justice had been called upon
to perform the marriage ceremony, and he was badly
scared. He took two chairs back of the fort and joined
and rejoined them in ' holy wedlock,' until he though he
was safe. When he came to perform the ceremony he
forgot to tell the contracting parties to rise to their
feet. One after another nudged him until he stopped
abruptly in the middle of a sentence, and said, ' Let us all
stand up.' After the ceremony the happy couple climbed
to the front seat of a big wagon and drove to their home
fearless of Indians."

CHAPTER XIX.
CAPTURING SPOTTED HORSE.
Spotted Horse was the chief of a band of Indians, who,
by their savage atrocities, caused a reign of terror along
the Platte in the spring of '64. Houses and barns were
burned for a distance of two hundred miles ; men, women
and children were massacred in a most horrible manner.
Spotted Horse, with his small band of warriors, hideous
with paint, feathers and shot-gun, had Denver effectually
besieged. There were troops at Fort Kearney, but they
made no effort to punish the murderers. Occasionally,
with colors flying, they escorted an emigrant wagon or
freight train and gently pushed the playful Indians back.
This kindness was carried a little too far; it was about
to step into eccentricity. Matters began to assume a sol
emn form. It was death to the pioneers from starva
tion and the tomahawk, or death to Spotted Horse and
his band.
At this critical moment the " Colorado First," a regi
ment of brave men who volunteered to fight the rebellion,
returned from New Mexico.
Major Downing, with a fraction of this regiment, con
sisting of about sixty-five men, was ordered to proceed
down the Platte and clear the road.
The Major had won a reputation for undaunted bravery.
" Sure," said Mike, " he is a very Daniel ; he has a charmed
life. I have seen him sit on a high rock, in the thickest
of the fight, and repair his revolver when the bullets were
falling thick around him, and niver a wound did he get.
85

86 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
I have seen his coat perforated with holes like a sifter, and
a twenty dollar gold piece mashed to a cup in his vest
pocket, yet there is not a scar on his body, and I'll ven
ture to say he will niver be found dead walking around."
Spotted Horse, a bloodthirsty and cunning Indian, was
a formidable foe.
But the Major, cool, deliberate and calculating, was
equal to the occasion. He reached the American ranch
one hundred and forty-five miles below Denver, where
Spotted Horse and his warriors made their rendezvous, and
pitched his tent.
As he sat in his camp one morning viewing the country
through a field glass, he saw a man dressed in citizen's
clothes on the opposite side of the river. He imme
diately detached ten or twelve men to capture him, and
if possible bring him to the camp alive, for he knew
from his walk that he was an Indian, probably one of
their scouts on a tour of observation.
When brought into camp he proved to be none other
than the famous Spotted Horse.
The Major surveyed him for a while in meditative se
renity; then offered the Indian, who sat in sullen silence,
his life, if he would surrender his band. This he refused
to do.
He then ordered his men to drive a stake and prepare
to roast the Indian alive.
The chief gathered his coat around him and sat con
templating his funeral pyre with stoical indifference.
When the fire was kindled the Major gave orders to
bind him to the stake, saying, " you have seen many a
white man die this horrible death, and now we propose to
let you know how it is yourself."

BATTLE OF SAND CREEK. 87
" This unnerved him ; he pleaded for his life, and prom
ised to lead the soldiers to his camp. The terms were
agreed upon, and in the shortest possible time the com
mand was moving, with Spotted Horse strapped on a horse
in advance.
They camped that night in a little ravine, and the
chief informed them that his warriors were only a few
miles ahead, up the canon that they were approaching.
About eleven o'clock at night the Major and his com
mand stole away, leaving the camp fires burning to make:
the Indian scouts believe that they were still there.
Reaching the spot designated by Spotted Horse, early in
the morning, the order was given to halt and form in line
of battle.
At a given signal he opened fire. The Indians made a
bold resistance, but finally surrendered.
This was the first Indian battle in Colorado, and the re
sult was, forty killed and one hundred wounded, their vil
lage destroyed and their chief a prisoner.
Spotted Horse was sent to Washington, and afterwards
went to Europe with a showman, where he was gazed
upon by thousands as a fine specimen of the North
American Indian.
Peace was restored along the Platte, and Major Down
ing sustained the loss of only one man.

CHAPTER XX.
BATTLE OF SAND CREEK.

During this excitement the Third Regiment was "en
listed to serve for a period of one hundred days in a cam
paign against .the Indians. " I saw the "mounting of that

88 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
regiment," said a pioneer, "and it was funny. You see',
to fight the Indians it was necessary to be mounted, but
how to do it was a perplexing question, for horses were
scarce in the country. The Ford Brothers had brought
in one thousand California bronchos. They made a
proposition to the Quartermaster to furnish horses, which
was accepted. Ford emp^ed professional horse trainers,
and after a few days of choking and throwing, the horses,
tired and exhausted^ but not tamed, were reported ready
for use.
" The soldiers went out on the prairie for their evening
drill, and the prancing steeds were led, four abreast, and
placed in position. The commanding officer rode up
and down the line, and viewed his soldiers.
"He thought he had never looked upon a fairer sight,
and straightening himself with stately grace he gave the
command to mount. The attempt to execute this ma
neuver startled the horses out of their senses; some of
them stood straight up in the air on their heels, and
quickly reversed the position; some stuck their heads
down, clumped their feet together, and elevated their
backs with such force that the men were sent skyward,
andthe horses passed all the jack-rabbits on the way, in
their efforts to get out of the country. But the Third
Regiment was afterwards mounted, and the exploits of
that fine body of men deserve the gratitude of every citi
zen in Colorado.
" On the 29th of November Governor Evans issued a
proclamation of war against the Arapahoes, Cheyennes,
Sioux, and all who were on the war-path. Shortly after,
the hundred days men, under the command of Col. Chiv
ington, fought the battle of Sand Creek, which is consid-

BATTLE OP SAND CREEK. 89
ered by the philanthropists of the East, one of the great
est Indian massacres of modern times. But it brought
peace and quiet to the terror-stricken people of Colorado,
by crippling the power of the most numerous and hostile
tribe of the plains, and men resumed their, struggle for
daily bread without fear of the savage."
The following is quoted from a speech Colonel Chiving
ton made at the pioneer meeting, Sept. 14th, 1883 :
" There were many incidents on the field that would well bear men
tion. I will recite one : While sitting on my horse, glass in hand,
about- 2 o'clock p. m., I saw an officer fall from his horse. I galloped
up and found that he had been wounded with an arrow, and ordered
two men near by to assist and protect him till the ambulance came to
take him to the hospital tent. One of the soldiers, speaking excit
edly, said, ' Look out, Colonel, the same squaw that shot the Major
will shoot you,' and before I could dismount and make my horse a
breast-work, an arrow came whizzing past and cut the rim of my
left ear, so that it bled freely. At this, one of the soldiers brought his
carbine to an aim, saying, ' If that squaw shows her head above the
bank again, I will shoot the top off it.' His commander expostulated
with him, saying, ' I would not waste my powder by killing a woman.'
At this instant another arrow flew through the air and pierced the
arm of the highly civilized commander about four inches below the
shoulder joint. I had all my life some doubt about instantaneous
conversions, but here it was as clear-cut as was ever witnessed at an
old-fashioned Methodist camp-meeting. Before, it was the other offi
cer who was shot ; now it was himself. Before, he would not shoot a
woman ; now he fairly shrieked, ' Shoot the d  d b  h ! ' and the
order was obeyed. The squaw was shot, and I approved it. If the
fools in the East and elsewhere who are shouting themselves hoarse
could only have turned loose upon them for a little time, a band of
hostile Cheyennes, and I could witness the scene, I would be more
than compensated for all the mean things they have said and are say
ing about me, and the troops who were under my command at Sand
Creek. " The number of Indians killed, as near as I could estimate from the
reports of the company and battallion commanders, was from 500 to

90 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
700. I am inclined to think the latter number nearest correct. We
captured a large number of ponies, mules and horses. From these I
allowed the men of the command, whose horses had died or given
out on the march, to choose another, and ordered the remainder of
them to be turned over to Captain Louden Mullen, Assistant Quar
termaster of volunteers at Denver, which was done, and Captain Mul
len sold them at public auction and accounted for the proceeds in his
returns to the Quartermaster's department. We burned the tepees
or tents, destroyed their provisions, turned over to the hospital the
robes and blankets we took, for the benefit of our sick and wounded,
of whom we now had a large number.
" Was Sand Creek a massacre ? If it was, we had massacres almost
without number during the late rebellion. That there may have been
some excesses committed on the field, no one will deny. Was there
ever a battle fought in which no excesses were committed ? We
were on the ground, were 'wide-awake and duly sober;' there were
not ten minutes at a time for ten hours that we were not overlooking
the whole scene of strife, and after nineteen years, less two months
and a half, we say unhesitatingly, that it was remarkably free from
undue atrocities. I saw in a newspaper, within a month past, that
Gen. S. R. Curtis, commanding the department, denied all responsi
bility for the whole affair. Here is his last word by telegraph to the
district commander: 'Pursue everywhere and punish the Cheyennes
and Arapahoes. Pay no attention to district lines. No presents
must be made and no peace concluded without my order.' It has
been an open secret to the writer ever since the battle that the mis
representation of this whole affair from the beginning, was a com
bination consisting of one man who was disappointed of promotion,
and some others who were aspirants for office, and wanted several
connected with the campaign out of their way. I heard a Judge of
Common Pleas in Ohio, a Friend Quaker, and Colonel of an Ohio
regiment during the rebellion, say only "last week, when this subject
was on the tapis, that he was expecting to be arrested pretty soon,
and when asked why, he said, ' I captured three rebel soldiers who
had Fort Pillow blazoned on the front of their hats. I sent them to
the rear under guard of three soldiers The soldiers returned to
camp, and I asked them what had become of the prisoners. They
replied that they had tried to escape and they had shot them, and I
knew very well that they had shot them because of their boast that
they had participated in the Fort Pillow affair, and I did not arrest

BATTLE OF SAND CREEK. 91
them because I thought they did about half right.' Take the report
of the committee on the conduct of the war in the matter of General
Sherman's having 10,000 men slaughtered by the rebels only just to
show Pemberton, or some other rebel commander, that he would
fight. No man can afford to be tried by a star-chamber court. But
were not these Indians peaceable ! O, yes, peaceable ! ! ! Well, a few
hundred of them have been peaceable for almost nineteen years, and
none of them have been so troublesome as they were before ' Sand
Creek.' What are the facts ? How about the treaty that Governor
John Evans did not make with them in the summer of 1864. He,
with Major Lowe, Major Whitely, two of his Indian agents, and the
usual corps of attaches under escort, went out on the Kiowa to treat.
When he got there they had gone a day's march further out on the
plains and would meet him there ; and so on, day after day, they moved
out as he approached, until wearied out, and suspicious of treachery,
he returned without succeeding in his mission of peace. He told
them by message that he had presents for them, but it was not pres
ents they wanted, but war and plunder.
" What of the peaceableness of their attack on General Blunt's ad
vance guard, north of Fort Larned, almost annihilating the advance
before succor could reach them ? What of the dove-like peace of
their attack on the Government train on Walnut creek, east of Fort
Larned, under the guise of friendship, till the drivers and attaches of
the train were in their power, and by a signal struck down at once
every man, only a boy of 13 years barely escaping, and he with a
loss of his scalp, taken to his ears, and from the effects of which he
finally died.
" That was a very friendly act these Indians did when they ran off
the entire stock at Fort Larned, one Sunday morning, after they had
drawn their rations for the succeeding week. This herd consisted of
all the cavalry and artillery horses, all the Quartermaster's animals
and all the beef cattle belonging to the caravansary department at
the post. What of the trains captured from Walnut creek to Sand
creek, on the Arkansas route, and from the Little Blue to the Kiowa,
on the Platte route ? Of supplies and wagons burned and carried off,
and of the men killed ? What of the Hungate family ? Alas ! What
of the stock, articles of merchandise, fine silk dresses, infants' and
youths' apparel, the embroidered night-gowns and chemises ? Aye,
what of the scalps of white men, women and children, -several of
which they had not had time to dry and tan since taken ? These, all

92 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
these, and more, were taken from the belts of dead warriors on the
battle field of Sand Creek, and from their tepees which fell into our
hands on the 29th day of November, 1864. What of that Indian
blanket that was taken, fringed with white women's scalps ? What
says the sleeping dust of 208 men, women and children, ranchers, emi
grants, herders and soldiers, who lost their lives at the hands of these
Indians. Peaceable ! Now we are peaceably disposed, but decline
giving such testimonials of our peaceful proclivities, and I say here, as
I said in my own town, in the Quaker county of Clifton, State of
Ohio, in a speech one night last week, I stand by Sand Creek. I have
heard that I was arrested, tried and cashiered. No, no ; that was not
the game ; that would have given a fair opportunity to present both
sides of the case. Just what my enemies, and the enemies of Sand
Creek, and the enemies of the fair name of the people of Colorado did
not want. And now, while I am peaceably inclined, I will stop talk
ing on this subject."

CHAPTER XXI.

HIGH PRICES.

Denver was not o'erflowing with milk and honey in its
infancy, as those can attest who had sufficient heroism to
remain and possess the land. Flour, at one time, brought
$20 a- sack. As late as 1867, by reference to a book of
home expense kept at that time, we find that eggs were
never less than $1.00 per dozen; butter, anywhere from
85 cents to $1.25 per pound; common calico, 25 cents a
yard, and the plainest calling cards $1.00 a pack.
Farmers received good prices for their produce. One
ranchman, residing on Clear Creek, raised potatoes among
other vegetables. On one occasion he brought two hun
dred pounds of potatoes to market, which, at 50 cents a
pound, brought him in the snug little sum of $100. This
money he invested in cows, and that night drove home
three cows in place of the two bags of potatoes.

HIGH PRICES. 93
An old settler made $15,000 that year from a few acres
of land planted in potatoes. The next year he invested
this money in gardening on a large scale, but alas! that
year the grasshoppers came thick as the locusts in Egypt,
and ate up everything on the ranches except the mort
gages. A story is told of a citizen sending a calf to* a
butcher, who also dealt in vegetables. The citizen's wife
gave a dinner party about that time, and when the butcher
presented his bill it was discovered that the cabbage used
on that occasion, at fifty cents a pound, came to just as
much as the calf brought.
Irrigation was in its infancy then, and water a very de
sirable and almost unattainable liquid, so much so, indeed,
that neighbors in some cases came to blows over its proper
distribution, and on dark nights many a person stole out,
hoe in hand, and secretly turned the flow of water into
his own premises, thereby robbing someone of his portion.
Even if the water was obtained legitimately, it was a scant
supply, and it was by dint of the hardest labor that trees
and shrubbery were induced to grow, before the era of
Holly water.
It was difficult to obtain hired help in those days. All
the spinsters who emigrated came for the ostensible pur
pose of doing missionary work or teaching school, while
their real mission was to catch one of the fortunate gold
seekers. Finding teaching unprofitable, because of the
limited number of children, they resorted to housework,
requesting all the privileges of the family, which pro
voked the following advertisement:
"Wanted — A girl to do housework. She will be permitted to re
ceive company every day in the week; a good substantial fence will
be provided to lean against while courting, and ample time will be
accorded for that recreation, but no piano will be furnished. Inquire
at A. McCune's residence, head of H. Street, Brown's addition."

94 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
In 1866 business of every kind received a great impetus
in the town and throughout the Territory. A board of
trade was organized in 1867 ; but the most powerful influ
ence in adjusting the Indian difficulties and inaugurating
a better era was the coming of the railroads. The Den
ver Pacific was completed June 24, 1870, and the Kansas
Pacific made its advent on the 18th of August following.
From that day to this Colorado has flourished grandly in
commercial and industrial enterprises, becoming at last
one of the most remarkable and prosperous States in the
West. In 1876 she was admitted into the Union, whence called
the Centennial State.

CHAPTER XXII.

TO THE MOUNTAINS.

I have dwelt somewhat minutely on matters and things
connected with the settlement of Denver, for its rise and
progress is a marvel ""of modern civilization, and in a
measure its history is the history of Colorado. Never be
fore has there been such a city built up, under so many
conflicting circumstances; particularly in its first decade.
Situated in the heart of an empire infested by preda
tory and cruel savages, at the dawn of a fierce rebellion,
in the brief space of twenty-five years it has grown from
a small village of tents and log houses to a magnificent
metropolis. The domes of massive public buildings tower
high, and the wide streets, edged with trees, vie with those
of Washington, the city of magnificent distances.

TO THE MOUNTAINS. 95
And now I'll away to the mountains, to continue my
sketches of history, adventure, life and scenery, which I
hope, will prove more fresh and satisfactory to the reader
of this little book, than the most-startling array of statis
tics, and oft repeated rigmarole about big mills, big leads,
rich tailings, astonishing sale of interests in-JTom, Dick
and Harry lodes; stock companies with shares of capital
stock all the way from ten thousand to a million dollars ;
of the incalculable value of a tithe of a pound of. quartz
from the  , and so on, ad infinitum.
One bright morning in August, my friend Hal. and I
took the Colorado Central in company with a party of
eastern tourists to " do " the mountains. August is the
very month to travel in the mountains. At this season
the halcyon days begin, and continue for weeks and even
months, with but little variation, making it a physical
luxury to live and breathe the pure, transparent atmos
phere. Our train makes the first halt at Argo, otherwise Sen
ator Hill's smelting works; the largest and most complete
in America.
In the early days, when the ores were pronounced " re
fractory," and the "new process" men were seeking a
metallurgical savior, Prof. N. P. Hill, of Brown's Uni
versity, Providence, R. I., came, and by his scientific skill
solved" the problem, and now $5,000,000 worth of the
precious metals flow from this establishment annually. I
turned my eyes from its belching smoke stacks to the fer
tile fields and cosy homes, shaded and sheltered by grace
ful cottonwoods, and bearing every indication of thrift
and comfort. *
At length I fell into conversation with a ranchman,

96 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
who, in speaking of this as a farming country, said : " We
raise 28 bushels of wheat to the acre, against 12 in the
States east of us; 40 bushels of barley, against 24; 35
bushels of corn against 25 ; 200 bushels of potatoes against
93. Of small fruits, as gooseberries, raspberries and straw
berries, we raise 2,000 quarts to the" acre, and realize from
thirty to fifty cents a quart through, the season."
"Speaking of crops and prices," said he, "I am re
minded of an Illinois farmer who came to Colorado
twenty years ago and took a ranch by the side of mine.
The first year he made a good crop and was quite jubi
lant over it. But the next year, owing to his inability to
procure water, he did not succeed so well. This was prior
to the present splendid system of irrigation, which, in
combination with the general excellence of the soil,
doubles the crops. The disheartened ranchman gave up
trying to farm in this country, and said he was going back
to Illinois where God waters the crops, and he could get
a good price for what he raised."
" Yes," said I, " and when the season is over invest your
money in quinine and shake the balance of the year."
" When the grazing advantages and productive quali
ties of this soil were discovered," continued our loqua
cious granger, " there was a great rush for land, and the
country all around, far and near, was pre-empted.
" According to law a house must be built on the pre
empted claim, the party must live in it a stated period
and cultivate the land. Often a rough, unpainted board
shanty was built, after which the pre-emptor would not
see it again until, with the growth of the country, the
land had become valuable, when he would ' bob up se
renely ' to claim Viis property. His perjury never occa-

TO THE MOUNTAINS. 97
sioned any pricking of conscience, for, don't you see, it
was one of the customs of the country.
"About twenty -five miles below Denver a party had
taken up a certain tract of land in that way. Subse
quently a man, tramping about there on a tour of obser
vation, found the empty house and took possession of it.
"The pre-emptor heard of it, and upon inquiring what
he must do to secure possession, was advised to work the
land. " He bought a plow, went to his ranch, turned the inter
loper out and commenced plowing. Not being accus
tomed to farm labor he was greatly fatigued by his day's
work and slept late the next morning. The first sight that
greeted him was the man who had taken possession of
his house, with a bag swung over his shoulder dropping
something in the freshly broken ground. Upon being
interrogated as to what he was doing, he replied : ' I am
planting a little corn.'"
At this point the ranchman laughed heartily. I was
anxious to know how the affair terminated, but before he
recovered his mental equilibrium our party were in the
depot at Golden.
The castellated cliffs surrounding this pretty town,
planted just between the foothills and the plains, appeared
so like real castles with towers, buttresses, battlements and
moats, that had the sound of a warder's horn from the
walls been heard, a great gate swung open and a draw
bridge lowered, I should scarcely have been startled.
Here is located the School of Mines, also the Reform
School, and so many mills and smelters that I didn't
have time to count them.
7

98 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
While our party were visiting the School of Mines I
talked with Mr. George West, editor of the Transcript.
" Tell me something of the early days of Golden," said I.
His eyes twinkled with merriment as he gave me the fol
lowing incident :
" The town of Golden was laid out in July, 1859, and
the erection of houses, here and there, was at once com
menced. As sawed lumber was scarce, and commanded
enormous prices, most of the dwellings were built of logs.
The company with which I was connected, known as the
Boston Company, commenced a huge log building calcu
lated for a store and dwelling combined. Soon after Mr.
Loveland began a rough log structure for a store, and as
work progressed considerable rivalry was engendered as
to which should be first completed. The rafters were put
on both about the same time, and the strife to get them
shingled became quite animated. All the neighbors were
interested in the contest, and who would prove the victor
became a lively topic of conversation. By a lucky trade
we had secured sufficient shingles to cover our roof, and
all but three or four bundles had been put on, when night
interrupted our work.
"Mr. Loveland had also obtained some shingles, but
not enough to complete his roof, which left him in a bad
fix. We went to our downy couches that night feeling
much elated at the prospect of beating Loveland in the
race. But fancy our astonishment in the morning on dis
covering that he had come over with his men, stolen our
remaining shingles, and was at that very moment nailing
the last of them on his own roof.
" During the forenoon, however, he sent us over the same
amount of shingles he had surreptitiously appropriated,

TO THE MOUNTAINS. 99
with his compliments and a five-gallon keg of the best
whisky in his stock. He had beaten us in the race, and
that was all he cared for."
Hon. W. A. H. Loveland, who was on a visit to Golden,
and had quietly taken in the story, said, in a good hu
mored way, " turn about is fair play, so I'll tell you of
West's duel."
"In the fall of 1859 West established a paper, at Golden
called the Western Mountaineer, publishing the same dur
ing the following year, when he sold out to enter the
Union Army. During the winter of '59-60, a very rough
element had gathered here to spend the winter. There
were many Southern sympathizers in this locality, most
of them good fellows, but quite free, in the vernac
ular of the period, ' to talk with their mouths.' Among
them was a young fellow known as 'Dick Turpin,' from
Western Missouri — a rabid secessionist, and somewhat
addicted to drink. When full of 'tangle-foot,' he was
particularly loud-mouthed and reckless. One day he
mounted his horse, and pistol in hand, rode through the
streets, cursing all who claimed to be ' Yankees,' however
distantly they might be related to that ' nationality.' In
the next issue of the Mountaineer, West gave him some
pretty severe taps for his recklessness and general cussed
ness, at which he took umbrage, and called at the office
to demand satisfaction.
" He had taken the precaution to ' brace up ' several
times at the liquor saloons en route, and by the time he
arrived, was pretty full. He demanded to know if West
was the author of the attack, and being assured with
great urbanity that such was the fact, he issued a peremp
tory verbal challenge to mortal combat. In fact, blood

100 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
seemed to be the only fluid that would satisfy him and
heal his wounded honor.
" Taking in the situation, West thought best to humor
him in his sanguinary desires, and after much talk said :
'Why, Dick, don't you know that this is not the way to
get at the business? I'll fight you, of course; but you
ought to send a friend with the challenge, then I will re
fer him to my friend, and let them fix it up for us.'
'"Well Cap.,' said he, 'I'll be dog-goned if that ain't
so. I didn't think about the ' forms.'
"They joined in a little ' O-be-joyful,' to bind the bar
gain, when Dick departed in search of a second.
" He selected Jim Dawson, who was a particular friend
of West's, and who soon presented him with a challenge,
properly made out. West chose George Jackson as his
second, and between them they fixed up a scheme to sober
Dick, a difficult matter at all times; but they concluded
if he could be brought to that condition he would not
care to fight any more than West did. His second found
him shortly afterward fuller than the legendary goat we
read about; informed him that his challenge had been
accepted, and endeavored to impress upon his mind -the
necessity of sobering up in order to do justice to himself
in the approaching combat. He succeeded in shutting
him up in his room, denying him any more liquor, and
spent the day preparing him for the approaching combat.
" As the effects of the liquor gradually wore off, he was
informed that the challenged party had the choice of
weapons, time and place of meeting, and he had chosen
bowie-knives. "This suited him exactly; he said bowie-knives were
his favorite instrument of death.

BLACK HAWK. 101
"Finally Dawson and Jackson had West's antagonist
in a proper state of mind to receive his ultimatum.
" They presented the cartel to him for his signature. It
had already received West's and ran to this effect :
" The parties were to be on the ground at sunrise on the
following morning ; the instruments to be bowie-knives
of equal length and sharpness; the blade to be not more
than 8 inches long and 1J inches at the widest part;
the combatants to be placed back to back, one on the
south edge of North Table Mountain, the other on the
north edge of South Table Mountain, and at the word,
' one, two, three,' to turn and fight across the intervening
gulch !
" The chasm over which the fight was to take place is
fully a half-mile across. Dick, of course, saw the joke,
and the very ridiculousness of the proposal acted upon
him as expected, and he declared himself satisfied, accom
panied the seconds to the Mountaineer office, and com
promised it over a bottle of ' old cherry bounce.'
"'Yes,' said Mr. West, 'that was one of the duels I
didn't fight, and I assure you it was decidedly a ' satisfac
tion ' affair."
I was deeply impressed with the danger (?) of early
journalism in Colorado.

CHAPTER XXIII.
BLACK HAWK.

We take the cars again and are whisked into a valley
of scenic wonders. Fantastic turrets crowned with lofty
pines tower above us, and below, the angry, foaming tor-
tent of Clear creek coursing down toward the sea.

102 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
What changes the whirligig of time brings around !
Twenty-five years ago John Gregory fought his way
through this gorge in a blinding snow storm. He was
searching for gold, and finally found it.
Twenty yoke of oxen were required to haul a small
boiler over the precipitous declivities of the toll road that
was opened later, where now we glide in luxurious coaches.
Steam, science and stock companies have taken the place
of pick, pan and shovel.
When Mr. D. M. Richards was peddling books, papers
and periodicals to the miners in these cloud-capped re
gions, Gregory, who was in great demand among the in
experienced prospectors, and was often paid two hundred
dollars per day for his services, inquired of him how
much he made a day ?
"Two dollars," was the prompt reply. _
"Pshaw," said the opulent Gregory, 'I make more than
that every time I open and shut my mouth.'"
Richards afterwards owned a large book store in Den
ver, and became widely known as a publisher. Gregory
died some years ago, a poor man.
The shrill whistle of the little engine announced Black
Hawk, and dispelled my reveries. We are just one mile
from Central, but the train must travel nearly four to
overcome the intervening grade. We move forward
awhile, then back, and change places, in a dance on the
giddy slopes overlooking the gulch, where private resi
dences, stores, saloons, quartz mills, and reduction works
are crowded in, helter skelter, as if dropped from the
clouds. And way down deep "in the earth beneath,"
hundreds of men are toiling in the mines. We could step
from the car into the notable Bobtail lode, which derived

BLACK HAWK.

103

its euphonious title from the fact that the first pay dirt
from this magnificent gold-bearing fissure was hauled
down to the gulch for sluicing by a bob-tailed ox in har
ness, the quartz wagon being a forked stick with a raw-hide
stretched upon it. This unique vehicle caused the miners
much merriment, and suggested the name " Bobtail."

THE BOB-TAILED OX.

This is one of the richest gold mining districts in the
world. It is recorded that the first forty pans of dirt
from the Gregory lode, taken in 1859, the year of its dis
covery, yielded forty dollars. The sight of the gold in
the bottom of the pan caused a mercurial nature like
Gregory's to effervesce fluently, and his expressions of de- .
light, if given, would be pronounced very profane history.
Many amusing stories are told of that early gold ex
citement. It is related of a prospector from the Emerald
Isle, whom we will designate as Pat, that while attending
a funeral, he picked up some of the dirt that was thrown
from the new grave, and just from force of habit exam
ined it. He suddenly arose from his knees and com
menced staking of a claim. The minister observed this,
and concluded his prayer in this manner : " Stake me off
a claim Pat, this we ask for Christ's sake — Amen."
Pat afterward' became one of the bonanza kings of the
period; exchanged his suit labelled "superfine flour," for

104 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
broadcloth, and went to New York to cut a swell. He
stopped at the largest and most fashionable hotel, and was
assigned a room on the fifth floor. When he left his room
that evening for a saunter in the city, thinking the halls
and stairways rather bewildering, he blazed a way, in or
der to be able to retrace his steps. It cost him $2,000 for
repairs. When I take a ride on this " switch-back," said Hal., I
invariably think of a sleigh ride I had some years ago.
Hal. is no " spring chicken;" she has reached years of
discretion — when most ladies find it convenient to dis
courage birth-day parties, on their own account.
As she maintains an unbroken silence respecting her
age, I'll be magnanimously discreet and do likewise. But
I cannot resist the impulse to relate
HER COASTING STORY.
"In this high mountain region," said she, "the snow
generally falls early in the winter and stays late, making
us twice glad, like the proverbial visitor.
" The winter of 18 — , was of this description. The first
snow came in October, and there was not a thawing day
through that long, dreary winter, By holiday times the
roads, which were constantly used, had become firmly
packed, and as smooth as polished steel. One of the fa
vorite pastimes on moonlight nights was coasting, and the
fashionable course lay over the road from Central to
Black Hawk. A party of six was formed to ride over this
course in sleds and attend an elegant wedding reception
in Black Hawk. This made the event doubly interesting.
At the time agreed upon, we met at the starting point,
where the sleds were in readiness. The ladies were in
silks and furbelows, and the gentlemen attired after the

HER COASTING STORY. 105
fashion of those days; all were muffled to our ears in furs
and warm wraps of various kinds. Taking the usual po
sition, the lady in front, and the gentleman back, our sled
was the first to pull out. Down the hill we flew.
" This thoroughfare, scarcely wide enough for two teams
to pass each other, and which, during the day, presented
a busy scene by the unending procession of quartz wag
ons laden with auriferous ores to the mills, and toiling up
and back to the mines for fresh cords of the precious
rock, were now deserted. But the sidewalks were thronged
with people who had congregated to witness the great
coasting event of the season, and as we rushed by a long
shout went up in which we joined. The first half mile
was comparatively light grade. The sleigh sped along at
a splendid rate and we were joyous at the prospect of a
successful run. But as the grade increased the sled, under
rapidly increasing momentum, soon was sweeping along at
a most terrific rate, which fairly took away our breath.
My escort, recently arrived from Chicago, whose experi
ence was limited to pictorial illustrations of coasting, was
badly frightened.
"By frequent loud warnings we avoided collision with
belated mining teams. But, on the way down, there was
a deep gulch spanned by a rustic bridge, and reached by
a curve in the road. This curve was generally made by
putting out a foot and throwing the sled around, butv it
had gathered such velocity that the effort was of little
avail. It seemed as if the sled had no sooner appeared
upon the scene than it shot out of sight — one sudden
plunge and then we found ourselves fifteen feet below —
hurled headlong to the bottom of the gulch. I escaped

106 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
uninjured, in verification of the old proverb, "naught is
never in danger," but my escort still carries a lump on
his head that is not laid down on any phrenological chart.

CHAPTER XXIV.
CENTRAL.
When President Grant visited this elevated mountain
town, a walk, composed of solid silver bricks, was laid from
the carriage to the Teller House for him to step on. No
such ostentatious display of wealth was made in honor of
our arrival. However, as we are to linger here awhile, I
shall turn public interviewer and tell my readers all that
I find of interest. A pioneer gave me the following rem
iniscence : A LYNCHING.
" The day that Lincoln was assassinated was a sad day
in Colorado, as well as in the whole nation.
"Central City was particularly agitated on account of
the arrest and trial of a man named Bill Tabor, who was
a Kentuckian by birth and education, and had been a
member of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature.
" When the news of the assassination reached Central,
Tabor, with others, was drinking in a saloon, and on the
news being announced, exclaimed : ' I am glad of it ; it
served him right.'
" This was soon reported on the streets and created a
profound sensation and talk of lynching. Many citizens
went to Bill Cozens, the deputy sheriff, and demanded the
arrest of the offender. The spirit of revenge soon spread
over the whole city and adjacent mining camps.
" In the extremity the deputy sheriff went to Dr. Wor-
ral, who was one of the members of the Legislature from

A LYNCHING. 107
Gilpin county, and informed him of the popular clamor,
remarking, ' I have no authority to arrest the man.'
" The doctor promptly remarked, ' Assume the author
ity and I will help you bear the responsibility,' where
upon Cozens proceeded to make the arrest, and landed
Tabor in jail.
" In a few minutes thereafter an angry crowd surged
through the streets and proceeded to the jail, bent on
lynching. In the meantime someone telegraphed to
General Connor, the commander of the United States
forces in Denver, and he replied, 'Turn him over to the
people, and if they fail to deal with him, send him to me
in irons.' A few minutes afterward Mr. H. M. Teller,
(now Secretary of the Interior,) called on Dr. Worral to
confer with him on the subject, when the doctor exclaimed,
'They shall not hang Tabor! ' Mr. Teller inquired, 'Who
is to prevent it?'
" The doctor replied with spirit, 'You and I can prevent
it, and with it prevent a lasting disgrace to the town.'
"Mr. Teller departed with a promise to use his influ
ence to prevent the outrage.
"During this interview the mob had organized and
were listening to exciting speeches outside the jail, when
some of the less rabid moved to adjourn until the after
noon, and then to meet in the theatre and give the cul
prit a formal trial. The motion passed, but the excited
crowd remained in bands about the streets. At two
o'clock the theatre was packed to its utmost capacity, and
a court was organized by the election of Judge Clements
as Judge, and Willard Teller as prosecuting attorney.
"Dr. Worral appealed to several attorneys present to
undertake Tabor's defense, but all refused.

108 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" The doctor walked across the stage to the deputy sher
iff, Cozens, and said, ' Bill, when they send you for Tabor,
tell him to name me as his attorney.'
" Cozens took the doctor by the collar, dragged him be
hind the scenery of the stage, and begged him by all that
was sacred not to attempt such a thing.
"The doctor replied, 'If they want to hang Tabor they
may hang me too, sooner than I will consent to such a
disgrace on the town.'
"Cozens said, 'They will hang you.'
" ' Let them do it,' answered the doctor.
"The message was faithfully delivered. Tabor was
brought in looking pale as death, and trembling like one
with the ague.
"Judge Clements asked him if he had an attorney.
" He answered, ' I want Dr. Worral to defend me."
"-The Judge then asked the doctor, ' Will you defend"
this man?' to which he replied, ' Yes.'
" No sooner was the word out of his mouth than hissing
was heard from all parts of the theatre.
" The trial proceeded and the facts alleged proven with
out a shadow of doubt.
"The doctor, during the examination, was careful to
bring out the following facts : First, that Tabor was a
native of Kentucky ; second, before using the offensive '
expression, he had been taunted by persons in the saloon
with being a Southerner, and hence, particeps criminis in
Lincoln's assassination ; third, he was under the influence
of liquor; fourth, his widowed mother and a widowed
sister depended upon him for support, and were hourly
expected to arrive in the city.
" The address of Mr. Teller was very able and appeared

A LYNCHING. 109
to leave but little hope, but, fortunately for Tabor the
ordinary rules of court were disregarded and the doctor
had the-elosing argument.
" Before closing he had a hurried conversation with the
prisoner and with Charley Post, a dashing young attor
ney of the citjr. He advised the former to beg the par
don of the citizens as soon as the address was ended. To
the latter he suggested to move that the prisoner be sent
to General Connor, in compliance with the telegram. A
Presbyterian minister also offered the doctor assistance.
"The preliminaries being arranged, the doctor com
menced his address. He drew a graphic picture of the
nation in tears in consequence of the commission of the
blackest crime in the annals of our history. Then, point
ing his finger at the crowd, he said, ' you and you and you
desire to show your detestation of this crime by staining
your hands and your souls in this man's blood ; in other
words, you wish to show your horror of one murder by
committing another.' He then pointed out the effect of
early training in Kentucky, the effect of a taunt and the
effect of drink. His peroration was a graphic picture of
two widowed women leaning upon a son and brother for
support, arriving in the mountains and meeting a mad
crowd dragging that son and brother to the gallows. This
settled the fate of Will Tabor.
"At the close of the address the minister asked that
the defendant be heard.
" He stepped to the front and in the most humble tones
confessed that he had spoken hastily, while under the in
fluence of liquor, and asked to be forgiven.
" Charley Post then moved that he be sent to General
Connor in irons.

110 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" The Chairman, or Judge, then announced the ques
tion as being whether the prisoner should be hung or sent
to Denver in irons.
"The question was put and the Judge declared he was
unable to decide.
" He then ordered a division of the house. All in favor
of hanging were requested to move to one side of the
house, and those in favor of sending the prisoner to Den
ver, to the other.
"The house divided, and after a count the Judge acceded
the vote to be in favor of sending the prisoner to Denver.
"But the end was not yet; a party of men had brought
a rope into the house and seemed anxious to use it.
" Tabor was hurried back to jail before the crowd could
get out. Doctor Worral remained in the theatre until
nearly the last one. As he started down the steps several
excited people begged him to go back, saying they were
waiting on the corner to hang him. But the doctor re
fused to go back, and, asking where the men were, walked
straight toward them. The rope was in their hands, and
as the doctor approached one man cried, ' Here he is ! ' at
which a powerfully built man, fully six feet high, rose on
the sidewalk, and raising his hand exclaimed, 'If you
touch one hair of his head your d  d town shall be in
flames before night.' This settled the business. The
crowd disappeared and the doctor walked quietly to his
home. "Tabor was taken to Denver next morning. General
Connor kept him for several days packing sand in his
camp, and then ordered him out of town. He was never
heard of afterward by friend or enemy."

CHAPTER XXV.
SUNDAY IN THE MOUNTAINS.
The next day being Sunday, we did not resume our
travels, because of religious scruples. Besides, it seemed
highly appropriate that we should be here; for the moun
tain towns, which are only a "Sabbath day's journey"
from Denver, are usually full to over-flowing at such
times. It seemed the people had come from the " utter
most parts of the earth " for the express purpose of par
ticipating in these Sunday excursions. It's an odd time
for excursions, ^but upon second thought it is not, for
"The mountains holier visions bring
Than e'er in vales arise,
As brighter sunshine bathes the wing
That's nearest to the skies."
Central City, with Nevada, Eureka, Black Hawk and
Mountain City, altogether form an unbroken chain of
mining settlements several miles in length ; and as the
groups of pleasure seekers wander off through the differ
ent gulches or upon the precipitous hill-sides in search of
specimens or other novelties, one is reminded of picnics
and celebrations. As I have touched the subject of cele
brations I will tell of a
FOURTH OF JULY.
That the early pioneers were not lacking in the feel
ing of patriotism that swells the breast of every true
American citizen, which is especially manifested as each
succeeding anniversary of our National Independence
111

112 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
rolls round, is graphically shown by the following sketch
of the somewhat ludicrous, but none the less patriotic man
ner in which a little band of "tender feet" (there were
no barnacles in those days) celebrated the "glorious
Fourth " in '59. The particulars of which were furnished
me by one of the participants, Hon. A. E. Pierce.
"The sun rose clear and bright upon the morning of
the eighty -third anniversary of the discovery of fire
crackers, sky rockets, lemonade with-a-stick-in-it, soda
water, and the ' Great American Eagle.' None of these
things are supposed to have been known or in use prior
to 1776, at which time the Boston people resolved that
'lemonade and soda water should take the place of 'tea !'"
My informer was rather reticent about what the early
pioneers of Colorado drank in lieu of lemonade and soda
water, but it is surmised that they took the "stick"
straight — there being no lemonade in the land.
" Well, on this occasion, when ' old Sol ' got up before
breakfast, in order to be on hand when the first gun was
fired — he peeped over the tops of the surrounding hills
and mountain peaks and smiled benevolently upon a lit
tle band of prospectors in Russell Gulch, who were suc
cessfully panning out sufficient of the glittering dust to
enable them to pay fifty cents postage on letters back to
'America,' giving glowing descriptions of the hidden
wealth of the rugged mountains.
" There were ten young men in this little camp, and they
determined that the day should not pass without proper
observance. So they called a mass-meeting of themselves
to consider the subject.
"John D  was appointed Chairman, and Henry
G  Secretarjr.

