Turning Back the Pages

30 years ago – May 2, 1986

View from the Casey: By Esther Campbell: “Birds of the pharaoh,” called one of the leaders on the last field trip of the bird watcher’s class I have been attending. She had sighted a flock of large black birds resting in a pond. Through our binoculars we could see black birds with tinges of pink under their feathers. They had long curved bills, long legs, and a broad white line around the eye and under the chin. It was an unusual sighting. Thus, the students with the clues; long legs, bills, and in water habitat turned to their field guides to the section on the order Ciconiiformes (wading birds with long legs, necks, and bills). Wow, they were the white faced ibis. The ibis is an uncommon bird in Colorado. They are migrating. I have just received a copy of the “Living Bird,” a magazine from the laboratory of ornithology at Cornell University. There are two articles on ibises. They are the most ancient of living birds and yes there was a picture of a mummy of an ibis done in gold leaf circa 330 B.C. Ancient Egyptians believed the sacred ibis was an incarnation of Troth, the god of wisdom and learning. The summary of both articles was that five species of ibis are disappearing mainly in the Orient. Closer to home, Dr. Cohen stopped by last week to report he will soon be coming to Gilpin County for the 12th year of the tree swallow study. Sure enough, on my way to Boulder, on Friday morning, I saw several of those glossy blue-black males sitting on the fencing near the Gilpin School and across from the Nifty Nook.

Harvey A. Clifton, 62, ran his truck through the new door at the Central City Fire Department. The newly installed door was completed Sunday, April 27, and before noon on Monday, April 28, Clifton lost his brakes and ran through the door, totally demolishing it. Clifton explained that he was traveling from Idaho Springs via Virginia Canyon and at about 15 m.p.h. He said that when he reached the free parking lot, south of Central City, his truck, with a camper, stopped running. When the engine stopped running he said that his brake system quit working. He contemplated turning at Gregory of Lawrence Street, but said that he would not be able to negotiate either turn as the momentum of the truck was gaining speed to about 45-50 m.p.h. Clifton said that he assumed that no one would be in the firehouse and headed there. The truck crashed through the door. The overhang on the firehouse caught the top of the camper which stopped the truck from hitting the 1931 Ford antique fire truck. Clifton anticipated the impact and was not physically hurt, but Central City Police Chief Mike Brewer notified the emergency medical technicians of the Gilpin County ambulance service to check Clifton and make sure that he was okay. No one was in the firehouse when the accident occurred. The other fire truck was at the Central City shop. The door was being enlarged to house the new fire truck the city has on order. It is expected to arrive later this year. The accident did extensive damage to the firehouse. Damage is estimated between $5,000 and $10,000. Clifton was charged with driving a defective vehicle and failure to provide proof of insurance.