Turning Back the Pages

30 years ago - November 11, 1983 The Black Hawk Volunteer Fire Department is getting a brand new fire truck. At a meeting Tuesday night, the City Council of Black Hawk agreed to spend $68,000 for a 1982 demonstrator valued at $80,000. It has been discounted to the city through negotiations by Black Hawk Fire Chief Mark Spellman The warm, beautiful autumn season came to an abrupt end Tuesday when the first substantial snowstorm of the winter hit the area. Temperatures dipped into the teens, but much of the snow was gone by Wednesday. There are only 548 ZK passenger car license plates left at the courthouse, and contrary to what was promised by the Colorado Motor Vehicle Division, there won’t be any more. About a year and a half ago, the state decided to begin changing car license plate configurations to three letters and three numbers. On passenger cars, Gilpin’s new plates were to have “EWN,” replacing the “ZK” which has identified Gilpin for years. All types of license plates will have new configurations, but most types, other than passenger car plates, will retain the ZK designation, but in a different place on the plate. One way to get around the passenger plate problem is to order personalized license plates incorporating ZK into the arrangement. Amongst the amusements of last week was the pastime of sitting at the Gold Coin watching a three-inch high Volkswagen Van going round and round on a record, playing as it made the tour. This was a small object of interest brought to Smilin’ Jack by Brick and Rita Porter on their annual visit to Central. The pine trees near the top of Dakota Hill above Apex give silent testimony to the weather conditions up there. They are barren of needles on their west sides due to the terrifically high winds coming off the Continental Divide. Dakota Hill, the site of Gilpin County’s new radio repeaters, is 10,929 feet above sea level. Once Upon a Midnight Dreary presented by the theater arts class at the carnival was a rousing success. According to critic cards given randomly, best actress was Darcey Sheftel, best actor was Alexis Emmert, and Eileen Hardee edged out Brian Gibbins by one vote to get the “person with most promise.” The City of Central invites one and all to carry on one of the finest community traditions of the holiday season. Join the Festival of Lights with the March of the Singing Children. Children of all ages, from one to 101, are welcomed and encouraged to participate. Our mountain Santa on horseback will light the first luminaria at Gregory’s Monument. These traditional Christmas torches will once again light up out Little Kingdom. Candles will be supplied. Bring your own holder or flashlight. Festivities are set for November 25, at 5:30p.m., commencing at the Gregory Monument. The newest thing in Central this week is the Golden Rose Gallery, open in the room just below the lobby of the Golden Rose Hotel. The amiable manager, Roberta Haase, has several different varieties of objects of art attractively displayed. The works of more than a dozen artists enliven the place and include photographs, pottery, porcelain, cloisonné, water colors and paintings by many artists. Central and the rest of Gilpin County, as well as all of Colorado, went directly from Indian summer to winter wonderland in a six-hour period from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday. It continued to snow through the day, but on Wednesday, the sun shone brightly on the snow. 60 years ago - November 6, 1953 William Ziege has been repairing the rear walls of the St. James Methodist Church and has done a commendable job. The church is to be painted and many other necessary improvements are to be made. This is the second time we have called attention to the deplorable condition of the street leading north from Second High Street. The dirt dumped there by the trucks of the County of Gilpin has certainly proved inadequate and the road now necessitates a more solid foundation. Motor cars, yes, even trucks, cannot negotiate the hill, and in other words, it is in a “helluva” shape. The County of Gilpin has made every effort to make a road out of this street; now why cannot the City of Central cooperate? Their plea is they have no money. Well, maybe so, but the residents on the upper streets are complaining so vociferously that these complaints should be heard. Again, next Wednesday, November 11, we observe the day the armistice was signed in 1918. But have we much to celebrate now? On that day the war was over, and the world was happy. Servicemen had thoughts of home. Parents and wives and brothers and sisters and friends were anticipating the early return of the boys from “over there.” The thought was fondly cherished that there would be no more wars - that the ferocity and destructiveness of that great fight were such that humanity would shrink from its repetition. We, the veterans of the First World War were assured that it was a war to end all wars. What a fallacy. The Halloween party at the Black Hawk Gym last Saturday evening was a huge success. The games, dancing, fish pond, shooting gallery, fortunes and refreshments were enjoyed by old and young. Many of the guests were in masks and gay costumes. Mrs. Marian Prentice was a scream in her comic regalia. The teachers of the school, Mr. Smith and Miss English, are to be commended for their efforts. 