FOURTH OF JULY. 113
" The Chairman announced that the first thing in order
would be the appointment of committees on 'Order of
Exercises,' 'Banquet,' 'Procuring the Flag,' and nomina
tion of 'Officers of the Day.'
" The committees were appointed and ordered to report
forthwith. "The Committee on 'Order of Exercises' reported as
follows :
" ' 1st. Every man shall wear his best clothes, but no
one shall be permitted to wear a ' biled ' shirt.
" ' 2d. National salute from revolvers. One extra shot
for Pike's Peak, one for Green Russell and one for John
Gregory. ' 3d. Oration by the orator of the day.
' 4th. Recess — and lemonade (without any lemon).
' 5th. Banquet.
' 6th. Spinning yarns.
' 7th. Fall into line and march over to Gregory Gulch
and see what the boys there are doing.'
" The Committee on ' Officers of the Day ' reported, giv
ing every man in the camp an office.
"The 'Committee on Flag' reported no flag to be had
nearer than Fort Laramie, two hundred miles north.
" Here was a predicament. No flag, no Fourth. But it
was soon remedied. Pioneers are equal to any emergency.
One contributed a pair of old blue overalls, another a
' biled shirt,' that he had brought from ' the States, and
another a red flannel under garment. From these a
very respectable looking flag was soon constructed. This
flag was long preserved by one of the boys as a memento
of the period, and may still be in existence.
" The Committee on Banquet reported the following :

in <
'"'
m t
"'(<i i >

114 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
MENU.
Soup, a la Bean.
Fish.
Brook Trout, a la catch them first.
Meats.
Antelope, larded, Pioneer style.
Bread.
Biscuit, Hand-made, full weight, a la yellow.
Vegetables.
Beans, Mountain style, warranted boiled forty-eight hours, a la soda.
Dessert.
Dried Apples, Russel Gulch style.
Coffee, served in tin cups, to be washed clean for the occasion ; over
land style, a la no cream.
"Ordered, that to begin with, the cook shall wash his
hands. But after the banquet he can let the dishes stand
over, and use them for breakfast without washing, so as
not to delay the procession.
" The oration by the orator of the day was a broad guage,
double track, ' through- without-change' affair. But un
fortunately there being no newspaper reporters in that lo
cality, the effort was lost to posterity. It was full of pa
triotism and so 4th, and started out something like this:
" 'Fellow Citizens, La — That is, gentlemen ! The American
Eagle soars.' Here one of the boys broke in and wanted
to know what he was 'sore' about? He was 4th-with
arrested by the marshal for disturbing 'religious exer
cises.' " The programme of the day was faithfully and patri
otically carried out until most of the patriots had to be
carried in, and 'the subsequent proceedings interested
them no more.' "
Most of the participants of this occasion are still living,
and are honored and prosperous citizens of our State.
One only of the number is yet digging away in Russell
Gulch, where he has remained off and on, for a quarter
of a century.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE BONANZA TUNNEL.

Believing that "familiarity breeds contempt," or, as the
Dutchman said, "too much freedery breeds despise," we
concluded not to return by way of the switch-back, there
fore took a carriage to the depot at Black Hawk, stopping
on the way to see the renowned Bonanza tunnel. As we
entered it, the air that greeted us was like a vagrant breeze
from the North Pole. Our lips turned blue, and teeth
chattered so as to make conversation unintelligible.
A gallant Boston man threw his linen duster around
me. It was as cold as the "mantle of charity;" but I
appreciated it, for it was something after the style of the
widow's mite, "all he had." He, like many others, who
come from the "benighted East" to "do" the mountains,
had no heavier wrap than a linen duster.
This tunnel pierces the solid mountain twelve hundred
feet, and crosses twelve veins glittering with gold. As
we explored its darkness by the light of our flickering
candles we resembled a procession of spooks haunting the
underground workers of earth.
It is solid comfort to travel with a company. When
one is brimful, "shaken down and running over" with
enthusiasm at some beautiful,"grand and glorious freak of
nature, it is delightful to have some one to nudge, and see
their eyes sparkle and faces brighten up with the same
pleasure; and it is superlatively agreeable to have some
one around when one feels afraid. "Of all the ghostly hab-
115

116 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
itations I have ever seen this takes the ' confection,' " said
I to the gentleman who was piloting us through.
" That suggests an experience of mine which I will tell
you," he said. A GHOST STORY.
" I was superintending the digging of a tunnel not far
from here, and had in my employ a number of Cornish-
men who were very superstitious ; I also had a Missourian
who was full of mischief, and continually joking these
men about ghouls and ghosts. One day the Cornishmen
came out of the tunnel in excited haste, their eyes dis
tended and limbs shaking like aspens. They declared
they would not go back; 'there was something in there, a
terrible, awful white something.'
" ' Nonsense,' said I, ' follow me ! ' I walked in advance
of the halting, trembling men. When quite a distance
in I raised my light and saw in the dim distance some
thing white, with long ears, moving up and down.
'"There it is!' they exclaimed, 'don't you see?' A
ghost, sure as life, and their fear was pitiful.
" ' Come out of there,' I commanded ; but it steadfastly
held its position, and the head went up and down. ' Here,
enough of that,' said I, 'these men want to go to work.'
" It still paid no attention and the automatic motion
went on. I drew my revolver and talked to it in lingual
curiosities, for I was mad, and didn't want any more fool
ing. But the threatened death made no impression.
"Then the Missouri boy burst into the most tickled
laugh that you ever heard, and said it was only the old
white burro, he had 'put it thar to see how them fools
would skeer.' "
When we returned from our subterranean tour we were

CLEAR CREEK CANON. 117
met by an army of little boys with specimens to sell. The
rapid reduction of prices in these wares was something
astounding. Rocks that were offered at first for fifty
cents apiece fell to ten ; and after I had bought all that
I felt able to carry, a little boy emptied his box in Hal.'s
lap and told her she could have them all for five cents.
The driver informed us that we had barely time to
" make the train," and away we went, at a hair-lifting
speed, over a road that was ploughed into gullies by the
late rain storm.
We left this focus of gold-bearing veins for silvery
Georgetown. Job says, " surely there is a vein for the sil
ver and a place for the gold where they find it." If that
quotation is punctuated correctly Job must certainly have
been in a facetious mood when he uttered it.
We are once again in the grand old canon. I can hardly
believe it is the same, for, viewed from the other side,
every curve, rocky dome and spire seems new. There
are two sides to a canon as well as to a quarrel; I am con
vinced of that, but my readers must be satisfied with a
one-sided view, for I have not command of superlatives
sufficient to describe it.

CHAPTER XXVII.
CLEAR CREEK CANON.
While waiting for the up train at the Junction we had a
delightful lunch, not like the usual fare at railway stations
when you "ask for bread and receive a stone," but nice
fresh rolls, genuine butter and savory coffee.
We started again eager for the ride through Clear Creek
canon, which is almost the perfection of pleasuring. There

118 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
is a beauty and charm about this canon that pleases, but
never awes the beholder. The mountains are an unceas
ing wonder; none of them snow-clad, yet they mount
high enough towards the sky to veil their heads in the
clouds; they are not barren and repulsive, but clothed in
green, with occasional cascades breaking over them, form
ing pictures restful and pleasing to the eye.
While rolling dreamily along, a castle with turrets, bat
tlements and quaint windows loomed up before me. I
started and rubbed my eyes, thinking it possibly arose
from the heat of an over-wrought imagination. But it
was a real castle ; we had reached Idaho Springs, and this
was the dwelling of the Hon. Thos. B. Bryan. It is so
situated as to command a view of the valley, with its
picturesque brown-roofed houses and rustic bridges that
span the stream. Back of it are great dome-shaped hills,
covered with evergreens, and beyond tower lofty moun
tains. The hotels in this quiet little town, shut out from the
world, were crowded with people, and many of them were
there for a purpose, too, for they are racked with rheuma
tism and other ills, and just across the way are the fa
mous "hot springs," which form, perhaps, the most im
portant feature of this . no_ted resort. The water issues
from the ground boiling hot, and strongly suggestive of
being sent up from the kitchen of Pluto. However, the
temperature can be arranged to suit; "you pays your
money and takes your choice," whether you will be par
boiled or well done.
About three miles above are the Chicago Lakes, where
" The New West" tells us Bierstadt found the subject of
his grand painting, "A Storm in the Rockies." Having

A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS. 119
seen and admired this picture, I felt deeply interested in
the incidents related by a party of campers, who had just
returned from this historic spot. Its elevation being
11,500 feet, rather above any other body of water on the
continent, was another attraction, for when anything as
unstable as water can attain that eminence, it provokes
reflection upon the enormous possibilities of this world.
A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
Mrs. Whitsitt, who was one of the party, said : " The
trip was a scene of uproarious fun and appalling acci
dents commingled."
" Early one morning we loaded a jack with culinary
implements and the requisite supplies, otherwise commis
sary stores, for a three days camping" expedition, and be
fore the festive lark began its morning melodies of trills
and shakes we mounted our horses and went on our way
rejoicing. The air was exhilarating. There was no for
mality, no starch or buckram ; and passing humors had
full play.
" As we journeyed and chatted, my companion became
so deeply interested in something I was telling, she failed
to observe a limb projecting across the pathway, until I
shouted 'look out!' when she turned her head, and it
struck her in the eye. I expressed much grief, but she
declared 'it was all in her eye.' If I had not treasured
malice in my heart towards her, I would have said jlook
under,' and not 'look out'
"A little farther on the lady's horse just in front of us
suddenly stopped, and she as suddenly went on — into a
mud puddle. There was more humor than dignity in the
way she embraced the unexpected situation, but I will not
enter into detail.

120 TALES OE THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" It was late in the afternoon when we reached Chicago
Lakes. How shall I find words to fittingly express the
beauty of the wide panorama of mountains that sur
rounded us, clad in all the latest shades, gaslight green,
sage green and old gold !
" We raised our voices and awoke the echoes that had
rested year after year, ages, perhaps, under the finger of
silence. "Some spent the next day ferreting out choice nooks and
bits of scenery, that were, so far as we know, as much
undiscovered as when Columbus first landed. Others
made war upon the finny tribe, which took the inviting
bait with accommodating alacrity. One of the lady par
ticipants in the piscatorial exercise fell in, and came sud
denly to a realizing sense of the proverbial and inevitable
wetness of water. With dignified gravity we fished her
out. She was a sight to make Puritans weep. We wrung
her out, hung her up to dry, and considered her a good
subject for a tract to frighten ' small-boy s-who-go-a-fish-
ing.' There was one comfort, however, no danger of tak
ing cold and having consumption in this climate.
"We did not lose our appetites in consequence of all these
mishaps, as the shockingly low state of our commissary
bore witness.
" When we packed up to return, we had only a bag of
crackers and a jar of pickles. These were entrusted to
the oldest and steadiest man in the party, for we wanted
to make sure of our lunch. As we threaded our way
through a rugged canon, watered by a tumbling, foaming
brook, the horse bearing our commissary stores stumbled,
threw the rider over his head, broke the bottle into flin
ders, while the bag of crackers was whirled away in the

BISHOP RANDALL. 121
stream. This frightened the horse of the lady who was
riding near him. It shied, and the unexpected move
ment seated her on a boulder by the roadside, where she
sat and shrieked for help, affirming that she was wounded
' nigh unto death.' She had not fallen exactly two feet,
but it took considerable talking to convince her that she
was not irreparably injured.
" I was the only one who had escaped accident, and I
took it upon myself to deliver them a lecture, finishing
up somewhat after this fashion: 'It all comes from in
attention ; you should keep your wits about you and mind
what you are doing.' I looked back while delivering
myself of this solemn bit of wisdom, when a limb struck
me on the back of my head, lifted me straight off the sad
dle, and there I hung, like Absalom, by my hair.
"When we reached the suburbs of Idaho we tucked in
our rags and straightened ourselves to make a respectable
appearance. For some unaccountable reason the jack
that carried our culinary implements kicked up his heels,
broke the girth, and away went coffee pot, skillet and tin
cups, which caused the horses to stampede, and we rode
through the town like a tribe of Navajo Indians. The
spectacular effect was fine. And thus ended a very re
markable chapter of accidents, for no one received a
wound."

CHAPTER XXVIII.
BISHOP RANDALL.
The time passed pleasantly at Idaho. We were pleased
with the baths and more than pleased with the water. It
has a flavor that I shall not soon forget. Soda mixed
with sulphur is never a palatable beverage. It is a " cul-

122 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
tivated taste," so they say, and grows upon one, but we
didn't stay long enough to acquire it. It is said to cure
all the ills flesh is heir to, and many old habitues seemed
to take to it like ducks and drank it, to all appearances,
with perfect enjoyment.
As we moved along through this wild, beautiful canon,
with the evening sun bathing mountain top and valley
in a dreamy, mystic light, I thought of the good man who
aided in shaping our social, mental and Christian devel
opments, Bishop Randall,
Colorado's pioneer bishop.
He was an untiring worker in the cause of Christ. " I
accompanied him through one day's labor in the moun
tains," said a lady member in his church. "We left
Trotter's station early one morning and reached Idaho in
time for service. I rang the bell while the Bishop opened
the church, dusted the pews and books, and arranged his
robe. After service, without stopping for dinner, we
drove to Empire, where we had dinner, and the Bishop
preached again. We then went to Georgetown, where we
held service in the evening. The next morning we left
Georgetown before breakfast, in fact before there were any
signs of life on the streets. I shall never forget the
beauty of that morning, as winding our way through the
deep canon, the sun peeped over the mountain tops, grad
ually growing brighter, until all the world seemed glori
fied by the splendor of its rays.
" We took breakfast at a station on the way, and con
tinued our journey, for the Bishop had an engagement in
Denver that day which he felt compelled to meet."
That is only a trifling incident in his laborious life, but
it was suggested to me by the trip being made in a single

Colorado's pioneer bishop. 123
buggy > without brakes, over this very road, then rugged
and precipitous, which the skill of the engineer has since
converted into a solid bed for the steam car. While
others were building roads, developing mines, encourag
ing agriculture, creating commerce and giving impetus to
our material advancement, Bishop Randall was building
churches, establishing schools and setting in motion those
varied regenerating influences without which there can
be no civilization, no society. The " General Convention
of the Church " elected him Bishop of Colorado, Decem
ber 28, 1865. Twenty-two years he had labored as a par
ish priest in the City of Boston. His heart was knitted
to his people in those sacred ties of pastoral relations, and
he had reached the time of life when most men feel the
advance of age and begin to think of rest. His call was
to him as the call of God to Abraham. He suffered the
same trial of his faith. It seemed to him a terrible sum
mons to uproot those firmly bound relationships and ex
change his peaceful, happy home for the trials and harass
ing anxieties and homeless wanderings of a missionary
bishop. He was a man and could not easily sunder ties
so dear.
After prayerful consideration he decided to take the
staff and go forward in fear and faith, believing it was
the voice of God calling him to this work. He arrived in
Denver June, 1866, making the journey across the' plains
in a stage coach. At that time there were but two par
ishes in the Territory, St. John's, at Denver, and St.
Mark's, at Central. The Territories of New Mexico and
Wyoming were also added to this diocese. The field was
a large one and the work to be performed laborious. He
traveled annually over his entire diocese, from Silver City,

124 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
eight hundred miles to the southwest, on the farthest bor
ders of New Mexico, to the out-posts of the Wind river
valley, five hundred miles to the northward, enduring
hardships, encountering dangers, suffering deprivations, '
preaching the gospel, establishing schools and perform
ing the various sacred duties of his high office. Never
was there a more faithful or devoted worker.
In the midst of his great labors, seven years from the
time he arrived in Colorado, the Master called him home.
The greatness of his success is best told by a brief re
view of the results. Parishes were organized and churches
were built at Golden, Nevada, Georgetown, Pueblo, Canon,
Colorado Springs, Idaho, Littleton and Baldwinsville, at
Cheyenne and Laramie in Wyoming Territory, and at one
or two points in New Mexico. Wolfe Hall, a school for
young ladies in Denver, was opened in 1867. Jarvis Hall,
a school for boys, was opened near Golden in 1869. A
school of mines was added to it in 1871. A divinity
school, Matthew's Hall, in 1872. He was a pioneer in the
highest sense of the word, and possessed the qualifica
tions which fitted him for the tasks thereby imposed. As
an able, learned and eloquent divine he had few equals.
He expounded the Christian truth in a manner which
went at once to the heart and convinced the understand
ing. In his social intercourse he was cordial and friendly,
and his conversation was always entertaining and in
structive. To his excellencies of mind and manner were
added those of an exact and far-seeing business man.
There are many in Colorado to-day who sacredly cherish
his memory and continue to "rise up and call him
blessed." At the Memorial and Communion Service of the House

Colorado's pioneer bishop. 125
of Bishops, held in Grace Church, New York, Oct. 24,
1873, Bishop Clarkson, in his address to the bishops, said :
" When he took possession of his missionary jurisdiction,
it was an entirely new, and except to adventurous gold-
hunters and a few others, an almost unknown country ;
but no gold-hunters ever went to Colorado with more faith
and with more enthusiasm to gather precious ores, than •
did the first great-hearted Bishop on his sublime mission,
to scatter and deliver there the still more precious treas
ures of the Gospel and the Church. These men, dread
fully in earnest in behalf of earthly riches, all on fire
with the passion of sudden wealth, saw in him a man
who was just as much in earnest after the better riches of
the world to come — a man all aflame with celestial fire,
and they yielded to him what Christian earnestness al
ways compels from men — respect, admiration, confidence,
and aHfollowing. And so the Church in the East saw in
him a man who was thoroughly and intensely in earnest,
and therefore means without stint poured itself out to
him, and Churches and institutions and parishes and
clergymen, grew up ground him and gathered about him
as if by the operation of the fabled lamp of Oriental story.
" We read and talk about the martyrs of the Church in
early days, and in Reformation times, and in heathen
lands of our own age, and give them credit and glory,
even canonize them; but here was a Bishop who was
truly a martyr to work and to duty, for Christ's sake and
the Church's, as any holy man of the post ever was from
truth and for faith.
" Not Ignatius among the lions, nor Polycarp in the fires,
not Patteson amid the savages, yielded up their lives with

126 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
a sublimer heroism, than did the noble-souled Bishop
whose translation to rest and peace we now commem
orate."

CHAPTER XXIX.

GEORGETOWN.

Georgetown is a lively place of between three and four
thousand inhabitants, located at the base of the Snowy
Range, about fifty miles from Denver and three thousand
feet higher. It is picturesque and romantic, nestled amid
the eternal mountains, that stand like gloomy sentinels
guarding it from the world, and guarding at the same
time with morose and forbidding exterior the shining
glories in their own deep hearts. As they stretch away
in their mighty upward slant, they are dotted with cosy
little cottages that lend an additional charm to the land
scape. Along the principal streets the houses have a
comfortable, home-like appearance; the windows are gar
nished with boxes of blooming flowers, and vines climb
in graceful beauty around them.
We telegraphed ahead for a carriage to take us to Green
Lake, and we found it waiting — a large, over-grown spring
wagon, " lined and bound " with buffalo robes ; the finest
type of a mountain vehicle. It was drawn by four very
handsome horses, and the driver was evidently proud of
his turn-out.
Green Lake is only two miles from Georgetown, yet two
thousand feet above it, reached by what is called a good
mountain road.
It was the most remarkable road I ever saw. We
wound in cork-screw curves, with only the road between

GEORGETOWN. 127
imposing precipices above and yawning chasms below.
It was "grand, gloomy and peculiar." Unlike Lot's wife,
we had no disposition to look back to where we came
from — it made our heads swim, confused our ideas, and
left an unpleasant sense of uneasiness and distress.
For the first time I lost interest in the summits, and
became deeply absorbed in thinking how we were to -get
out of it.
Finally we switched around a deep curve and entered a
trail, heavily fringed with dense and fragrant pines. I
cannot describe the feeling with which it inspired me.
It suggested both mystery and supernaturalism, and the
peculiar sombre tint of the prospect intensified the feel
ing. We seemed to be winding through a resting place
of the dead. Soon the awesome feeling was succeeded by
a sweet religious ecstacy.
The busy work-day world was shut out and " peace on
earth, good will to man " pervaded this great cathedral of
nature. The emerald lake, with its placid water, the pet
rified forest at the bottom, and speckled trout that
skimmed near its surface, was entrancing. The tall, trim
evergreens that surrounded it, were perfectly mirrored in
the water, and seemed to grow both ways, while the sun's
rays, that fell through them, was like the dim religious
light that shimmers through monastic windows.
There were no exclamations, but everyone seemed to
quietly an 'I meditatively take in the divine picture.
But we were out for pleasure, and we thought the great
est sport of all would be to catch some of the beautiful
fish, that stuck their heads up out of the water and made
mouths at us in .the most tantalizing way. The warder
supplied us with rods, and the way we caught fish would

128 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
have given pleasure to any lover of the Waltonian art.
A lady, in great excitement, went around inquiring for a
bucket, she wanted to fill it, and take it home to her dear
husband, in Denver. But buckets were scarce up there,
and none could be had for "freighting purposes." She
was dreadfully disappointed, and said she intended to
suggest to the proprietor of the hotel the advantage of
keeping a stock of buckets for the accommodation of tour
ists. But when we came to settle our bills, and found we
were charged fifty cents apiece for every fish caught, she
forgot to make the suggestion.
After one sweet hour of heavenly quiet and calm in
that beautiful spot we began our descent.
The driver, who plumed himself upon his skillful manip
ulation of the ribbons, seemed intoxicated with pleasure,
and we went down that steep and rugged path, past the
everlasting procession of tourists, at an alarming rate. A
broken vehicle lay up against the side of the road, await
ing repairs. " Just watch me take the wheel off that,"
said he, cracking his whip and augmenting his speed. I
felt myself turning pale, and poor, "chicken-hearted"
Hal. looked somewhat nauseated, and closely embraced
the arm of a gentleman who sat beside her.
Off came the wheel, throwing our wagon against a
huge stone on the edge of the road ; that being thus
rudely knocked from its resting place, stopped not to
"gather moss" on its way downward.
He laughed, almost shouted over his exploit, and turn
ing deliberately around in his seat, told us not to be fright
ened, " he had driven over that road a hundred times and
had never met with an accident yet ;" but we would have
felt vastly more comforted if he had kept his eyes on his
horses.

gray's peak. 129
It seemed natural to rush by the "Devil's Gate,"
but we would have preferred a more lingering look
at the " Bridal Veil Falls." Strange the fascination at
tached to that veil, whether it be of tulle, lace or water!
To my agreeable disappointment I reached Georgetown
with my head on my shoulders, and, on the whole, de
lighted with ihe trip.
In the parlor at the hotel a mining expert told us a
very amusing incident. A negro had been importuning
him for weeks to look at his mine. He finally brought a
specimen and said he had four feet of just such ore as
that. Upon looking at it he thought if the negro's story
was true, he had something worth having ; so he hired a
buggy and started off with the dusky miner. When he
came to examine the mine he found a little vein about
one and a half inches thick.
"What do you mean by fooling me in this way?" he
said to the darkey rather roughly. •
The negro turned his head to one side, and in a dazed
sort of way said: "Ain't da fo' foot da, boss?" Then he
examined it himself; "Well," said he, "if it aint jes like it
was when I lef it ; but de closer I got to Georgetown de
bigger it growd, and when I got da, I d'clar fo' de Lawd
it was fo' foot."
The expert said the sell was so complete and ridiculous
he couldn't get angry.
CHAPTER XXX.
gray's peak.
The following morning, refreshed and in good spirits,
we started for Gray's Peak, the dome of the continent.
It is 14,351 feet high. Nature is built on a grand scale

130 TALES OE THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
around here; "there is nothing little" about Georgetown
I'm sure.
One can ride to the summit of Gray's Peak in a car
riage, but we preferred to go on horseback. The morning
was breezy and cloudless, the ascent gradual, and as we
mounted higher and higher toward the clouds, the green
valley with its shady nooks and silvery streams was as
charming as glimpses of fairy land.
About half way up we stopped to rest and talk to a re
turning party, who had been to the summit to see the sun
rise. They were so enthusiastic over the marvelous view
that we took out our guide book to see if their jar stretch
ing yarns were true. It corroborated their assertions as
follows : " From this point are plainly discernible Pike's
Peak, eighty miles away, Mount Lincoln, fifty miles,
Mount of the Holy Cross, eighty miles, Long's Peak,
eighty miles, the City of Denver, sixty-five miles, and
even the summits of the Spanish Peaks, two hundred
miles southward, and the highest ranges of the Uintah
mountains, three hundred miles westward. The total
range of the vision is not less than two hundred and fifty
to three hundred miles."
After reading this, our desires were greatly increased to
take the " tip-top " view. Toiling up, up, up, we at. last
reached the summit. Surely this must have been the
great play-ground of the Titans, when in a game of pitch
and toss with mountains, they left them as we find them,
heaped in stupendous confusion to commemorate the oc
casion. There were mountains, mountains everywhere,
seemingly without bound or limit. Far away hung the
emblem of the Christain faith, the Holy Cross. There
was something subduing and awe-inspiring in the sacred

MOUNT OF THE HOLY CROSS. 131
symbol that above all and over all stretched its arms in
mute appeal to man's reverence for the Creator. One had
the sense of standing before the visible throne of God
waiting for the words, " depart from me," or, " ye are the
chosen of my Father."
I' sat down to contemplate and thoroughly enjoy the
stupendous scenery, when the party gathered around and
listened to
THE LEGEND OF THE MOUNT OF THE HOLY CROSS.
"Many years ago, when the Franciscan Friars were
earnestly engaged in the grand work of converting the
inhabitants of Mexico to the worship of the true God, a
monk in Spain yielded to the tempter and committed an
unpardonable crime. Day and night, with contrite heart,
he sought in prayer expiation for his sin. It was revealed
to him in a vision that when he saw a cross suspended in
the air it would be a token of his forgiveness. Then he
became filled with a feeling of unrest, and longedv to
travel. He joined an expedition to Mexico, and wandered
over the country in search of the sacred symbol, until his
hair was frosted and his limbs infirm with age. Finding
no rest for his soul he joined an exploring party coming
North. " By winding ways they traveled ; from mountain sum
mits, where the sunshine lingers, to valleys barred with
light and shadows, through deep defiles, robed in verdure,
girdled with flowers and crowned with snow, onward they
went. " Arriving one day on the summit of a lofty mountain,
they pitched their tents. It was not the hour to camp,
but their further progress was prevented by a dense fog,

132 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
that with the morning sun rose from the ground and
gradually grew thicker and higher, until it mingled with
the clouds and enveloped the whole earth.
" The pious man wandered away from the sound of hu
man voices to pray for the removal of his burden of sin.
Kneeling in deep humility, he raised his hands and voice
to God, when lo ! the cloud was lifted, and suspended be
fore him, resplendent with the rays of the glorious sun,
was the ' cross.'
" The Great Spirit of the Mountains breathed forgive
ness, and his soul went out in joy.
" Wondering at his long delay his companions went to
search for him, and found him dead in the attitude of
prayer, with his face toward the Mount of the Holy Cross.'*
During this recital the air became suddenly colder,
clouds shut out the sunlight, and it was evident that a
storm was brewing. With all possible haste we started
on the downward march. The roads were good, and as it
was all down hill, we hoped to out travel the storm.
Angry nature fumed, fretted and threatened for an hour
or so, and then the rain came down in torrents. The
thunders rolled, the winds lashed us, and all the elements
seemed pretty busy for a while ; but no matter, we had
made the ascent and were happy, a new picture was hung
in the gallery of memory, that time could never efface.
We had something to think of and talk about, not for a
day, but for many days.
The forlorn and bedraggled party which entered the
hotel that evening bore no resemblance to the one that
left it in the morning. We looked as if we had been at
tending a Baptist revival and become converts to the
" dip theory." One complained of toothache, another of

THE MINING EXPERT. 133
sharp rheumatic pains, still another of neuralgia, but
such minor damages count as nothing when we take into
consideration the magnificent view.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE MINING EXPERT.

The next morning found us on the train for Denver,
well and happy. Here again we met the mining expert.
As my mission was to gather stories, I endeavored to im
prove each shining hour, so commenced a lively conver
sation with him.
" I was sitting in my office one morning," said he, "re
flecting over the old adage, ' all that glitters is not gold,'
when I was suddenly awakened from my reverie by the
salutation, 'Well, boss, how does you do?' Looking up I
recognized the intruder as my old colored friend, Jim
Boyd. Jim came to the country in an early day, and cast
his lot with thousands of other fortune-hunters of the
then wild country of Colorado, and being from the South
myself, Jim often came in to talk about the old home, the
fried chicken, sweet potatoes, and the many good things
to us then 'non-come-at-able.'
"'Well, Jim,' said I, 'I'm glad to see you; sit down.
What can I do for you?
"'Golly, boss, struck it rich; no, I thank you, boss,
drudder stand up.' Pulling out of his pocket an old
dirty handkerchief, with something heavy in it, he pro
duced therefrom some specimens of rocks. ' Here it is,
boss ; right out of de bottom of de shaft. Here's de wealth
for you, sho' !'

134 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" ' You are excited, Jim. Sit right down and tell me
all about it'
" J. ' De fact is, boss, I want to sell you dis mine.'
" ' How deep are you, Jim ?'
"J. 'Down forty feet; dug de hole myse'f.'
'"How much ore?'
"J. 'Eighteen inches pure stuff, boss.'
"'How does it run? Had any assays?'
"J. 'Better den dat, boss, had a reg'lar mill" run; $170
a ton and plenty of it.'
"' What price do you place on this property, Jim? I
don't want to buy, but perhaps I can sell it for you.'
" J. ' Now you struck me, boss. You can sell dis mine
for $500 ; all you gets over — dat's yo' money.'
" ' But, Jim, I wouldn't sell such a mine as that for so
little; you can work it, if it is as rich as you say, and
make from twenty to fifty dollars per day, which would
soon make you a Bonanza king. Then you might be
Governor, or perhaps Senator,. who knows.'
" J. ' Now, boss, I'se a colored man, a po' man, and all
dat, but I'se honest, and I'se never done anything yet to
qualify me for dem positions you speak about — sides
all dis, I'se never harmed you, and I does n't think you
ought to cast such insinuations at me.'
. " ' Well, well, Jim, beg your pardon, but about the mine.
Hadn't you better work that mine? I dislike to see an
old friend who has struggled in these mountains so long
and worked so hard, throw away such a good thing for a
few hundred dollars.'
" At this Jim came forward, and laying his big, black
hand on my shoulder, sunk his voice to a whisper and

THE MINING EXPERT. 135
replied : ' De fact am, boss, dar's many a good mine in dis
country, spoilt by working it. Sell de mine, boss.'
" Since that morning I have frequently had occasion to
recall to mind Jim's remark, ' dar's many a good mine
spoilt by working it.' "
Georgetown is a great place to get a pocket full of rocks ;
the windows are full of specimens, views, etc. This ex
pert had a valfee full of mountain souvenirs. A speci
men is an expert's jewel, treasure, sweetheart, and every
thing that is delightful. He talked rapturously of the
auriferous, cupriferous, galenous, argentiferous and fer
riferous, and seemed delighted to find a sympathetic ear.
His metaliferous voice softened into mellifluous undula
tions as if speaking of his first lover when he showed us
a beautiful specimen of smoky quartz. Holding it at a
proper angle to catch the sun's rays he said : " Quartz is
an essential constituent of granite, and abounds in rocks
of all ages." He had beautiful amethysts, carnelians, jas
pers, agates, and so on, and he lingered affectionately on
the perfections of each and every one. Hal. smuggled a
wink to me and asked him, " What makes quartz ? "
He contemplated her contemptuously and replied :
" Twice as many pints, Miss."
Then, feeling, perhaps, that he was casting pearls be
fore swine, he drew himself away and looked dreamily
out of the window.
I took her to task for it, but she said it provoked her to
see me looking as wise as an owl, absorbing that man's
intellectual knowledge, when I didn't know or care any
thing more about rocks and minerals than I did about
Sanscrit. I reminded her of the trite adage, "it is never too late

136 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
to learn," and accused . her of spoiling my golden oppor
tunity. We didn't have time to quarrel long, for our at
tention was attracted by the rocky sides of the canon,
where great masses of granite rocks, like Ossa on Pelion
piled, seemed to pierce the very heavens, and in striking
contrast to the blue sky above was the turbid stream be
low, beating itself in mad fury against the boulders in its
course*. Clear Creek, so called, from the original transpa
rency of its water, now turgid from the dust and other
residuum of many quartz mills, reminded me of Longfel
low's poem : " I am the Wave of Life,
Stained with my margin's dust ;
From the struggle and the strife
Of the narrow stream, I fly
To the Sea's immensity,
To wash from me the slime
Of the muddy banks of Time."
Luxuriant evergreens grew straight up out of the rocks.
The same evergreens, if taken to Denver, carefully tend
ed, watered and petted, would be sure to die. Just so
with some people, they droop and die, or are dwarfed,
(which is worse) amid the luxuries of life, and the hard
paths develop them into bright and shining lights.
The conductor put a stop to my sermonizing by invit
ing me to the rear end of the car to see the " Old Man of
the Mountains."
When viewed from that distance he looked natural
enough to flirt with. We cheered him and waved our
handkerchiefs as we glided by, but the stony-hearted old
fellow did not even smile in return. How long he has
been there none know. In ages past the earth rocked
with volcanic fires, in frienzied throes, gave him birth,

GREELEY. 137
and there he stands a relic of past grandeur, watching
the roll of years.
I have spun so many yarns on the way this seems like
a long trip, but it can be done satisfactorily in two days at
a trifling expense.
Upon reaching Denver, the natural key to all points of
scenic interest, we expressed a great desire to turn right
around and go over the same route again, but our plans
were mapped out and we had no time to repeat.

CHAPTER XXXIL

GREELEY.

Touring in the mountains of Colorado is attended with
none of the fatigue and weariness that generally accom
panies excursions elsewhere. The distance from one place
- of interest to another is short, the air bracing, the hotels
comfortable, and the trains start from all points at such
seasonable and reasonable hours one is not afflicted with
nervous excitement in a frantic effort to be on time for the
cars — or sick headache.
We passed but one night in Denver, and the next day
took a run to Greeley, a thriving town, with comfort
able and elegant homes embowered in trees.
"Fourteen years ago," said one of the first settlers,
"when a new comer stepped from the cars, the people
looking on, in real or pretended pity, said : ' Here comes
another victim.' It was indeed disheartening, for this
was then a boundless expanse of dry, sandy plains. We
stepped from the cars to a pile of lumber, and from the
lumber into a prickly pear bed; being 'tenderfeet' we

138 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
hobbled off. It is a fact that people who are not ' tender
feet' or new comers, can walk through a cactus bed with
impunity. " When speaking of the ' Union Colony ' now, they say
' it was a great success, and people should always immi
grate in colonies.' But at that time there was much dis
satisfaction, and the colony officers were obliged to bear a
great deal of abuse. Still they never lost courage. Poor
Mr. Meeker, who was as sensitive as a woman, would have
been made very unhappy at that time if his fellow- worker,
General Cameron, had not taken the brunt of the work
in guiding the people, and explaining continually that the
project was bound to succeed. Curses and sneers rolled
off his broad shoulders like water off a duck's back.
" When he would say cheerily ' my friends, it is all
right, this thing is bound to succeed, and Greeley will be
one of the finest farming regions on the face of the earth !'
Some one in the crowd would retort, ' 0, yes, I bet that
' feller ' gets four dollars a day for lying.'
"We have never had a whisky saloon. Greeley was
long known as Saints Rest, and is often so called now.
The name arose from the fact that we had no wickedness
and no need of police.
" Many left Greeley declaring it was a fraud, there was
no chance to sell whisky, the soil was not good Tor any
thing, and Horace Greeley and Mr. Meeker were fools.
After the 'soreheads' had taken their departure there was
less talking done and more work. Men adapted them
selves to their new surroundings, and a man in overalls,
shirt sleeves and old straw hat, was as likely to be a min
ister, doctor or lawyer as a common workman. It was
as if , people were going about in disguise, for men can

MASSACRE.

139

not wear fine clothes while making adobe bricks, and
that was the occupation of many during the first summer.
" The women were braver than the men, and many a
man who is thankful to-day to be living in Greeley, owes
it to his wife. In those days, by the cactus we sat d*own
and wept, but the magic touch of irrigation has created a
transformation scene equal to any witnessed on the the
atre platform. The desert has been made to blossom like
the rose."
The sad fate of Mr. Meeker will be found in the follow
ing brief- sketch of the Ute War:

CHAPTER XXXIII.
MASSACRE.
N. C. Meeker was for many years agricultural editor
of the New York Tribwne, which position he resigned in
1869, to found a colony
on. the Cache La Poudre,
under the patronage
and hearty support of
Horace Greeley, whose
name it bears. Under
his vigorous direction it
became one of the most
successful and prosper
ous settlements of its
class west of the Missis
sippi, and is to day one
of the most beautiful in
Colorado. He estab-
fished and conducted
the Greeley Tribwne, a

N. C. MEEKER.

140 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
weekly journal of large influence. Its venerable editor,
by reason of his years and experience, was known through
out the State by the title of " Father Meeker," affection
ately accorded him by his younger brethren of the press.
Naturally philanthropic, among other things he made a
careful study of the. condition of the Indians, and be
lieving that, with the earnest support of the Govern
ment, they could be made to accept civilization, and to
engage' heartily in its pursuits if wisely directed, he ap
plied for and obtained the agency for the White River
tribe of Utes in 1877.
Arriving at the agency he found that many of the In
dians had left the reservation, and great dissatisfaction
existed among them, because of alleged ill-treatment by
former agents. True to the main purpose of his mission
he soon succeeded in restoring quiet among the malcon
tents. It was a favorite theory with him that it was possible
to make the agency self-supporting by teaching these sav
ages to adopt stock raising and agriculture. He also
thought the young might be -induced to attend school,
and grow up educated in the English language and
trained in the manner of civilized society.
With this idea he established a school, and his daugh
ter, Miss Josephine Meeker, who inherited much of the
force and enthusiasm of her father, essayed the role of
teacher with the highest missionary spirit. Miss Jose
phine was then twenty-two years of age, a blonde, with
blue eyes and light hair, tall in stature and vivacious in
manner and conversation. She was a great favorite
among the Indians, and during her twelve months stay

MASSACRE. 141
with them, received half, a dozen offers of marriage from
Ute braves.
Mr. Meeker went to work with his accustomed energy
and the conscientious devotion to> duty which character
ized all his dealings with his fellow-beings, to do what
was right by the Indians and the Government.
He accordingly solicited as employees at the agency in
telligent men of sober and industrious habits, people pe
culiarly genial, and calculated to win by unvarying kind
ness the regard of the Utes.
The agency was removed during Mr. Meeker's admin
istration twenty miles from White River to Powell's bot
tom, one of the most beautiful tracts of land on the con
tinent. Here he began to teach the unsophisticated chil
dren of nature how to cultivate the soil. The experiment
worked well until the spring of 1879. Early in the season
he began preparations for a large crop. He had fenced
the ground, dug wells, and built irrigating ditches. The
Indians, still unreconciled, made serious complaints of
these innovations. To the fence they objected strenuously,
because it injured the feet and legs of their ponies.
They made frequent protests to Mr. Meeker, and finally
sent a" delegation of four to lay their grievances before
Governor Pitkin.
These commissioners bewailed bitterly the Agent's effort
to cultivate the ground, and his daughter's attempt to teach
their children the ways of the white man. They wanted
him restricted to supplying them with food, and compelled
to allow them to live their lives in their own way. They
assumed a hostile position during the entire summer, at
times committing horrible depredations on the white
man's side of the line, and the miners or prospectors who

142 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ventured on their reservation to dig for gold, were shot
down like dogs. They wandered up and down the coun
try, burning the forests and grasses, leaving a trail of fire
from the Wyoming line to the boundary of New Mexico.
Meanwhile, certain members of the tribe became very
troublesome to Mr. Meeker. On one occasion he was
brutally assaulted by Chief Johnson and quite seriously
•injured. Immediately after this occurrence Colonel John
W. Steele, agent of the Postoffice Department, visited the
agency. In a conversation with him, Mr.- Meeker said :
*" I came to this agency in the full belief that I could
teach them to work and become self-supporting. I
thought I could establish schools and interest the In
dians and their children in learning. I have given
my best efforts to this end, always treating them kindly
but firmly. They have eaten at niy table and received
continued kindness from my wife and daughter and all
the employees about the agency. Their complaints have
been heard patiently, and all reasonable requests have
been granted them, and now the man for whom I have
done the most, for whom I have built the only Indian
house on the reservation, and who has frequently eaten
at my table, has turned on me without the slightest pro
vocation, and would have killed me but for the white la
borers who got me away. No Indian raised his hand to
prevent the outrage, and those who had received contin
ued kindness from myself and family stood around and
laughed at the brutal assault. They are an unreliable
and treacherous race."
Mr. Steele expressed his belief that an outbreak was
imminent,- and advised him to leave the agency at once.
*From " The Ute War," written and compiled by Messrs. Dawson and Skiff.

