Turning Back the Pages

30 Years Ago - May 20, 1983 Black Hawk and Central City will work together on a grant application for a study of the two water systems. Randy Lara, manager of Crook’s Palace, angrily informed the Black Hawk City Council that he feels that bar is being harassed by Central City police, Gilpin County sheriff’s deputies and the State Patrol. Last Sunday, according to Lara, a sheriff’s deputy and a state patrolman had hidden behind a car and waited to “catch” the bar serving liquor after hours, which Crook’s bartenders “never do.” Also, last Thursday, a state patrolman stopped in front of Crook’s at 2:10 a.m. just “to watch.” Alcoholism is America’s most neglected health problem, mostly because of ignorance. So claims Dan Mason, one of the founders of Mid-Mountain Support Services in Black Hawk, a new center aimed at providing assistance for the alcohol and drug problems in Gilpin and Clear Creek counties. The restaurant, bar and kitchen areas of the Teller House have undergone extensive redesigning and renovation. Besides the main kitchen, a smaller kitchen behind the Little Kingdom Room has been added, with a service entrance cut through the walled-in safe. The atrium is being completely restored. The entrance to the atrium from the Face Bar has been reopened. It was originally opened in the late 1870’s and then resealed during restoration work in 1952. John Feinberg of the Cornerstone Partners said a quarter of a million dollars will be spent on the restaurant and kitchen renovations by July of this year. Lynne Kester-Meyer, manager and her husband, Will Meyer, the executive chef, long-time Colorado residents, were working in a Swiss hotel, which sat at the top of a mountain overlooking Lake Lucerne, accessible only by a cog railway, when they were contacted by the Cornerstone Partners and invited to Central City for a look. The three dining rooms within the Teller House will serve different functions. The Little Kingdom Room will serve nouvelle French cuisine. The Gilpin Room will serve the “best of American cuisine” and the Eureka Room, on the second floor, will be used for banquets, weddings, etc. They will also be serving on the terrace in the garden and hope to reopen the outside grill. A variety of entertainment will be offered in the Face Bar and the Gilpin Room. Black Hawk Marshal Sid Gent reported he had contacted several citizens about junk cars and according to the citizens, all those cars are collectors items or antiques and are worth a lot of money. A meeting of the Lace House Committee was cancelled because “nobody showed up” said Velma Starbranch. The house needs a curator for the summer. Black Hawk budgeted $5,000 this year for rock walls. Councilman Bill Lorenz said that the “fellows who worked for us two and three years ago” had returned and he has already started them working on the city’s rock walls. He asked that the city pay $6.50 per hour for the foreman, $6.00 for the second and $4 for the “flunky.” In the past, Lorenz said he has made room and board available for the workers which is the only way they can afford to work for those wages, but he cannot do that this year. He would like compensation and suggested $300 a month. Councilman Charles Unseld suggested the workers be paid 50 cents per hour more so they could pay Lorenz for the board. Here we snow again. Yet another spring blizzard hit this area Tuesday, piling up from one to two feet of snow in the county. There were power outages and cancellations of numerous meetings and events. 60 Years Ago - May 15, 1953 A clipping from “Stars and Stripes” is concerned with the uranium strike. Who says Russell Gulch isn’t on the map? We are interested in knowing that Mary Morgan has again joined the Marines. A baby girl was born to the wife of Mr. Eugene Chaney in Denver last week. This is their fourth child and only girl. Rumors were confirmed this week, with the announcement of Mildred Miller being signed for the leading role in Central City’s production of “Carmen,” opening June 27 th in this city. Kenneth W. Redless, of the U.S. Navy, as an Electrician, 3 rd Class, has been here for the past week on furlough, visiting his mother, Mrs. W. Perkins and family. He is now assigned for duty on a U.S.S. destroyer for duty in the Mediterranean sea. We noticed in the Mining Journal , of Idaho Springs, that in the bowling tournament, last week, that Paul and Andy Eccker of Black Hawk, won third place award. That’s fine, you Ecckers; but where was Frank? Mae Martin has finally completed alterations at the Old Antonette’s Café in the building adjacent to the Post Office. Gilpin County Play Day to be held at Mud Lake on May 16 at 10:00 A.M. All the school children in the county elementary schools are cordially