On the eighth day of August, 1859, a party of about a dozen 59'ers, assembled at the log cabin office of Dick Whitsitt in Denver, and formed the Colorado City Town Company. Among those present were Richard E. Whitsitt, secretary of the Denver Town Company; James L. Winchester, Charles Blake, Semour W. Wagoner, a lawyer; Lewis N. Tappan of Boston; Rufus Cable, Charles Persall, Anthony Bott, George A. Butte, Thomas Warren, Jep Sears, and M. S. Beach.
Of this number, a few were realy 59'ers. Whitsitt, Winchester, Bott, and Butte having come out to see the Pikes Peak gold diggings in the fall of '58. They had not found the 'diggings", so they thought a dip in real estate would aid to pass away the time, hence their willingness to join the new company.
Jim Winchester was elected president and Lewis N. Tappan secretary and recorder, and the writer, M. S. Beach, and Rufus Cable were selected to go over the divide and stick the stake on the 1,280 acres that now covers Colorado City, West Colorado Springs, Sheldon's ranch, Finlay's Ranch, and almost all the land lying east of Camp Creek and North of the "Fountaine Parsall", clear out into the bluffs.
Cable and Beach had a board smoothed and the claims of the town company painted thereon with dates, etc., and started out on horseback at 8 o'clock P. M. Of the same day that the company was organized, to take possession of the promised land.
At sundown we had reached Castle Rock on Plum, Creek, where we camped for the night. Baker's bread and fried bacon constituted the bill of fare for supper and breakfast, and at daylight we were in the saddle again, and keeping up a steady trot, arrived at Camp Creek, near where William Love's house now stands. Here stood an old dirt roofed cabin built in the winter of 1858-59 by Anthony Bott, Jim Winchester, and some of their associates. We at once took possession of this pioneer abode, and planted our stake, with its notice on a shingle, claiming nearly all the level land in sight.
The discovery of placer gold at Tarryall Creek, a fortnight before, and the exhibition of the yellow particles to a favored few in Denver, was the compelling cause of this haste to get possession of this townsite, as it was believed that the Ute Pass was the only place in the outside range where a horseback trail, or a future wagon road could ever be built.
Only two days had been occupied so far in organizing the Colorado City Company and locating the townsite. About two hours after we had thus established ourselves and declared our rights according to the then "Jefferson Territory" code, a half a dozen horsemen rode up to the cabin, and after the usual, "How!", inquired what we were doing there. We replied that we had located Colorado City, and referred them to our stake. The leader or spokesman, said we were on their townsite, and must get off.
As they could show no prior stake or notice, we declined to surrender, and after some discussion, they withdrew and located "Red Rock City" about where Roswell and the Rio Grande shops are now situated. A few days alter our rear guard or several wagons, and other members of the company arrived, erected their tents, and Colorado City became a fact.
The writer and his partner at once began the erection of a substantial log cabin, hauling the logs from Cheyenne Mountain slope, just back of the present Broadmoor site.
This was the first house built in El Paso County and should have been preserved in a glass case to this day.
Later on we were joined by Anthony Bott, Butte, Rein, Kallach and others who were admitted to the company on account of prior claims. From August 10th, 1859, to October 10th about 200 wagons passed in and through the pass to Tarryall, building a trail road as they went, and all passed out again on their return; many going back to the states, having had enough of Pikes Peak and the golden sands. Some two or three hundred of these hardy men remained and passed the winter in Colorado City, returning to the mountains for further prospecting in the spring.
It was a portion of that number who in 1859 discovered California Gulch, (now Leadville), Georgia Gulch, McNulty and other neighboring gulches, and washed out many thousands of dollars of nuggets and placer gold that year, and during 1861. In May and June of 1860, the great crowd of gold seekers began to pour in, now that the existence of gold had been fully confirmed.
Henry M. Fosdick of Boston, was to survey out the town lots, and the writer carried chain and drove stakes frequently jumping ___ to avoid the rattlesnakes which abounded in those days, dwelling with the prairie dogs in their holes. Fosdick afterwards took up and lived on a big stock ranch for many years on the Arkansas river some twenty miles below Pueblo. Among the incomers of 1860 was Mr. A. Z. Sheldon and Fred Spencer of Lawrence Kansas.