MASSACRE. 143
Mr. Meeker then applied for troops for protection, and
Major Thornburg, commanding Fort Steele on the Union
Pacific Railroad, was at once ordered to use all dispatch
in reaching the Indian country.
During this time the Utes were secretly preparing for a
massacre. They purchased, at exterior points, arms of
the most improved pattern, and ammunition in large
quantities. Everything being in readiness, Chief Douglass visited
the agency on the morning set for the massacre. He
made some remarks about the soldiers coming. Mr.
Meeker assured him that their coming did not mean war.
Apparently convinced, but at heart resolved to do murder,
Douglass ate dinner with them, and lingered long after
the meal, laughing and talking in a very pleasant man
ner with Mr. Meeker, Miss Josephine and Mrs. Price.
Suddenly he left. He was thought by the people of the
agency to possess many good qualities, but he proved
himself to be one of the most cruel and heartless, as well
as one of the most treacherous of the band. A few min
utes after his departure the firing began. The women and
children, in great alarm, sought a hiding place, and when
they were driven from their shelter the cruel work had
been accomplished. The Agent and his employees were
murdered, and no white person survives who witnessed it.
Mrs. Meeker, after emerging from concealment, in passing
across the grounds, came close to the side of her dead hus
band, with whom she had passed twenty-five years of
contented married life. She stopped to kiss the cold blue
lips, but was rudely ordered by Douglass to pass on.
The men were dead, but a fate worse than death awaited
the women. Miss Josephine, young and intelligent, Mrs.

144 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Price and her two children^ and Mrs. Meeker, sixty-four
years old, one of the gentlest, most motherly of women,
were in the hands of the barbarians. All who are fa
miliar with Indian customs and character will readily
understand the awful trials that befel them in such hands.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE SIX DAYS' SIEGE.
Major T. T. Thornburg, in obedience to orders, left
Rawlins immediately for White River agency. When
his command reached the point where the road crosses
Milk river they were attacked by about three hundred
warriors lying in ambush. The scene of the ambuscade
was peculiarly adapted to the Indian method of warfare.
It was a narrow canon, the bluffs on the north two hun
dred feet high and those on the south one hundred feet,
both well nigh inaccessible to troops. On the top of the
two ranges of bluffs the hostiles entrenched themselves
in a series of pits, and poured a continual fire upon the
soldiers, who fought valiantly and desperately, but melted
away under the superior number and position of the sav
ages. Major Thornburg, recognizing the terrible dan
ger to which his command was exposed, at once mounted
twenty of his men, and at the head of them made a bold
charge upon the enemy. In this valorous dash the gal
lant leader was killed and Capt. Payne], came into com
mand. About ten o'clock, Monday night, the first of the siege,
Joe Rankin, a brave scout, stole away under cover of the
darkness, and speeding swiftly through valleys and over
hills, reached Rawlins between two and three o'clock

THE six days' siege. 145
Wednesday morning, having accomplished the distance
of one hundred and sixty miles in twenty-eight hours.
He conveyed the first intelligence of the battle, the death
of Thornburg, and appealed for reinforcements.
The bodies of the dead men and horses now began to
become offensive, and at every opportunity afforded by
the cessation of firing from the enemy, the bodies were
placed one above the other and covered with dirt. In
this way the dead served as breastworks for the surviv
ors. The situation was horrible in the extreme. Sur
rounded by the dead and dying, their ears pierced by the
agonizing cries of the wounded and death-struggles of
the poor animals ; for six long days the despairing hand
ful of soldiers fought and contemplated their desperate,
almost hopeless condition. The third day they were re
inforced by a company of colored cavalry, under the
command of Captain Dodge, who had been notified by a
Rawlins courier of the distress of their white brethren in
arms, and rode rapidly to their support.
And still the murderous work went on, ceasing at night,
but with the first dawn of day the alert foe, securely hid
den behind the sheltering bluffs, renewed their fire. On
the fifth day of the siege General Merritt came to their
rescue with a considerable body of troops. It is said that
when he saw the dead and wounded and the suffering to
which the brave men had been subjected, he turned aside
and wept like a child.
Observing the strong reinforcements, and realizing their
inability to maintain the fight any longer, the hostiles
withdrew, leaving the field to General Merritt, who imme
diately marched to the agency, where he found the bodies
10

146 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
of the unfortunate men, who were slain at the beginning
of the outbreak, and buried them in a beautiful spot
near the crystal waters of White River.
He then started at the head of seven hundred men for
the camp of the hostiles who held the captive women, and
which he had every reason to believe was located on
Grand or Blue river. After a march of about six hours
he received orders to suspend operations against the In
dians, as negotiations for peace were in progress, and it
was believed they would agree to surrender the captives
and deliver the warriors who had led the outbreak. The
military and the country generally considered this a dis
graceful termination of the campaign, but were, of course,
powerless to prevent it.
Ouray, the head chief of the Utes, had started on a big
hunt which was to have lasted three months, but news of
the trouble at White River caused his speedy return. He
sent a positive command to the hostile Utes to cease fight
ing. Ouray was renowned in his tribe for his wisdom,
and his friendship for the white man made him very
helpful in the material progress of Colorado. Up to the
time of his death, in 1880, he lived at his home in the
Uncompahgre with his wife, Chipeta, who, like Ouray,
was kind and well disposed towards the whites. His
home was a comfortable adobe built for him by the Gov
ernment. He took great pleasure in cultivating his farm,
and was anxious to surrender the reins of government to
some younger man, desiring only to be known as Ouray,
" the white man's friend."
He had but one son, who was stolen from him by the
Arapahoes during a war many years ago between the
Utes and that tribe. It was a source of great grief to him.

THE RESCUE. 147
The Government made an effort to restore the boy to his
home, and while General Adams was agent he accompa
nied Ouray to Washington, where, according to agree
ment, he was to meet the chief of the Arapahoes and re
ceive his long lost boy. When the young Indian was
brought in, he walked up to Ouray and asked him how
much he was worth, and how many ponies he had to give
him. The old chief eyed the mercenary young man sadly
and said, " He is not my boy. If he was, I would feel it
in my heart," and turned away grievously disappointed .
They never met again.

CHAPTER XXXV.
THE RESCUE BY GENERAL ADAMS.
General Adams was Agent for the White River. Utes
in 1870-1. He had studied the Indian character, and by
his kindness and consideration for them in sickness or
distress, his prompt and decisive action in every emer
gency, commanded their respect and confidence. At the
time of the Ute war he was Special Agent for the United
States Postoffice Department, with headquarters at Den
ver. On the evening of October 14th he received tele
graphic notification that at the request of Secretary Schtirz
he had been detailed for special work as Representative
of the Interior Department among the Indians. This
was soon followed by another dispatch conveying specific
instructions as to his mission and how to proceed. The
General being a man of deeds and few words, very little
was known of his intentions or movements until he be
gan to act. However, the appointment was regarded by

148 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
the public with great favor; his skillful management of
the Indians, his bravery, energy and sagacity, distin
guished him above all others as one pre-eminently quali
fied to rescue the captive women without bloodshed, which
was understood to be his chief mission.
He spent the whole night in arranging his affairs for
the long and perilous journey, and on the morning of the
14th he left Denver for Los Pinos, having telegraphed his
wife, who was at Colorado Springs, to meet him at the de
pot. She said, "you are not a soldier, why do you go?"
" Why do I go ?" said he. " Because the State of Colorado
can not afford to have those women in the hands of the
Indians. I would consider it just as much a shame and
disgrace to refuse my influence in rescuing them as if I
should desert in the hour of battle. You would not have
me stay ? "
" No, thinking of it in that way, she would not," yet it
was a bitter struggle.
A sad good-bye, and the iron horse sped away, bearing
the brave and noble husband from her sight, perhaps for
ever. She stood paralyzed with grief and dismal fore
bodings. Thoughts of Canby and others, who had fallen
victims to Indian snares, crowded her brain and made her
sick at heart.
General Adams arrived at Ouray's camp on the night
of the 18th, and the chief of the Utes confirmed his rep
utation as a friend of the white man, by giving his aid
and advice in perfecting the plans for the trip to the
Grand River, one hundred miles north, where the cap
tives were then known to be.
The following morning the General started on his jour
ney, accompanied by three chiefs, ten Indians and Count

THE RESCUE. 149
von Doenhoff, Secretary of the German Legation at
Washington. The Count was recreating among the
mountains and delightful wilds of Colorado, and volun
teered to go for the sake of the adventure.
There was also in the company a special correspondent
of the Denver Tribune; Captain Cline, an experienced
scout and frontiersman, with two men to drive wagons
and take care of the camping outfit.
That the ladies might be spared a long journey on
horseback they took a buckboard, and Ouray, with his
usual kindness and thoughtfulness, sent his tent for their
special use.
The chiefs who escorted the General were named, Sapa
vanaro, Shavano and Colorow.
The first day they traveled forty miles on an old Mor
mon trail, to the crossing of the Gunnison River. Here
two runners were sent ahead to inform Chief Douglass of
their approach.
On the morning of the 21st the envoy left Grand River
for the enemy's camp, twenty miles distant. Before reach
ing it,]they were met by one of the Indians they had sent
ahead, who told them that after a whole night's council
the Indians had concluded to let them come in.
Adams, who was in advance, seeing a squaw standing
in the doorway of a tepee, approached her and asked if
the white squaws were there. She said "no." Miss
Meeker, who was standing immediately behind her, saw
General Adams and his party, and pushing the squaw
away, walked out to meet them.
The General asked, "are you Miss Meeker?"
She answered, " yes."
He said, " we have come for you." Miss Josephine ex-

150 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
pressed great joy, and pointed out to him the tent where
her mother and Mrs. Price were.
The General went there, but they were not in.
Then the occupants of the tent and Sapavanaro held a
very excited colloquy. The chief seemed angry and in
dignant. Turning to General Adams, he informed him in
Spanish, that the women had been secreted ; also that they
had sent for Douglass, who was at his camp, about sixteen
miles distant, and nothing could be done until his arrival.
After, perhaps an hour's delay, the anxiously awaited
chief arrived. He shook hands with the General and the
party, and then turned away and became absorbed in con
versation with the chiefs who had escorted them.
He told General Adams, through an interpreter, that
he wished for no war, but the white troops were advancing
upon them.
The General said, " that he had been sent by the Gov
ernment to say 'it did not want to fight, but the white
squaws must be returned to their friends." '
He then declared his willingness to give up the white
squaws on condition that they be allowed to remain there
until General Adams returned from White River. "No,"
replied the General, "I will go to-day to White River,
but the white squaws must start home to-morrow."
Douglass was far from satisfied. He said : " You come-
in." The General followed him into a tepee, which was
soon filled with Indians, and then commenced a council
which lasted five hours.
The chief Sapavanaro stood by the General, who for
mally made known his errand; then one after another of
the hostile chiefs spoke, the majority of them refusing
their consent to the surrender of the prisoners. The pipe

THE RESCUE. 151
was passed around, but Adams refused to smoke with
them until they should agree to his request. Sapavanaro
also refused to smoke. Shavano became angry and with
drew from the council. At this Sapavanaro strode reso
lutely into the circle and made a powerful speech. He
told them he bore the mandate of Ouray ; that unless the
Indians surrendered the captives to General Adams they
would be cut off from all communication with their head
chief, who would join with the whites in forcing them to
terms. During the speech there was a great pow-wow and con
siderable excitement in the council, but it had the desired
effect. Douglass again endeavored to induce Adams to visit the
troops and then return for the prisoners. He received as
before, a positive refusal. Finding the General firm, he
at last, with evident reluctance, yielded assent, which was
followed by one after another of the opposing chiefs until
the agreement became nearly unanimous, and the stormy
council ended. The long pipe was passed around, and
after smoking with them the General returned to his com
pany and reported his success.
Soon afterward they saw coming toward them a feeble
old' lady leaning on a stick, whom they knew at once to
be Mrs. Meeker. Mrs. Price followed, carrying her little
boy on her back, Indian fashion.
" We are so thankful you have come," they said. The
Indians had told them the day before that Washington
was coming, but they had been so frequently tormented
with similar reports, no confidence was placed in the state
ment. Twenty-three days had elapsed since they were
made captives; they had borne insults and threats of

152 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
i
death, mockery and ridicule with heroic indifference, but
at the sight of General Adams their gratitude could find
no words, and they burst into tears. Adams went on to
hold a conference with the soldiers advancing under Mer
ritt, and left the ladies in charge of Captain Cline, who es
corted them to chief Ouray's house, where they were met
by Mr. Ralph Meeker, eldest son of the murdered Agent.
He took them to their home in Greeley, and the poor, sor
row-stricken women were once more among loving friends.
After making all the arrangements for the departure of
the ladies, General Adams took a guard of twenty-five
White River Utes, and in company with chiefs Sapavan
aro, Shavano and Sawawic, started to intercept General
Merritt's command.
Before Adams was aware of his proximity to the sol
diers, his party were surrounded and they escaped being
fired on by the speedy floating of a flag of truce. Mer
ritt's scouts had reported the approach of a band of In
dians. When the Indians, who accompanied General Adams,
saw the soldiers in fighting position, they drew back and
manifested great resentment.
One chief exclaimed, "And you, Adams?" with a look
that said, "Have you betrayed us, have you brought us
here to be murdered?" But Sawawic, a chief whom the
General had nursed three months in his own house while
he was Agent, said, "No, Adams good," and demonstrated
his confidence in him by dismounting and walking forward
alone. The terrified Indians, however, galloped back to
the mountains and there stood awaiting developments.
The General followed them and had just succeeded in
persuading Shavano to his side, when another squad of

THE RESCUE. 153
soldiers appeared, and the Indians bounded away with
a terrified yell. Adams experienced some difficulty in
bringing his escort together again, but finally succeeded,
and they proceeded to the Agency.
November 25, 1879, the Secretary of the Interior ap
pointed a Commission, consisting of General Edward
Hatch, General Charles Adams and chief Ouray to inves
tigate the recent troubles, and bring- the guilty to justice.
The meetings of this Commission were held in a log hut
at the Uncompahgre Agency. A canvas was drawn across
the building to partition off the eating and sleeping apart
ment from the council chamber, and back of this canvas
General Hatch, without the knowledge of the Indians,
placed his personal escort of twelve men. Ouray sent a
message to the hostiles ordering them to meet the Com
mission. The ring-leaders all appeared, heavily armed,
and with grum and surly countenances, protested their
ignorance of everything. At one time the building was
surrounded by several hundred Indians in war-paint, and
the Commission seemed in imminent danger of being
murdered. Even Ouray, at times, assumed a hostile ap
pearance. The finding of this Commission, was, in brief,
that for the fight with Major Thornburg the Indians
should not be held responsible, but for the massacre, the
twelve Indians, headed by Douglass, must be surrendered
for trial. The Indians agreed to turn over the twelve
thus designated to the Government, with the stipulation
that they should have a fair trial by other than a Colo
rado jury. A bill was introduced into Congress to remove
the Utes from Colorado into the Territory of Utah. The
Senate refused to pass the bill, or make any treaty with
them unless the twelve men were brought to justice with-

154 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
out delay. In February, 1880, General Adams was sent
back accompanied by " Jack," a chief of the White River
Utes, and succeeded in arresting Chief Douglass, Jim
Johnson and Thomas, three of the twelve indicated. The
others could not be found. After arresting them it was
discovered that they could not be tried by any law outside
of the State of Colorado, so they escaped unpunished. Gen
eral Adams put Douglass in prison at Leavenworth, where
he soon lost his mind and became a raving maniac. He
is now with his tribe, a perfect imbecile.
Their escaping the penalty of the law does not lessen
the credit and admiration due General Adams for his
wonderful heroism in rescuing the captives, and for the
delivery to the civil authorities for trial, three red-handed
butchers, who were engaged in the atrocious slaughter of
Meeker and his men, and who should have expiated their
ghastly crime upon the scaffold, but through the misdi
rected mercy of the Government, were allowed to depart
in peace, without the slightest punishment.
Nevertheless, there is nothing in all the eventful chron
icles of frontier history, in all the interminable conflicts
between the pioneers of civilization and the opposing sav
ages, which tells of bloodier scenes than were here record
ed ; nor a nobler example of self-sacrificing heroism than
was given to the world by General Charles Adams in his
long and terrible journey in mid-winter, through the
trackless mountains, buried in snow, for the sole purpose
of rescuing those defenseless women from the hands of
their murder-stained captors.
For this service he was appointed Minister Plenipoten
tiary to the little South American Kingdom of Bolivia, a
post which he filled with infinite credit.

A NOVEL DIVORCE CASE. 155
Poor little Josie was given a desk in the Interior De
partment, with a liberal salary, but soon afterward yielded
up her life a victim of the exposure and abuse inflicted
by her tormentors. Mrs. Meeker and Mrs. Price still re
side in Greeley.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

BOULDER.
Returning to Denver, we took the first train out to
Boulder. While there I heard of a
"novel divorce case."
Some years ago Congressman Belford was one of the
Judges in the Territory of Colorado.
It used to be customary to take the evidence in divorce
cases before a Master in Chancery. The lawyers would
read this evidence to the Judge, and everything appearing
fair on its face, a divorce would be granted. After awhile
it occurred to Belford, who had a deep and profound af
fection for his wife, that the time might possibly come
when she would apply for a divorce from him, and the
application .might be founded on a hundred lies which
some one had told her. He did not believe in this divorce
business on general principles, and accordingly estab
lished a rule, of Court that no divorce case should be tried
unless the witnesses were present in Court and he had the
privilege of cross-examining them himself if he so desired.
The first case that came on Under this ruling was in Boul
der county.
The husband and wife had a beautiful home, with three
or four interesting children. The parents had become es-

156 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
tranged, and the children were receiving but little pa
rental care.
The husband sat at one side of the Cburt room and the
wife at the other, but both close to the Judge.
From the evidence it appeared that the only cause for
this estrangement was dyspepsia on the part of the hus
band, and this dyspepsia had been occasioned by the wife
persistently making salt-rising bread. These parties had
lived together for nearly a quarter of a century, had ac
cumulated considerable property, and were respected in
the community where they resided. The case was regarded
as sensational on account of the character of the parties,
and the court house was densely packed with people anx
ious to witness the progress of the trial, and to hear the
result. After the evidence was all in Judge Belford, leaning
back in his chair, devoted himself to a few moments
thought, and turning to the parties said there was no
provision in the statute which especially related to " salt-
rising bread," but he fully recognized the fact that there
was an intimate relation between the stomach and the
brain, and when the former became diseased and disturbed
the latter would become irregular and ungovernable ; that
a dyspeptic man or woman could not treat their best
friends with common courtesy. He said further, that
there used to be a law in Switzerland, when a divorce was
applied for, both parties were locked up together in a cell
of the prison, compelled to wash out of the same basin,
eat from the same plate, and sleep in the same bed, and it
was generally found at the end of thirty days, that neither
of them desired to be separated from the other. He said
these parties had journeyed together for twenty-five years,

BOULDER. . 157
and if he granted a divorce that day it would be such a
shock to their conscience when they realized the^ event,
they would seek a reunion. The real difficulty of the
whole divorce business was that there was not sufficient
display of endearment and affection between married peo
ple. If the husband would kiss his wife every morning
when he left home to attend to his business, and kiss her
every evening on his return, there would be very little
trouble, because it was a well-known fact, and one thor
oughly established by experience, that out of true love a
woman would follow her husband to the ends of the earth
and live with him as contentedly if his fortunes were ad
verse as she would in a palace if they were prosperous;
that it was the little courtesies which made married life
delightful, and the want of them filled it with misery.
After proceeding in this strain for nearly an hour, he
declared he would not grant the divorce. Thereupon the
husband arose and exclaimed, in the presence of the by
standers: "You are a most righteous Judge." The wife
walked across the court room, put her hand in that of her
. husband, and went with him to their home.
She changed her method of making bread and he
changed his course of treatment towards her. Result —
unalloyed happiness and contentment, broken only by the
death of one, which occurred ten years after this incident.
The State University is in Boulder, and that reminds
me of a story that is told ofthe first school house here.
It was built by everybody giving what they could. Mr.
Nichols found a big tree, which he cut down, intending
to donate it to the school. He went for a team to haul it
in, and when he returned a man had it on a wagon and
was moving off. Mr. N  demanded his property. The

158 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
man refused, saying, "you will have to fight for it," which
Mr. N  proceeded to do, and after a hard fist combat
the rogue agreed not only to surrender the property but
to assist Mr. N  in getting it to town.
I was also informed that the first coal oil lamp in Colo
rado was owned by Mrs. A  , of this city. Her house
was papered and partitioned off with white cotton sheets,
as was the custom in those days. The first night the
lamp was lighted the door was thrown open and the white
walls added considerably to the brilliancy of that noctur
nal luminary. The neighbors, who had been so long
accustomed to the flickering rays of a "taller dip,"
thought the Indians had come and were burning the
house. Mr. Andrews was calling his cows, which they mistook
for a cry for help, and a neighbor rushed to his assistance,
replying, "I'm coming, I'm coming." The alarm spread
and all the people in the town fled to a place of safety.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

SOUTH PARK.

The morning after our return from Boulder we took
the South Park Division of the Union Pacific.
As we glided out of the city a splendid view of the
Mining and Industrial Exposition was presented. This
important enterprise was established in 1882, and promi
ses to grow in value with increasing years. It is said that
the spirit of an age or country is written upon its indus
trial monuments, and this is Colorado's pride. We'ad-
mired extravagantly the diminutive cars that swept

SOUTH PARK. 159
along so gracefully and rapidly towards the Exposition
building and to Jewell Park, a mile or so beyond.
"That car passes over historic ground," said a pio
neer. " After leaving the city, and e're Broadway is crossed,
it rumbles over the graves of the miserable of the olden
time. '" Out where the road makes the grand turn and nearly
doubles back upon itself, was the 'Rogues' Burying
Ground,' in the early days when men ' died with their
boots on ' in large numbers. To the right and to the left
of the road those little mounds, now nearly extinct, are
the graves of the villians, the murderers, the robbers, the
garroters: and the cattle thieves of the days of '60 and '61.
" The mound to the left, as you pass out, is where rests
Reynolds, the wife murderer — he who tortured his victim
and then killed her for the love of murder. Near by, and
lying parallel to Reynolds', is S  , the cattle thief, who
was cut short in his career by the vigilants. Across the
road yonder is Teaper, the highwayman — he who robbed
his victim on a lonely road in the mountains, then lashed
him to his horse and turned the brute loose to tear his
sides in shreds through the tangled woods. After Teaper
come two long rows of victims of the revolver and the
halter. In fact, none lay there, barring the old proprie
tor, but those who died with their boots on.
"In the early days there were three or more places on
the outskirts of the city where were buried the dead. Be
sides the old well at the race track, wherein bodies were
sometimes tumbled, there was the Catholic burying ground,
the Peoples' burying ground, the Jews' burying ground,
and the 'Rogues'.' This latter, over which we have just
been looking, was a private burying place, and belonged

160 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
to one McG  , who had a contract with the big rogues,
with the big gambling houses, the vigilants and the hang
man to bury their dead. A bluff, grum man was this
McG  . He seldom smiled, and laughed only when he
had a call, and then the sound came hollow, low and un
earthly, reminding one of the ghosts and goblins in
their midnight orgies. He was sharp to drive a bargain,
had an eye to profit, and was always in a hurry. An
old crone who lived in a cabin in the rear of his shop
used to relate that she could hear him at all hours of the
night making coffins, and while beating a tattoo with
a hammer upon the lid, would sing in a low gutteral
sound, ' rattle his bones over the stones — he's a poor devil
whom nobody owns.' It was said of him that for practi
cal purposes he used but one coffin, always dumping the
body into the grave and saving the coffin for further use.
Be this as it may, he one day passed in his chips and the
box he had so long used with economy was now utilized
for himself. Here ended the usefulness of the 'Rogues'
burying ground,' and its legends have passed into history."
While waiting for the "iron horse" to take refresh
ments at the water tank and coal sheds, I had an opportu
nity to reflect upon the difference between the style of travel
on wheels twenty years ago and now; for, there, thrown
up against a fence, was an old, rapidly decaying stage
coach. It seemed a sacred thing, this relic of other days,
for had it not borne the pioneers here, who created the
State? It was a luxury in its time, but now it is a crumb
ling victim of a newer form of progression — puffing, pant
ing, pushing steam.
I beckoned the conductor and asked for more light
upon this mouldering remnant of the past, and said, as

SOUTH PARK. 161
I gazed upon the venerated wheels, " it seemed to me I
could hear the wind singing a requiem over them."
" Pshaw! " said he, " they are boring an artesian well
down there. That's what you hear."
"Perhaps so," said I, sentimentally, "but doesn't that
(pointing to the coach) play upon the heartstrings a sor
rowful tune of the long ago?"
" No, madame, that's the new 'classical ' music of the
Present." " Oh, you misunderstand me, I am not speaking of the
artesian well, I have reference to the old stage."
" What, that old rattle trap !" His lips curved in scorn,
and looking at me as if he doubted my sanity, he replied :
" Human ingenuity never constructed a more horrible ma
chine for torturing the race. Perhaps you never traveled
in one? They are as cold as Arctic wool in winter, hot as
Hades in summer, put all the limbs asleep by crowding
and mashing them together in impossible space, and if
you are trying to catch a wink of sleep, the first thing
you know you get a jolt that almost breaks your neck,
and at last, more dead than alive, lands you at your des
tination sore, torn, battered and bruised. Oh, they are
nice things, they are!"
"Then don't abuse them," said I, "but look at them
from a poetic standpoint, as promoters of the Christian
virtues, by cultivating patience, hope, charity, endurance
and prayerfulness."
" That's all right in theory, but it would take a stron
ger eye of faith than mine to see it," and he continued to
" punch with care," while I meditated upon the unappre-
ciativeness of the average man.
11

162 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Twenty miles from Denver we entered Platte canon
through an imposing gate-way of rocks, rising fully one
thousand feet above the stream on either side, and break
ing into all sorts of fantastic shapes at the top.
Our train makes some marvelous turns. Suddenly a
projecting angle seems to threaten ruin and destruction,
and while this thought is upon one the engine glides
gracefully around it into new surprises. On the opposite
side from the road-bed an English company has con
structed a flume which conveys water to an irrigating ca
nal, that waters and fertilizes countless acres south of Den
ver. This ditch is so large, and involves consequences so
vast, one irresistibly cranes the neck to catch a glimpse
of the boats and sails which should .ride its waters like
those of the rivers we knew in former times.
Platte river, which gives the name to this canon, is as
clear as crystal. Its waters have not yet been soiled by
the working of mines and stamp mills in the mountain
camps beyond. It rushes over miniature falls, breaking
into feathery foam as it dashes against rude boulders, and
leaps on as if flying from some mighty pursuer. This
stream is full of speckled trout, the gymnast of the cas
cade, the most beautiful of the finny tribe, the delight of
the epicure.
The conductor said, " they had only to throw out a line
while the train was rolling along, and haul them in as
fast as they could count."
That seemed almost as miraculous as some stories told
by Matthew and Mark, but Hal. said he was bamboozling
me. On looking up, I saw coming toward me, with his hand
extended in a pleased-to-see-you manner, Mr. Jake Scher-

MEETING AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE. 163
rer, one of Colorado's cattle kings. I told him I was gath
ering romances of the mountains, and should levy a con
tribution upon him. He immediately proceeded to tell
me of "MEETING AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE."
" Many years ago I was engaged in freighting to and '
from the mountains. While following a grapevine road
through a wild and awesome canon, using vigorously the
usual ox-persuader in my intense anxiety to reach a hu
man habitation before night-fall, suddenly clouds gathered
and filled the canon with gloom. They whirled and
tossed and swept through the heavens, and presently the
mist and wind enveloped my path in a mass of foam, often
lulling for a moment to let a ray of sunshine through to
delude me with false hope, then returning with a force that
made my covered wagon writhe and tremble. One false
step would have sent me and my little cargo to certain
destruction. I shall never forget that struggle with the
elements on one hand and death on the other.
" Coming at last to a small log-cabin, the outlines barely
visible through the fast falling snow, I stopped to ' turn
in ' for the night, feeling grateful to find shelter from the
storm. .
"Tall, dense, dark evergreens surrounded it, wrapping
it about like a pall. I pushed back the blanket which
served as a door to the establishment, for doors on hinges
and window glass were luxuries not to be had in those
days. I looked around, but there was no one in. As the
pioneers, like the ancient apostles, had everything in com
mon, I took possession, and proceeded to make myself at
home. " Taking down a carcass of deer that hung on the wall,

164 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
I cut some fine steaks from it and cooked my supper.
While eating, I heard approaching footsteps. The blanket
was drawn aside, and a large man, with unkempt hair
and long gray beard, stepped in and glanced fiercely
around. "'Hello, Cap.,' said I 'do you live here?'
" ' I thought I did,' was the curt reply.
" Not a very hospitable greeting, but the weather out
side trampled upon dignity, and forbid bowing out with,
' I beg your pardon, I did not intend to intrude.' So I
said again, in an off-hand way, though I was conscious of
a shudder, 'splendid steak this, sit down and have supper,
Cap.' " He hung his hat on a peg sullenly, and took his seat.
"His manner was darkly suggestive.
" We ate the meal without another word. The wind
was sighing and wailing — shrieking sometimes — and end
ing in fearful hisses. As I sat there with that grum
stranger confronting me, I thought of the loved ones at
home, of my own sweetheart, joyous and happy in fresh
and dewy girlhood. If I should fall a victim to this
border ruffian, my death would be her first grief. Men
think swiftly when their lives are in danger.
"After supper I pulled my pluck together and said,
' let's have a smoke.'
"Producing an old, deeply blackened and strongly
odorous brier-root, the pioneer's meerschaum, and light
ing it with a coal, he opened the conversation by asking :
"'Where are you from, stranger? '
"'From S  , a town in Iowa,' I replied.
"'Why,' said he, 'that was my old home, I always made
 hotel my headquarters there.'

MEETING AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.

165

LITTLE JAKE.

'"You ought to remember me, then, for I was an er
rand boy in that hotel.' " ' What,' said he seiz
ing my hand with a
hearty grip, ' is this lit
tle Jake Scherrer? Why,
of course I remember
little Jake. Pardon my
inhospitable treatment,
but I thought when I
found you here that
your purpose could only
be murder and robbery.'
" I replied that I, too, considered my life in imminent
peril from his threatening appearance. We had both
contemplated each other with suspicion, and were quite
pleased at the agreeable termination.
"He laid his hand fondly on my shoulder, stroked
my head, as if I was still a boy, and said: 'Ah, you resur
rect a thousand memories of better days. Then I had
money, friends and hope. But the woman I loved de
ceived me. Our wedding day was set, and when I arrived
to claim my bride, the words had just been pronounced
which made her the wife of another. Disconsolate and
forsaken I left the country and have never given anyone
the slightest clue to my whereabouts. I could not endure
the humiliation in the presence of old friends, and so for
twenty years I have been a wanderer in these mountains,
never seeing a familiar face. Yours is the first'
" We sat up late that night talking of the old times.
When bidding me good-bye, he said, ' we shall never meet
again. I shall quit this spot and leave no trace of my
further wanderings.'

166 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" A few months afterward I passed over the same road.
An enormous boulder had fallen from the mountain top
and torn out the logs on one side of the cabin. I searched
carefully among the ruins, thinking he might have been
crushed beneath them, but he was not there ; the hut was
deserted and a wreck ; strangely typical of the life of its
occupant."
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
PLATTE CANON.
The varied beauties of this canon form a constant suc
cession of surprises. From beginning to end it is a pro
digious art gallery, hung with the works of the Great
Master. After reaching the parks the mountains were beautiful
and verdure-clad, but not on so grand a scale as at the
entrance of the canon.
Twenty odd years ago a brave woman, one of the first
families of Denver, mounted a creaky wagon to accompany
her husband to the mountains. On the way the wagon
broke down and they were in despair. There was neither
blacksmith shop nor settlement within twenty miles; so
the lady gathered her mantle around her child, which she
carried in her arms, and toiled wearily over unbroken
roads, through pelting snow. Tired and bedraggled she
came at nightfall to the "dug-out" in the mountain
side, which was to be her home. The child sickened and
died, and with her own hands she performed the last sad
rites. Her heart was torn and bleeding, for the maternal
ties are as strong in the hovel as the palace.
Indians would often stop and ask for something to eat,
and one day, when they were on the war-path, they came

PLATTE CANON. 167
in great numbers and made her cook for them, from early
morn until dark.
Presto, change! Her husband, a few years later, sold a
mine for five hundred thousand dollars. To-day these
romantic, sequestered parks, flower-gemmed and shaded
with graceful trees, are dotted with rustic cottages where
many of the "first families of Denver " spend their sum
mers. At Webster we took an " observation car," and the first
thing I observed was a train of burros, otherwise donk
eys, packed and about starting for some point in the
mountains. The mule that the Dutchman, who had
charge of the train, was to ride, refused to go, and per
sisted in its stubbornness until the poor man became dis
couraged. His wife, a little, round, fat German woman,
indignantly rushed to the scene of action, saying, " don't
you know notings?" and unceremoniously gave him a
push, which precipitated him down a declivity. First
she tried to lead, then to persuade with a stick. The hus
band, who had recovered his equilibrium, was standing
with his hands in his pockets grumly watching the pro
ceedings. At last, thoroughly
exasperated, she ran
around behind the an
imal, raised both hands
and let them come
down on its hips with
a sounding whack.
Whereupon the donkey
lowered his head, raised
"E™ here, yacob." his haunches, struck out

168 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
boldly with both feet and laid the old lady abruptly on
the ground. He was then ready to go. Being once started
he was as persistent in that as formerly in bolting, and
kept his heels, so frequently in the air it was dangerous
for the woman to rise.
She screamed, " Oh ! Yacob, run here, Yacob ! "
He hastened to her assistance, shouting, " Keep your tam
head mit de ground. I tink you learn some tings pretty
quick already."
We thought Jacob's advice very applicable to all self-
assertive individuals.
Our train was off again, and having seen it circumvent
so many mountains which persisted in not getting out of
the way, I supposed it was bent on some sort of strategy
calculated to dodge the next one. But there I was again
deluded, for it turned suddenly to the right and seemed
to be making a straight, short cut for the summit. We
had advanced only three or four hundred feet, but had
gained more than that number in elevation. From the
car windows we could look down the chimneys of the lit
tle village left at the foot of the ascent.
Another half-hour of persistent steaming brought us to
the top of Kenosha hill, 10,300 feet above the sea. There
was an explosion of opinions. The charmed tourist
said " excelsior " — the hurried man of the mines, to whom
this hanging on the selvedge edge of the mountains was
an old story, gave a disgusted " umph !"
"Swinging dizzily around a sharp curve — what a vision !
Stretching out beneath the summer heaven's delicious
blue was a landscape unlike any I had ever seen before.
A natural park of magnificent proportions, watered by
sparkling streams, and dotted with mounds and hills,

FATE OF THE GUERRILLAS. 169
fringed with dark clumps of pine, spruce and balsam,
and protected by mountains that stand like giant warders
to this enchanted land. The whole so wondrously wild,
yet so serene and peaceful, one could scarcely realize that
the adjacent fastnesses were ever used to shelter bands of
guerrillas, thieves and robbers.
FATE 0F~ THE GUERRILLAS.
Let me tell the story before I forget it. Years ago, in
1864, 1 believe, there came from Texas a troop of cut
throats, who claimed to be Confederate soldiers, but were
nothing of the kind. Their leader, Jim Reynolds, was one
of the earliest gold-seekers of California Gulch, and knew
the country well. He came to plunder the miners, and
excited his followers with marvelous tales of the, riches to
be had. One pleasant day in July, 1864, as the coach
that maintained communication between Buckskin Joe
and Denver was nearing McLaughlin's ranch, where Como
now stands, these guerrillas, booted, spurred and armed to
the teeth, appeared before it, and roughly commanded the
driver to halt and surrender, declaring themselves to be
Confederate soldiers, capturing all such o'utfits. The line
was owned and conducted by Mr. W. G. McClellan, a
small, gentlemanly man, who was seated by the driver,
Ab. Williamson. They were ordered down, and their
money demanded. Ab. said, a stage driver was never be
fore suspected of having any; but this little piece of rail-
ery did not prevent their searching him. They then
snapped his whip under his nose, which is the greatest
indignity that could be offered to a driver, and proceeded
to business.
With a pistol aimed at the head of Mr. McClellan, they
demanded the express box, the mail bags and his watch.

170 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Fearing the weapon might be accidentally discharged, he
gracefully handed them over without any parleying. It
was then about noon, and they were only a half mile
from McLaughlin's ranch, which was a stage station.
They went there and ordered dinner. A guard was
placed over the occupants of the coach, and while the
meal was being prepared the guerrillas opened the express
trunk, took the treasure, amounting to several thousand
dollars in gold dust, ripped up mail sacks, opened the
letters, and appropriate what money there was in them,
chopped up the coach wheels, remarking that they wanted
to do the U. S. as much damage as they could, then
mounted their horses and proceeded on the road towards
Denver. McClellan and Williamson returned on foot to Buck
skin Joe, over the short trail via Montgomery, where their
story was told, and a party organized at once to pursue
the fugitives.
After several days raiding along the road, when near
to Central City, the guerrillas retraced their course, and
one night camped in the thick woods of the canon, about
a mile above where Webster is now built, and while some
were cooking, others playing cards, a party of twelve or
fifteen from Gold Run, under the leadership of Jack
Sparks, came suddenly upon them and fired, killing one
and wounding the leader, Jim Reynolds, in the arm. The
party scattered in the greatest confusion, and took to the
bushes, leaving all their arms, plunder and camp equip
age on the ground. The one who was slain was the next
day beheaded, the ghastly trophy placed in a sack and
carried to Montgomery by a doctor of the party.