invited to participate in the play day event. There will be track and field events, races, log throwing contest, broad jumping, shot putting, relay games, and novelty games. Some eight to ten pupils of the Gilpin County High School have been busily engaged in the preliminary work of tearing down the old Eclipse Stables, opposite the grade school preparatory to the construction of the new gymnasium to be erected on this particular spot. When two live cheaper than one, they feel that way. Recapitulation of the bills that were audited and ordered paid by the County Commissioners: County Fund, $2,870.15; Contingent Fund, $54.17; Poor Fund, $101.33; Road & Bridge Fund, $3,241.13; and P. W. A. fund, $340.35. Total: $6,007.13. The shift of people from the cities to the suburbs of the metropolitan areas is the greatest population migration in the history of the United States. The State’s murder-by-motor score for the first four months of the year shows a slight improvement over the same period last year - 73 deaths compared with 84. Some people never boast of their family trees because of the decayed branches. Heart disease is America’s greatest killer. It is now believed that diets low in calories and salt, but high in protein - as much as ¾ to one pound of cooked meat daily, - are valuable in its treatment. Among the meats prescribed are lamb chops, meat loaf, broiled pork chops, hamburger, roast pork, lean beef and veal, with poultry, fresh water fish, liver and eggs listed as alternates. The science of nutrition has made tremendous strides in recent years. “Oh what is so rare as a day in June?” We don’t know yet, but if the coming month will be like the present one it will still be winter. 90 Years Ago - May 18, 1923 In the ball game played in Russell Gulch a week ago Sunday, the Russell team won from the Central team with a score of 12 to 7. Next Tuesday will be the 46 th anniversary of the opening of the first can of nitro-glycerine in Georgetown. Wellington Downing, who was driving the Mammoth tunnel, had 400 pounds of the villainous stuff shipped from the east, which he stored in the old Seamon tunnel, now the Doric. The door to the tunnel was locked and a sign “nitro-glycerine” posted on it. Mr. Downing intended to use it in mining, but concluded it was too dangerous and sold the consignment to Mr. Stanton of Denver, who had removed all but a 24-pound can. George Corman, of prowling proclivities and hard reputation, broke open the tunnel door, believing, probably, that the sign was a scare-crow. He was seen by parties on the opposite mountain to take a can out of the tunnel and attempt to break it open with a rock. There was an explosion that shook Georgetown like an earthquake and lifted the men who saw it from the opposite mountain off their feet. All that could be found of Corman was some blood and fragments of flesh and clothing. And now we learn of the young woman who washed dishes for 31 consecutive hours. She is still single. News from Apex is that the road to 12 Mile is now passable for horse-drawn vehicles, by driving over the top of Sternberger Hill. The deep snow drift on the main road on the north slope of the hill will have to be shoveled out before autos can go to Twelve Mile. The Boulder Miner of last week said that the Caribou Metals Company started up their big new milling plant at Nederland last week and in the first cleanup of ore from the Boulder County Mine, the concentrates ran $274.00 to the ton. Born: In Black Hawk, May 11, 1923, to the wife of Charles Webber, a daughter. Died: At the Rudolph ranch, in the Dory Hill section of the county, May 16, 1923, Mrs. Louise K. Rudolph, widow of the late Fred A. Rudolph, aged 82 years. The long delay of the United States Supreme Court in passing upon the motion to dismiss the appeal of the Moffat Tunnel District suit is getting on the nerves of everybody. Gossip is a humming bird with eagle wings and a voice like a fog horn. It can be heard from Dan to Beersheba, and has caused more trouble than all the fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, coyotes, rattlesnakes, cyclones, earth quakes, blizzards, gout and indigestion than the United State has known or will know when the universe shuts up shop and begins the final inventory. In other words, it has got war and hell backed up in a corner yelling for ice water. Yes, there’s one redeeming feature in the late departure of spring. It postpones the grueling work of summer. 