90 years ago - November 9, 1923 Colorado Republican editors gathered at a luncheon in the Metropole Hotel here, in Denver, Oct. 27, at which the Colorado Republican delegation in Congress was host, formed the Republicans Newspaper Association of Colorado, and pledged thorough support and cooperation for party success in the presidential campaign next year. The application of two companies for permits to enable them to establish omnibus lines were denied by the State Public Utilities Commission. The Rhoads Truck Line Company, through W.H. Rhoads, asked to haul freight between Montrose and Grand Junction, including Olathe. Henry C. Davis and Harry C. Davis, doing business as the Davis Brothers Company, filed application to operate a freight line between Grand Junction and Bowie. The service offered by these two concerns would be replicated by that of the railroads, the commission’s opinion stated. A bridge over the swollen Big Thompson River, four miles west of Loveland, collapsed beneath the weight of a herd of cattle, and fifteen of the animals were plunged into the water. Several head were rescued after being carried some distance downstream and others were badly injured when buffeted against the rocks. The cattle were being driven by Louis Perlman from their summer pasture in the mountains to the feed yards in Loveland. The laying of the cornerstone of the $350,000 gymnasium at the University of Colorado was the outstanding event on Home Coming Day, Nov. 3. With Past Grand Master J.A. Davis in charge, the Grand Lodge of Colorado A.F. &A.M. officiated in the exercises. Many prominent Masonic officials were present. A short address by Governor Sweet followed the laying of the cornerstone. Richards and Saunders, working the Jennie Blanche Mine below the city, made a shipment of some 20 tons of high grade ore to the smelters at Leadville during the week. Street Commissioner Charley Klais has finished laying the sidewalk over the flume down to the concrete bridge which makes a decided improvement over street conditions for the past six months. The Blake brothers are making trips daily with several four-horse teams hauling machinery and supplies to the Evergreen smelter at Apex. 120 years ago - November 10, 1893 There was filed for record last Monday evening a deed to the Mammoth Lodes, Mammoth Side Lode, and the Waterbury and McAdams Lodes, covering 7,200 feet of linear patented property, situated within the corporate limits of Central City. The purchasers are a syndicate of Chicago gentlemen, the cash consideration being $100,000, the sale having been effected through Messrs. Henry P. Lowe and E.W. Williams, negotiations having been pending for several months with this view in end. The Mammoth is the great mother gold fissure vein of Gilpin County and has produced since 1859 $500,000, yet the vein has not been worked in a systematic manner. Hon. Marcus Leahey, superintendent of the German Mine on Bellevieu Mountain, informs the Register-Call that connection has been made from the lower west level of the east shaft with the total depth of 270 feet. Before connection was made, the air was very bad, and not more than one round of shots being made in every 24 hours, so heavily did the powder smoke hang in the level and the upper raise. The German pool now have a large block of ground opened up to backstope, and should soon begin to realize from the amount of dead work they have accomplished. Last week the Saratoga Mining Company received the neat sum of $76.51 per ton for a lot of concentrates sold through the ore purchasing agency of Mr. Forbes Rickard. Pretty good price, isn’t it, these hard times? Mr. G.R. Reedy is taking the water out of the Jefferson Lode, that portion owned by McFarlane & Co. This lode has been leased and bonded by Mr. Reedy and some Denver parties. The Jefferson lies south and west of the Leavenworth. Hon. William H. Richards sticks to the property of the Leavenworth Lode in Russell District with the staying qualities which is his great characteristic. Some time ago he lowered the water in the main shaft to a point below the 500 foot station and after considerable prospecting which did not satisfy him he has concluded to take out the water another 100 feet and see what there is at the 600 foot station. Born: In Denver, Colorado, November 1, to the wife of J.A. Flynn, proprietor of the Oriental Tea Company, a daughter. Born: In Central City, Gilpin County, November 3, to the wife of Henry Altvater, a daughter. Born: In Central City, Gilpin County, November 4, to the wife of Isaac Rachofsky, a daughter. Born: In Central City, Gilpin County, November 3, to the wife of James Bristol, a daughter. Born: On Ralston Creek, Gilpin County, November 1, to the wife of Rodney Davis, a daughter. Born: In Gilson Gulch, Clear Creek County, November6, to the wife of L. Battvinii, a daughter. Born: In Central City, Gilpin County, November 1, to the wife of D. Ivey, a daughter. Born: In Central City, Gilpin County, November 8, to the wife of Leonard Schaffnit, a son. The young heir of Mr. Schaffnit is a Republican and an advocate of woman suffrage. Died: In Rockford, Illinois, November 5, Ole Anderson, aged 82 years. Deceased was the father of Mrs. P.C. Hansen of this city. Died: In Central City, November 6, Richard Sobey aged 26 years. Died: In Black Hawk, November 9, Mrs. August Meyers, aged 51 years and 11 months.

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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