NAMING FAIRPLAY. 171
Two days afterwards one of the band was captured
alone, and several days afterward all except two were cap
tured and taken to Denver by Lieut. Shoup, with a de
tachment of the First Colorado Cavalry, Governor Hunt,
then U. S. Marshal, and Wilbur F. Stone, Assistant U. S.
Attorney, of the Park county forces. At Denver the
prisoners were turned over to the military authorities.
Col. Chivington, commanding the District, ordered them
to Fort Lyon. They were placed in charge of Capt. John
Cree of the Third Colorado Cavalry. When near the
head of Cherry creek, in Douglass county, the prisoners,
as afterward reported, attempted to escape, and were all
killed by the troops in charge of Capt. Cree. The fact is,
they were all placed in line, blindfolded and deliberately
shot down under orders. The troops returned to Denver,
leaving the bones of the robbers to bleach and whiten on
the plains.
While following the guerrillas to their fate the train has
arrived at Como.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

NAMING FAIRPLAY.

Arriving at the hotel, we were ushered into a large,
square room, called the. parlor. The only articles of fur
niture visible were a round table, as large as King Ar
thur's, and a few chairs. When the proprietor became
aware that I was gathering material for a book, he kindly
brought in the pioneers to see me.
One of them told me of the naming of Fairplay. " In
1859," said he, " certain parties made a discovery of rich

172 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
placer diggings in the South Park, at or near what is now
called Hamilton. These diggings were so rich that it was
said one ordinary laborer could dig a pound of gold per
day, and were named Tarry-all by the discoverers, who
laid claim to all the valuable ground, or to use a frontier
phrase, 'gobbled up' everything, so that later comers
could not secure any mining ground without paying ex
orbitant prices for it. By reason of this the place was
called ' Grab-all ' by those who failed to get a show in the
diggings. " The disappointed fortune-seekers subsequently pushed
further on along the middle branch of the Platte and
there made other valuable discoveries. Among the num
ber were four men from Central, then called Gregory, who,
having heard the fabulous stories then in circulation re
specting the new mines, clubbed together, and loaded a
mule, that belonged to one of the men, with all their
earthly possessions, and started for the new mining camp.
" They had stopped at the above mentioned camp and
panned out considerable gold, making one of the men, by
the name of Hill, banker. Their provision gave out and
Hill refused to let them have money to buy more, which
immediately aroused their suspicions.
"One of the party, a man named Tom Payne, laid
their complaint before Reed, Mills & Co., who had a pro
vision store. They called the miners together to arbitrate
on the subject, and after patiently hearing the evidence,
it was decided that Mr. Hill must weigh the gold and
give every man an equal share. While they were talking
around the camp-fire Hill plunged out of the cabin into
the dark, and the miners started in quick pursuit, keeping

THE LEGEND OF FAIRPLAY. 173
track of him by the cracking of the grass and dry
branches under his feet.
" Finding it impossible to escape them, he made a wide
circuit and entered his cabin, where they found him in
bed, covered up head and heels. They dragged him out,
took the gold dust, and, in the presence of the arbitrators,
weighed it and gave each man his portion. Hill refused
to receive his, but they held him, and while he struggled
in resistance, they put the money in his pocket.
" James Reynolds, who afterwards became a notorious
guerrilla, stood by, with his hands in his pockets, quietly
watching the transaction. When finished, he exclaimed :
'Thar, b'gad, if one is the devil and t'other Tom Payne
they shall have ' Far play!'
" Shortly after this a committee was appointed to draft
rules for the district and give it a name. Captain Charles
Nichols, John Reed and Sydenham Mills were the com
mittee. After drafting the rules, it was agreed that Mr.
Mills, being the oldest miner, should give the name. He
having taken an active part in the incident above nar
rated, and with his jnind strongly imbued with the idea
that everyone in that camp must have justice, named the
towD 'Fairplay.'"
"Yes," said Mr. Stansell, "that is how the name was
given, and hearing it related brings to mind a romance
that occurred there a year later, which I will tell you. It
is now called THE LEGEND OF FAIRPLAY.
" In the summer of 1860 a solitary man was industri
ously at work, sinking his ' prospect hole,' and trying to
reach bed-rock, when suddenly there appeared at the top
of his shaft a man, rifle in hand, who remarked, ' I have

174 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
you at last.' The miner looked up from his work, recog
nized the individual at the top, and responded, 'yes, you
have, but you will give me fair play, won't you?' To
which the other replied, 'yes, meet me at sunrise to-mor
row, at a certain point,' designating the place. The man
in the shaft said, ' I will.' Whereupon the one on the
surface swung his rifle over his shoulder and walked off.
" The next morning dawned bright and beautiful, and
at sunrise the two met, without friends, surgeons or the
usual parade of meetings 'of honor,' and with their ri
fles, took positions fifty paces apart; and commenced the
combat. At the first fire the miner fell mortally wounded.
The stranger deliberately shouldered his rifle and walked
away, no one knew whither. The miners buried the dead
man at the spot where he fell.
"The explanation of this tragedy was subsequently
learned to be this: The two men had formerly resided
in Texas, and had been comrades since boyhood; had
played, studied, traveled, planned, enjoyed and suffered
together until their attachment had strengthened into the
love and trust of brothers. One of them had a sister,
who seemed to him an angel of truth and innocence. He
was proud of her beauty, and introduced his friend, hop
ing that these two, the dearest upon earth to him, might
love and be united as husband and wife.
"She fell a victim to his wiles, and her betrayer fled
the country. When the brother learned of the perfidy of
his friend, he took a solemn vow to devote his life to
avenging the wrongs of his sister. Arming himself he
started in pursuit of the fugitive, and for three years
tracked him from place to place, without success, until he
came upon him as above narrated."

A CHURCH DEDICATION. 175
Another . gentleman, with a pleasant, benign counte
nance, and a ministerial air, said, " I will tell you of
A CHURCH DEDICATION.
" It was ' way up ' — in the clouds, not far from Lead
ville. There were six church members of the denomi
nation which had undertaken the building of the first
house of worship. It has been often remarked that
church people seldom 'strike it rich' in Colorado, and
these six men were no exception to the rule; they were
pious, but poor.
"The building had cost something over -a $1,000, of
which $530 remained to be provided for on the day of the
dedication. The Presiding Elder of the district came to
assist the pastor in the duties of the day. Hp canvassed
the financial situation very carefully, and it must be ad
mitted with very little outcome of enthusiasm as a result.
Indeed, the undertaking before the brethren seemed to
him a hopeless one, but he was wise enough to keep all
imaginings to himself, and declare for success beforehand.
" The occasion was of sufficient importance to draw out
all the well-disposed people of the camp, and like pioneers
in the cause did they listen to the morning sermon and
respond to the appeal that followed. Liberal beyond ex
pectation, and in some instances beyond ability, the morn
ing audience reduced the debt to little more than one-
half. It appeared, however, as if all had been raised that
could be, and the outlook for the dedication was dolefully
unpropitious. But the mining superintendent, the edi
tor, the Justice, and some of the lawyers had become in
terested in the effort, and when the evening congregation
gathered, there were some faces as new to such scenes,
almost, as the place of assembly was new to them — not

176 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
the gentlemen above named, but those whom they had
sought out and invited to be present and 'take a hand.'
It was said that many of them left ' hands ' elsewhere to
be there. No minister in the land had more reverent at
tention than had the preacher there that night. He dis
coursed upon the divine mission of the Christian church,
its helpfulness to the lost and despairing, and showed how
the church followed men even into these mountains, ex
horting and warning them ; how the resident pastor had
come with a pittance of missionary aid, uncertain of sym
pathy or support, to be their friend in sickness or in death.
He drew a vivid picture of the childhood home and
church, the far-away temples in which the fathers and
mothers of his hearers were then worshipping, or from
which they had been carried to their graves, their end
victorious through the same gospel to be preached in this
mountain chapel. The congregation dwelt for the time
in the associations of the past, by some almost forgotten,
and the change was to these feverish spirits as healthful
and restful as anything short of a mother's embrace could
have been.
" Then came the figures representing the balance due
on the structure, ' which balance must be provided before
the building could be "given to God,"' said the preacher.
" Oh, Christian of ' the States,' could you have seen that
collection !
"There was no handsome usher in kids daintily and
deferentially receiving the Master's coin on a silver plate ;
there was not even a plush-lined box with extended han
dle; there was no soft sighing by the organ — at a dollar
a sigh, but there did happen to be a tin pail in the cor
ner, upon which the eye looking for the silver service fell,

FATHER DYER.

177

and then there was a silver service worth witnessing, and
one that made its own music.
The pail went around, and so
did the music, each performer
taking it up where his neigh
bor left off — the handful of
silver held on high, the tin
" pail low down. Jingle, jin
gle, jingle was solo and cho
rus, with interlude of remark
from the platform, and audi
ble smiles from the givers,
until the singers by note, or

THE PAIL WENT AROUND.

transposing two letters only, the signers and the silver-
toned singers had drowned the discord of debt and free
offering. Who says 'irreverent?' All such should have
witnessed the instantaneous hush, the solemn, and yet
grateful, bowing of that strangely assorted congregation
in the beautiful dedicatory service which followed imme
diately upon this unique tin-pail extinguishment."
FATHER DYER.
The gentleman then suggested that I ought to see Rev.
J. D. Dyer, generally called "Father Dyer," because he
was one of the first ministers of the gospel who settled in
the Rocky Mountain region, and one of the characteristic
men of the pioneer times.
As there were no churches in that early day he would
preach in the streets, in saloons, gambling houses and
wherever he could gather a crowd. He would fearlessly
proclaim the truth, and at the close of the service some
self-appointed steward would pass the " hat " among the
12

178 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
"boys," and Father Dyer's exchequer would be greatly
enlarged with the "gold dust from the diggings," as that
was the " circulating medium " of those days.
Though he would terrifically portray the awful calam
ity that would surely come upon his hearers, if they did
not repent of their sins; his genial manner, his quaint
humor and his ready wit insured for him a cordial wel
come to the hospitalities of the miner's cabin. The sto
ries told of his humorous witicisms would fill a volume.
A man, who had become dissatisfied with the church
because of some difficulty, and had withdrawn from it,
met Father Dyer one day and said to him, " Father Dyer,
I have been out of the church three years, and have been
watching church members all that time, and have come
to the conclusion that they do not live up to their pro
fessions." Father Dyer looked upon him with a calm and piteous
expression, as though he was very sad about it, and de
liberately replied, "My dear brother, I think you have
been out on picket duty long enough; you had better
come into headquarters and be relieved."
Upon another occasion, at a ministerial gathering,
there was to be a children's meeting. A chairman was
chosen, who was proverbial in giving a joke, and with
equal pleasure would receive one. He was bald-headed
and had false teeth. Hearing that Father Dyer, who
was to speak, was sensitive in being called Old Father Dyer,
he took great pleasure in introducing him as Old Father
Dyer, and repeated it during his remarks a number of
times, to the merriment of all in the house, and finally
said, "Now, Old Father Dyer, please come forward and ad
dress the children."

FATHER DYER. 179
Father Dyer stepped out before the children and said :
"'Old Father Dyer!' Well, children, if I am old Father
Dyer, I do not go bare-foot on the top of my head nor
tie in my teeth with a string."
This did not settle the house, but it did the chairman.
Shortly after this Father Dyer wrote me an incident in
his life, which reads as follows :
" In the spring of 1864 I received my mail at Laurette,
otherwise better known as Buckskin Joe, in Park county,
Colorado. I was sent there by the Conference to take
charge of a church.
" Falling short of funds, I took the contract of carrying
the mail every week on snow shoes, from the above place
to Cache creek, via California Gulch, seventy-five miles
and back.
"Somebody got a corner on flour, and it went up to $40
per sack, and for once I had a sack to spare. Some of my
friends besought me to take it over there, as they were
nearly out. I could not find a pony for sale, but I found
a man who said he had a cow that would pack, and I
bought her.
"I procured a pack-saddle, sewed a gunnysack over
the bag of flour, and girted it on as tight as I could.
Then I tied my cow to a post and went in the hotel to eat
my breakfast. An old friend, Mr. Moody, offered to help
me start, but by this time my cow got mad. We each
had a, rope; Mr. Moody led and I was to drive her. He
started, and the cow took afterv him, on a down grade. He
ran his best; the cow jumped just as high and far as she
could, and struck just behind him. I held on as tight as
possible, and at the length of two blocks, he took around

180 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
the corner and she after him. Just then the girth broke,
and away went pack-saddle and flour.
"After this novel scene I gave up the idea oY trying to
feed the hungry with temporal bread, but continued in
mjr effort to dispense the bread of life. Some ministers
might think the above was not becoming, but I had either
to leave the work and Conference, or earn a living, and I
was not educated up to the point that a man was justified
in leaving because the people did not pay a good salary."

CHAPTER XL.
BRECKENRIDGE.
We spent an hour or so very pleasantly, at Como, and
enjoyed our dinners, for which the stimulus of the pure,
bracing mountain air admirably fitted us.
Taking the Breckenridge branch, we immediately com
menced the ascent of a succession of hills. Everyone sat
in the open car and laughed and chatted and apostro
phized the wonderful scenery.
As our train followed a groove in the mountain side,
we looked down upon a green, exquisite little valley,
several hundred feet below. A silvery stream wound
through it, almost circling in its course, a town. In pro
portion, as we mounted higher and higher, the houses di
minished in size, so that this charming spot, surrounded
with pine-covered mountains, seemed to us a fairy-land.
I went to work building all sorts of air castles about it,
but the conductor shivered them all by telling us it was
a deserted mining camp, one of the kind that spring up
in a day, like "Jonah's gourd," and wither away as rap-

Breckenridge. 181
idly. This was the first dead town we had seen, and we
thought it a rather attractive corpse.
The mountain sides were all aglow with rainbow tinted
flowers, and it seemed that we were being literally " car
ried to the skies on flowery beds of ease."
At Boreas, the summit, the train stopped long enough
for us to gather bouquets, and look down the valley of
the Blue river, over which nature has thrown a beautiful
blue mist, like a veil — the effect was enchanting. In our
scramble for flowers I thought of Linnaeus, of whom it is
said, that whenever he discovered a new flower he thanked
heaven for the sight.
While arranging our flowers George T. Clark, a " bar
nacle," found our party. He was on his way to Brecken
ridge to look after some mining property, which brought
up the subject of gold and prospecting.
" Gold was first discovered in Breckenridge in a very
singular way," said he, "An adventurous prospector
started out alone. After crossing the range he found the
snow on the Pacific slope was from thirty to forty feet
deep, and covered with a thin crust of ice. He proceeded
very cautiously, but lost his footing and began to slide at
a hair-lifting speed. Not being provided with snow shoes
the toe of his boot plunged into the ice and he shot right
through the snow. After a slide of two miles his heel
struck the earth, and kicked up a great lump of gold."
I have known Mr. Clark a long time; he is a gifted
story-teller of the Baron Munchausen order. I thanked
him for the story, however, for it prompted me to inquire
into the matter, and I found that gold was first discov
ered on the Blue, near where Breckenridge now stands, in
the summer of 1859, by Mr. William Iliff. Since that

182 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
time many millions of dollars have been taken out of the
Summit county mines.
At Rocky Point, where we reach the acme of scenic
glory on this line, the town of Breqkenridge commences
to play "Bo-peep" with the admiring tourist; first on
this side and then on that, we see it — making another
turn, a full view is obtained.
The pretty little frontier town seems only a stone's
throw distant, but the train, as if in a frolicsome mood,
with no other aim than to intensify our interest in the
play, dashes away, making a short curve and surprises
the town from another point.
The sudden change of temperature from the plains to
the mountains forced us to don our heavy wraps, in lieu
of which Mr. De B  put on his gossamer overcoat for
warmth, and his linen duster over that for style. The
gossamer hung below the duster, forming a border of
black, which gave him the appearance of a bill distribu
ter for a minstrel band. But he was dressed to life in good
humor, which is, after all, the most becoming garb a man
or woman can wear. We stopped at the Grand Central,
an excellent hotel. Our party retired early so as to be
ready to ramble freely and extendedly the next day.

CHAPTER XLI.
A SAD STORY.
Immediately after breakfast I started out to find a gen
tleman to whom I had a letter of introduction.
"You want items," he said. "Ah, I see — and they have
sent you to me because I am a sort of bookish fellow and
have been a quill driver."

A SAD STORY. 183
The man who thus spoke had a handsome head, well
set on broad shoulders, a large, soul-full blue eye, and I
wondered what trick Fortune had played on him to turn
his hair as white as the snow-drift, for his face was yet
young. " Have they told you of the two boys who had a camp
way up yonder in Georgia Gulch? That was a bitter winter.
(I strung up my nerves to hear a heartrending story.)
Many a poor miner would have sold his birth-right, like
Esau, for a mess of pottage, for pedigree don't count for
much in this country ; a good square meal goes farther.
" We had the heaviest snow storm that winter that ever
sifted down on these mountains, and the two boys in
Georgia Gulch were snowed in for weeks and weeks, until
their larder ran pretty low — it went plumb to the dogs, I
might say, for they had decided that the poor, woe-begone
' yaller purp ' must serve them for the next meal.
" Neither of them could scrape up courage to slaughter
the brute, for a miner's dog is dear to his heart ; they
talked about drawing straws, and finally concluded to
chop off its tail, out of which they made soup ; the fam
ishing are never-very choice. They gave the poor dog the
bone, and being refreshed by their porridge, went in
search of game. Success crowned their efforts, and they
returned in the evening with enough to keep them from
starving until the snow melted ; but the mutilated pup
was sorely grieved over his sad narrative.
"By the way, you must see Judge Silverthorn; he loves
to talk of the old times. He came here in '59 and was
Judge of the Miner's Court, He is a diminutive man,
almost dried to a crackling, and has such a strange, weird
look that you couldn't help wondering to what age or

184 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
order of human beings he belongs. His hair and beard
are grizzly gray, and he chews continually. When he
tells a border tale his little keen eyes twinkle with humor
and intelligence, then he goes into convulsions of laughter
and kicks up his feet until he resembles a jack-knife half
open — forming a picture altogether grotesque. But he is
the soul of honor and goodness, with a heart so much
larger than his body that it is continually running over
with kind deeds and comforting words.
"His wife, who died recently, was called the mother of
the camp, the good Samaritan to all in trouble and dis
tress. How the boys loved her! She always spent her
winters in Denver, and in the spring, when we heard Mrs.
Silverthorn was coming, we put on our snow-shoes, met
her at the top of the range and brought her down on a
sled. That was fun, let me tell you. With loud hurrahs,
and hats tossing wildly in the air, we heralded her ar
rival. " Silverthorn has looked just as he does now for the last
twenty-five years. It is said that when he was on the way
to this country he stopped at some town on the Missouri
river and looked around for a party who were en route to
the Blue, but they shook their heads deprecatingly and
said they did not want any graveyard deserters; wouldn't
have time for funeral services on the road.
" He at last succeeded in closing a bargain with one
party, and the first night out, when they had gone into
camp, and the old gentleman was reconnoitering for buf
falo chips, there arose a discussion among the campers
about 'that old man;' they thought he was likely to die
on the way, and they decided then and there to eject him.
When he returned they informed him of their decision.

A SAD STORY. 185
" He pulled off his coat, and like another David, chal
lenged the biggest man in the camp to fight him, declar
ing he could lick any of them. He was so plucky they
concluded to take him, but they slipped a few boards in
the bottom of the wagon in case they might need a coffin
on the way."
And then, with a far away look, as if his mind was
wandering through the halls of the past, the gentleman
said: " There are many romances in this country. The
blue-flannel shirt and the rough miner's garb often cover
a heart joyous with hope and ambition, or one painfully
throbbing out a sorrowing existence. Grief has frosted
my hair. When I came to Colorado a glorious day seemed
dawning upon me, that fell e'er noontide into hopeless, ray-
less night.
" Mining business called me to California, and circum
stances prolonged my stay a year, during which time I
sent frequent letters to my wife, whom I had left in Den
ver, expecting from week to week to join her there.
" One day I was notified to appear in a divorce suit.
She had been persuaded by malicious, officious friends
that I was false to her, and had deserted her. It was her
pride they touched,, not her heart.
" The grief was so great that nature reeled under it, and
for weeks I was the victim of a fever that robbed me of
all consciousness, and prevented me pleading my cause.
Death passed me by, but left my heart sore and sad.
" It was six months before I was strong enough to travel,
and I took the train for Denver. When I arrived there I
learned the sad story. They had sworn to lies, and my
Leonora was then the wife of a man who was handsome
in person, refined in manner, dressed like a nabob, and

186 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
had succeeded in making her believe that he was wealthy
and well born, when he was only a worn out and ruined
gamester. The disreputable roue deemed it the one god
send of his vile life to win Leonora, for she was a very
queen among women. Her hair was black as a raven's
wing, and clustered in short, loose curls about a head of
classic mould, and her form was lithe, tall and graceful.
" I met her only once, and that was on the streets in Den
ver. No word was spoken, but when she raised her plain
tive eyes to mine the expiring flame breathed into life
again, and went quivering all through me. It was the
mingling of her soul with mine. I read it in her eyes
and cheeks. I wanted to clasp her to my heart, and felt
like one under some horrible spell, with arms hanging
powerless at my side, when the much coveted object is
within reach.
" A few years later, following up my Bohemian life, as
reporter for a newspaper, I drifted to  . Late
one evening I entered the bar of a hotel and inquired,
' what's the news?' The clerk, not knowing the wound he
was about to inflict, replied, 'Mrs. Leonora B  , the
handsome wife of the gambler, died yesterday and was
buried to-day.'
" I dropped into a chair, and drew my hat low down
on my brow, to conceal the anguish in my face. I had
not even heard of her being in the town.
'"Women, like moths, are often caught by glare,' and
she, poor child, had dashed through the flames, and her
life was a lingering death. An hour later I was kneeling
over her new-made grave. Alone, and in the stillness of
the night, I wept such tears as flow when the heart swells
with unspeakable sorrow. God alone can explain the

TOM JENKINS. 187
everlasting mystery of love. I linger here— for I have
what the poet calls
'Two handfuls of white dust, shut in an urn of brass.' "
He said that was the first time he had ever told the se
cret of his life. I think it advisable to never tell such se
crets to man or woman. One might as well put them in a
book. There are times when conversation is irksome, and feel
ing that we had reached that point, I was starting away,
when a popr, hollow-eyed woman, with her rags flutter
ing in the breeze, approached with irresolute step, and
extended a long, bony hand in mute appeal for help. He
said to her if she would wait -there a minute he would
soon return with something for her. I lingered to talk
with the woman, and gave her my mite. He was
quickly back, and slipped a package into her hand. The
beggar was profuse in thanks and blessings, and eagerly
opened the bundle. It contained simply a pair of gold
cuff buttons. What use she could make of them I could
not divine, for she had neither cuffs nor collar.
I hurried away for fear my face would betray my
thoughts. The man, in the bigness of his heart, wanted
to assist her, but if the acts of men make angels weep,
they certainly sometimes make them smile.

CHAPTER XLII.
TOM JENKINS.
The day was sunny and breezy, and our party started
off for a ramble over the mountains. Mr. De B  , as
usual, accompanied Hal. and me. From their subdued
conversation I thought three was a crowd, and dropped

188 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
behind. About half way up we met a returning pedes
trian. As he passed, my veil was blown away, and lodged
in a bunch of berry bushes. He politely extricated it
from the briers and returned it to me.
Mr. Rough, one of our party, came up at that moment
and recognizing in the gentleman an old acquaintance,
introduced him to me. "Ah," said he, "this is the lady who
is gathering items."
" I want to tell you about uncle Tom Jenkins, the old
man who married the young girl to train her up to suit
him." We seated ourselves on a projecting rock, under a tree,
to hear the story.
" Often in these mining towns," said he, " the sudden
acquisition of wealth works surprising transformations.
"Tom Jenkins was old and decrepit, and had been
prospecting for many years without finding anything but
disappointment. However, he accepted his ill luck with
a kind of grim philosophy, while younger and less sturdy
hearted men would have despaired.
"We boys used to say, if poor old Tom would only
strike it, what a mighty fine thing it would be for him.
Money would do him some good ; he would never fool it
away at the gambling table, or kill himself drinking and
carousing. " He always returned from his unsuccessful tour with
out a murmur, although where he should sleep and where
withal he should be clothed, were unsolvable problems,
and he was ever sanguine of 'striking it' the next time.
Well, one day, sure enough he did strike it, and sold his
prospect hole for twenty thousand dollars. I can never
forget the flush of excessive happiness on his wrinkled

tom jenkins'. 189
old face as he told over and over again how he found it.
We all shook hands and honestly congratulated him upon
being comfortable in his old age.
"Tom became a target for scheming mothers. The
widow Thompson, who had two daughters, set her trap to
rope him in. - Tom was soon touched by the divine affla
tus, and it inspired him like stout, old wine ; he became
frolicsome, went to the dances, slicked down his hair,
dusted his clothes and wore ' biled shirts.'
"The engagement was short, and Tom entered domes
tic life with the youngest of the daughters. He told his
friends he was old and set in his ways, and as her char
acter was not yet formed he would train her up to suit
him. For a few weeks they seemed to enjoy home life.
How she did put on style ! New dresses, new bonnets,
and all sorts of new fangled things for her throat. Her
love was a matter of profit, you see.
" One morning he awoke to find himself deserted. It
was soon noised around that Mrs. Jenkins had run off
with a sporting man of the town. Tom being distrustful
of banks, kept his money by him, and one bag of the
precious stuff disappeared with her.
" It was a hard blow to the old man ; he fell off until
he was as thin as a lath, and walked around with his hat
on the back of his head mumbling incoherent words.
The neighbors thought he was a trifle loony.
" The runaway couple went to Denver where the gay
Lothario appropriated the bag of gold she spirited away
from the old man, and skipped the country. He has
never been heard of since.
" After many days Tom received a note from his wife
reproaching him for not searching for her ; she had only

190 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
played that little trick to test his affection, she said, and if
he did not come soon, she would think he didn't love her
and would sneak off like a guilty thing and drown herself.
The old dough-head believed her, yoked up his oxen, went
to Denver, and brought her home to train again ! Better
a mill-stone had been hanged around his neck, for they
said she talked to him in sulphurous dialect, serenaded
him with chin-music after the lights were blown out, found
cobwebs in his hair and split kindling-wood over his
shoulders. Finally she ran off with another gambler,
and the old man actually died of a broken heart.
"There is nothing like a frontier town for thrilling
events," he continued. " We have had some very remark
able duels here. About twenty years ago two gentlemen,
who were in every respect valuable citizens, quarreled
about some trifle, I've forgotton what, but it resulted
in a challenge to mortal combat. We were all greatly
distressed, for they were good fellows and we made
every effort to pacify them, but without effect. They
agreed to fight with hatchets, thirty paces apart. Mr.
Bressler, that handsome blacksmith across the way, shar
pened the hatchets, and the work, was well done; they
were as keen-edged as razors. The gentlemen practised
so earnestly that almost every tree around the town re
ceived a scar from their weapons. The evening before
the fight was to come off one of them received a letter
from his mother, in which she informed him that his an
tagonist was the son of her dearest friend, and she hoped
the boys would love each other like brothers. This letter
brought about a reconciliation, and they are still living,
both filling prominent positions in other States.
"Well," said he, "I started out to tell you about a duel,

A DRAWN BATTLE.

191

but that was a ' drawn battle ' and don't count. Speaking
of 'drawn battles' I can tell you one that beats that one
all hollow.
" Two fellows were mining over here in Galena Gulch,
and they had a dispute about a girl, which resulted in a
challenge. It was left to a meeting of the Miner's Court
to determine the manner of fighting. The miners had
no confidence in their courage, and it was decided that
they should stand back to back, walk off fifteen paces,
then right about face and forward march," shooting and
continuing to shoot until one was killed, or their revolv
ers emptied.
"At the appointed
time they met and were
placed back to back in
the presence of the en-
'tire population of the
gulch. When the order
was given to walk fif
teen paces, they started
off bravely. Upon reach
ing the line, instead of
turning to face each
other, they both walked
as fast as their legs
could carry them, clear

THEY CONTINUED TO WALK.

out of the country, probably thinking:
" He who fights and runs away
Will live to fight another day.'
"Enough of burlesque duels," said he, "but I saw a
funeral once that made an everlasting impression upon
me.

192 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
"A party were prospecting in Buffalo flats, and after
digging awhile in one place they concluded there was
nothing there, and commenced a hole a short distance
away. " One night upon retiring, a member of the party had a
presentiment that he would not live through the night,
and thereupon disposed of his personal effects to different
parties, telling them his wagon and team would pay the
funeral expenses.
"The boys treated it as a joke, and laughingly re
quested to be remembered in his will. But the next
morning the fellow was as dead as a mackerel.
"His wagon and team were seized upon for debt, and
just how to defray funeral expenses they did not know,- for
they had 'nary red.'
" After talking the matter over they concluded to bury
him in the abandoned prospect hole, and wrapping a
blanket around him they let him gently down.
" There was not a Bible, Prayer book or Hymn book in
the camp, and feeling it was not the proper thing to do,
to bury him in that heathenish way, it was suggested that
some one sing. The boys looked at each other, in a sort
of blank wonderment, as if trying to remember some
sweet religious tune of their Sunday School days. The
silence became oppressive. At last one fellow threw his
head back, and keeping time with his foot, sang, " Oh, la,
boys, won't you git out de wilderness, git out de wilder
ness.'" The conversation of this gentleman was a marvel of lo
quacity, and Mr. Rough, who was familiar with the early
incidents of the place, lost no opportunity in jogging his
memory.

THE STAGE RIDE. 193
Seeing our party returning, we concluded to wait for
them. Hal. said we were like Bunyan's Formality and
Hypocrisy. We had only pretended to climb the hill.
They had been to the summit, and had a glorious view
of the " Delectable Mountains."

CHAPTER XLIII.
THE STAGE RIDE.
Now arose a debate whether we should go to Leadville
by way of Como or Frisco. We were informed that the
coach left for Frisco every morning, and the road was
level and smooth, through the prettiest valley that ever
was seen.
The stage ride — that decided me. Mr. Rough, a walk
ing embodiment of common sense, and the "brake and
balance wheel" of the party, gave us the advice that
Punch gives to people about to get married, "don't."
But he might as well have said " do," for we immediately
engaged passage in the stage, and I commenced to plan
for myself a seat with the driver; for drivers are said to
be living, breathing, talking Encyclopaedias of Western
lore. Promptly at the appointed hour the horn blew, and Hal.
and I gathered our traps and were soon on the veranda of
the hotel. But where was the coach? We anxiously
looked about for one of those gaily decorated affairs, like
the chariots in the circus, where the driver and some
favored passenger sits on top, entirely oblivious of who or
what is caged in the box below. We waited. At last a
13

194 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
fine looking man, in natty suit, broad brimmed hat, and
bran new kids, politely inquired of us if we were going
to Frisco. We replied in the affirmative. Whereupon he
tipped his hat, and said, "allow me to assist you into the
coach." To our utter amazement "the coach" was a large
three-seated spring wagon, painted in black and "old
gold," and strikingly suggestive of an undertaker's rig.
I bounced to the front seat, eager that my chat with the
driver should not prove a delusion also.
The pleasant-faced landlady invited us to come again,
and the porch was crowded with new-made friends, who
waved us good-by until we were out of sight. It was
perfectly delightful to be treated that way ; we felt at peace
with the world and ourselves.
The driver swung around town gathering up his load,
and when the last "all right" was given, he counted
noses and found he had nine passengers. " A little too
thick for comfort," said he, "but some of them will stop
at the first station." It was a sort of variegated crowd ;
there was a big man, who created a stir when he got in ;
they said he was a candidate for  . He had rather a
ruddy complexion and a rubicund nose, the effect, I sup
pose, of being so near the sun. I regarded him with a
feeling of commiseration, for nose sun-burn is so unbe
coming. He got out at all the stations and seemed to
know everybody, for there was a real old-fashioned hand?
shaking, and they all went inside and followed him out
again with their handkerchiefs to their faces.
I was particularly interested in a, cow-boy, one of the
features of this western country. He wore a dust-colored
sombrero, which drooped all around; pants stuffed in boots
that were high enough for leggings ; a blue-flannel shirt,

THE STAGE RIDE. 195
and a yellow, cotton handkerchief tied about his neck.
In the leather strap around his waist hung a raw-hide
lariat, which he said was useful in more ways than one.
If he ran out of provision he made "lariat soup" for
dinner, drew it through his mouth for supper, and chewed
it for breakfast. The buxom mountain lass at his side,
whose dress was a bewildering combination also, tucked
her head to one side and said, "Why, Jack, what a whop
per!" "How long have you been in this country, driver?" I
ventured to inquire.
" Oh ! I've been driving over these mountains, off and
on, for over twenty years."
"I expect you have had many adventures?"
"You bet," he said.
I told him that I was gathering Colorado stories, with
the intention of writing a book, and asked him to relate
an adventure. He meditated awhile and said : '
" I was driving a stage in the San Juan country several
years ago, and among the miners at a little town called
S  , where I always stopped for the night, was a young
man named Robert L  . We called him Bob, because
we liked him. He was an honest, hard-working chap,
and as handsome a fellow as ever trod sole leather. One
day Bob struck it rich, and with his face all beaming he
told me he intended to start back home on my coach the
next morning, to marry the girl he had been engaged to
for seven years. ' I have served like Jacob of old,' he
said, 'and I am at last to be rewarded. The old man ob
jected because I was poor, but now I have made my little
" pile," and the hours don't go fast enough. I would like
to fly to her, for during all the long, weary years she has

196 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
been watching and waiting for me.' It was enough to
make anybody feel glad just to see him and hear him
talk. " When we started the next morning his heart was full
of joy, and he was cracking jokes and making the crowd
merry. About three o'clock in the afternoon we reached
a little stream that was heavily wooded, when several men,
with their revolvers cocked, rushed out of the under
brush and commanded a halt.
" They compelled Bob to throw up his hands, and com
menced searching his pockets. He had his dust in a
buckskin vest worn under his clothing — there was ten
thousand dollars in it.
" When the robbers found it, Bob sprang to his feet and
said, ' I have worked for that money with the hope of
marrying the girl I love; if you take it, you will destroy
my happiness forever.'
" ' We'll destroy you if you don't hand it over.'
'"I'll never do it,' said Bob.
"Whereupon they blew his brains out. One searched
him while the others stood with their pistols drawn on
me and the other passengers.
" After getting the vest they put spurs to their horses
and were soon out of sight. To this day no trace of them
has been found. Poor Bob, the villians had spotted him.
I never drove over that road again ; couldn't stand to
pass the place."
The driver's voice grew husky, and his eye moist — I
swallowed a profusion of chokes. Suddenly the horse to
the right gave a plunge, and the driver gracefully curled
his whip over his head and brought it down upon the
flank of the refractory animal.

THE STAGE RIDE. 197
" You have handsome horses," I said, " what are their
names ? "
"Astronomy and Deuteronomy, Omy and Duty for
short. Omy is always frisky when she starts out, but she
soon breaks down. When it comes to the home-stretch,
Duty knocks the persimmons every time." ^-^
At the next station the cow-boy and the kaleidoscopic
young lady left us, and we took on a.stranger.
The candidate clasped his hand in a hearty shake and
said, " Where in h — 1 have I seen you before?"
"Don't know, sir; what part of h — 1 did you come
from?" " They seem to be familiar with the domain of his Sa
tanic majesty," said Hal. in a whisper. I resumed con
versation with the driver.
" Were you ever in Denver ? "
" Oh, yes, many times ; I was there before the flood."
"Why, you seem very young, considering the time you
have been on earth."
"Come, now," said he, "what are you giving me;
don't go slinging jokes at me."
"Well, as you lived before the flood, probably you can
tell me something about Mrs. Noah. History has very
little to say about the old lady."
" Oh, you are way off the track, I don't mean Noah's
flood, I mean the flood in Denver in '64."
"Ah!" "At the dinner table in a hotel in Denver, I once re
marked, that 'water runs up hill in this country.' A
big fellow across the table, who seemed to be pretty full,
said: 'You can't choke that down me; you've got to

198

TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

swallow that or fight' He made at me with a carving
knife and just cut my head clean off."
"Clean off?"
"Yes.ma'm." "I suppose there was enough of you left for an in
quest?" " Well, I should say so ; I went in quest of him, and I
just chawed him up."
"Then I suppose the jury sat on you?"
" No, ma'm ; I have never been 'set dpwn' on yet."
There was no more time for talking, for we were draw
ing near to a " fire in the mountains," an experience I
had been pining for.

(2 w-..~)

THROUGH THE FIRE.

The sight was grand ; the long red tongues of fire were
twining and lapping around the lofty pines up to the
very top, and flying off in flags and sheets above.

THE STAGE RIDE.

199

We began to feel their warm caresses, for the wind was
in our direction. The flames had closed back of us, cut
ting off all retreat, and onward we must go.
I hoisted my sun umbrella to keep off the sparks. Ve
suvius couldn't hold a candle to them. The "whole re
gion 'round about" seemed on fire. My umbrella was re
duced to a skeleton.
Finally we all curled down in the bottom of the wagon
" like breakfast bacon in a frying pan," except the Jehu,
for he had to bend his energies to keeping the frantic
horses in the road ; as it was they traveled considerable
zig-zag country. He would occasionally tell us to "keep
cool." But it was a difficult thing to do under the cir
cumstances. The irrepressible Hal. stuck her head up and said, "you
and the driver have 'simmered' down, eh! Have you
still a 'consuming' desire to see a fire in the mountains?"
We were a sorry looking outfit when we arrived at
Frisco. 0, my ! and Duty were minus mane and tail,
and cooked in spots. It was a burning shame.

A BURNING SHAME.

200 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. «
The driver's face was so black with smut, he looked
like a coal heaver. He said, " That takes the eyebrows off
of any fire I have ever seen, and as soon as I can ascer
tain the origin I will send you full particulars. It- will
illuminate your book."
The candidate declared it was the most "infernal" ride
he ever took. We invested in cold cream and anointed
our faces until they looked like balls of butter in the sun.
The facetious landlord remarked, that we were the first
cremated people that ever ate at his table.

CHAPTER XLIV.
MINING IN SAN JUAN.
Taking the cars for Leadville, I was surprised and
pleased to find among the passengers a number of suc
cessful mining men. As the San Juan country is now
attracting attention because of its fabulous wealth, I be
came quite interested in their stories of prospecting there,
way back in '61, when it was known as Baker's Park,
Baker being the first man to enter the country.
"It was in the winter of '61," said Mr. Curtis, "that a
young friend of mine, knowing that I had some money,
whispered to me of a 'new find' in the San Juan country,
and said if I would 'go in' with them they would start
immediately for the new Eldorado, build roads, lay out a
town and by spring be ready for work. It was impressed
upon me that 'mum' was the word. However, it leaked
out as all such matters will, and there ensued a regular
scramble for that country. Their provision and money
gave out, and not finding a ' color,' they returned heaping
abuse on the diabolical swindle.