Mr. Sheldon still resides in the "Old town", and is well and favorably known to all your readers. He has already written a history of the early days covering the times from his advent and relating many incidents.
This locality was then the "Hunter Paradise". 10,000 antelope could then be seen from any of the hills overlooking Monument Creek valley. Black tail deer and elk came and went in herds, and wild turkeys gobbled everywhere among the gulches and foothills. Squatter law prevailed and was duly respected, for the first two years and until Governor Gilpin arrived with full legal and gubernatorial powers. Tappan and Co. And R. A. Innes, kept the two largest stores, and carried everything from deer and bacon to needles and pins--the earliest department stores. The trade was mostly from the south park mining district, where much gold was taken out. Fairly accurate estimates claim the output of placer and gulch gold during '60 and '61 at four millions of dollars.
Gold dust was the only currency and every man---nearly, had his little bottle or buckskin bag of nuggets and dust, for small change. "Squire" James Roberts was the first justice, appointed by the governor. He was the father or Eugene and Fred Roberts, both still living.
The rev. Wm. Howbert, a Methodist, was the first preacher. He took up, and lived on a ranch on Cheyenne Creek, raising vegetables during the week, and exhorting sinners to repentance on Sundays. We had no church building in those days, and services were held in Francisco's store.
Irving Howbert is the son of that good man, and at this early period was about sweet sixteen.
Ben Crowell and Jim tappan were among the first ranchers, occupying the ground just west of Ivywild, and taking out the first real irrigating ditch in the district.
The boiling springs---as the Manitou Springs were then called----were a natural curiosity in the highest sense. The largest and best spring, now housed up and hidden from sight, and it's waters used for export and commercial profit, was the chief attraction of the whole group, and boiled and tumbled its waters like a great cauldron. Light, creamy biscuits were made with its waters, mixed with the flour, dispensing with soda or baking powders, and it was called the poor miners friend. The tourists and residents of the last twenty-five years have no idea of the grandeur of the two largest springs, which are hidden from view, and which really gave the name and the fame to Colorado Springs as a resort.
In August, 1860, A. D. Richardson, then correspondent of the New York Tribune, came with a party of four from Denver to make the ascent of Pike's Peak. The others were Mr. And Mrs. Blunt, and Miss Addie Smith of Golden City. The writer, who had been twice to the summit, was elected guide. It took four days to make the ascent and return, owing to heavy rain. Once on the top, we ate our last remaining crackers, and opened and drank two bottles of champaigne, placed our hastily written compositions in the bottles, and buried them along side an altar of rocks that had been erected by Spaniards many years before.
I wonder if they were ever found by the curiosity seekers who have since climbed the heights.
After gazing at the south park, the snowy ranges beyond, and San Luis valley at the south, we returned, meeting a party of rescuers who had come to meet us, alarmed at our prolonged absence.
Now these two were the first women, except one, who made the accent of Pike's Peak, and that one was from Lawrence, Kansas, and crossed the plains with her husband in 1858 with the "old Lawrence party". Therefore these women should have the credit of being the very pioneer travelers. Mrs. Blunt was a Bostonian, and Miss Smith was a school marm from Nebraska. It will be remembered that afterwards Richardson was shot and killed in the Tribune editorial rooms.
The Cheyenne's and Arapahos used to drop in occasionally on their way to the wars with the Utes.
In 1861 Professor Parry of Harvard University, visited Colorado City, went to the top of Pike's Peak with two botanical assistants, and again the writer had to act as guide, as the better guides all gracefully declined the invitation to climb. No one ever dreamed of cog roads at that day.
Many interesting incidents could be related of those earlier days, and ___ but I fear to trespass on the patience of the readers. The writer "went to the war" in 1862, and after as absence of fifteen years has returned to the foothills and is now sojourning among you, waiting the inevitable call to "cross over the range."