MINING IN SAN JUAN. 201
"Bringing up the rear was the son of a wealthy Cleve
land merchant, who had received twenty thousand dol
lars from his father, and invested it in that speculation —
lost it, of course. He was a graceful, handsome fellow,
and as he approached me, his face wreathed in smiles, I
said: 'You seem happy over your misfortune.' 'Well,'
said he, ' I can't help laughing when I think of what a
d-> — d good thing we would have had if we had only
struck it.'
"Speaking of the first rush to the San Juan country,"
said Mr. Cy. Hall, "I was at that time mining in Califor
nia Gulch, but when I heard of the new discovery I grew
dissatisfied with my 'pannings out,' and became restless
for richer diggings. Distance lends a power of enchant
ment to a miner. He is always ready to follow any will
o' wisp that happens to present an attractive story of rich
mines found in some inaccessible country. It would be
wasting breath to say, 'stay where you are,' for they won't
do it. I know how it is. I've been there. I was doing
well enough in California Gulch, but I heard such a
world of talk that I clubbed in with some boys and fol
lowed the last excitement.
" Arriving at a point within a mile of where Durango
now stands, we laid out a town, built seventy-five houses,
and in a few weeks there were five hundred people there.
" Snow fell from three to four feet all over the country,
and didn't melt an inch the whole winter.
" Many of _us went there with our pockets full of glit
tering dust, but we all had to face starvation. We ate
the oxen that carried us over, and even the entrails that
had lain in the sun for days; lived on bullrushes for

202 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
months. Those that went out hunting invariably got
lost and starved to death.
" When the winter broke up everybody that could get
away, went.
" I returned to California Gulch, suffering greatly on
the way from hunger and cold, for moccasins and a blan
ket were about all the clothing I had.
"Arriving in sight of the cabin of my old partner, I
called to him to bring me a hat and a pair of boots, I had
a blanket, and I wanted to make a respectable re-entrance
into the camp.
" Refreshed by my adventure I resumed mining in the
old place, with renewed vigor and determination.
" I can tell a story that will overtop that," said the Hon.
Charlie Hall, " one in which the harassing predicament
of starvation in the fastnesses of the mountains is calcu
lated to pull the quills of the ' fretful porcupine' clear out
by the roots.
" In the winter of '61 I was attacked with the San Juan
fever, and three of us strapped our provisions and blan
kets on our backs and started out to capture bushels of
hidden gold. Our objective point was the present site of
Ouray, and the distance being comparatively short on an
air line, we laid in a small supply of rations, which were
exhausted after a few days out, and our luxuries during
the remainder of the time consisted of a buffalo robe,
boots, leather pants and ants. We first ate the buffalo
robe, singing the hair to a powder, which we ate, but when
we came to masticate the skin, we found it as tough as a
door mat. That lasted a day or so, and we then com
menced on our boots. We went for the stew made of
them with appetites that knew no limits. My leather

MINING IN SAN JUAN. 203
pants were the next thing tackled. We cut them into
strips, and ate with as much avidity as the Neapolitan
would his long, luscious macaroni.
"Having now exhausted our mess-box, we went in
search of ants, and peeled the bark of the trees and the
old logs until they looked as if they had been struck by
lightning. Ant lunch is pretty good when you can get
enough of them. That sort of wrestling for life contin
ued until there ceased to be any fun in it.
" A pedestrian tour over rocks and snow is not near so
entrancing as watching the scenery from a car window.
" We subsisted for" three days upon our vitals, rather
expensive victuals, too — and there was an ominous wild-
ness in the hungry eyes of the men that made me suspect
they would soon be forced to cannibalism. As I was the
smallest man in the party I stood a fair chance of making
the next meal.
"As night^drew on this conviction preyed upon my
mind, until every time I lost consciousness I had visions
of drawn daggers and glaring, fiendish eyes, that startled
me broad awake.
" After the camp-fire had died away, I gathered up my
blankets and stealthily crept to another spot, but not to
sleep, and as I lay there, I saw the two men approach the
place I had deserted, feel around on their hands and
knees, and foiled in their murderous designs, slink back
to their blankets.
" The sun had scarcely awoke the sleeping world when
I crawled out of my retreat and confronted the men with
what I had seen, and announced my intention to leave
them. One Of them expressed a desire to accompany me,

204 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
and continue in the route we had decided upon the day
before. The other man went alone.
"As we continued our tramp over the interminable
mountains, the days seemed like years, and the hunger-
pain kept gnawing at our vitals until strength was gone.
If we fell to the ground it was almost impossible to re
cover our feet.
"My friend was of robust physique, and could stand
the 'racket' better than I.
"I had fallen off until my clothes were large enough
for a dozen of my size.
"We struggled along for fourteen days, and I reached a
pile of rock from which the snow had melted, and felt
resigned to lie there and die; my lower limbs were al
ready dead to my thighs.
"My companion, with painful effort, climbed to the top
of what is now known in the San Juan country as Han
son Mountain. He looked around at me with his face as
bright as a Chinese lantern, and shouted, ' brace up, Char
lie ! we are all right. Another outfit in the valley.' That
was about the happiest moment I have any recollection of.
"The party in the valley came to our rescue. They
carried me into camp, and I pulled the scales at forty-
eight pounds. They handled me as if I was a child; put
my legs in boiling water, but I didn't feel it.
"It was Ben. Eaton's party that rescued us. They fed
me on water gruel for several days, but I didn't gain
much fat on that kind of diet. Finally Ben. made the
awful announcement that I must die.
"He was absent a few days, and when he returned I
told him they were starving me to death. He again gave

MINING IN SAN JUAN. 205
me the pleasant information that I had to die, and I
might as well eat everything I wanted.
" I did, with the appetite of an alligator.
" When I got on my feet again the boys would hardly
have been more surprised if they had seen an Egyptian
mummy rise up and walk.
" In less than six months I weighed 134 pounds. I
shall ever feel grateful to Ben. Eaton for my salvation.
We have eaten many a good meal together since then."
" I have a funny reminiscence of my last trip through
that region," said Mr. Phil. Trounstine. " It was in '76.
I was on business for the house. We had traveled sixty
miles and had nothing to eat. Our team was tired and
we were as hungry as wolves. I told the gentleman with
me to stay by the team and I would go into the moun
tains to kill some game for our supper. I hadn't gone far
before I saw a deer, and raising my gun, brought it down.
My companion complimented me on my skill until I be
gan to think I was a crack shot.
" By and by we drove up to a house and inquired if we
could get supper there.
" The man said he had no meat except bacon, but we
were welcome to it.
" We are all right in that particular, said I, for I have
just killed a young deer.
" ' Then come in,' said he.
" When he saw our deer he asked, ' whar did you git that,
stranger?' " I observed the dismay in his voice, and thought some
thing or other was wrong, but I answered promptly, 'a
short distance below here.'
"'Oh, Hannah, Hannah,' he called 'I told you some

206 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
d — d fool of a tender-foot would kill that ar pet deer of
yourn, if you didn't put a bell on it.'
"I was not near so hungry as I had been, and felt
greatly relieved when he said, 'much obliged to you,
stranger, for bringing it to us.' "

CHAPTER XLV.
LEADVILLE.
The Greeks have enumerated seven wonders of the
world, and Leadville, the magic city of the Rocky Moun
tains, deserves a place on the list, as it has grown to har
monious proportions and enduring strength almost lit
erally in a day.
The carbonate formation found here is something of a
phenomenon in mining, yet experts confidently assert
that the deposits in many of the mines are so extensive
it will require many years to exhaust their treasures.
The older districts, proud of their orthodox fissure
veins, derisively called this camp "the district of sand
mines." In 1860 the whole region hereabouts was known as
California Gulch. Then the placer grounds were very
rich in gold, but of too limited an area to warrant per
manent settlement on a large scale, so the impatient for
tune-hunters, who had no claims, began to prospect for
more tempting fields, and in 1866 it was about depopu
lated. The carbonate discoveries awoke a new life in
1877-8, which soon made Leadville the liveliest town in
the world for a time. A marvel in fact of the present
generation. It has gas and water works, telegraph and

LEADVILLE. 207
telephone lines, street railways, the letter carrier system,
fine public schools, several large smelting and reduction
establishments, stamp and sampling mills, a fine opera
house, several extensive wholesale and retail grocery, dry
goods and hardware houses ; three daily newspapers, the
Chronicle, Herald. and Democrat; corner lots worth $5,000
to $10,000, and everything that goes to form a full-fledged
city. We were soon comfortably located at the Grand Central.
Mr. Chapin, the proprietor, has been a hotel keeper in
Colorado for years. A story is told of him that when con
ducting a hotel in Denver in the early times, a negro
called with a very fine turkey under his arm, and wanted
to sell it to the " boss."
Mr. Chapin bought it and gave an order for four more.
The negro answered, " I ain't got no wagon, and fo' fowls
jist like dat ar, would be a big tote, so I will fotch one at
a time, boss, if dat will suit you."
"All right," said Chapin, "but be sure to get them here
in time for my Thanksgiving dinner."
"O, I'll do dat, boss, you may 'pend 'pon it."
The negro called every day, each time lugging a big
turkey, received his money, and was ordered to put it in
the coop in the back yard.
The day before Thanksgiving Mr. Chapin, speaking of
his forthcoming dinner, said to a friend, " come, let me
show you my turkeys, they are fine."
To his astonishment there was only one turkey in the
coop. It was afterward discovered that the negro had stolen
the one bird out of the copp each night and sold it to him
next morning.

208 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
How such a slick steal could be accomplished without
detection, was a profound mystery to Mr. Chapin, and he
expressed himself accordingly.
An old negro standing by sorrowfully shook his head
and said, "Ah, massa, it may be dat nigger was starvin,
and you know necessity is de mudder of invention."
Early in the afternoon we started to visit some of the
mines. The " Morning Star " seemed " only a step away,"
and we prepared to walk, so that we could gather wild-
flowers and rocks by the wayside, and occasionally look
back to where we came from.
While Leadville boasts of its lofty perch there is no
level ground around it, and no matter in what direction
you go, you must expect ta climb and get your lungs in
flated with rarefied air. We scrambled over a wilderness
of stumps, the only remains of a once proud forest, and
were informed the trees which grew there had been used
in timbering the mines. So the forests have been trans
planted underground, which is a violent reversal of the
natural order of things. We- stopped often on the way,
not so much to look back, for that was rather nauseating
from our dizzy eminence, but to get a full breath.
Reaching the " Morning Star" we sat around on the
stumps and discussed various subjects, prominent among
them, the "fitfulness of fortune."
The men who discovered the carbonate belt and opened
it, are almost national celebrities; their names are famil
iar household words throughout the country, and we felt
privileged to talk about them. Many of these miners are
still rich, but as in every other mining country, the ma
jority of them are poor. Nine out of ten who made from
five to twenty thousand, spent it and philosophically re-

TWIN LAKES. 209
turned to the pick and shovel as day laborers. Ex-Gov
ernor Routt, of the " Morning Star," is estimated to be
worth a million. Joe Watson and George Corning, his
"former partners, are wealthy men. Eddy, James and
Grant stand at the head of the list of the wealthy. George
Fryer and Senator Tabor were foremost in making Lead
ville. The Senator is still rich, with large real estate and
other interests in New York, Chicago, Denver and else
where ; is mining more in Colorado than ever before ; has
large interests in copper lands in northern Texas, and ex
tensive mining interests in New Mexico and old Mexico.
George Fryer, from whom the celebrated Fryer Hill takes
its name, died a poor man. We did not descend into the
depths. Hal. said* it was time to ring a change on the scene,
and so we started back to the city, around which circled
vast wreaths of smoke, that looked as if it had been
/ belched from the crater of a volcano. On reaching the
hotel we found that we, like the dyer's hand, had taken
our color from our surroundings. Indeed, during the
whole of our stay there we were continually reminded, of
the sentence, " dust thou art." But while the lower world
was shrouded in smoke and dust, the sky was a pefpetual
delight. The clouds were always experimenting and al-.
ways getting up fine effects. The sunsets were superb.

CHAPTER XLVI.
TWIN LAKES.
The next morning our party visited "Twin Lakes," a
pair of crystal beauties nestled among the peaks — a de
lightful' resort for tourists, who camp and boat and fish
14

210 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
there. The snowy sails that float over the silvery waters
are nine thousand feet nearer the sky than those that fly
the ocean. It cost me considerable of a pang not to go,
but I had made a contract with myself to gather stories,
and I could not fritter my time away in other pleasures.
A woman is very conscientious about breaking an engage
ment — with herself! But one is always rewarded for re
sisting temptation. They had scarcely started when I
was summoned to the parlor to meet a number of pio
neers a friend had kindly brought to see me. They were
a jovial set, and from them I collected the following:
In the early days of California Gulch, a man by the
name of Pat. Smith struck it rich, and, as goes the world,
honors were thrust upon him. He was nominated for
the Justice of the Peace. In all probability he had never
read a line of law in his life. One Jim Brown, a lawyer
and well up in his profession, declared that he didn't want
to practice before such an ignoramus as Smith, and fought
him with all his might and main during the canvass.
But money is power with voters, and so Smith was elected.
When fully robed in judicial ermine he felt the dignity
of his position, and lost no opportunity to get even with
Brown. On one occasion a man was found on one of the
lonely highways, going at a rapid gait, on a horse that
belonged to some one else. The primitive method of dis
posing of such malefactors was a rope and a convenient
tree. But the wheel of progress rolls on, and the owner
brought suit to recover his property.
Brown was engaged to defend the suit, and he brought
up points of law to convince the Justice that the man be
ing in possession of the horse was not proof positive that
he had stolen it.

ONE AT A TIME. 211
Smith instantly overruled the points.
Finally Brown read from Blackstohe a case precisely
similar to the one before the court.
" What dp I care for Blackstone, or any other lawyer,"
cried Smith. "I know the man stole the horse, and I have-
decided it — that's enough. I am Judge here, sir !"
"Your Honor," replied Brown, "I know you have de
cided the case. I read the point merely to show you what
a d — d old fool —
"What's that!" interrupted the Court, springing to his
feet in a frenzy of rage.
" Blackstone was," calmly concluded the lawyer, resum
ing his seat. ONE AT A TIME.
A politician, when canvassing the Territory, struck
California Gulch, and expressed a desire to address the
miners. Anxious to collect a crowd, a stand was impro
vised from a dry goods box, and it was placed in front of
Aunt Betsy's, as she was familiarly called, who kept hotel
at the mouth of the gulch. Upon this stand the politi
cian took his position, and when the miners, who were
scattered several miles along the gulch, returned from
their day's work, he began his speech. A few minutes
later he had an audience of several hundred.
In the midst of a grand rhetorical flight a disturbance
commenced on the edge of the crowd, and gradually
spread, as the disturbing cause, which was a small don
key, pushed its way in.
The speaker bravely endeavored to maintain himself
against the increasing uproar, but in vain.
The animal belonged to the landlady, and was accus
tomed to being fed at the hotel steps precisely at this hour.

212 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
He was making his way to receive his rations, as usual.
The crowd parted before him, and he marched directly
up to the platform, which blocked his- further progress.
He fixed his melancholy eyes
on the speaker, and then gave
vent to a discordant " haw he !
haw he!" that awoke the echoes
^from the surrounding hills.
The politician had tact enough
to turn the ludicrous event to
account, and bowing to his au
dience said, " one at a time, gen-
0Ne VI , Tmi. tlemen." The crowd dispersed
in uproarious laughter.
The first time, probably, that a political meeting was
broken up by a bona fide jackass.
" I was traveling in a stage coach," observed Col. P. R.
Smith, " when a fellow traveler told me a story of
BACKING UP A MINISTER.
// " In an early day, when only the brave, reckless and
/daring adventurers from the States had obtained a foot
hold in Colorado, a young man no less brave, wended his
way to a mining camp, somewhere near California Gulch.
The sojourners in this camp were generally termed " a
hard set,' and the mention even of one or more of the
bloody scenes enacted there would make a pilgrim's hair
stand on end. Imagine, then, the reception likely to be
, given to an humble worker in the Master's vineyard!"
" But nothing daunted, our young gospel dispenser made
bold to enter and announce his intention to preach on
Sunday. But no sooner had he published his intention
than a committee of the worst characters formed to wait

BACKING UP A MINISTER. 213
upon and magnanimously allow him so many hours in
which to leave the camp.
"This all worked very well until there arrived one of
the most reckless of these daring adventurers, known as
' Dare Devil Dick,' who had just returned from following
a band of marauding Navajo Indians.
" When aware of the true state of affairs he at once de
clared himself the minister's champion, and announced
that it would be worth any man's life to attempt to break
up the meeting. He also apprised them of his intention
to make a few introductory remarks.
"Well, every body knew that. 'Dare Devil Dick' meant
what he said, hence they were compelled to accept the sit
uation, and decided to go to the place appointed for wor
ship and hoot the preacher down.
" The day and hour finally arrived, when Dick appeared
, as per advertisement, and delivered himself in the follow
ing manner:
" ' Friends and gentlemen, listen to me. I was the first
American to cross the Great Desert. The first to visit the
sacred spot where the Sainted Montezuma, the Indian
Savior, mounted upon the back of the glorious white
eagle, to take his flight heavenward, and I hope to be here
when he returns to take his people home. I was here
when the pilgrims came hunting gold in this glorious
land. I was here when the first American woman (God
bless her) arrived. I was here when the bad men first
opened their dens of iniquity ; when that poor boy's soul
took its flight across the range, for refusing to play poker
with Bill Sykes, for he said he promised his good old
mother never to gamble. This was my first sin, but I
had to do it. I sent Bill to ' kingdom come,' by limited

214 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
express. Buckskin Joe soon followed Bill ; I had to do
it. Seven-up Pete went next; I had to do that, too!
Now, I became a marked man. Some called me bad, but
I was always on the side of the weak and helpless.'
"'Since then I have had some pretty lively times; have
been a prospector, miner, Government scout, cow boy,
stage driver and trapper, and between times amused my
self gunning for Indians and Greasers on my own account.
Yes, I have been handled pretty roughly; have been
' chawed ' by grizzlies, scalped by Indians, nearly burned
at the stake, shot and knifed dozens of times, blowed up
once or twice, and on one occasion fell into a quartz mill,
and run clean through before it could be stopped. On
another occasion I was dropped in a sluice box and
panned out as pure as virgin gold.'
" ' Now, friends, you have said that this beloved minis
ter shall not preach in this camp, to a lost and dying
world. You have said this, and you come to enforce your
threat. You carry your guns, knives and sabers, and
come equipped with all this arsenal, for what ? Simply
to bluff this defenseless, unarmed minister of the Gospel,
who means you only
good. But there is no
bluff in this game. I
hold four aces and the
five spot, and the first
man who moves a bluff
I'll raise him. Boys, I
mean business. You
know me of old; you'll
hear the Gospel once;
you'll hear it now.' backing up a minister.

BACKING UP A MINISTER. 215
Then laying down his navy six-shooter on the pine table,
used for a pulpit, he turned to the minister, saying in his
most persuasive style, 'Parson, sail. in. Give 'em h — 11!
I'll back you.'
"And he did sail in; preaching such a sermon as has
never been heard in these parts before or since; picturing
the good Christian homes, the kind mother's influence,
now almost forgotten. Pointing out the sins and inevi
table end of the lives they were living; begging aiid ex
horting them to turn back before too late. Picturing the
bright future of the repentant sinner, the golden gates of
the New Jerusalem, through which the just must enter;
the happy meeting with loved ones who had gone before,
a reunion to last for ever.
" When the minister closed, tears were flowing from the
eyes and down the cheeks of many a hardened sinner,
and more than one of the brawny pioneers joined hands
with the young preacher and worked faithfully for the
cause. Among them none were more earnest than ' Dare
Devil Dick,'" <^-
" Experience is often very expensive in this country,"
said Major Randall, "and when one has run the gauntlet,
he has voluntarily or involuntarily gathered many amus
ing reminiscences. I came here when the excitement was
¦ at its highest, and Leadville was a surging, tossing sea of
living humanity. It was impossible to procure a room at
any of the hotels. I drew the attention of the clerk to
the snow-white hair of my companion, and said it would
be a shame to make him sit up all night. He thought so
too, and said he would see what could be done for us.
We thanked him and took a turn <about town to see it by
gas-light. The streets were so crowded that navigation

216 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
was slow unless one went with the current. At every
corner was a brass band, and the brilliantly lighted sa
loons were thrown wide open, with not even a green screen
at the door, and they were so crowded that the excited
and busy bar-tender reminded me of an auctioneer,
knocking down the glass to the highest bidder.
" It seemed that every nation under the sun was repre
sented here. Besides the slangs indigenous to the soil,
we heard strange provincialisms of every section of the
United States. We thought the myriad of twinkling
stars in the heaven's serenest blue was the grandest free
show we ever had. But the fighting and shooting were so
terrific that star-gazing wasn't pleasant, and we soon re
traced our steps.
" I felt dismal and forlorn, for like the ' Son of Man,' I
had no place to lay my head. As I entered the office of
the hotel I saw two vacant chairs, and kept my eye on
them, thinking if I couldn't do better, I would engage
them for the night. But the clerk informed us we could
have a berth on the floor up stairs. We rolled up in our
blankets and buffalo robes, and in five minutes were sleep
ing the sleep of the righteous.
" Early next morning a gentleman called and said he
understood we were looking for mining interests. He had
a claim on Carbonate hill that he must necessarily make
a sacrifice of, as he was compelled to leave the country.
It was very rich, no doubt about it; every thing on Car
bonate hill was rich. He would sell out for twentyjhrju
sand dollars, ten thousand cash.
"A room 4x6 had been vacated that morning, which we
succeeded in having .assigned to us. So we retired to
our closet to consider the matter. My friend, who was

»
' EXPERIENCE. 217
generally self-possessed and solemnly deliberate, said joy
ously, 'biggest luck in the world; I tell you we are next
door to bonanza kings. I am a man of deeds and few
words; let us grasp this right away before some one else
gets in ahead of us.'
" We rushed down stairs fearing our luck had already
been gobbled up, but the miner sat dejectedly alone,
with his eyes fixed on the door, watching for our return.
" We tramped away to see the claim ; found a hole twelve
feet deep, and was soon satisfied that there was nothing
in it. Immediately upon returning to the hotel the pro
prietor buttonholed us, and said he had a rare opportu
nity for us. He had taken up a placer claim and had
done sufficient work to apply for a patent; was simply
waiting for -the snow to go off to make official surveys.
One of the party was about to sell his interest to, a party
that was obnoxious to him ; would be glad if we would
take the interest and come in with him — would sell cheap
— dirt cheap. Figured it up so there was no question
about the millions. I told my friend if he would agree
it was a 'go.' He agreed.
" Didn't see the location before purchasing. After pur
chasing we commenced at once getting ready to visit it,
and upbraided ourselves for not doing so sooner, like the
man that locked the stable after the horse was stolen.
" We found it away above timber-line, and prospectors
had located claims all over our placer grounds. A sur
vey was made and we filed our "application for patent.
Prospectors filed sixteen adverses. A change came over
the spirit of our dreams; we, who were so opulent a few
days before, found ourselves embarrassed. A compromise
was effected; they agreed to let us out, take the land and

218 ' TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
pay the cost. Happy once more ! It seemed that a world
had rolled from my shoulders. And now we were sure
we had cut our wisdom-teeth and could with perfect com
posure decline 'a piece of the pie.'
" But day in and day out the news of new discoveries
were poured into our ears, and we would have been
anomalies in the human race if we had not become inoc
ulated with the disease.
"A few days later I found myself on a horse going to
see a claim on Sheep mountain in the Ten Mile district.
This was the true Golconda ! But it proved to be a greater
fraud than the other.
"All that summer I was grasping at something that,
like the fairy gold, left nothing but leaves and sticks in
the hand. However, by being faithful to the old prov
erb, ' if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again,' I finally
stumbled on some good mining property."

CHAPTER XLVII.
THE PIONEER LIFE OF MRS. AUGUSTA TABOR.
I was pleased to receive a call from Mrs. Augusta Ta
bor, who was then visiting in Leadville. She is a frail,
delicate looking woman, with pleasing, lady-like manners.
I give the story of her frontier life in order to convey an
idea of the hardships endured by the pioneer women.
"My first acquaintance with Horace Austin Warner
Tabor came about in this way : My father, a stone con
tractor, took the train one morning in August, 1853, for
Boston, to hire stone-cutters. When about sixty miles
from home two young men entered the train, one of them
taking a seat by my father. In conversation it was de-

MRS. AUGUSTA TABOR. 219
veloped that these men were stone-cutters and look
ing for work. My father employed them. In two years
from that time Mr. Tabor, who was one of the men, asked
my hand in marriage. Another two years passed and in
January, 1857, we were married in the room where* we
first met.
" During our engagement he went to Kansas and set
tled upon one hundred and sixty acres of farming land
in Riley county.
* "On the twenty-fifth of February we left my home in
Augusta, Maine, for our new one in Kansas. We made
our way to St. Louis, which was the terminus of the rail
road, thence to Kansas City on a five day boat. At Kan
sas City we purchased a yoke of oxen, a wagon, a few
farming tools, some seed, took my trunks and started
westward. My trip was not very pleasant, for the wind
blew disagreeably, as it always does in Kansas.
" We arrived at our destination on the nineteenth of
April, at 11 a. m. I shall never forget that morning. To
add to the desolation of the place the wind took a new
start. The cabin stood solitary and alone upon an open
prairie. It was built of black- walnut logs, 12x16 feet;
-not a building, a stone or stick in sight. We had brought
two men with us, and how we could all live in that little
place was a question I asked myself many times. The
only furniture was a No. 7 cook stove, a dilapidated trunk,
and a rough bedstead made of poles, on which was an
old tick filled with prairie grass. I sat down upon the
trunk and cried ; I had not been deceived in coming to
this place. I knew perfectly well that the country was
new, that there were no saw-mills near, and no money in

226 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
the territory. But I was homesick and could not conceal
it from those about me.
" Mr. Tabor and the two men unloaded.the wagon while
I tried to clean up the cabin. I found a number of old
New York Tribunes in the room, smoothed them out, made
a paste of flour, and soon had the black, ugly logs cov
ered, putting the newspapers right side up that I might
read them at my leisure, for I could see that reading mat
ter was likely to be very scarce. Having covered the
walls I unpacked the boxes and made up a decent bed.
I took out my table linen and silver, for I had not left
home without the usual outfit, and then began to prepare
my first meal. I cannot say that it was very inviting,
but I did the best I could, and we were all blessed with
good appetites. The two men took rooms near by and
boarded with us, thus helping us to money to support
the table. Mr. Tabor broke the land, put in the seed and
began farming in good earnest, exchanging day's labor
with the neighbors to save hiring help. After doing my
housework I also went into the fields to work.
" No rain fell that summer, so that when harvest came
we had nothing to gather. Mr. Tabor went to Fort Riley
and worked at his trade, while I remained at home with
my babe and made a little money by raising chickens.
" Indians and snakes were then numerous in Kansas,
and I lived in constant dread of both. I cannot tell
which I feared the most. The rattle-snakes crawled into
my cabin to get into the shade, and when I sat down it
would be upon a three-legged stool with my feet under me.
" The winter was warm and pleasant. When spring
came we tried farming once more. An abundant crop
resulted, but there was no market for it; eggs were three

MRS. AUGUSTA TABOR. 221
cents per dozen, and shelled corn twenty cents per bushel.
I kept boarders and made some butter to sell. In Febru
ary, 1859, Mr. Tabor heard of Pike's Peak through some
one of Green Russell's party, who was returning, and at
once decided to try his luck in the new Eldorado. He
told me I might go home to Maine, but I refused to leave_
him, and upon reflection he thought it would be more
profitable to take me, as in that case the two men would
go along and board with us, and the money the}' paid
would keep us all. Mr. Tabor worked at the Fort through
March and April, earning money for our outfit.
" The fifth day of April we gathered together our scanty
means, bought supplies for a few months, yoked our oxen
and cows, mounted our seats in the wagon and left the town
of Zeandale with the determination of returning in the fall,
or as soon as we had made money enough to pay for the
one hundred and sixty acres of Government land, and
buy a little stock.
1 " What I endured on this journey only the women who
crossed the plains in '59" can realize. There was no sta
tion until we arrived within eighty miles of Denver via
the Republican route ; no road, and a good part of the
way no fuel.
" We were obliged to gather buffalo chips, sometimes
traveling miles to find enough to cook a meal with. This
weary work fell to the women, for the men had enough
to do in taking care of the teams, and in ' making ' and
' breaking ' the camp. The Indians followed us all the
time, and though friendly, were continually begging and
stealing. "Every Sunday we rested, if rest it could be called.
The men went hunting, while I stayed to guard the camp,

222 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
wash the soiled linen and cook for the following week.
Quite frequently the Indians gathered around my camp,
so that I could do nothing all day. They wallowed in
the water-sources from which our supplies were obtained,
and were generally very filthy. My babe was teething
and suffering from fever and ague, so that he required
constant attention day and night. I was weak and fee
ble, having suffered all the time that I lived in Kansas
with ague. My weight was only ninety pounds.
"We arrived in Denver about the middle of June, and
as our cattle were footsore we were obliged to camp there
until the first day of July. Then we went up Clear Creek
where the town of Golden was being established. A miner
came down from the mountains from whom we inquired
the way to Gregory diggings. Leaving me and my sick
child in the 7x9 tent, that my hands had made, the men
took a supply of provisions on their backs, a few blank
ets, and bidding me be good to myself, left on the morn
ing of the glorious Fourth. How sadly I felt, none but
God, in whom I then firmly trusted, knew. Twelve miles
from a human soul save my babe. The only sound I
heard was the lowing of the cattle, and they, poor things,
seemed to feel the loneliness of our situation, and kept
unusually quiet. Every morning and evening I had a
' round up ' all to myself. There were no cow-boys for me
to cut, slash and shoot, no disputing of brands or maver
icks. Three long weary weeks I held the fort. At the
expiration of that time they returned. On the twenty-
sixth of July we again loaded the wagon and started into
the mountains. The road was a mere trail; every few
rods we were obliged to stop and widen it. Many times
we unloaded the wagon, and by pushing it helped the

MRS. AUGUSTA TABOR. 223
cattle up the hills. Going down hill was so much easier
that it was often necessary to fasten a full grown pine tree
to the back of the wagon for a hold-back or brake. Often
night overtook us where it was impossible to find a level
place to spread a blanket. Under such circumstances we
drove stakes in the ground, rolled a log against them, and
lay with our feet against the log. Sometimes the hill was
so steep that we slept almost upright. We were nearly
three weeks cutting our way through Russell's Gulch into
Payne's Bar, now called Idaho Springs.
" Ours was the first wagon through, and I was the first
white woman there, if white I could be called, after camp
ing out three months. The men cut logs and laid them
up four feet high, then put the 7x9 tent on for a roof. Mr.
Tabor went prospecting. I opened a 'bakery,' made
bread and pies to sell, gave meals, and sold milk from the
cows we had brought.
" Here one of our party, Mr. Maxey, had an attack of
mountain fever, and for four weeks he lay, very ill, at the
door of our tent, in a wagon bed, I acting as physician
and nurse. A miner with a gunshot wound through his
hand was also brought to my door for attention.
" With the first snow storm came an old miner to our
camp who told us dreadful stories of snow-slides, and ad
vised Mr. Tabor to take me out of the mountains imme
diately. Those who know anything of the surroundings
of Idaho will smile at the idea of a snow-slide there. But
we, in our ignorance of mountains, believed all the old
miner said, and left for Denver.
" I had been very successful with my bakery in that
camp, making enough to pay for the farm in Kansas, and
to keep us through the winter.

224 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
"Arriving in Denver, we rented a room over a store. It
was the first roof I had slept under for six months. I
took a few boarders and Mr. Tabor returned to his pros
pect, which he found had been jumped by the miner who
had advised us to leave. ' Might was right' in those days,
so he lost all his summer's work, and had to sell the cow
to buy the supply for the new camp which was up the
head-waters of the Arkansas.
"The 19th of February, 1860, I was lifted from a bed
of sickness to a wagon, and we started for the new mining
excitement. No woman had yet been there.
"We were seven days going to where Manitou now
stands. I made biscuit with the water of the soda springs;
they were yellow and tasted so strongly of soda that even
we, with our out-door appetites, could not relish them.
" We lingered there one week, the men doing a little
prospecting, and working on a new road over the Ute
Pass. " We made such slow progress over this road that every
evening we could look back and see the smoke from the
camp-fire of the previous evening. After two weeks of
such wearying travel we reached South Park. I shall
never forget my first vision of the park. The sun was
was just setting. I can only describe it by saying it was
one of Colorado's sunsets. Those who have seen them
know how glorious they are. Those who have not can
not imagine anything so gorgeously beautiful. The park
looked like a cultivated field, with rivulets coursing
through, and herds of antelope in the distance. We
camped on the bank of a clear stream, and the men went
fishing. We had broiled trout that night for supper, and

MRS. AUGUSTA TABOR. 225
passed the evening over a game of whist by the light of
our camp-fire.
" The fourth day in the park we came late at night to
Salt creek. Tried the water and found that we could not
let the cattle drink it, neither could we drink it. We tied
the oxen to the wagon and went supperless to bed. The
night was very cold, and a jack came to our tent and
stood in the hot embers until he burned his fetlocks off.
He stayed with us to the end of our trip, and carried me
many miles upon his back.
" We moved on the next day to fresh water, and camped
on Trout creek. Knowing that a party of men had left
Denver a few days before we did, and feeling anxious to
come up with them, the men shouldered their rifles and
started out in search of foot-prints, each going in a dif
ferent direction.' The one who came upon the trail was
to fire off his gun as a signal to the others. All day long
I listened for the report of a gun. The men had not ar
rived when night's shadows gathered around, and I felt
desolate indeed. The little jack came into the tent, and I
bowed my head upon him and wept in loneliness of soul.
"The men had gone farther than they expected, and
were somewhat bewildered, and only for the camp-fire
that I kept blazing, they could not have found their way
back. " As they did not find the trail, we concluded to follow
the way a stick might fall. It fell pointing southwest,
and we went in that direction.
"Finding what we thought a good fording place in the
Arkansas river, we decided to cross, as the road seemed
better on the other side.
15

226 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" The river was very rapid and full of boulders, around
which clung cakes of ice. Our cattle, thin, weak and
tired, were numb with cold, and halted in the middle of
the river. The men plunged into the cold stream, which
was waist deep, tied ropes to their horns, went upon the
opposite shore and endeavored to drag them over, but
with no success. They then unloaded the wagon, putting
the goods upon the ice, which was liable to break off and
float away, unyoked the oxen, dragged the wagon over,
and carried the goods on their shoulders. The faithful
little jack swam the river with me on its back. Upon con
sulting our watch we found that we had been six hours
crossing the Arkansas.
" We made a fire, dried our clothing on us, and nursed
the cattle all night, feeling that we must save them, for
bur provision was getting low, and unless game came in
from the valley, we should be obliged to eat them.
" After camping in this place a week we moved further
up the river, -where we went to work in earnest. Mr. Ta
bor and Mr. Maxey whip-sawed some lumber and made
sluice-boxes, sawed riffles from a log, put in a ditch
from the creek, and commenced washing the bank away.
Cleaning the boxes up at night, we found fine gold in
an abundance of black sand. I worked hard every day
trying to separate the gold from the iron sand, and at
night would have only a few pennyweights of the precious
metal. For four weeks we worked there; our supplies were
about gone and we felt discouraged. It had been one long"
year since we heard from the loved ones at home.
" One morning a man came to the camp and said he
was one of the party that left Denver a few days in ad
vance of us, and they had found gold in paying quanti-

MRS. AUGUSTA TABOR. 227
ties. He -gave us explicit directions how to reach the
rich diggings. We followed his directions, and undertook
to cross the river where it looked shallow. When near
the opposite bank we came into a deep channel. Our
wagon bed, with myself and child in it, raised above the
wheels and floated down the stream. It was rapidly fill
ing with water, when it occurred to me to cling to the
willows on the bank. I did so, and held with unnatural
strength until the men came to my rescue. We reached
California Gulch three months after we left Denver. The
first thing after camping was to have the faithful old oxen
butchered that had brought us all the way from Kansas
— yes, from the Missouri river, three years before. We
divided the beef with the miners, for they were without
provisions or ammunition.
" Before night they built me a cabin of green pine logs,
without floor, door or window. The roof was covered
with poles, bark and dirt, and the wagon was converted
into table, side-board and three-legged stools. I entered ~
this place happy that I once more had a roof to cover my
head, and at once commenced taking boarders, with noth
ing to feed them except poor beef and dried apples.-
" It was soon noised about that gold was struck in Cali
fornia Gulch, and before many weeks there were ten
thousand people there. A mail and express was immedi
ately decided upon, and I was appointed Post Mistress.
" With my many duties the days passed quickly. I was
called upon to weigh all the gold taken from the upper
part of the gulch, as we were the only owners in that sec
tion of a pair of gold scales. The miners would clean up
their boxes, get their gold weighed, and go to town (where

228 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Leadville now stands), spree all night, and return 'dead
broke ' in the morning to commence again.
"Mr. Tabor was then working our mine, which was No.
12 above discovery. We took that because it had a fall,
but it was a mistake, for the gold was nearly all washed
over the fall into the claim below, from which $80,000
was taken out during the summer of 1860.
" I was very happy that summer, and joyfully antici
pated a visit to my mother and father in the fall.
" On the 20th of September Mr. Tabor gave me. one
thousand dollars in dust. I put my wardrobe, what there
was of it, in a carpet-bag, and took passage with a mule
train that was going to the Missouri river. I was five
weeks crossing, and cooked for my board.
"With that thousand dollars I purchased one hundred
and sixty acres of land in Kansas, adjoining the tract we
already owned. My folks dressed me up, and in the
spring I bought a pair of mules and a wagon in St. Joe
to return with, which took about all my money.
"Mr. Tabor gave me one-fifth of what was made that
summer, when I left; the other four thousand he sent to
Iowa and bought flour, and in the spring we opened a
store in my cabin. He worked in the mine during the
day, while I attended to the store. I feel that in those
years of self-sacrifice, hard labor, and economy, I laid the
foundation to Mr. Tabor's immense wealth; for, had I not
staid with him and worked by his side, he would have
been discouraged, returned to his trade, and so lost the op
portunity which has since enriched him."

CHAPTER XLXVIII. >
A TALK WITH JOURNALISTS.
From Leadville to Buena Vista I fell in company with
a party of newspaper men, and gathered the following
stories :
Colonel John Arkins, now general manager of the
Rocky Mountain News, was at one time foreman of the
composing-room of the Tribune. Major Henry Ward,
now Inspector of Indian Agencies, was at that time, say
from 1875 to 1878, managing editor of the Tribune, and
Mr. Thomas F. Dawson, now editor of the Denver Times,
was city editor. They were a pleasant, companionable set
of men, but none of them were then considered as rolling
in the lap of luxury. It may be that they were "hard
up." Be that as it may, Arkins and Dawson found it de
sirable, along in July of 1877, to take a vacation, notwith
standing the disagreeable fact that they must leave addi
tional work to the already over-worked Major Ward.
Middle Park — land of frosty nights, sunshiny days,
mountain trout, and, oh, horrors! mountain lions and
grizzly bears, must be the place at which they should
seek that quiet and recreation which their weary brains
demanded. Well, they went. How they found the capi
tal with which to start the expedition, it is not the prov
ince of this historian to record ; neither shall the story of
the extensive tour, the fishing and hunting exploits, be
repeated. A tradition has, however, come down to the
present time illustrating the fondness of newspaper men,
as well as of ordinary mortals, for practical jokes, and
229

230 , TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
showing how it was far more possible to perpetrate them
in those Arcadian and youthful days of Denver journal
ism, than it at present would be.
Arkins, it would appear, had always had a penchant for
writing. But for the fact that he, like many other men
of genius, had failed to make himself proficient in the chiro
graphic art, Mr. Arkins would undoubtedly long ere this
time, have made a reputation in some field of literature
— whether in poetry, in romance, or in labored leaders on
the editorial page, his colleagues had never been able to
definitely decide in their own minds. But he could not
write, and this is what got him into trouble. His charac
ters looked so very much like hieroglyphics that no mor
tal, who had not made a special study of them, could de
cipher them. Now, that he has come to be manager of a
Democratic newspaper, and wear a high hat, he may have
reformed. We only speak of the Mr. Arkins of the olden
time. Like most other people he did not fully appreciate
his deficiencies, and frequently boasted of his penman
ship; he had never been known to write even his name
that he did not call attention to the Gothic character of
its construction.
There came a time, however, during this camping ex
pedition, when his manner changed in this respect.
It was a rather warm day toward the latter part of
July that Arkins announced his determination to remain
in the tent rather than go fishing. Dawson being inter
ested in a work of fiction, concluded also to remain, and
both sat down in the tent, the former to write, the latter
to read ; Dawson quaking with fear lest Arkins would
ask him to admire his handwriting, and Arkins, as it

A TALK WITH JOURNALISTS. 231
afterwards proved, quite as uneasy lest Dawson's curiosity
should be aroused.
As the Fates would have it, the reader lifted his eyes
from his book just as the last stroke of the writer was put
to the paper. There was something quite suspicious about
the manner of the essayist, and his mind seemed dread
fully weighed down until he found a means of getting his
letter to the post office, which, as that was fifteen miles
distant, proved no easy accomplishment.
Let it be briefly recorded, however, that by the time the
letter had been gotten off, Mr. Dawson had received a
summons to return to Denver. The day after his arrival,
he had scarcely gone to work at his desk, which was near
Major Ward's, when he heard an ominous growl from the
direction of his elbow neighbor. There was a continuous
mumbling and grumbling for some five minutes, at the
end of which time the Major turned to Dawson, throwing
a bundle of manuscript to him, with the remark : "Here,
Dawson, see what you can do with this. It's a letter from
some inspired idiot, but I can make nothing out of it."
Now Major Ward is one of the most accomplished
masters of the pen in the entire wild West, and his feel
ings had been greatly wrought upon by the close scrut
iny he had been compelled to make of the horrid scrawl
before him.
. Imagine the surprise on the part of the city editor when
he discovered that the manuscript was the same of which
he had caught a glimpse in Middle Park. It told a very
thrilling story of an adventure in the park, of which Mr,
Dawson was described as the hero. We shall group facts.
It appears that on the day previous to the writing in the
tent, Dawson and Arkins had engaged in a shooting

232 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
match at that proud bird of freedom, the American eagle,
"whom none could enveigle or put salt on his tail," and
Dawson brought it to the ground. Concealing his cha
grin at the time, Arkins had determined to get even in
another manner. He had written a letter to the Tribune
telling how his companion in arms had met with a trying
experience — how he had encountered what he had con
ceived to be a veritable mountain lion, and, after climb
ing a tree, had fired one shot after another at it, until it
was brought to the ground, when Dawson, glowing with
excitement and exultation, had rushed to the spot where
the expiring animal lay, only to meet a park ranchman
who demanded then and there $25.00 from the astonished
scribe for killing his pet calf. This is the gist of a story,
which, however, was highly adorned with the figures of
speech, ornate diction and elaboration of detail for which
Col. Arkins has since become famous.
It was a good story, and well written, and Dawson, as a
journalist, felt that it ought to be printed. He was in
doubt what should be done. Happy thought!
A few minutes later a transformation had been wrought.
It was Mr. Arkins who had killed the pet calf.
The proper head-lines were written and the story went
to the printers.
Col. Arkins appeared as the hero of his own romance—
his bad penmanship had proved a veritable boomerang."
No wonder that after this he determined to reform. Yet
he never forgave Dawson for the trick. As for Major
Ward, he also felt that his confidence had been imposed
upon, though he admitted that the trick had been well
turned. And this is the legend of the fate which befell the man

STARTING A WESTERN PAPER. 233
who attempted to become a Colorado journalist before he
had learned to write.
" Arkins is fond of a joke," said another quill driver.
" I have often heard him tell an experience of his, which,
if you feel inclined to hear, I will relate."
We expressed our willingness, and he proceeded.
STARTING A WESTERN PAPER.
" In 1878, when excitement ran high in Leadville, and
fortunes were made with almost magical rapidity, Arkins,
then foreman of the Denver Tribune, was struck, as he
relates it, 'jail of a heap,' with the idea of starting a pa
per in the Carbonate city. Friends advised him to let,
' well enough ' alone, and not go careering after the uncer
tainties of life. But he laughed at their arguments and
ultimately invested every dollar he had in a printing
press and .shipped it to the great mining camp.
" In those days the only railroad in that direction ter
minated at Webster, the rest of the journey being made
in stages.
" So great was the rush of travel, only those who were in
favor with the management could obtain a seat in the
stage unless ordered long in advance. But our journalist,
having an eye single to comfort, took the necessary pre
caution and secured it.
" While at Webster he saw the wagon trains heavily la
den with bullion toiling on their way to the depot. He
stepped around to see his freight safely transferred. The
type had been packed in boxes, which of course were as
'heavy as lead.' A great, burly teamster, who seemed to
possess Herculean strength, swooped down on a box, ex
pecting to toss it with careless ease into the wagon, but

234 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
somewhat baffled, he lifted it slowly, with a puff and pant,
and said, ' bullion both ways, by jingo ! '
" The stage possessed a comfortable seating capacity for
nine, but this time it was extended to fifteen. Extended,
however, is not the right word — squeezed would be more
appropriate. His mind began to tumble from its lofty
flights to the grosser contemplation of 'compressed meats.'
"There was but one of the gentler sex in the coach,
and she parried a canary bird, a pet squirrel and a gera
nium in a pot; all of which she unhesitatingly deposited
in the laps of the gentlemen that had not been previously
converted into chairs for some one.
" They expected to arrive at Fairplay in time for sup
per, but before they reached the middle of South Park
the wind and snow commenced a tussle, which was fol
lowed by a battle of the elements that was appalling. Ar
kins soon realized that the path of glory, like true love,
seldom runs smoothly. He didn't more than half like
the thought of having the snow for a winding sheet, even
though it might be typical of purity ; and had no notion
of filling a grave far above the common world.
" When they reached the top of Red hill, all above,
beyond, and about was enveloped in Egyptian darkness.
The snow didn't come down in eddying flakes that the
poet talks about, but fell in blinding sheets.
"The driver said it was impossible to go on. The
horses were bewildered by the darkness and the raging
tempest. The leaders, as if thrust around by some irre
sistible power, doubled back on the wheel horses. There
was no time to meditate; no time to be tender and com
forting to the woman who tearfully inquired if her house
hold pets were in danger. They simply had to string

STARTING A WESTERN PARER. 235
their nerves to the highest tension and act promptly, or
be frozen to death in that houseless solitude.
" There were a few scattering trees on the hill, but there
was no ax; no way of kindling a fire. They dared not-
separate for fear of being lost in the darkness. So they
joined hands and formed two lines, the first man in each'
Tine holding to the bits of the leaders, and made their
way as best they could down the hill ; the snow contin
uing to pelt them with relentless fury.
" They arrived in Fairplay at two o'clock in the morn
ing. A crowd had assembled at the hotel and were vig
orously discussing the feasibility of sending for the be
lated, coach. They were received with a fever heat of ex
citement, which so strongly resembled the stir and finish
of a play, that each particular man imagined himself the
' star actor on the stage.'
" Their moustaches and' eyebrows supported little rifts
of snow, and their limbs were rigid with cold ; but, par
taking freely of liquid refreshments, rapidly dispelled the
freezing sensations, and early that morning they left for
Leadville over the Weston pass.
"In process of time the Chronicle was established, with
our hero in charge, in a little 6x8 room, with a washstand
for his editorial desk.
"All being in readiness for the first edition of the pa
per, Mr. A. seized a note-book and went in pursuit of
items, when attracted by a number of persons gathered
around a little shanty, he bent his steps in that direction ;
walked in without leave or license, and soon discovered
the "cause of the commotion in front. The air was
stifling with chloroform. A woman lay stretched on
a bed and a physician stood over her making active use

236 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
of a stomach pump. The facts ascertained, he returned to
his sanctum and dashed off an account of it.
" The next morning a large man with flushed face and
bloodshot eyes entered his office accompanied by a wo
man. He demanded, in stentorian tones, to see the man
who wrote 'that article in yesterday's paper about his
lady,' and with a little frescoed swearing announced his
intention to blow him into the warmest place in Lucifer's
domains. " The editor said meekly the reporter had stepped out,
but if an untrue statement had been made, he, being the
editor, would be pleased to correct it. He couldn't under
stand how it happened, for the merest glance at the lady
was sufficient to establish her character, and stepping for
ward with great suavity of manner, declared that she
seemed to be the ' flour of sulphur and the cream of tar
tar.' " The caustic sarcasm of the apology passed unperceived
by the enraged couple, and was received as the editor in
tended it should be. The woman smiled and bowed
thanks; the man seized his hand, saying, 'your head is
level;' both united in an urgent invitation to 'come, take a
drink,' when all three waltzed into a neighboring saloon
and — smiled unctuously."

CHAPTER XLIX
THE ALPINE TUNNEL.
The" ride from Buena Vista to Gunnison is a wonderful,
and in most respects, a delightful experience ; there is
nothing meek or humble about it, the clouds and moun
tains flirt and kiss each other right before our eyes. We

THE ALPINE TUNNEL. 237
continue to rise higher and higher until the Continental
Divide, with its icy coronet appears clear-cut and glis
tening against a back ground of blue sky. The Union
Pacific, in its effort to out do all rivals in feats of moun
tain climbing, has, in this instance, mounted to an alti
tude of 11,500 feet above the sea, at which point the trains
plunge into the Alpine tunnel, and -the next view we get
of the light of day is on the Pacific slope.
About a mile farther on the engine dashes around a
curve and stops at the " palisades," which rise almost per
pendicular to a height of nearly five hundred feet. These
towering rocks were beautifully embellished with beds of
gauzy ferns. Graceful vines twined about their heads,
and the ropes on which the men were suspended to carve
out a roadway for the iron horse are still dangling there.
Hal. talks learnedly of every green thing, from the "cedar
tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hissop that spring-
eth out of the wall." Mr. De B — — thought it would be
a proper act of gallantry to present her a bunch of ferns,
and in his effort to reach them clung to a rope, which
broke with his weight, when, " Oh, what a fall was there ! "
I wanted to ask him how he liked scaling palisades, but
he seemed so cast down I didn't have the heart to speak.
Quartz creek, with its numerous tributaries, sparkles
through a valley two thousand feet below. "Raising one's
eyes from this profound abyss the range of vision extends
over one hundred and seventy-five miles to the San Juan
country, where the Uncompahgre peaks stand with
haughty crests, and, lying between, softened by the light
blue tint of this lofty atmosphere, are hill and dale in
wavy line and sleepy rest. The eye drinks in such beauty
as intoxicates the soul, and then we are whirled away and

.238 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
the lovely valley, like all life's charms, slips from us, leav
ing a steel engraving in the picture book of memory, bear
ing the inscription, "Glorietta View," — yet it is called
"Quartz Valley," which is " of the earth, earthy."
And now we are carried swiftly through wonder after
wonder of grand scenery. Keeping company with such
lofty peaks makes one feel so insignificant; there arises
an overpowering consciousness of being only a speck, an
atom, an infinitesimal part of the great scheme of Crea
tion. Such contemplations are not pleasant; I prefer
talking to that merry group of lawyers.
ANECDOTES OF THE BAR.
" There are many episodes in the life of an attorney
who has practiced law in Colorado for twenty-two years,"
said General Sam Browne, " which may be at once instruc
tive and amusing. On my arrival in Denver the District
Court was in session in tlie bar-room of the old Planters'
House. It was presided over by B. F. Hall, the first
Chief Justice of Colorado — him of the ' ambrosial locks,'
and when I entered the bar the Court was engaged in the
trial of a case, the subject matter of which — a large wash-
tub full of gold-dust — was present in court.
" One party was represented by the eloquent and learned
but erratic, General Bowen, Judges S. and S., and the other;
by Judge Perkins and Judge H  . One party won, I
don't recollect which, and thereupon the Court and coun
sel adjourned to an upper chamber and all took a drink
on the Winchester plan, fire and repeat.
"A day or two after the foregoing occurrence I took my
first retainer, $50. It was paid to me out of a buckskin
bag of gold-dust. I was at a loss to know what to do with

; ANECDOTES OF THE BAR. 239
Jt, until Judge Hallett, with whom I had taken up tempo
rary quarters, kindly furnished me a small bag in which
to carry my wealth. Gold-dust was then the only circu
lating medium in use here except revolvers.
" To return for a moment, this same Judge was soon
afterwards indicted by the Grand Jury of his own court
for malfeasance in office, and the indictment returned
while he presided. He was in a quandary, and immedi-
, ately consulted J. Bright Smith, Amos Steck, Judge Per
kins and myself as to the proper course to be pursued by
him in the premises.
" We very promptly convinced him that B. F. H. as
Judge, dispensing justice, and B. F. H. a private citizen,
the subject of an indictment, were so distinct and sepa
rate that the Judge might, as well as a Court, quash the in
dictment against the individual. Accordingly we filed
and argued the motion to quash, which he, after the most
grave and careful consideration sustained.
"This was my first victory in the Courts of Colorado on
a motion to quash.
" Soon afterward a Court was to be held in Canon City,
to which a number of attorneys, including Steck, Smith,
Perkins, Gorsline and myself went to try our luck. On
leaving Colorado City we took the short line through Red
canon, and reached the southern end of the canon at
nightfall, in a terrible snow storm. It was impossible to
proceed, as we could not see the road, and were wholly ig
norant of the country. So we were compelled to remain
at a deserted ranch without food or shelter. Perkins dis- .
covered a bed of onions under the snow. Gorsline said he
was fond of onions, doted on onions, in fact. Smith
said while he didn't crave them as a steady dish, as a rel-

240 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ish homoeopathically injected, he rather liked them. Steck,
in a grand outburst of expletives, manifested his disgust,
and the balance partook of the odorous repast in silence.
" This was our only supper, except what we obtained
from Taylor's jug.
" Next morning the party was about as sickly and dis
gusted an outfit as the world ' ever saw. We reached
Canon in due time, and literally filled the court with the
aroma of our presen'ce, so to speak.
" During the next year a murderer named Van Horn
was tried at Central City, before Judge Chas. Le Armour.
Henry M. Teller defended, and during the trial the Judge
conceived it to be his duty to leave the bench and be
sworn as a witness in the case. Teller objected, but with
out avail. Armour took the oath, and on the first ques
tion being put to him, Teller again interposed an objec
tion addressed to the bench, then empty. The Judge was
equal to the occasion. He promptly took the bench and
overruled the objection, then descended to the witness
stand and proceeded to give his testimony. So the farce
went on. Van Horn was convicted, sentenced to death,
and was finally hanged with great eclat by A. C. Hunt,
United States Marshal.
"After Judge Hall left the bench he was succeeded by
a man named Gale, from Pennsylvania, who, in one re
spect, was like necessity — he knew no law. Among other
of his peculiarities, he had a certain system of disposing
of demurrers.
"He would hear them one day and decide them the
next morning, invariably sustaining the first and overrul
ing the second, and so on, to the end of the list.
"One day Bright Smith argued a demurrer to one of

ANECDOTES OF THE BAR. 241
my declarations, which, among others, was taken under
advisement. "That evening the Judge spent at my house. The
next morning I leaned over the bar ostensibly to inquire
after the Judge's health, but in fact to see the status of
my demurrer. I found it on top and sure to be sustained
if allowed to remain there. Soon the Judge's attention
was attracted in another direction. I quietly slipped it
under the next one in order and took my seat. There
upon Judge Gale proceeded to decide his demurrers. As
usual, the first was sustained and the second overruled.
Mine was of course overruled, and I triumphed; Smith,
who had seen the operation, whispered to me, 'you 
old fraud, you shuffled the deck on me.'
" But the Gale soon blew over — back to its native clime,
and we were happy once more.
" While listening to these incidents I have thought of an
experience of mine," said Judge V. D. Markham.
"In the spring of 1879 I received a telegram from par
ties living in Kansas to meet them on a certain day at
West Las Animas, the county seat of Bent county, in the
extreme southeastern part of Colorado. I arrived at West
Las Animas the evening before the day appointed for the
meeting. Early the next morning I received a dispatch
from the Kansas parties saying, that, owing to some acci
dent to the train, they would not arrive until the next
day. It so happened that Judge Henry, Judge of the
district of which Bent county was a part, had just that
morning opened a special term of the District Court
for . that county. This special term was held at the re
quest of the County Commissioners of Bent county, for
16

242 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
the purpose of trying five prisoners, then in jail, for the
several offenses for which they had been indicted, and so
relieve the county from the expense of keeping them. I
had ho particular business in the court, as no other busi
ness was to be transacted except the trial of these prison
ers. But when a lawyer is not otherwise engaged he goes
instinctively to the court-room, as a duck goes to the
nearest pond. So I wandered into the court-room, in
which court had just been opened. No sooner had I en
tered the room than the Judge, from the bench, notified
me that there were no attorneys in attendance besides the
prosecuting attorney, John M. Waldron, and myself, and
he would be compelled to require me to appear as attor
ney for, and to defend these five prisoners. In vain I in
formed the Judge that I was in court by accident, and that
I had important business on the outside. I begged, be-
seached and implored — told the Judge I was afflicted with
rheumatism — I was near-sighted — I was deaf, and I didn't
expect to live long anyhow. He was inexorable and I had
to toe the mark.
" Just then the prosecuting attorney, Waldron, came to
my rescue and afforded me momentary relief, but, believe
me, it was only momentary. He whispered to me that the
first of the five prisoners to be tried, a Mexican sitting
near us with both legs cut off just above the knees, would ,
plead guilty. Of course the Judge could not hear what
Waldron said.
"I gravely straightened up and informed the Judge that
I was ready and willing to proceed with the trial of the
Mexican, who was charged with stealing a watch and
chain, valued at eight hundred dollars. The prisoner was

ANECDOTES OF THE BAR. 243
at once arraigned and the indictment read to him. He was
called on to plead. Great Heavens ! he pleaded not guilty.
" The Mexican could not speak one word of English ;
the pleading, and everything else, was carried on through
an interpreter.
" I then requested the Judge to permit me to retire into
a back room, with the Mexican and interpreter, that I
might learn the nature of the defense and prepare for
trial, which request was readily granted by the Judge.,
" As soon as we three were in the back room I inquired
of the prisoner, through the interpreter, whether he had
stolen the watch and chain. He candidly confessed that
he had stolen them, but said he didn't believe they could
prove it on him. I at once came to the conclusion that
inasmuch as he was guilty, whether it could be proven
or not, he might as well go to the penitentiary, and a good
deal better go there than for me to fool away a whole day
in defending him, after he had told me he was guilty.
So I told the interpreter to tell him he had better with
draw his plea of not guilty and plead guilty. The inter
preter was fully equal to the task. He had a long under
tone conversation with the Mexican, but I am profoundly
ignorant of what passed between them, except as I gath
ered it from the interpreter afterwards.
"It seems that among the many attractions which ex
isted inside the walls of the penitentiary at Canon City,
he had very forcibly impressed upon the Mexican's
mind the great advantage of the boot and shoe fac
tory which was carried on within these walls. The in
terpreter communicated to me, as the result of .this long
talk between himself and the prisoner, that he had in
formed the Mexican there was a good boot and' shoe fac-

244 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
tory in the penitentiary, and it would be a first rate place
for him to learn to make boots and shoes. He was capti
vated with the idea, thought it a splendid thing for him,
as he had no legs and could not do ordinary work. He
said it would take him six^ years to learn to make a first
class boot, and for this reason, if the Judge would sen
tence him to the penitentiary for six years, he would
plead guilty. I saw the propriety of fixing the sentence
at six years, and at once closed the contract with the Mex
ican and fully intended to carry it out in good faith. We
then took him back into the court-room, where the Judge
was patiently awaiting us. Without saying anything to
the Court about the boot and shoe business, I announced
that the prisoner had concluded to withdraw his plea of
not guilty, and plead guilty. The plea of not guilty was
accordingly withdrawn, and the Judge proceeded to ex
plain to the prisoner the consequences of the plea of
guilty. But the prisoner persisted in his plea, relying of
course upon the boot and shoe contract made in the back
room, of which contract the Court was entirely ignorant.
" I supposed the Judge would reserve sentence until the
trials were all over, and would then sentence all the con
victs on the last day of the term. In the mean time I
would quietly inform the Judge of the boot and shoe bar
gain entered into in the back room.
" Imagine my amazement when the Judge, immediately
after the plea of guilty was entered, proceeded to sentence
the Mexican to the penitentiary for only two years, and that
without a word about boots and shoes.
"This sentence was at once and in the presence of the
Court, communicated to the poor fellow, when, of all the
mad Mexicans since the days of the Aztecs, he was the

STORIES OP THE BENCH AND BAR. 245
maddest, and immediately he yelled in terrific Mexican,
' who in h— 11 learn to make nice boot in two years.'
" I heard from him during his incarceration, and learned
that he served out his term fully convinced that the whole
thing was a put up job between myself, the interpreter
and the Court."

CHAPTER L.
STORIES OF THE BENCH AND BAR.
Mr. C. S. Thomas, who is one of the most successfnl
and talented lawyers in the State, then related the follow
ing amusing incident :
" In one of the frontier towns of Colorado, several years
ago, resided an attorney of Milesian extraction, but who
at present is believed to be somewhere in Texas. He was
something of a character -among those who knew him
best, and to a somewhat fair understanding there was
united a degree of obstinacy and perseverance which was
extraordinary. However misty his conceptions of law
might be, there was no mistaking his idea of the rights
of his client, which always overbalanced any other con
sideration. To enforce or defend that right he would take
any position, and if necessary, defy even the statutes of"
the State, though his success was hardly ever measured
by his zeal. I once had occasion to appear for plaintiff,
and try an ejectment suit for the recovery of a town lot, ,
purchased some time before, but withheld by defendant
on general principles. Our friend already alluded to ap
peared for the defendant, and, having neither title or
right, claimed that defendant's possession at the time of
the plaintiff's purchase was a sufficient title, and then as-

246 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
suming the position to be tenable, boldly asserted that
the doctrine of caveat emptor, (let the purchaser beware) a
principle applicable to contracts for sale of personal prop
erty only, and unheard of in matters concerning real
property, was applicable to the cause.
" He was promptly overruled by the Court, but nothing
daunted, upon argument to the jury, took the same posi
tion, and in order to enlighten their minds as to his mean
ing, proceeded to explain the doctrine of ' caveat emptor,' as
follows :
'"Now gintlemen, these worruds is a Latin terrum,
which ye can't be expected to understand without explina-
tion, becase Latin is a did language, used chafely in the
profession of law and midicine. Caveat imptor manes for
instance, if I've got a mule and you want to buy him and
that mule's got some pints about him what ye don't un
derstand, and you can see them pints as well as I kin, if
ye take that mule you bet your life you've got ter ' look
out!' That's what it manes ivery day in the wake.'
"The word 'lookout' was delivered with a mighty
shout that deafened Court, jury and spectators, but the
definition, though unique, failed to convince the jury."
Mr. G. H. Kohn said, "as telling experiences seem to
be the order of the day, I will give some of mine.
"I was once "invited to a wedding; the groom was a
waiter in a hotel in Denver, but had formerly been en
gaged at the Cliff House at Manitou, where our acquaint
ance dates. He requested me to recommend a clergyman
to tie the knot. I asked if his intended had no preference
in the matter.
"'Yes,' said he, 'she would prefer a Catholic priest, but

STORIES OF THE BENCH AND BAR. 247
as he would charge about $10, and would want it all cash,
I cannot afford that kind of a clergyman.'
" I had a client, a German Lutheran divine, whom I
obtained to perform the ceremony.
"The groom seemed to think a wedding ring necessary,
and I accompanied him to the jeweler's, where he was
shown a brace of solid gold rings, that cost ten dollars
each. "'Have you any cheaper?' he asked.
"'Yes,' said the jeweler, 'but they are plated.'
" ' How long could a girl wear a plated ring without its
appearing to be plated?' asked the groom.
" 'About six years,' was the answer.
"'Well, give me that ring for $3.00. The Lord only
knows where we'll be in six years. I won't tell her its
plated, and she'll never find it out.'
" In a week after that the parties had grown weary of
wedded life and separated.
" I paid the minister his fee!
" I was once appointed," he continued, " to defend an
indigent prisoner, charged with the larceny of a horse.
The prisoner protested to me that he was innocent, but
unfortunately the facts, based entirely upon circumstan
tial evidence, pointed the other way. No one saw the
person who stole the horse, steal it.
" Up to the hour of trial we had no witnesses.
" It occurred to me as a last resort that it might be well
to show the previous good character of the accused.
While waiting in the sheriff 's office for our turn, I asked
the prisoner if there was any one who could testify to his
previous good character.

248 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
"'Yes,' said he, in exulting tones, 'John S. can testify
to that; we were carpenters together in San Francisco.'
'"Where is John S  ?' I inquired.
'"He's a prisoner in the county jail here,' was the an
swer. "That almost dumbfounded me. I at once, however,
concluded to take my chances with that person who was
to furnish a character for my client.
"I had him brought from the jail and put upon the
stand. He testified.
"The District Attorney accidentally failed to ask the
witness anything about his present occupation.
" My client denied stealing the horse, or any knowledge
of the larceny. The evidence for the State being all cir
cumstantial, the testimony of the accused and his charac
ter-giving friend raised such a doubt in the minds of the
jurors that they rendered a verdict of ' not guilty.' "
The conversation then turned upon their confreres, and
the stories followed thick and fast. Said the gentleman
at my right, " Col. J. B. Bissell of Leadville is one of the
most able, courteous and eloquent gentlemen at the bar
of the State. His splendid physique, sonorous voice and
clear intelligence, would make him a conspicuous man
anywhere, and his rare social qualities make him a wel
come guest and a host of friends. The Colonel is a hard
fighter in court, and gives and takes in most royal fash
ion. Whoever meets him in the forum has an antagonist
of formidable dimensions, mentally and physically, and
to overcome whom, resort must be had to every resource
of which the cause will admit. - He is rarely nonplussed
or at a loss to act; though on one occasion he confessed

STORIES OF THE BENCH "AND BAR. 249
himself to be temporarily dumfounded, made so however
not by counsel, but by Court.
" It was in 1879, before Judge (now Senator) Bowen.
The Colonel was making a vigorous argument against
certain instructions requested by the defendant, and
which, to his mind, were vicious in the extreme.
" He spoke loudly and effectively, and at last struck one
clause for the destruction of which he had saved his best
-arguments and most ponderous weapons.
" He thundered against it with logic, authority and with
invective, until that poor instructor looked like a felon
without benefit of clergy. After dissecting it, riddling
it, tearing it to pieces and utterly annihilating it, he raised
himself to full height and brought down his last sentence
with, the sledge force of a trip-hammer, something after
this fashion: 'Now, your Honor, after this tremendous
array of authority, which I defy the gentleman on the
other side to contradict; after all these reasons, founded
alike upon logic and precedent; after this exposition of the
insidious doctrines which it is designed shall be instilled
through the agency of this instruction into this cause ;
after all these things, I ask, in the name of reason, in the
name of equity and fair dealing, by all those sacred prin
ciples which underlie and give life to our jurisprudence,
by the memory of those great jurists whose lucid exposi
tions of these momentous and all-important rules of law,
stand as their greatest monuments,, will you not refuse_
this instruction?'
" At this instant Judge Bowen interrupted by saying,
' Bissell, give me a cigar ! ' Bissell stopped — 'stopped with
a start ' in the midst of his eloquence, mechanically took
a cigar from his vest pocket, walked to the bench, handed

250 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
it to his Honor, shook himself to ascertain if he were
dreaming, and took his seat. The argument was ended."
" I have a good one on Patterson," said another of the
legal fraternity. "In the early days of the '70's Mrs.
Mary Johnson, of Vinegar Hill, was a character, and a
most ubiquitious one. She was a witness in nearly all the
sensational cases of the period, and knew more of her
neighbors' affairs than they could possibly know them
selves. "She was once subjected to a severe cross-examination
by the Hon. T. M. Patterson, who so deftly plied her with
questions that she was finally driven to a corner, and a
question was asked which, however she might answer it,
would involve her in a palpable and unexplainable contra
diction. She hesitated for a second only, and then turn
ing upon him savagely answered : ' Misther Patterson, ye
are only calkelated to create confusion.'
" She was permitted to leave the stand without further
questions." "No collection of stories of Colorado lawyers is com
plete without one on Judge Bradford," said a gentleman
in the party, " so here goes :
'"Judge Bradford,' said Judge X. during the trial of a
cause, 'you have made an ass of yourself and are in con
tempt. I will fine you $5.00 for contempt and for mak
ing an ass of yourself:'
'"Here's $2.50,' said Judge Bradford in his famous high
piping tones, 'that'll pay for the contempt. I s'pose I'll
be an ass all my life, so I'll owe you the other $2,50.'
Court adjourned."
The following is the story of an " orthodox attorney."
As no names were given I suspect the relator to be the

STORIES OP THE BENCH AND BAR. 251
hero, and shall designate him as the gentleman who pro
fessed on one occasion to be near-sighted and deaf.
" Several years ago, during a time of great religious ex
citement among some of the orthodox denominations, a
divine of prominence called upon a Denver attorney, at'
his office, and somewhat abruptly remarked, 'my dear,
dying brother, I have come to see you about your immor
tal soul. It grieves me to hear that you are yet out of the
ark of safety, and that you. have not made your peace
with God. My dear brother, have you no fixed religious
opinions?' "Attorney. 'Oh, yes, I have one.'
" Divine. ' Thank God, that is better than none. What
is that one?'
"Attorney. ' Well, I don't believe in the orthodox hell,
and once get that orthodox hell out of the way and there
isn't a great deal to bother about.'
" Divine. ' My dear deluded brother, you say you don't
believe in the orthodox hell — you certainly commit many
sins on this earth — if you do not believe in the punish
ment of hell, what punishment do you think will be in
flicted on you after death for these many sins?'
"Attorney. ' I have given this subject very serious con
sideration, and have come to the conclusion that I will be
sentenced to the torture of being everlastingly compelled '
to take depositions, and I assure you that the fear of this
sometimes almost persuades me to be a Christian.' "
There is no knowing how many more stories I would
have gathered, for lawyers, as a rule, are good talkers, and
this party seemed bent upon bringing all of their associ
ates of the bar upon the scene, but the neighing of the
iron horse announced our arrival at Gunnison.

CHAPTER LI.
GUNNISON.
The city of Gunnison was founded in the fall of 1879,
by Prof. S. Richardson, and now it has massive brick and
stone blocks, that seem to have sprung up with the swift
and easy architecture of Aladdin's Palace. The La Veta
hotel, a superb building, with accommodations equal to any
in Eastern cities, is entirely a native structure. The foun
dation rock and ornamental stone were all quarried at the
edge of Gunnison ; the brick were made there, likewise
the woodwork. The iron castings are the product of their
foundries; the lime for mortar and plaster of native
manufacture. Adding to these products the gold and sil
ver in the surrounding mountains, and we have the re
sources which are to maintain a constant growth.
How the Gunnison bank was established is a character
istic story of frontier life. In '79 Sam. G. Gill, then living
in Denver, conceived the idea that a bank would pay in
Gunnison. Not until the spring of '80, however, was he
able to organize it, then succeeded through the help of
Governor Tabor and the late Col. Jacobson. At this time
the Rio Grande road was completed to Alamosa in Cone
jos county, Gunnison being distant one hundred and fifty
miles. All freighting had to be done by mule and ox
teams across Cochetopa Pass, a long, tedious haul:
When Gill left Denver he locked up the greater part
of his bank capital ($30,000) in his safe, and shipped
it to Alamosa. When he reached that place he found
such a vast quantity of freight en route to Gunnison that
252

GUNNISON. 253
it was a week before the forwarding merchant could ship
his furniture and safe.
All this time the latter, with its precious contents, stood
upon the platform of the forwarding houses, passed daily
by all the hard characters of a mining camp, who, had
they known its value, would soon have wrecked it. Gill
had it marked Alonzo Hartman, Gunnison, Colorado (the
name of one of his partners), then purchased a suit of
overalls and loafed around with the freighters so as to
keep an eye on his treasure.
At length the valuable freight was loaded, and when
ready to start, Gill stepped up to the driver and asked if
he could secure passage with him. After some parleying
the man said, "yes, if you will do half the cooking, and
buy all the supplies, tobacco and whisky, wash the dishes,
hitch and unhitch the mules, you may go." Gill con
sented. The fourth day out they Were compelled to build a cor
duroy road, and were subsequently delayed a day by
high water. In all, they were fifteen days en route. Gill
performed his part of the contract to the satisfaction of
his "boss." But it was rather a novel role for a bank
cashier to assume.
Arriving in Gunnison, and having paid the freighter,
he dropped his disguise and assumed his proper character,
greatly to the astonishment of the latter, who then, for
the first time, discovered the identity, of his "cook and
helper."

CHAPTER LII.
"ADOPTING A WESTERN BOY."
The La Veta Hotel, though completed, was not yet
open for visitors. However, we had no reason to regret it,
as we were made quite comfortable at the Tabor, where
-the polite and obliging clerk, Mr. J., brought the pioneers
from the highways and byways to talk with me. There
were no old people in the country. The oldest gentlemen
I met were Col. Smith and Prof. S. Richardson, and they
speak of themselves as boys.
Said Mr. Rough, " I was one of the million who toiled
in the mines and did not strike it rich. Among the fel
lows who gathered around the camp fire and spun yarns
was Dick Irwin. He was at once jovial, bright and witty,
of large and varied experience, though his violet eyes did
not speak of adventure, and his smoothly shaven face
and small, graceful stature gave him the appearance of
adolescent youth.
" Once upon a time he went to Philadelphia on a visit
with Mr. Joe Watson, and while there was invited to a
large and rather fashionable party.
"Out of courtesy to his host, rather than inclination,
he went, but it had been many years since he attended a
gathering of that kind, and he felt like a fish out of water.
He took a seat in a retired corner and was enjoying the
gay scene in his peculiar way, when the two beautiful
daughters of the host timidly approached him and asked
why he didn't dance.
"He told them that his early education in that direction
254

ADOPTING A WESTERN BOY. 255
had been somewhat neglected ; indeed, he had never had
any education, he was brought up by the rude savages ; was
stolen away from his parents when a child four years old.
He was skilled in all the arts of the red man ; could ride
like a Centaur, dance the war dance and pitch the toma
hawk, but was entirely ignorant of the graces of civilization.
He related thrilling incidents, how he was stood up by a
tree and the warriors shot their arrows around his head
to see how near they could shoot and miss him ; how he
v longed to be with his people, and in his effort to escape
was apprehended and forced to travel, half-starved and
footsore, over a rugged, mountainous country. He was
finally sold to good Mr. Watson for a red blanket, a plug
of tobacco and a jug of whisky.
" Their hearts and eyes were brimful of pity and sym
pathy for the poor young man, and before retiring that
evening they related the sorrowful story to their mother,
and begged of her to adopt him ; they had no brother and
they thought he would fill the bill to a fraction.
"The mother said she would sleep on the matter, but
there came neither ' sleep to her eyes or slumber to her
eyelids.' Like Miss Murdstone, ' generally speaking she
didn't like boys,' but this storj' harrowed up her soul, and
her interest in this young fellow began to assume mam
moth proportions.
"The next morning she called on Mrs. Watson and ex
pressed her desire to adopt the young Western boy. Im
agine her astonishment when Mrs. Watson informed her
that the 'boy' was the Hon. Richard Irwin, known
throughout Colorado as a daring and adventurous explorer,
that he was a leading member of the Colorado Legisla
ture, and had a wife and four children ! " Just as Mr.

256 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Rough finished a form darkened the door, and he ex
claimed: "Dick Irwin— as true as I live! 'Speak of the
angels and you hear their wings.' Where did you come
from, old boy? We are having a sort of old-fashioned
love-feast; sit down and give us a bit of your experience." '
He declared he felt as embarrassed as if he had been
called upon to speak in meeting, nevertheless his perfect
repose of manner gave the contrary impression. His
voice was low and his articulation so perfect as to render
every word distinctly audible, which gave a peculiar
charm to his conversation.
" Modesty forbids me to speak of myself," said he, " but
I will tell you a funny thing that happened in the early
days on the Huerfano. "HOW HE WOOED HER."
" A Justice of the Peace had been called upon to marry
a poor Mexican to the object of his affections. The Jus
tice elevated his eyebrows in surprise to see such a hand
some girl willing to link her destiny with the poor shift
less fellow before him, but proceeded to declare them hus
band and wife according to law, and then demanded his
fee — five dollars.
"The astonished Mexican exclaimed: 'Por Dios, I
haven't it, Senor Judge.'
"'Well, then,' said the Justice, 'I annul the legal con
tract until you get it.'
" While the fellow was hunting up his compadres and
amigos (partners and friends) to raise the funds necessary
to make him the happiest man on the creek, the Justice.
said to the girl, ' Marcelina, couldn't you marry a more
worthy fellow than that ? He can't even pay the mar
riage fee.'

HOW HE WOOED HER. 257
" ' Por Dios,' she replied, ' it seemed the best I could do,
and how miserable a poor girl feels away from her friends,
without either home or husband. So when he asked me
to marry him I couldn't say no, as I didn't know of any
body else who wanted me for a wife.'
" ' Why, Marcelina, you could have done much better if
you had only known it.'
'"Por Dios, I'd like to, who could it be?'
" ' Why, you could have me, and as the fellow has not
paid the five dollars, stand up and I'll marry you myself.'
And he did so, thereby annulling the previous ceremony
and clinching the final one."
Mr. Irwin then took his hat and bowed gracefully out
of the room, saying,
"Was ever woman in this humor woo'd ?
Was ever woman in this humor won? "
" Come," said Mr. Dunham, who, in energy and enthu
siasm, is a typical Western man, "we will go to the office
of Dr. Jennings and see his large and handsome collec
tion of specimens. He has specimens of the iron, coal,
silver, gold, etc., produced in this region." Somewhat as
tonished at his list of the precious and useful, I asked, " is
that all?"
" Yes," said he, pulling his mustache in a meditative
way, "we are only waiting for some one to suggest some
thing that we haven't, and we will immediately send a
prospector into the mountains to find it."
Entering the Doctor's office, and Lo, the poor Indian,
skull and bones, like the label on "cold pizen," was "just
above the chamber door."
I sat down on a big lump of anthracite coal (it isn't
everywhere that nature furnishes an ebony chair of such
17

258 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
strength and proportions), and we talked of the ghastly
relic. All of his ornaments, which hung by him, the
beads, feathers and earrings, looked bran new. He must
have been cut down in the freshness of his youth, before
he had an opportunity to decorate his belt with many
scalps. Death is so remorseless. But it is hard to tell, he
might have been " heep big Indian," and powerful hair-
puller of his day, bearing the high-sounding cognomen
of Rolling Thunder, Roaring Water or Whistling Wind.
I couldn't learn the particulars, for the only relic of him
in any one's possession was there, the property of Dr. Jen
nings. He says it is genuine, and he wouldn't sell it for
its weight in gold. He is right, for soon the once pow
erful race will be swept from the face of the earth, and
exist only in memory, or on the canvas of Jack Howland,.
where, in company with the buffalo of the plains, they
will live in life-like reality, long after the hand of the
gifted artist has mingled with the dust.
As I sat there, that grinning face on the wall seemed to
be casting reproachful glances at me, and saying, "all
these millions of acres were my hunting ground; you
came here and tried to make me earn my living by the
sweat of my brow, like the white man, and teach me to
say, 'gee, haw, come up Buck !' But I preferred to borrow
ponies and chase the antelope and deer. I knew nothing
of Sunday School and the sciences, except the science of
hair-lifting. You should have kept away. The Gospel
that says, ' preach my word to all people,' was not in
tended for me." Solemn thought — a subject of remorse
for those who believed they were taking the " buried tal
ent" from the unworthy steward! Only a few years ago
smoke curled from their tepees on the plains, the braves

A WESTERN FUNERAL. 259
gathered around their council fires, and the forest echoed
with their whoop, when they started off in search of
scalps. And they had no steam engine to freight -home
their trophies. How shameful! The Bureau ought to
have attended to that matter.
Who is he, anyhow? by what title must I address him?
He certainly belongs to the royal family of the Sioux,
Cheyennes or Arapahoes, who are responsible to no civil
court of justice, who toil not, neither do they spin. Who
ever he is, he has been checked for the " happy hunting
ground," and he'll not be lonely, for the rest of his family
will soon follow. Their glory has faded. Sorry to say it,
sorry to wound the hearts of those who talk so lovingly
of the noble red man — but it's faded.

CHAPTER LIU.

A WESTERN FUNERAL.

Mr. Charles Shackleford, of Gunnison, a gentleman of
pleasing manner and remarkably fine conversational pow
ers, told me the following pathetic little story :
" She was the mildest-mannered Magdalen in the camp,
where there were many rough and desperate characters,
both men and women. It was what might be called, on
the frontier of civilization, a ' hurrah ' town, where the
reckless, desperate and bloody-minded men of the plains
frequently came in for a ' racket,' and rode through the
streets pistol in hand, uttering oaths never heard in the
settlements east of the Missouri ; oaths that expressed the
concentrated essence of blasphemy, rank with the flavor
of bar-room obscenity.

260 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" There was no church in the camp, but there were many
saloons and gambling halls, and several dance-houses,
where were congregated painted Jezebels and girls of des
perate fortunes, who had fled the crowded thoroughfares
of the Eastern cities to take part in the unbridled liberties of
a bad life, far removed from the scenes of their maiden
hood and purity.
" Life was busy and buoyant there, but was not held in
high esteem. Duels between men were frequent, but en
tirely informal. An insult was given, and without delay
insulter and insulted drew their 'guns.' The law always
justified the man who got the drop on his antagonist.
The murdered man was informally buried and soon for
gotten, until his 'partner' or 'brother ' came to avenge his
death. " But one day the whole camp was still, and the ghost
of a fallen girl seemed to walk through the tented town
and into the saloons and places of revelry, commanding
peace. " The mild-mannered Magdalen was dead. Her sisters
in shame had prepared her a shroud — of raiment white
as snow, and procured a handsome coffin for her poor
body. " A young preacher with his wife had lately come into
the camp, and he was asked to conduct the funeral service
over the dead girl. He consented.
" The hall where the body of the girl was placed for the
last rites was filled with desperate men and fallen women.
There was one pure woman there, the preacher's wife, and
she was seated by the side of a handsome madame in
whose house the girl had died.
"After the opening prayer the minister read from the

A WESTERN FUNERAL. 261
Gospel of St. John, 20th chapter: 'The first day of the
week cometh Mary Magdalen, early, when it was yet dark,
unto the sepulchre.'
"He preached the love of Christ to the assembled crowd.
He spoke not of hell nor the torments of the damned, but
talked of the blessed Master, of his mercy, his charity,
and of his infinite wealth of love. He spoke of him as
the very bosom friend of the fallen, as a very present help
in time of need; as the only hope of human life and the
only friend on whom they could call in time of trouble
and of deep despair. Even though father and mother,
and brother and sister had proven untrue, and had de
serted them, still they could lay their burden on Him, and
craving His love and forgivness, could receive that rest
and peace and love that passeth even the love of a brother.
And so he said we will commit the future of this poor
girl, whose life was shadowed as she passed into the hid
den land, to the mercy of our blessed Lord, believing that
He will look into human lives and human hearts with
love and tenderness, and gentle truth ; that he will not
forget that it was Mary, the Magdalen, who was first at
the sepulchre and wept because they had taken her Lord
away. " There were few dry eyes in that hall when he con
cluded his touching remarks, and there were fewer still
when he read out as the closing hymn :
" 'Just as I am, without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee,
O, Lamb of God, I come.
" 'Just as I am, and waiting not,
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O, Lamb of God, I come.'

262 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" The thrill of that last hymn touched many hearts as
they never had been touched before. Nor will that pic
ture ever pass out of my mind. As I recall the scene I
can even now see the pure-faced wife of the preacher,
holding the same hymn-book, and joining in a tremulous
soprano at the feet of the dead, in company with the hand
some madame in whose house of shame the poor girl
died."

CHAPTER LIV.

THE ROYAL GORGE.

It was with a sigh of regret that I left Gunnison and
the many delightful people I met there.
We returned via the Rio Grande Railway, and soon
the little engine was panting and groaning in its toilsome
ascent of the Marshall Pass. We were now approaching
perilous heights; indeed, we seemed to be suspended, like
Mohamet's coffin, midway between heaven and earth. Yet
we had ceased to hold our breath to assist the locomotive,
for one becomes accustomed to swinging on the ragged
edge of the mountains in the course of a tour through
them. It was very cold when we reached the summit, and a
tremulous inspection of the situation increased our chilly
sensations. The scenery along the Arkansas in its passage through
the Rocky Mountains is varied and beautiful. At times
the river glides smoothly through a wide valley, between
vine -covered banks, and again rushes impetuously
through a narrow defile, roaring and foaming over its

THE ROYAL GORGE. »263
rocky bed, until again soothed to rest in a broad, open
park. The prospect becomes more and more sublime until the
Royal Gorge is reached, where the towering rocks, thou
sands of feet above us, bend their heads together like the
fabled Symplegades through which the Argonauts passed
in their search for the Golden Fleece.
Our hearts seemed to sink and almost stop beating while
contemplating this chasm, the supremest possible ideal of
awe-inspiring grandeur. We can not see the face of God
and live, but we can look upon his creation, learn of him,
believe and tremble. Soon we are whirled from this deep
wrinkle in the dread frown of nature to the broad, smiling
prairies. Earth, from the loftiest mountain tops and deep
est valleys, the flowers that blossom over its wide plains,
the stars that twinkle in the heavens, the elements that
speak in thunder tones, or sigh in the gentle zephyrs, bids
man join in the glad anthem :
"The hand that made us is divine."
Canon City, called the Gate City of the Rocky Moun
tains, and the " garden spot of Colorado," certainly makes
excellent provision for tourists and — convicts.
The Penitentiary, which is located here, surpasses any
I have ever seen in the perfection of all its parts, and the
accommodations of the McClure House were elegant. We
were furnished a private parlor without extra charge,
which is something unique in a traveler's experience.
Hearing a boy on the street sing out something, which
was not distinctly audible, I put my head out of the win
dow and called " paper." The little urchin looked up and
said, "soda water, lady; have a glass? only five cents."
These little urchins are as vociferous in presenting their

264* TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
beverage to the public as the newsboy with his paper.
We went to the mineral springs, just at the edge of the
city, and found many invalids there, lolling in the rustic
arbor, and drinking freely of the health-giving waters,
which are said to cure chronic, cutaneous and blood dis
eases. The next on the programme was Talbott Hill, where
Professor Marsh of Yale College, and Professor Cope of
the Academy of Natural Science, Philadelphia, have ex
humed bones of animals of enormous size.
These fossil remains were discovered in April, 1878, by
a young gentleman who was teaching a country school in
the park. He immediately apprised the professors of his
discovery, and since then Talbott Hill has attracted the
attention of the entire scientific' world. Limited time pre
vented our visiting the orchard of Mr. Jesse Frazier, who
has succeeded in demonstrating the possibilities of fruit
culture in the Arkansas valley. I learned from good au
thority that he has now nearly three thousand apple
trees in bearing.
Canon City has been settled twice. In 1860-61 it was
almost as large and important as Denver, but the diver
sion of travel to the South Park mines by another route,
and a great many of her citizens having entered the
army at the outbreak of the war, soon brought the place
to ruin. In 1863 it was almost entirely depopulated,
Mr. Anson Rudd and family being left its sole occu
pants. Any man who could remain in a frontier town
while it was indulging in a Rip Van Winkle sleep -of
five or six years ought to be worth interviewing, and
so, accompanied by Judge Felton of the Record, I called
at his residence, and, happily, found him to be a pleasant,

THE CHROMO. 265
genial gentleman, full of genuine wit and humor. He
invited us to a rustic seat under the apple trees, that were
literally breaking down with fruit.
In answer to my questioning he said : " I knew of the
coal, iron and mineral springs in this vicinity, and saw
that Nature had arranged things for a city, when the peo
ple should be ready, so concluded to 'bide my time.' I
told them I was too poor to provide my family with pro
visions during a journey to some other place. Twelve
others remained, but they were crippled or deranged, and
as I was the only sound one I was said to be the only man
left. The loneliness and stillness were oppressive at times,
and the large, empty stone houses that had been so full of
noisy life intensified the loneliness. For a long time our
existence as a community was ignored ; we had not even
the advantage of a mail; apart from an occasional visit
from the Indians there was nothing to break the monot
ony." He then invited us to the house to see a picture pre
sented to him by friends on his sixty-fourth birthday. It
is called "Ye Old Timer," or "How I came to this
Country." With a merry twinkle in his eye he said,
"there is the buckboard to show how I came, and the rest
of the picture is thus explained: Once, while out hunting
with a party of friends, I saw the back of a jackass above
the sage brush, and, taking it to be a bear, I crawled on
my hands and knees until near enough, and fired — kill
ing my jack, after which I sat upon a cactus, that caused
me to take my meals off the mantel for a week or two,
and to prefer standing when asked to be seated. This
picture was presented to me by Judge Felton, in a very

266

TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

graceful speech, under the apple trees— a surprise party,
they called it."

--' ° v \av» 1 caw® ^o t)

THE CHKOMO.

Judge Felton, who was turning the leaves of Mr. Rudd's
scrap book, said, " I will read you the reply to that speech
as I find it here :
" ' Friends, Fellow Citizens and Members of the Fruit Eat
ing Club : As we have met on this anniversary occasion
to commemorate an eventful event, which has long since
passed into history, and is filed away among the archives
of forgotten statesmen, I think it proper that we should
celebrate the occasion with ceremonies commensurate with
its individual and national importance. The cordial re
sponse you have given to the sub rosa invitation you re
ceived to give me a surprise, has caused my feelings to go
junketing to the ethereal realms of estatic idiocy, (where
I feel it unsafe to follow because of heart trouble,) in view
of which you will please excuse me if, in the interim, I
remain and look after my jeopardized fruit interest.

THE CHR0M0. 267
" ' I acknowledge to a little surprise that so many of the
invited surprisers failed to surprise, though when I look
on the surprisers congregated, and take a mental inven
tory of their apparent fruit capacity, I can cheerfully ac
cept the regrets of the absentees.
" ' My vocabulary is too meagre to thank you in fitting
words for this spontaneous and enthusiastic outburst of
respect, which I have accomplished only by a persistent
effort; therefore I will have to look to other sources for
aid. First, I will consult the lexicographers:
" ' But Webster fails in verbal lore,
And Walker lived too long before
Surprises had become the rage,
(As 'tis a thing of modern age),
And Worcester, tho' of recent date,
Had no surprises in his pate ;
At least, so far as I can trace,
He lacks in terms to treat this case.
In this sad, sore dilemma, I
Am forced for aid my muse to try,
In order that an answer meet,
In fitting words, your speech may greet ;
A speech so tinged with genius' rays
It takes me back to halcyon days
Of boyhood, when, with speech the first
On startled earth, my genius burst,
The words were beautiful, altho'
Just what you meant, I do not know.
& * * * *
This chromo, with its scenes so rife,
So fraught with incidents of life,
Along its rugged mountain range,
Where all is changeful, weird and strange,
Conjures to memory's flickering light
Scenes stored back in oblivion's night.
The " bar " that sports the jackass ears,
Rolls back on me a tide of years,
And brings again the scenes afresh

268 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
When once, in wand'ring thro' the "bresh,"
I spid a grizzly, fierce and awful,
And, as it was both right and lawful
To prey upon the plantigrade,
My preparations were soon made
For bloody contest, fierce and long.
Then, after singing my death-song,
I drew a fine bead on the ursuline mass,
Crack, went my gun, and down tumbled an ass.
The cactus, so modestly rearing its fronds,
With that innocent air, which the devil oft dons,
Can discount the conscience of any old-timer,
Not barring the hard one of Old Rudd, the rhymer,
Altho' with the scene, it may gracefully blend,
Yet, 'twill ever remind me of my latter end.
The mules that so piously pose in the scene,
Are concocting some trick on their owner, I ween,
Yet their forms on the canvas will ever suggest
To my mind the features of each honored guest.
The artist's likeness in the scene,
Standing beside the cactus green,
Altho' no label guides the mind,
And, save the bottle, shown behind,
Marked " Snake Bite," little else is seen
To draw distinctive line between,
Yet 'tis so plain, most any fool
Could tell the artist from the mule.
I thank you, friends, for you attention,
And other things unwise to mention.'
" This impromptu response I had prepared some two
weeks before the occasion."
Governor Rudd, as he is usually called, is one of the
oldest citizens of Canon, and his many excellent traits of
character have won for him general respect and esteem.
With a heart keenly alive to the necessities of the times,
and fully in sympathy with the welfare and efforts of his
fellow-men, he has attained a " beautiful old age."

THE RELIGIOUS WAR. 269
He escorted us through his fine orchard, plucking and
presenting us in a hospitable manner with luscious apples
and pears. There was no "forbidden fruit" in that
garden.

CHAPTER LV
"the religious war."
The Hon. Thomas Macon, in speaking of Canon, said :
"The first settlement was made up of all classes, the vic
ious element predominating. The second settlement be
gan in 1864, and the settlers were of the highly moral
order, and like the Puritans of old, were determined to
lay the foundation of social and sound moral principles ;
allowing every one to worship according to the dictates of
his own conscience, provided always the conscience was
so far enlightened as to accept their theology.
" With this high and holy purpose, about twenty fami
lies arrived at Canon in July, 1864, and at once resolved,
first, that the earth belonged to the saints ; second, that
they were the saints ; and proceeding to act upon their con
clusion, took possession of the vacant houses in the town.
" They were of the old-fashioned orthodox Baptist creed ;
looked upon infant baptism as a sin against the Holy
Ghost, and missionary enterprises as casting the children's
bread to the dogs.
" They came without a shepherd, but they had a ' sing
ing master,' who taught them to sing, and with his assis
tance they praised the Lord on Sunday.
" For a time all went on smoothly, but in an evil hour
a wolf came to harass this flock of lambs, in the shape of
a Universalist preacher, and they were sore distressed.

270 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" The idea of taking from them 'their favorite hell was
more than they could endure. One old lady, a sort of
' mother in Israel,' declared that fire was as necessary to
salvation as water, and she would as soon give up bap
tism as hell.
" It was plain that they must have a shepherd, one who
could fight with the weapons of faith, and put to flight
the enemies of Satan. So, in process of time, they lit
upon the very man they needed. He was fresh from Mis
souri, and rejoiced in the annihilation of all heretics. He
arrived early in the spring of 1865, and at once began to
prepare for war.
" He threw down his glove (buckskin, of course), and
it was promptly taken up by Beelzebub, as the enemy
was called, and for several months the entire community
was agitated with profound discussions of original sin, to
tal depravity, the efficacy of good works, the nature of
faith and the mysteries of redemption, atonement, fore-
ordination and election.
"At length Satan and his ambassadors were vanquished
and fled the country, leaving our Baptist friends and
their preacher master of the field. A great revival and
many baptisms were the result of the victory, and it be
came necessary to court the favor of the Church to gain
or hold popularity.
"The politicians all became Baptists, and for a few years
the Church was omnipotent in Fremont county. But pros
perity proved their ruin. Like Jeshuran, they 'waxed fat
and kicked.' Having no external foes they quarreled
among themselves, and their preacher, or elder, as he was
called, attempting to compose their differences, as is usual
in such cases, incurred the hostility of both factions, and in

THE RELIGIOUS WAR. 271
a solemn assembly of the Church he was put upon trial
for slander, convicted, and in the presence of his weeping
family dismissed, not only from his pulpit but from the
Church. " To the eye of flesh the good elder was lost, but the
eye of faith saw further into the millstone. He was cast
down, but not dismayed; discomfited, but not conquered.
He bent before the storm, but did not break. His ene
mies boasted of their victory, and taunted him in his dis
tress. He went on in the even tenor of his way, and de
voted himself to making friends of the Mammon of un
righteousness. They did not dream of the resources of
one possessed of such unfaltering faith as he had. They
forgot, if indeed they had ever known the proverb,. ' Pride
goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a
fall.' " The good elder had taken the precaution to appeal or
move for a new trial, and before the momentous day for
that had arrived, he was prepared. He had laid their
grievances before the sinners of Canon City, and they
were in the Church in force, determined to see fair play.
"After the usual formalities it came to a vote, and the sin
ners voted him back into the church and pulpit, his most
active prosecutors were censured and suspended until they
should repent and ask the good man's pardon, which they
never did ; when the elder, to heap coais of fire on their
heads, introduced an organ into the church. This caused
further defections, and in the spring of 1868 all but four
of the original families who entered Canon in 1864 sold
out and removed to Missouri, and the land had rest till
now. " In the summer of 1867 Bishop Randall of the Epis-

272 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
copal Church, made his first visit to Canon, and his cleri
cal garb at once indicated his sacred character. It was
quite plain he was not a Baptist, and the before-mentioned
elder, in his zeal for the protection of his own, took the
alarm, and after some inquiry, decided the Bishop was a
Roman Catholic priest. This was at once communicated
to the faithful, and they were warned to keep away from
him and his meetings.
" But they were assured by the Bishop that he was an
Episcopalian, and on the next day a few of the Baptist
brethren, anxious to see the new form of worship, disre
garded the warnings and ventured out.
" They were horror stricken when the Bishop appeared
in his robes; but curiosity held them and they sat with
what composure they could command until the ' creed '
was recited, and ' I believe in the Holy Catholic Church '
was said, when with one accord they rushed out of the
church, declaring the Bishop to be a Roman Catholic, and
proving it by the creed.
" And now," said Mr. Macon, " while we are talking of
old times, I will tell you another story.
"a marriage by the justice."
" From 1863 to 1868 Fremont county was attached to
Pueblo for judicial purposes, and all cases of law originat
ing in Fremont county had to be tried at Pueblo. The
legal fraternity, therefore, sought the latter place, and Can
on City was for some time dependent entirely upon Pu
eblo for counsel in their grievances, and Pueblo lawyers
were looked upon as the highest authority.
" The judiciary of Fremont during this time was not of
the highest order, but was considered at least honest.

A MARRIAGE BY THE JUSTICE. 273
There was a Probate Judge and at least one Justice of the
Peace for each precinct. The community did not seem to
require more. The Justices had but little to do and found
their offices sinecures. Now and then a marriage was to
be solemnized and this was about all they were called
upon to do.
" In the fall of 1864 one Thomas A. Johnson was elected
Justice of the Peace. He was both verdant and modest,
but strictly honest. He didn't find his judicial duties
onerous, and pursued his vocation as a ranchman without
interruption from suitors in his court. The only change
observable in his situation Was the appellation of 'Squire,
with which he was addressed by the people.
"This condition of things continued for about six
months, when he was called from his plow to join a couple
in the bonds of matrimony.
" This being his first call he was considerably embar
rassed, being unfamiliar with the ceremony ; and there
being no lawyer with whom he could consult, he was com
pelled to depend upon his own resources.
"At length he commanded them to stand up and raise.
their right hands. This order being obeyed, he proceeded,
' You do solemnly swear that you will take each other for
man and wife.'
" To this they reponded in the affirmative, whereupon
the" Squire said, ' by the authority invested in me by the
Constitution of the United States and the laws of Colo
rado, I pronounce you man and woman.'
" The man protested that they were that before the cere
mony, and what the Squire said did not amount to mar
riage.' 18

274 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
" The- Squire assured them that this ceremony would
do until he could take counsel of a lawyer, and adjourned
the matter for' ten days. This satisfied the parties, and
they went on their way, but they never returned to have
the amendment made to the ceremony, and are still liv
ing together as man and woman."

CHAPTER LVI.
THE HUNT.
Taking the baby railroad for Pueblo we found ourselves
in company with a party of Nimrods, who were returning
from a big hunt. They were enthusiastic on the subject,
and talked freely of their exploits.
Said Mr. J. W. O, " I shall always remember the grand
old time we had in '82. A party of us left Denver for a
month's hunt in Southwestern Colorado, in the Ute coun
try, from which the Indians had a short time previously
been removed. The Rio Grande R. R. was at that time
building its Salt Lake line, and was just reaching the
reservation. We arrived in Delta (now a flourishing
town, but then the toughest place in the West), at mid
night, and camped in the sand and sage brush. Tal-
madge said Leadville, in its booming days, surpassed any
thing he ever saw in the way of wickedness, but he should
have visited a railroad camp, when the graders and mi
ners were making a night of it. We concluded the Utes
had not been removed.
"We traveled up the wide valley of the Gunnison,
thence up Tougue and Surface creeks until we reached the
Grand Mesa, a country that can only be described by say-

THE HUNT. 275
ing that ten by thirty miles in extent, it seemed like a tall
range of mountains, from which the tops had been cut off,
leaving a beautiful rolling mesa 5,000 feet above the sur
rounding country, and from the edge of which the grand
est and most beautiful view is obtained.
"Far below, on the steep side of the mountains up
which we had threaded our way,-we could see the effects
of the autumn frost and sun on the foliage. The colors
were in great patches. There were the dark green of
the spruce, then the red and green of the oak, further on
a long belt of cedar, and patches of the brightest crimson —
a mountain shrub — and mingled with the whole, large
clumps of yellow quaking-asps.
" Far below us was Tongue creek, fringed with a beauti
ful patchwork of variously colored Colorado freest
Farther away, thirty miles from where we stood, through
the centre of a dark, dust-colored valley about twenty
miles in width, flowed the Gunnison river, and to us,
with its fringe of yellow trees, it looked like a winding
thread of gold, with an occasional flush of silver, when the
sunlight was reflected from some part of it.
" Far beyond the river rose the Elk mountains, whose
dark shadows and perpetual snows, told us they were part
of one of the highest ranges in the country. We pushed
on through a succession of parks, each surrounded with
trees, and generally a mountain stream or lake added to
the beauty of the scene.
" We camped in a dark clump of spruce, near us a little
stream, and in front a large lake of the coldest and clear
est water, fairly alive with trout. At the peep of day we
were up and prepared for a tramp before breakfast; there
was a splash far off in the lake, the sharp ring of a rifle,

276 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
a heavy plunge, and a little later V. K. brought in for
our breakfast the first deer of the hunt.
" Besides a great many deer, as the result of our rifles,
we found in the willows and on the hill-sides grouse as
large as turkey hens, on the lakes splendid ducks, and in
the streams trout enough to satisfy any number of raven
ous appetites.
"One night, by moonlight, we watched the beavers at
work. One morning at sunrise, we were a few feet above
the clouds ; below us it was snowing ; before us, as far as
the eye could reach, in great, rolling masses, that were
brilliantly white in the morning sun, were the clouds that
to us looked like a sea of snow, with here and there a
rocky island, as some mountain, taller than its compan
ions, reared its head above the storm.
" The greatest evidence of the former Indian occupants
was in the lower part of the country, through which the
deer in great numbers pass every spring and fall. There
was a V-shaped fence of stone, each arm of the V being a
stone fence fully fifteen miles long; the V opening towards
the mountains from which the deer came, and the point of
the V, instead of being closed, was open for the deer to pass,
and in cunningly dug holes would be seated the Indians to
kill them. The fence, which had been built entirely by
the squaws, was to turn the deer all to this one point, and
though it was merely a succession of stone piles, anything
that has the appearance of having been made by man is
as effectual a barrier to deer as the tallest fence.
"Another cunning device of the Indians is seen wher
ever there are rocks; when they see a rock about the size
of a man's body, they place another about the size of a
man's head on top. It is done to accustom the deer to

THE HUNT. 277
such objects, so that an Indian sitting behind a stone with
his head in full view, is not likely to frighten them.
"One night, having reached the foot-hills, we camped
in a belt of pinyon trees, which, at this time of year,
when the nuts are ripe, is the favorite resort of bear.
We had killed one that morning. Three of our party
spread our blankets together, but the fourth said he should
try a night in the hammock, and so went off some dis
tance to the deserted commencement of a cabin. Logs
, had been piled up about seven feet high, making three
sides to the intended cabin, but the front and roof had
not been put on. In there he swung his hammock, and,
being a cold night, tied himself in, only leaving an open
ing for his head. And, using his own words, ' I awoke in
the night nearly scared to death, for there by my side, eat
ing a stub of candle I had used, or a few feet away eating a
piece of venison that hung on the wall, I could all too
plainly hear a bear munching, and from the noise I knew
it must be a large one. As a boy I had often heard that
if you hold your breath the bear would consider you as
dead as a door nail, and not bother himself about eating
you. " ' Tied in the hammock and unarmed, I was completely
at the mercy of the beast if he took the notion, and my
only way of getting out was to tip over and slide out,
head first.
'"After holding my breath a few seconds, that seemed
like ages, I concluded I would get out if it killed me,
and out I went. As I gathered myself up I saw the
bear was not by me, and therefore supposed he must be
on the other side. In about three seconds I was on the
top of that wall and then I saw my bear. One of- our

278 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
mules had wandered over and was standing close by my
hammock. '"The cold night and sharp wind had tingled his ears,
and to keep them warm he was shaking his head with a
peculiar motion that would double up his ears and make a
crunching sound like a bear or other large animal eating.
" 'I slept with the boys after that.'"
CHAPTER LVII.
PUEBLO.
At Pueblo we were entertained with sumptuous hospi
tality at the residence of Hon. Alva Adams, who, with
the enthusiasm of a true Western man, pointed out to us
the more attractive features of this flourishing city. In
his opinion it is the new Pittsburgh of the West. Here
the little giant of the initial narrow gauge of the conti
nent, Denver and Rio Grande, turns as it were on a pivot
and throws out tracks, arms and branches, to every point
in the mountains, which has made Pueblo one of the great
markets for ore and other supplies. While the Santa Fe
with its broad gauge, steel-railed track and elegant equip
ments, places them in direct communication with the East.
The Pueblos include -two distinct municipalities, on
the opposite banks of the Arkansas river, each duly or
ganized and officered. It is probable they will consoli
date in course of time and form one grand, elongated city.
We drove to Bessemer, the town founded and admi
rably sustained by the " Colorado Coal and Iron Com
pany," where we saw steel rails and other merchantable
materials, as nails, spikes, etc., in process of manufacture.
The State Insane Asylum, situated on the outskirts of
the city, is one of the most complete buildings in the

PUEBLO.

279

West for the comfort and care of the afflicted of the race.
We were shown through the building by Dr. P. R.
Thombs, a gentleman who has devoted many years to the
study of mental infirmities in all their forms, and ably
fills the position of superintendent.
The motto over the portals of the Chieftain, " In God
we Trust," arrested our attention, and impressed us as a
rather unique emblem for a newspaper. Editors are gen
erally supposed to rely mainly upon the solid bonanza
idea.

THE BIG TREE.

280 TALES OB* THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
We paused for a moment over the. grave of Pueblo's
first love, " The Old Monarch," a venerable cottonwood
of huge dimensions, and read from a card the following^
" The tree that grew here was 380 years old ; circum
ference, 28 ft; height, 79 ft.; was cut down June 25th, 1883,
at the cost of $250."
It was known throughout Colorado as one of the oldest
land-marks in the State.
During the Pike's Peak excitement " the old tree " shel
tered many a weary traveler. In 1850 thirty-six persons
were massacred by the Indians while camping near this
spot. Kit Carson, Wild Bill, Buffalo Bill and other noted
Indian scouts, have built their camp-fires under its wide-
spreading and sheltering branches.
It is claimed that fourteen men were hanged on one of
the limbs at different times. Among the traditions we
learn that the first woman who died in Colorado was bur
ied here. This statement may be taken cum grano salis.
No wonder the citizens of Pueblo "mourned and re
fused to be comforted " when it was hewn down. To us
there was something hard, cruel and unfeeling in the act
of a city council that would rob nature of one of its no
blest veterans.
The place where the old fort once stood was pointed out
to us. We drew upon our imagination in the effort to see
a trace of it, for these old forts are interesting inasmuch
as they mark a period in the history of Colorado before
its permanent settlement.
Fort Pueblo was built in 1842, on the site where the
city of Pueblo now stands, and was a rendezvous for traders
and trappers for a number of years.

CHAPTER LVIII.
A GOOD TRADE.
A former resident of Pueblo, whose name I am not at
liberty to mention, gave me the story I am now about to
relate. I fear the peculiar style of the story-teller will be
tray him ; however, that is not my lookout.
"Soon after the town of Pueblo was laid out in 1859
there was a good deal of activity among the enterprising
band of Pike's Peakers who. were camped there, waiting
developments. These developments consisted chiefly in
waiting for and watching the straggling immigrants who,
from day to day wended their way slowly up the Arkan
sas valley from ' the States,' and who, as soon as they ar
rived at the site of the embryo town, at the mouth of Le
Fontaine qui Bouille, were waited upon by the squatters
who had preceded them, and were duly inspected for the
purpose of ascertaining where they came from, where
they were going, and what amount and character of capi
tal and 'plunder' they had brought along with them for
the good of the community. The community meant, of
course, the old settlers. The old settlers meant those who
were then in camp. The tenderfeet were those who came
the next day. The fresh arrivals of each day were waited
upon, assigned quarters in camp, where there was ' wood,
water and grass,' a mental invoice taken of their visible
effects, and negotiations at once opened for barter and
trade, and timely suggestions and advice imparted as to
profitable investment, having in view, of course, the de-
281

282 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
velopment of the natural resources of the country, and the
good of the community.
" One day there arrived in port a small craft, so poor
and unpromising in appearance as to attract little atten
tion from either the old settlers in general or the town
company's inspection committee, which usually watched
for the approaching pilgrims from the top of a high bluff
known as " Juan Chiquito's Lookout."
" A sorry looking wagon, a sorrier looking team, con
sisting of a poor, fly-bitten horse and a crop-eared, one-
eyed mule, a few battered cooking utensils, a few rations
of 'grub,' and a corresponding amount of 'traps and ca
lamities,' comprised the outfit.
"A thin, stoop-shouldered man, with a subdued air and
discouraged look, proceeded to unharness the team and
make the usual preparations for going into camp, while a
bright, buxom wife emerged from under the wagon cover,
shook the wrinkles out of her dress, looked innocently
about and smiled.
"Quite a contrast to the usual lot of careworn pilgrim
women she appeared, as she sat upon the wagon-tongue,
coffee pot in hand, and with her intelligent, handsome
face, watched her husband start up the camp-fire for the
evening meal. - Timidly she once or twice glanced at the
inspection committee, which had now approached the
camp, and a merry twinkle in her eyes seemed to say : ' I
know we look rather poor, and he never was of much ac
count anyway, but we've come out here to take chances,
and I suppose I do look a little frowzy just now, but I'm
no sardine, and you just wait till I get fixed up in my
good clothes, and- some of you fellows will wish you were
in his place, and owned this outfit'

A GOOD TRADE. 283
" Now, among the inspection committee was one who
was a sort of leader in the Pueblo colony. He was a tall,
good-looking man, active in business, and the possessor of
plenty of this world's goods and chattels. He was a large
share-holder in several town sites, toll-roads, ferries and
mining companies, owned horses, cattle and wagons. He
was about thirty-five years of age, had no wife, and as his
name was not Jones nor Smith, we will call him Colonel
Brown. "To say his interest was awakened in this new outfit is
putting it mildly.
"He was struck with an idea. He returned alone the
next day and introduced himself to the pair, and soon in
gratiated himself in high favor with them. And he
nursed his idea.
* * " * * * It was one Sunday, a day on which
most of the camp changed shirts, sunned themselves, gos-
sipped and made bargains. The new comer, whom we
will call Mr. Pike, had gone up the river a few miles to
the Rock canon for a day's fishing. He doted on catfish,
and the Colonel had informed him that this particular
species of the piscatorial tribe always bit best at the Rock
canon on Sunday.
" Mrs. P. had arrayed herself in her best store-clothes,
relics of a forgotten honey-moon, the colors of which vied
with the variegated tints of the mountain foliage in au
tumn. The scarlet ribbons in her dark hair rivaled in
brilliancy the wreaths of ' chili-colorado ' that festoon the
walls of a Mexican plaza in the Indian summer time.
" To her tent on the river bank Col. B. made his way,
carrying his idea with him. As she greeted him with
her most bewitching smiles, and told him of the sense of

284 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
loneliness that was beginning to come over her in con
templating the long hours that would elapse before the
absent fisherman would return, the Colonel's idea began
to take shape. Would she like to try her own luck at
fishing a few rods down the river, where he could show
her a pleasant seat under the shady cottonwoods? Cer
tainly she would. She might catch the prize fish of the
river, who knew?
" And seated in that sequestered nook, their ' lines fall
ing in pleasant places," and their baits dangling in the
turbid eddy, the Colonel confided to her his idea.
"Did she think of it? Yes. Was it feasible? They
would see.
" And so, when Mr. Pike returned to camp late that
evening, tired, hungry, wet, and worse than all, hatless
and catfishless, for he had left both in the river, he was
the most discouraged and demoralized feeling man in the
Arkansas valley. He complained bitterly that the only
inhabitants which seemed to observe the Sabbath as a day
of rest and retirement were the catfish, and the only ac
tive, enterprising denizens that were always to be found
were the mosquitos.
"Col. Brown tried to comfort him, with little avail. Mr.
Pike wanted to go back to the States. If he only had a
fresh team and outfit he would start immediately.
"Mrs. P. protested. She had come to stay.
"Here was Mr. Pike's dilemma, and here was Colonel
Brown's opportunity. Plucking Mr. P. by the coat sleeve,
the Colonel led him out of the tent into the twilight, and
sitting down upon a cottonwood log, gently but firmly
stated a proposition. He would furnish a good team of
mules, new wagon and an outfit of ' grub ' for the Mis-

A GOOD TRADE. 285
souri river. He would deliver these to Mr. Pike with a
bill of sale of the outfit. Mr. Pike was to take the back
track. He was to go back and stay back. Mrs. P. was to
stay here, and Mr. P. should relinquish her by bill of sale
to the Colonel. A fair case of barter and exchange. Mr.
Pike needed mules, bacon, and Missouri climate. Mrs. P.
needed the light air of the Rocky Mountains, and the
tonic society of a man who was ' of some account.' Col.
Brown needed Mrs. P.
"A plain business proposition. A fair contract, with
parties of the first, second and third parts, and mutually
good considerations, ' the said parties thereunto moving.'
" Mr. Pike listened silently and attentively. The murky
waters of the Arkansas rippled by in the gloaming and
seemed to say, ' The catfish are all going back too, Mr. Pike.'
" Mr. Pike straightened himself up, tenderly brushed
away — not a tear, but — a flock of mosquitos that were
enthusiastically picnicing on the end of his nose, and
said, ' Colonel, its a whack.'
"As the next morning's sun cast the long shadows of
the cottonwoods toward the Greenhorn Peak, a tall man,
dressed in a new otter-trimmed buckskin hunting shirt,
and decorated with a pair of revolvers, might have been
seen standing on the summit of the high bluff overlook
ing the valley. Beside him stood a handsome little
woman, radiant as Aurora, and leaning confidingly
against the "tall form beside her. Both were gazing down
the long valley far to the eastward, where a speck of white
canvas, like the outgoing sail on the ocean, flashed for a
moment in the sunlight and disappeared on the horizon.
" Then the pair descended from the ' Lookout,' and ' hand
in hand, with wandering steps and slow,' into the new
Eden of their Pueblo paradise they took their happy way."

CHAPTER LIX.
DICK TURPIN.
General R. M. Stevenson told me in a quaint way the
following story, which he claims to have read in the diary
of a brevet physician :
"The boom of 1872 had reached Pueblo. The Denver
and Rio Grande Railroad was completed to the metropo
lis of the Arkansas, and the citizens of the town were
awakened from a sleep of several years by an influx of
gamblers, dance house denizens, thieves, railroad labor
ers, and all varieties of the odds and ends of the human
family that usually follow the progress of a railway
through the new West. Tents were pitched in the outskirts
of the town, and gambling houses and dance halls invad
ed localities unaccustomed to such visitors.
, "Among the houses occupied as dance halls was a plank
building located on Second street, on the borders of the
mill ditch, formerly occupied as a boarding house by the
employees of a brickyard. About noon, on a lovely spring
day, the crack of a forty-five calibre revolver sounded
within the building; a man lay on the floor shot through
the abdomen and fatally wounded. The poor fellow was
a blacksmith, known as 'Dick Turpin,' a good enough fel
low in his way, but badly demoralized by whisky; he
had followed the railroad to Pueblo.
"He had been an habitue of the dance hall, and that
morning quarreled with the bar-tender, and during the
quarrel received the fatal wound. When a physician ar
rived he found the poor fellow lying upon a bunk with a
286

DICK TURPIN. 287
pair of blankets under him, groaning in agony. The
ghastly wreck of what had once been a woman, was giv
ing such attention as was possible under the circumstan
ces, while a crowd of bloated and degraded bummers stood
around, some of them in a maudlin way expressing sym
pathy, and some jeering at the dying man.
"A brief examination demonstrated the fact that the
victim was fatally wounded. So, giving the poor fellow
a heavy dose, of morphine, to ease his pain, the doctor de
parted, after informing the bystanders that his patient
could not last more than twenty-four hours.
" The prediction proved true, and within the time men
tioned the man was dead, and in two or three hours after
his spirit had taken flight, he was buried at the expense
of the county in the old cemetery on the brow of the bluffs
overlooking Pueblo, and immediately in the rear of its
principal street.
"And so Dick Turpin was dead. In the vigorous,
though somewhat coarse vernacular of the natives of
southern Colorado, ' he was too dead to skin,' and was ap
parently planted with his toes to the daisies, there to rest
for many years, until the storied horn of the Angel Ga
briel should finally awake the sleepers in their graves,
rouse them from their beds, and create a scramble for
bones in the old cemeteries of the world.
"One evening, shortly after the event above mentioned
had transpired, two individuals might have been seen (so
to speak) sitting on a stoop of a business house on Santa
Fe avenue, enjoying the moonlight and their cigars, and
engaged in a conversation which ran somewhat as fol
lows: '"Professor Nathan R. Smith, I would like very much

288 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
to know where that ball went that disturbed poor
Dick Turpin's digestion, and caused him to be planted
in the ware-room up there,' pointing with his thumb over
his shoulder towards the cemetery on the bluff.
" The other man took a contemplative puff or two at
his cigar and replied :
"'Well, Dr.' Samuel S. Gross, if you are very enthusi
astic in the pursuit of science, I have an idea that a small
resurrection might be organized for the occasion and the
body of Mr. Turpin removed to a locality where the de
sired examination could be made.'
"Another friend of medical science about this time put
in an appearance, and taking part in the conversation, re
marked, 'How long has Turpin been buried?'
" ' Well, about two weeks.'
" ' Don't you think he would be a little rancid by this
time?' " ' Oh, no, not more than some I have handled before,'
remarked the gentleman addressed as Dr. Samuel S. Gross.
' Now, Smith,' said the same party, ' you see the boys and
get a few of them to join us to-morrow night, and we'll
raise the defunct Richard and examine his damaged anat
omy.' " 'All right,' was the reply, ' to-morrow night at twelve
we will be on hand.'-
"The appointed time came. The party assembled,
some of them just a little stimulated with old bourbon.
Prominent among the party was George Rawle, a man
who generally had a hand in everything that was going
forward in the town, and was in his normal condition —
about two-thirds full of whisky. Picks and shovels were
soon procured, and the ameteur resurrectionists were

DICK TURPIN. 289
quickly on their way to the cemetery. The grave was
found, situated on the extreme edge of the bluff, within
a, foot or two of a steep declivity stretching down almost
into Santa Fe avenue. Picks and shovels were vigor
ously plied by willing hands, and the tools soon sounded
upon the coffin lid. The lid was raised at one end ; the
officious Rawle dropped into the grave, and placing a foot
upon each side of the coffin, caught the late lamented
Turpin under the arms, and drew him from his pine over
coat. The grave was shallow, and Rawle, having partially
drawn the body out, clambered to the surface of the
ground at the head of the grave, embraced the corpse
around the chest, and standing with^his back to the edge
of the bluff, pulled with all his might. Probably owing
to the rum he had consumed, Rawle exerted more strength
than was necessary, and, losing his balance, fell over the
cliff and rolled down the declivity with the corpse clasped
in his arms. Away they went, first Rawle on top, and
then Turpin, half way down the hill, almost into Santa
Fe avenue, amid a cloud of dust and a storm of flying
gravel. Rawle held gallantly on to his unconscious com
panion, until the strange pair were brought to a halt in a
shallow arroyo. It is a wonder that the shrieks of laugh
ter which came from the party in the cemetery did not
arouse the whole town, but, somehow, nobody but the res
urrectionists heard the noise, and Rawle and his bosom
friend were soon rescued. The examination was made
'and the demand of science satisfied. The disemboweled
corpse was afterward stolen from the improvised dissecting
room, and one of the body-snatchers, who slept on the
ground- floor, was surprised one morning to see Dick Tur-
19

290 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
pin calmly regarding him through the glass of his cur-
tainless window, the corpse having been placed there dur
ing the night by some of his impish companions." .

CHAPTER LX.

THE ESPINOSAS.

In this city I met Thomas T. Tobin, an old Govern
ment scout. He was rather uncertain about his age, but
from the incidents he cited, his wrinkled visage and mum
bled words, I placed him at sixty. But there was not a
gray hair in his head, and his eye was clear and sharp.
He had just made his first journey on a railway, and was
as timid as a child about getting on a street car, but when
once fairly seated, he spent hours riding, just to see the
city. He declared that he felt much safer on the broad
prairies with his horse and rifle than among so many
houses, where he was in constant fear of being taken in
by sharpers or knocked down by robbers. Yet he is
a man of undaunted courage, as the killing of the Espin
osas, Colorado's greatest assassins, will show.
The Espinosas were two brutal, ignorant and super
stitious Mexicans, accused of horse stealing at first, and
who killed one of a posse of soldiers, sent from Fort Gar
land to their house at Servietta, on the Conejos river, to
arrest them. After which they seemed to be under the
impression that if they killed a great many Americans
and became formidable in their ferocity they would secure
a pardon from the Governor, and perhaps a commission in
the U. S. Army, as sometimes is the result of successful
brigandage in Old Mexico.

THE ESPINOSAS. 291
Men were found dead at one point to-day, at another
to-morrow, and the day following at another, forty or fifty
miles or more apart ; being invariably shot through the
head, and left to lie as they fell, without being robbed of
their valuables.
. • Mystery shrouded it all, for, from their secure hiding
places by the roadside, they shot the lone, unsuspecting
traveler, and their shot was always certain death ; no
maimed or wounded ever escaped to inform as to their
appearance or whereabouts.
So it continued for a while, and the greatest excite
ment prevailed, when a company of miners organized to
rid the region of this mysterious, unseen terror.
Their rendezvous was at length discovered. Like all
cowardly murderers, they fled ; the pursuers gained upon
them, and finally succeeded in shooting one from his
horse, but the leader of the two made his escape.
For a time nothing was heard of him. At last the
outlaw addressed a letter in Spanish to Gov. Evans, stat
ing, that in revenge for mistreatment he had received1
from the Government, he had killed no less than fifteen
Americans. He demanded full pardon for these murders,
which being granted, he would return to his home and
be a good citizen; but if the demand was not complied
with by the 15th of the coming September the killing
would be resumed.
This strange proposition drew no response, and Espi-
nosa resumed hostilities.
Soon afterward a man and woman were traveling
through the mountains in a wagon, and when within a
-short distance of Fort Garland, a military post, they were
attacked by this monstrous highwayman. The man es-

292 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
caped, but the woman was carried to the camp of the as
sassin. In the darkness of the following night she eluded
her captor and found her way to the Fort, where she told
her story, when a party under the guidance of the noted
mountaineer, Tom Tobin, (who had the reputation of be
ing able to trail grasshoppers through sage brush), was at
once dispatched to arrest or kill the criminal.
Upon reaching the vicinity, Tom ordered his soldiers'
to halt, while he proceeded quietly on foot, crawling when
occasion required it on his hands and knees through the
dense undergrowth. While thus cautiously feeling" the
way, he discovered the bandit's hiding-place, in a dense
part of the forest on the mountain side. The bandit,
quick to detect the slightest sound, turned his head in a
listening attitude, and while thus poised, the scout's bul
let did its work, and the career of the assassin was ended.
Tobin leaped upon him with the swiftness of a tiger, sev
ered his head from his body, and galloped into Fort Gar
land, with the bloody trophy tied to his saddle's pommel.
The murderers kept a diary, written in poor Spanish.
They were probably " penitentes," who lash themselves
during the Lenten season, to secure pardon for sins com
mitted and to be committed, as their diary was largely
made up of prayers to the saints and the holy Virgin to
help them and protect them in their butcheries of strange
and peaceable citizens.
Ten years later the Legislature of Colorado ordered
a reward of five hundred dollars paid to Mr. Tobin.

CHAPTER LXI.
THE LOVER'S LEAP.
Leaving Pueblo on the Rio Grande, Hal. and Mr. De
~ B— — took a seat together, which was now considered a
matter "of course; and, being left alone, I took in the sur
rounding landscape.
The sun poured down on the sage brush and shimmered
on the bayonet leaves of the soap weed — not very beauti
ful shrubs, but renowned for their virtues. The roots of
the soap weed put in water, creates an excellent wash for
the hair. It is used to some extent also for washing cloth
ing and carpets ; removing every stain without impairing.
the colors.
Boiled sage brush is said to make a superior hair dye,
and prevents the hair from falling out. Taken as a tea
it will cure mountain fever..
Opening a package presented to me just as I left Pueblo,
I found it to be a book of poems, by T. 0. Bigney, who
may be called Colorado's primeval poet.
~. I thought it strange that with all the crags and beet
ling rocks in Colorado, I had heard of no ' Lover's Leap.'
This little volume gave a very thrilling account of one
which occurred in the Cucharas valley and Sangre de
Cristo range. This is the story :
A rural, peaceful race once dwelt in the beautiful
Cucharas valley. Among them was a maiden fair, who,
it appears, excited the master passion in the breast of a
Georgian, who owned large flocks of sheep. But the dark
father refused his consent and rudely dashed to earth the
293

294 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
wedding plan ; and so they laid a plot to steal away at
dead of night on the old man's burros ; and crossing the
Sangre de Cristo chain to the San Luis Park, spend there
their honeymoon.
' When the morning sun smiled again, they were far
away upon the mountain trail. The maiden looked back
upon the beautiful scene ; spied her wrathful father with
a band of men all well armed, rushing forward upon
their track. Safety lay in flight, for well they knew, that
naught but the lover's life would atone for the theft of
the burros, to say nothing of stealing the maiden. And
so, plying whip and lash, on they sped
"O'er granite crags, and canons deep,
In which the direst horrors sleep."
It is plain the angry father and his band will win the
desperate race :
" And still beside the wild ravine
The lover's towering form is seen ;
He scans with piercing, blazing eyes,
The horrid gorge, then wildly cries !
'Come to my arms and throbbing breast,
And let your firm, round bosom rest
Against my coat front, while I try
A 'Lover's Leap,' which will defy
Your d  d old dad and all his crew, —
Death cannot tear my heart from you.'
Two thousand feet, at least, below,
The stream of death doth coldly flow ;
Sharp crags stand out on either side
Of the fearful gorge, full seven yards wide;
But now the leap, the lover's leap, —
Prepare, sweet maids, to wail and weep ;
Sacre ! The fellow jumps like h — !
But down the gorge has surely fell.
fao! hold! He grasps a pointed crag;

ALFRED PACKER. 295
Thank Heaven ! He now will surely drag
Himself and loving, trusting bride,
To safety on the further side
Of this wild, deep and dark ravine,
Now a barrier sure between
These lovers and the band which would
Upon their loving joys intrude.
His bride ? Ah, yes, his bride in truth,
This danger shared, weds them, forsooth,
_As squarely, firmly, as the rite
Imposed by priest or law, anckquite
As holy is, and just and true, —
And good enough, they thought — don't you ?

CHAPTER LXII.
ALFRED PACKER.
Looking across the car I recognized Mrs. Charles Adams,
and soon became engaged in conversation with her. In
narrating incidents connected with her frontier life she
, related to me the following story of Alfred Packer, the
man who murdered and ate his companions while en
gaged in a prospecting expedition in the San Juan moun
tains :
"One day in January, 1873, while my husband was In
dian, Agent, there occurred the most surprising and
ghastly incident within my knowledge . A cloud, one of
the phenomena of the Western wilds, came floating slowly
from the mountains and gradually enveloped the whole
place. We could scarcely discern objects a few paces dis
tant. My spirits were depressed and I was possessed of
the idea that some one in great distress was near me;'
some one lost in the dense fog and pleading piteously for
help. I expressed this presentiment to the men at the

296 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
agency, but they ridiculed me. I told them to swing a
light on the highest point; it might prove a beacon to
some forsaken wanderer. They only laughed and said,
'what foolishness.' 'Then I want to be foolish,' said I;
and seeing that they would not comply with my request
I called my son and commanded him to place a light on
the top of Ouray's house.
"The atmosphere continued surcharged with murky
vapor until late in the evening, when the clouds suddenly
"lifted and the great, round, full moon threw silvery light"
over valleys and mountains.
"About this time the mail carrier arrived, and the men,
eager for news from home, gathered around the table ..to
watch the distribution of letters and papers. The Indian
boy 'Antelope,' with a startled look on his face, rushed
into the room and exclaimed, ' Oh, Signor ! White man
heap hungry.' We turned to look and saw a haggard,
hungry face pressed against the window, but which
quickly disappeared. The poor man had fainted. The
men brought him in, and with the return of life he talked
in an odd, fantastic way, peculiar to the maniac. It was
evident that his mind was wandering. We bathed his
eyes in warm milk, gave him nourishment and a comfort
able bed. The next morning he was in his perfect senses,
though very weak. He came in to see me, and in the
course of a long conversation I discovered that ha was a
man of superior education and great force of character.
He said that in the fall a party of twenty left Salt Lake
to prospect in the San Juan country. As the outset of a
band of adventurers on an expedition of that kind is al
ways animated and joyous, the welkin rang with their
shouts, boisterous jokes and light-hearted laughter. But,

ALFRED PACKER. 297
as day after day they traversed barren, trackless wastes,
and .dreary, desolate mountains, the buoyant spirits with
which they had commenced their march, gradually sub
sided. Stretching around them on all sides were ranges
of mountains piled up apparently to the clouds, and glis
tening with eternal frosts, but they knew nothing of their
defiles. They were continually on the alert, too, against
"the mountain tribes, who, at that time, cherished anything
but kind feelings towards the whites. Finally, when in
the most destitute circumstances, and sinking with de-
spair, they met an Indian who offered to pilot them to
Ouray's camp on the reservation. The old chief received
them kindly, but forbade them to either hunt or mine
there. He said, 'this is the -Indian's country; no white
man has a right to anything within its borders.' How
ever, he fed them bountifully from his table.
" There were so many of them that it seemed like eat
ing Ouray out of house and home, and as soon as they
were strong enough, part of them announced their deter
mination of going to the agency. The Uncompahgre
country is almost tropical, grapes, peaches, and all kinds
of fruit can be raised there in abundance. The Indians,
knowing the delightful resources of this valley, always re
sort there for the winter.
"Ouray endeavored to dissuade them from undertaking
the journey at that season of the year. He told them
that to cross the mountains would be at the risk of their
lives, as the snow was deep, and all indications, such as
game coming to the valley, presaged a severe winter.
But, finding they were determined to go, he provided
them with as much provision as they could carry, and
advised them to follow the Gunnison river. There was a

298 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
man in the company by the name of Alfred Packer, who
professed to be perfectly familiar with the topography of
the country, and said he could pilot them direct to the
head waters of the Rio Grande, where very rich mines
had been discovered. This caused discussion and they
decided to separate, part taking Ouray's advice, and part
following Packer's.
" This man was one of the four who had taken the Gun
nison route. It was severe and arduous traveling. As
far as the eye could reach the landscape was wrapped in
snow, which deepened as they advanced; they scrambled
over huge piles of rocks that had tumbled from overhang
ing precipices; crossed streams on bridges of ice, sinking
at times to their knees in water; scaled mountains that
were covered in snow and sleet, keeping as a guide
branches of trees, that formed a dark line above the snow.
Their food was gone and their hearts quailed under the
multiplied hardships. They had only one round of am
munition, and a pistol that was rusty with age; seeing a
wolf carrying off a mountain sheep, one of them shot at
it. The pistol burst, but the wolf fell dead — which fur
nished them a good meal. Several days after they saw a
cow, which they killed by plunging a knife into its throat,
and allayed their raging hunger by drinking its blood.
They had no means of kindling a fire, and so ate of the
raw meat until completely gorged. It made them very
sick, but after much suffering they sank to sleep.
" On the following morning a Government herder, while
looking up his cattle, found the four men and took them
to his camp. After a few days two of them, with the en
ergy and determination that had characterized them from
the beginning, started for the agency.

ALFRED PACKER. 299
" They wandered about the mountains, lost for three
days, when one gave completely out, and in a fit of de
spondency threw away his snow-shoes, and urged the
stronger companion to go and leave him. 'I am sorry to
leave you,' he said, 'but I will push forward, and if I
meet with success, will return for you.' He was making,
good headway when an awful cloud settled around him.
With no sun, no track, no land-mark, he felt as if both
God and man had forsaken him. He tore off his clothes,
wrapped them around his feet, and -laid himself down on
a bank of snow.
" He saw a light through the fog that went up, up,
higher and higher, until it remained fixed. ' Can it be
the moon?'- he said. He sprang to his feet, and after go
ing a few paces, heard the welcome bark #of a house-dog.
His heart beat high with rekindled hope, and the warm
blood danced through his veins. Just as he caught a
glimpse of the glowing fire-side through the open window
his strength left him, and he fainted away. When re
stored he spoke feelingly of the men at Gunnison, and
the friend perishing by the way-side. The men east dis
trustful glances at each other, but Gen. Adams instantly
said, ' we will send for him,' and asked ' who would vol
unteer to go for the lost man.'
" Herman Lauter and my son, Willie Phelps, said they
would go. We gave them a bottle of tea and milk, a bag
of provisions, and they started amidst cheers and bless
ings. "Gen. Adams' parting injunction was that they should
return on the morrow.
ll They manfully pushed their way through narrow de
files, braving all difficulties and dangers, until they came

300 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
to a chasm with perpendicular walls "of rock, that pre
vented further progress. Here they built a big fire of
logs and sticks, hung the sack of provisions to a limb,
out of the reach of the coyotes, drew a map of the route
to the agency, nailed it to a tree, and as nothing further
could be done, returned to their home.
" The next day an emaciated man dragged his weary
body into the agency.
"At sight of him I burst into tears. He said, 'don't
cry, why, I had a good breakfast this morning,' and then
told how he had persuaded his friend to leave him, for he
said, ' you little know the temptation of hunger. Even
when the eyes are closed in sleep, visions of everything
delicious to eat, annoy and tantalize the starving man. I
had drawn the leather strap that held my clothes, tighter
around me to still the gnawing, when I discovered the
smoke, and presently saw the fire. Hurrying to the spot,
I found the bag of food, and there, in my gratitude, fer
vently asked the blessing of God upon the hand that
brought me relief.'
" So the light that was scoffed at was the means of sav
ing two lives.
"It then became necessary for Gen. Adams to go to
Denver for a fresh supply of provisions. I accompanied
him. Returning, we stopped at Saguache, and were en
tertained at the residence of Hon. Otto Mears.
" During our absence a man had come into the agency,
stayed a week or so, and went to Saguache with the in
tention of working his way to his friends in Pennsyl
vania. He professed to have no money, said he was one
of the band of six that left Ouray's camp; that he became
lame and his companions deserted him, and he found his

THE CONFESSION. 301
way to the agency, subsisting the while on the roots and
-berries, and an occasional rabbit. Mr. Mears told Gen.
Adams that this man Packer was looked upon with great
suspicion. It was thought he had murdered his compan
ions. The General, in a conversation with Packer, ad
vised him to return to the agency and he would assist
him in finding his comrades. Packer expressed serious
fear of foul play.' The General assured him of his pro
tection, and he finally consented to go. Before starting
he drank heavily and spent money very recklessly. There
was something in his countenance that convinced me he
was a murderer. So great was my mistrust of him, that
I did not feel comfortable when he fell behind for fear of
being shot. We stopped at Major Downey's cabin to
lunch, where we met a number of men who said they
were the last of 4he party from Ouray's camp. They im
mediately recognized Packer, who evinced considerable
nervousness. After inquiring about the five missing
" comrades, they drew General Adams aside and asked him
to keep an eye on that man ; they intended to deal with
him when they returned from Saguache. When we
reached, the agency the General took Packer into a
private room and apprised him of the opinion of his
companions. ' If you will make me an honest confession,'
said he, ' I will protect you from lynching.'

CHAPTER LXJII-
THE CONFESSION.

"Packer said, substantially: 'A week or two after
leaving Ouray's camp, we found ourselves on the point
of starvation. Roots were dug out of the frozen ground,

302 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
and on these they subsisted for some days. But roots, as
a means of subsistence, were found not to be very nutri
tious. Soon there came into the eyes of the men a look
of longing, restlessness and determination, which has'
been described in sea stories, when men were offered up
in sacrifice to save the lives of others. One day I went
out to gather dry wood for the fire, and when I returned
I found that in my absence the first life had been sacri-_
ficed. Lying upon the ground, dead, was the oldest man
in the part}r, Mr. Swan. Around him were congregated
the four men who were engaged in cutting up his body.
Large pieces and strips were cut from the calves of his
legs, thighs and breasts. Swan's money, amounting to
several thousand dollars, was divided among the men.
In two days the party were again without food, and it
was decided by three of the survivors, that Miller, a
young man, well built and stout, should be the next to
go. He was chosen because of the great amount of flesh
he carried. Miller was killed with a hatchet while stoop
ing for a stick of wood. His body was dissected and the
best parts eaten. Humphrey and Noon followed in the
same way, leaving only myself and Bell.' In his confes
sion, Packer described fully the feelings of the men to
wards each other. The distrust and fears entertained,
and the tendency of the men to walk off alone, fearful of
meeting their death at the hands of their companions.
" Meanwhile the men had been traveling slowly, and
when Packer and Bell found themselves alone a sol
emn compact was entered into between them, each pledg
ing himself by the living God not to kill the other, but
to live as best they could, even if they starved to death.
Each had a rifle, Packer having appropriated Swan's, and

THE CONFESSION. 303 '
it was thought enough game could be killed to supply
two men.
" But the compact was speedily broken. After living
several days on roots, they reached a huge lake, which
was skirted on one side by an extensive grove of hemlock
trees. One day, while camped in this grove, Bell arose,
seized . his rifle, and exclaimed, ' I can't stand this any
longer ; one of us must make food for the other right here.'
' He clubbed his gun and endeavored to strike me. Being
always on the alert, I parried the blow, and the rifle was
broken by striking a tree. I then struck Bell with a
hatchet and killed him. I was alone, and had no fear of
death except by starvation. Cutting up the body of my
companion, I ate as much as I could, and then packed
away considerable of the flesh about me for future use. I
then resumed my tramp, the sole survivor of a party of
six, and in time, from the top of a hill, espied the build
ings of the Los Pinos agency close at hand. I threw away
the human flesh I still had, and arrived at the agency safe
and sound.'
"He acknowledged that he had grown quite fond of
human flesh, and coolly said that he found the breasts of
the man the sweetest meat he had ever tasted.
"Such was Packer's- story, coolly and carelessly related.
-"Two different stories he had told the General, which
convinced him that his confession was false.
" He agreed to guide a party of six men to the spot.
Mr. H. Lauter had charge of the company, which started
for the camp of the lost comrades. Packer led them to a
high, inaccessible mountain, and then claimed to be be
wildered and unable to go farther. While on the trip he
made an attempt to kill Mr. Lauter. They were sleeping

304 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
together, and Mr. Lauter awoke just in time to catch
Packer's hand, which held a knife above him. They then
returned with him to the agency, where he was placed in
irons, and subsequently turned over to the sheriff of Sa
guache county.
"The following June a photographer named Reynolds,
from Peoria, Illinois, while wandering in the mountains
in search of scenes, came across these five dead bodies.
Four of them were lying in a row, shot through the head,
with their blankets still over them, proving conclusively -
they had been shot while asleep. The man Bell-was lying
some distance away. The most of the flesh had been cut
from his body. A shanty was found near the place, and
a well-worn track leading -from it to Bell's party, showed
where the cannibal had lived and feasted.
"An inquest was held on the bodies, and the verdict
was rendered that the deceased had come to their death
at the hands of Packer. A warrant was sworn out for his
arrest. Meanwhile he had broken jail, and all trace of
his whereabouts was lost.
" Nine years from the time he wandered into Los Pinos
agency Mr. Adams received a letter from a member of
the party, who was familiarly called ' Frenchy.'
" Bell had been his dear friend, and during all these
years he had traveled as a peddler, with the one desire
burning in his heart to find the murderer of his friend.
"He wrote that the man Packer was living at a ranch
near Fort Fetterman, Wyoming Territory, under the
name of John Shwartz. The General immediately com
municated this to the Governor, who sent a request to the
Governor of Wyoming to give him up, which was acceded
to.

THE CONFESSION. 305
" He was taken to Lake City, tried and sentenced to
death. A stay of execution was obtained in order to ap
peal the case, and the prisoner was- removed to the Gun
nison jail to save him from mob violence."
While in Gunnison, knowing this noted prisoner to
be there, I asked for an interview, and in company with
Mr. Rough (another Paul Pry), was admitted to his cell.
With his record before me, of course there was a shade of
uncanny horror about the prisoner. He was just thirty-
four years old, but his haggard, haunted look made him
appear at least forty. His features are not wholly bad.
His nose is straight; his brow broad and suggestive of
intellect. He wears his hair long, combed into a smooth,
deep scollop on his brow, and carried back behind his
ears. He has a large gray eye, cold, yet nervous. He '
walks like one sneaking away or creeping upon a victim.
Any one possessing even a moderate knowledge of hu
man nature, would say he belonged naturally to the crimi
nal class.
He told his story with vivid but rude eloquence, dif
ferent from anything he told General Adams, and the
Sheriff said 'he varied it for every listener.'
Beginning with the time when he left Ouray's camp
the story ran as follows :
The weather became rough when they were about
one week out; the fast falling snow made traveling tire
some and slow; provisions gave out; all" game had re
treated to hidden places, but they occasionally found
some rosebuds, which, in a measure, relieved their stom
achs. The terrible pain of hunger at last 'gave way to
an insatiable longing for salt, a symptom of extreme star-
20

306 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
vation. The last match was gone, and the fear of freez
ing was added to the horrors of starving.
They staggered along a short distance every day,
carrying fire from camp to camp in an old coffee-pot, at
last becoming too weak to move. One of the party, a
man named Bell, was a raving maniac from starvation.
They begged Packer to go to the top of the mountain
to see if he could discover any smoke or sign of hu
man life near them, saying they would pray for him and
have a warm fire when he returned. While on the moun
tain he ate some rosebuds, which saved his life. It was
night, when, weary and discouraged, he returned to camp.
Through the thick falling snow he saw Bell stooping
over the fire, and he was so intent upon cooking some
thing that he did not notice his approach until he spoke.
Then he looked up, and with the infuriated rage of a ma
niac, seized the hatchet at his feet, and with glaring eyes
and grating teeth rushed upon him. Packer dropped on
his knees to escape the blow, and the natural impulse
of self-preservation prompted him to shoot. Bell fell for
ward dead, with the hatchet still in his grasp. Seeing the
others lying with their blankets around them, he went to
arouse them, but they were dead. Bell had killed them.
He sat down without one tremor of horror, drew his
blanket around him and went to sleep. The next morn
ing he felt happy, he did not know why, he supposed it
was idiotic happiness. A serene imbecility settled upon
him, and he spent weeks in that drowsy condition.
His strength revived, and with it the horror of his sit
uation gradually dawned upon him and compelled- him-
to quit the spot. So he took some of the flesh in a sack,

COLORADO SPRINGS. 307
cut from the thighs and breasts, and left the scene forever ;
he also took the money and valuables from the dead
bodies. He found his way to the agency, told his story to
the Sheriff, who advised him to take another name and
leave the country. Here he gave way to great emotion
and said, " Oh, God, if I could have died then, I should
have been spared nine years of misery. I have never
closed my eyes in sleep since without that ghastly vision'
of the smouldering camp-fire, the dead companions, and
the lofty pines drooping with their weight of snow, as if
keeping a sorrowful death-watch. But those who have
never been without their three meals a day do not know
how to pity me."
Packer is not yet hung, up to the time of this writing,
but his case is hanging in the Supreme Court of this State,
where it is likely to bide the law's delay for a long time
yet, while Packer, the great American anthropophaginian,
suffers the pangs of dread uncertainty in durance vile.

CHAPTER LXIV

COLORADO SPRINGS.

At Colorado Springs we found another immense hotel,
" The Antlers," one of the finest and most picturesque
structures in the West. The rush of travel has made
.these huge establishments necessary in every attractive
spot in this country. This is a beautiful city of about
six thousand inhabitants. The streets are broad and
shady, the climate delightful, being ^nild in winter
and cool in summer, which makes it a popular resort

308 TALES OP THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
for those afflicted with asthmatic and pulmonary dis
eases. The State Deaf and Dumb Asylum is located
here, and also the Colorado College for both sexes.
When Rev. C. W. Blodgett was pastor at Colorado
Springs he had a very artistic choir in his church, and as
is often the case, it was an intensely nervous organism,
and he was put to a world of trouble to keep peace among
its members. It was their custom to open the service with
the doxology. After several weeks of jangling on the
part of the choir and perplexity on the part of the pastor
and committee on music, one after another of the mem
bers began to drop off, until one bright Sabbath morning
the members of the congregation were all in their places,
the pastor was at his post, and the last stroke of the bell
had died away in the distance, and silence reigned in the
church. The pastor looked over to the corner from which
the choir had been accustomed to break the stillness, and
their seats were all vacant. He immediately arose and
said, "I see the choir is not present, let us sing, 'Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow!'"
While on the subject of churches and ministers I will
tell another story :
At one time Dr. D. H. Moore, of the Denver University,
was on a hunting excursion, in the vicinity of Jamestown,
with a brother preacher. They stopped at a hotel for
dinner, where was an inquisitive and quaint old lady, to
whom the preacher introduced Dr. Moore.
The expression " doctor," aroused the old lady's eurf-
osity, and she began to scrutinize him in his rough, hunt
ing dress, and • finally said, " Mr. Preacher, who did you

COLORADO SPRINGS. 309
say this man is?" The doctor, without waiting for the
preacher to answer, replied :
"I am Dr. Moore, of the Denver University."
"That'll do to tell; lots of fellows pass themselves off
as doctors and professors up frere."
Another good story comes to my mind, and I will tell
it, for, as Sairey Gamp says, "naming no names no offense
could be took" :
When the Rev. Dr. C  was pastor at Lawrence Street
Church, in Denver, it happened one Sabbath morning
that the pulpit was filled by Rev. T. C. Iliff, pastor at
Salt Lake City. The service passed off quietly as usual,
but during the sermon the speaker manifested more feel
ing than was the habit of the regular pastor.
While the congregation was moving out, a good old
brother, of an excitable temperament, was asked :
"Well, Brother S  , what did you think of the ser
mon?" "It was first rate. Brother Iliff is not as great anor-a-
tor as Brother C  , but he has got religion."
Manitou is connected with Colorado Springs by a
branch of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway. It is sit
uated near the base of Pike's Peak, where mineral springs
of iron and soda abound, and is called the Saratoga of
the West. These waters are peculiar; some people say
..they like them. I think they speak truthfully, judging .
from the crowds that gather around the various springs,
smiling like Dutchmen at a beer garden, only more so.
The tin cups attached to the curbs of these springs would
not supply a fraction of the thirsty souls who rush to
these fountains of health. Tin cans, wash pitchers .and

310 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
"little brown jugs" are pressed into service to meet the
greedy demand. The crowded hotels, which are calculated
to surprise the tourists at first, cease to excite wonder after
one has visited the Garden of the Gods, Cave of the
Winds, Glen Eyrie, Rainbow Falls, Pike's Peak and other
natural attractions near this place.
We had grown weary of climbing peaks, and concluded
to postpone the ascent of Pike's Peak until the comple
tion of the railway to its summit. While discussing the
subject, Mr. K, of the Denver Inter-Ocean, related a remi
niscence of his :
" In 1877," said he, " I held the position of leading vio
linist in the Richings-Bernard Opera Company, then
making the tour of the Western towns, and while in
Georgetown we took in Gray's Peak. Our double-bass
player, not being able to procure a horse, had to content
himself with a mule. One of our choristers, a German,
by the name of Stein, had an old mare which was too
slow for him, so he swapped her for the bass fiddler's
mule. These two men had from the start formed the rear
guard of the cavalcade. Just a little beyond the last toll-
gate we came into a beautiful piece of mountain meadow.
Up to this time, Stein's mule had behaved tolerably well,
but, sniffing the aromatic pasture, he quietly put his nose
to the ground, and our friend bounded over his head.
The yell in our rear made us all turn, when we saw poor
Stein seated on the ground, looking with undisguised
amazement at his mule, then quietly browsing some fifty
yards from him, utterly innocent of the joke.
"Seigler, the bass player, sat upon his nag, convulsed
with laughter; and Seigler, weighing about two hundred

COLORADO SPRINGS. 311
pounds, was quite as funny a sight in the saddle as was
Stein on the ground.
" After a bit, the latter, having recovered from his sur
prise at the audacity of his animal, began maneuvering
to recover him. The mule would allow him to come
within arms length, but the moment Stein reached for
the bridle he would make a swift change of front, and
where his head was the moment before his tail would be
the next. This went on for some time without a result,
so we proceeded, leaving Stein alone with his problem.
" It was quite an hour and a half before we returned to
the spot. We looked for Stein but he was no where to be
seen. A sudden turn in the road, however, brought him
to our view, sitting upon a stone, holding the bridle of
the mule in one hand; the animal standing square
across the road. Stein looked very rueful, but the mule
as docile and philosophical as a mule can look ; and the
saddle was under his body. Some of us straightened up
the saddle and helped Stein into it.
" After this the mule behaved quite well, but poor Stein
missed the glorious vista from the peak. After a while
Mr. Kinross, who was very fond of a joke, dropped be-
hipd. Knowing Kinross' propensities, I followed suit,
and heard the following conversation :
"K. 'But, Stein, how did you catch your steed?'
"S. 'Veil, I valks very carefully on my tips toes up to
him.' "K. 'And you caught him?'
"S. 'Veil, I guess not' •
" K. ' What did you do next.'
"S. ' De next dime, I tinks I dry anodder game. I

312 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
shust lay for him in de grass, und ven he vas near enough
I grails up un snatches at de bridle; but tam him, he
kicked me in de side, un schampered away; de next
dime, I tought, I fetch you now; so I shust sneaked up
behind, un ven he vasn't expectin it, I grabbed him by
de tail, but dat vas vorse as de odder vay, for he let both
his heels fly at my head. I tink de brim of my hat safed
my life.'
"K. 'Poor fellow! how did you finally corral him?'
" S. ' Dot's shust vot I did, I surrounded de tam mule.'
" The incident was told with relish hundreds of times
during the remainder of the season."
Since then Mr. K. has drifted entirely out of the pro
fession into another branch of Bohemianism.

CHAPTER LXV.
A CAMPING PARTY.
Here we met a camping party who had been some
weeks in the mountains and were returning to Denver by
way of Manitou. They were dreadfully sunburnt, but
happy. "The only pleasure in camping," said Dick Harwell,
his black eyes sparkling with humor, "is the fun you can
get out of it. Fully equipped with an ample ' grub-box,'
a forest of fishing poles, two or three revolvers and shot
guns, we felt equal to any emergency, and set out with
light hearts and joyful anticipations. The first night out
we were lost, having taken the wrong road. While wind
ing about in a dismal canon, trying to find our way out,

A CAMPING PARTY. 313
night overtook us, and when we pitched our tents it was
so dark we could not see an inch from our noses. The
next morning we were aroused by an ear-splitting shriek.
A cold, clammy, 'demnition moist' frog had hopped on
the forehead of one of the ladies, and to our consterna
tion we discovered we had camped by the side of a grave
yard. The punster of the crowd remarked that there
was a grave side to everything in life.
"Following the narrow road, all up hill and full of
boulders, our horses came unaccountably to a dead stand
still. We persuaded them in every way, even to firing
off our pistols, but they persisted in standing still. There
has always existed in my mind a logical connection be
tween stalled teams and swearing, so, requesting'the ladies
to excuse me, I pitched in.
"It produced the desired effect; away we went jolting,
shaking, rocking, swinging, bumping and oscillating,
threatening to crush every bone in our bodies.
"At length, finding our road again, it led us across a
rapid stream. One of the ladies expressed great fear. To
comfort her I said I would put my arm around her. At
the next crossing, as might have been expected, all the
ladies were afraid, but that was too much, I declined em
bracing the crowd.
"On the bank of this stream stood a man crowned with
a stove-pipe hat, his hands neatly encased in kid gloves,
fishing. Our driver, a Dutchman, called our attention to
this prim fisherman by saying, ' Look, da ist von soft foot!'
" The next evening we camped early and several of us
went out for a ramble. Miss L  and I took a seat on
a log by the side of the trail to await the return of our
friend, who felt inclined to prospect further.

314

TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

ONE SOFT FOOT.

" Soon we saw him coming, hat in hand and hair flying
in the breeze, yelling, 'run, it's a bear!' I joined in the
race, but the lady, with the curiosity peculiar to her sex,
stepped out into the trail to get a view of the brute. Ob
taining it she fainted, and there was nothing left for us
but to turn and fight the bear. We killed it because we
had to.
" After we had been out two or three weeks, camping
and lingering where it pleased us best, we came one even
ing to a deserted town, and took possession of one of- the
houses to save the trouble of pitching our tents. A stran
ger who claimed to live in those parts, said 'that house is
fairly alive with bed bugs,' and advised us to put up our

A CAMPING PARTY. 315
tents. ' Bed bugs are indigenous to this country', said he,
'they grow on the trees. Not far from here a boarder in
one of the hotels informed the proprietor that he could
not sleep at night for the bugs. The proprietor advised
him to sprinkle his bed with tobacco. So he invested in
a hag of fine-cut and made a ridge of it all around him.
He awoke in the night under the impression that it was
storming dreadfully and leaking on his head. Upon
further examination he found the bugs chewing the to
bacco and spitting in his face.'
"'Perhaps you think there are no mosquitoes here,'
said the stranger. 'I can tell you a funny thing that
happened to the boys when they were working on the
James Peak wagon road. They were greatly annoyed by
mosquitoes. One night two Irishmen pulled their blank
ets over their heads and kept them there until they were
nearly smothered. At last, one, gasping from heat and
suffocation, ventured to peep beyond the bulwarks and
espied a fire-fly that had strayed into the tent. Arousing
his companion with a punch, he said : ' Hogan, it's no
use, yez might as well come out; there is one of the
bloody craychures lookin' for us with a lantern.'
"The talkative gentleman then informed us that the
place where we were camping was once a flourishing
town, called Montgomery. In '63, it had three thousand
inhabitants, and all kinds of business were represented.
The gold ore proved refractory, and could not be profit
ably worked. The people drifted away, following other
excitements, until in 1870 there was not a single person
Teft except the silent, quiet occupants of the grave-yard.
" Silver was discovered on Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross,

316 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
and the towns of Alma and Quartzville were built up,
when all houses of value were taken down and rebuilt at
the last mentioned towns.
" With this information he wished us a happy time and
was off.
" One of our party had a birthday while there, and we
gave her a candy-pulling in honor of the event. We
cooked the molasses six solid hours,, and then had to eat
it with a spoon. Like Meg's jelly, 'it wouldn't jell.'
" I had a friend who was mining near the top of Mt.
Lincoln. We concluded to go up there and pass a night
just to see the sunrise next morning. The night hands
had a meal about midnight in the blacksmith shop, and
the bellows they used to start a fire at the forge, made
such an unearthly noise, we tumbled out of bed thinking
it might be Gabriel blowing his horn. Our slumbers be
ing thus disturbed we slept until the sun was two hours
high, and so missed old Sol's glorious awakening.
" Oh, it's lots of fun to camp if you can only see it ! "
With this profound explosion, he seemed pretty well
talked out, and we left him.

CHAPTER LXVI.
jimmy's camp.
We returned to Denver on the Denver and New Or
leans R. R., and Jimmy's camp was pointed out to me
from the window of the cars. It was once a place of
great notoriety, and has been brought into prominence
again by being near a station on this new southern road.

jimmy's camp. 317
This camp enjoyed its palmy days in 1833, when the
Hudson Bay Company established here a trading post to
sell trinkets to, and buy furs from the Indians and trap
pers. It was named for Jimmy Boyer, who had charge of the
wagons that came to this spot to trade. He built a log
house, and advertised his arrival from the East with
a signal fire, which drew the Indians from far and near
to sell him their furs and buffalo robes. But on one
occasion his flame was an evil beacon. It allured to his
lonely cabin a party of guerrillas from Old Mexico, who
murdered Jimmy and took possession of his goods with
out leaving, a receipt. The Indians coming as usual to
the camp, and finding him dead, pursued the murderers,
captured them and hung them by their toes to the limbs
of a' tree.
They returned and buried poor Jimmy, and over his
grave placed a flat stone, on which they carved in a crude
way a frightful picture, representing one man with his
throat cut, and over him the assassins hanging by their
toes. It is said that Col. Fremont, when seeking a pathway
through this country in 1844, camped on the same spot.
At this point in the story my informant suddenly darted
away and commenced an earnest conversation with a man
in the other end of the car, whom he presently introduced
as Jim Baker, the famous scout and trapper, who had
camped on the site of Denver long before Denver was
thought of, and had been the companion of Kit Carson,
Boggs, Bent and St. Vrain.
In personal appearance he was a typical frontiersman,
tall and straight as an arrow. Although nearly seventy

318 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
years old, only his wrinkled visage betrayed his age.
There was elasticity in his step and brightness in his eye.
He had spent forty-seven years on the frontier, and I
regarded him as a living volume of history.
LANDMARKS KNOCKED AWAY.
"My landmarks are all knocked away," said he, "lam
very much like the old negro, who said, 'I donno whar I
is, I donno whar I come from, and I donno whar I's goin'
to.' "Even the rivers have different names. They were
pretty at first, but now there is no beauty in them."
I suggested that the Grande, the Gunnison, the Rio
Grande, the Arkansas and the Swan, were musical and
appropriate. " Yes," said he, " they have the same names as of old,
with the exception of the Gunnison, which was originally
called Eagle river.
" The names given in the early days had a distinctive
and comprehensive meaning for the frontiersman, and re
called many memories of life on the plains.
" Clear creek was called Vasquez Fork, by which name
it ought to be known to-day, but later arrivals, attracted
by its transparent water, and caring nothing for the mem
ory of the old pioneer whose name it bore, called it Clear
creek, which has since been discovered to be a misnomer,
for it is the muddiest stream in all Christendom, yet it
gives tourists something to wonder at and talk about.
" The San Carlos they have corrupted into St. Charles.
"One of the most musical names I ever heard given to
a river was Rio Los Animas, which means ' river of spir
its.' The Spaniards christened it thus, because of its deep

LANDMARKS KNOCKED AWAY. 319
beauty and stillness. The French traders and trappers
called it Purgatoire, but now it is pronounced Picketware,
which is a desecration," said the old man with an em
phatic shake of his head.
"The Fontaine is all that is left of the 'Fontaine qui
Bouille,' and the Cache a la Poudre (Hiding-place of the
Powder), named from the circumstance that the old French
trappers, years before, were accustomed to bury their
powder on its banks to conceal it from the Indians, is
now called Poudre. The new comers of the last decade
don't appreciate the significance of these names, or in the
rush of business haven't time to pronounce them."
Many of the pioneers, like Jim. Baker, have lived to see
their landmarks knocked away, yet their sympathies are
keenly alive for the best welfare of their fellow-men, and
their hearts beat responsive to the impulses that throb
through the universe of progress. They are proud of the
State whose corner-stone they laid,
" Proud of her mines of silver and gold ;
Proud of her flocks spread overvthe plains ;
Proud of her sons, patriotic and bold ;
Proud of her fields of golden grain ;
Proud of her mountains and sunny skies ;
Proud of her Statehood, by birthright a peer ;
Midst the stars of the Union she shines, the prize,
The crowning glory of the hundredth year."

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