120 Years Ago - May 19, 1893 Gilpin County mines are turning out large and handsome gold retorts every few days, which not only delight the owners, but shows to the outside world that as a gold producing section the Little Kingdom of Gilpin leads them all. The statements of the First National and Rocky Mountain National banks, of this city, appear in our columns today and show a healthy and prosperous condition. Mr. Henry Dennis took a spin out to Yankee Hill and Silver City yesterday to look over the ground. It is not unlikely that he will make regular trips there this summer with a wagon delivering fresh meats and vegetables to the miners of that locality. About 60 feet of the flume leading from North Clear Creek to the Hidden Treasure stamp mill in Black Hawk, was carried away by a sudden overflow of water from the creek yesterday afternoon. Before doing further damage the water was turned out of the flume at the head. The flume will be repaired at once. Meantime the stamp mill will be run by steam. Jerry Brown, who lives alone at his ranch near the Robins place on Four Mile Hill near Black Hawk, was found dead in his cabin Wednesday afternoon. He had evidently fallen on the floor after arising from his bed. Brown was in the 75 th year of his age, and up to a few days ago was up and around. The warm weather is making the grass grow, and the trees with their green foliage makes really a bloom upon us. Born: In Central City, May 17, 1893, to the wife of John Bitzer, a daughter. Died: At the American House, Central City, May 14, 1893, of asthma, George Davis, aged 58 years. Died: In Central City, May 12, 1893, of scarlet fever, Katie M., only child of Mr. and Mrs. John Bitzer, aged 2 years, 7 months and 8 days. Interment was made in the city cemetery. Died: In Nevadaville, May 16, 1893, of consumption, Patrick Doyle, native of Ireland, aged 63 years. Interment was made in the Catholic cemetery. The remains of the infant child of Mr. and Mrs. James Tierney whose death occurred Tuesday in Leadville, were brought here on Thursday morning’s train and interred in the Catholic cemetery. A genuine spring day last Saturday and a pay day, partially restored the normal condition of affairs in the city. The streets in the evening were lined with people. While at the Aurora Mine some two weeks ago, the reporter broke off a sample from a chunk of ore that had just been taken out of the 100-foot east level, which was assayed by Mr. J. R. Reedy with the following result: Gold, 6 ounces; silver, 18 ounces, and 10 per cent copper per ton. Not counting the copper value, the ore has a commercial value of $131.12 per ton. The authorities of Black Hawk are repairing the flume at the intersection of Cooper with Gregory Street. The curve in the flume leading across the old stamp mill-site of Briggs Bros. is to be straightened and the water coming down the Cooper Street flume will discharge into the Gregory Street flume lower down than formerly. Mr. James McNamara, who resides on Gregory Street just above the Turner Hall, last Monday afternoon while engaged in painting the roof of his residence, a ladder upon which he was standing broke loose from its fastenings and he was thrown to the ground. He sustained a fracture of the right leg near the ankle joint. Mr. James A Gilmour of the New Gregory Company last Monday deposited at the First National Bank this city, gold retorts weighing 160 ounces, 128 ounces of which were from stamp mill ore from the Gregory Lode and 32 ounces from the Bobtail Lode. The retorts were worth $2,600 in currency. Messrs. Peter Grebb and Fred Wenzel who took a lease of Geo. Stroehle & Co.’s Meeker Mine in Lake District, have been compelled to quit work, owing to foul air which they encountered in the main shaft at a depth of 130 feet. By noon yesterday it had raised 12 feet, rendering it impossible for a candle to burn at that point. They will put in a line of air piping to ventilate the shaft, when work will be resumed. Paper hangers and painters are very busy these days. Cautionary Words to Miners: Small quantities of explosives containing nitro-glycerine will burn quickly and without explosion if ignited by direct contact with a flame, but if a dynamite cartridge is placed on a stove or in an oven and gradually heated up to 350 or 400 degrees F, the dynamite will become extremely sensitive to shock and will almost surely explode. The wrestling match which was announced to come off last Saturday at the People’s Theatre, proved a disappointment to a great many who anticipated witnessing some sport in that line. Gilbert, the champion of the San Juan, refused to wrestle, claiming that he would not wrestle unless there was $100 put up. It is said that $75 of that amount was up. It is currently rumored around town that there is a gentleman here who will put up the sum of $100 that John Pengilly can throw Gilbert two best out of three hitches, Cornish style. It remains to be seen whether Gilbert has any backers who will cover that sum. If so, the sports may yet witness some good wrestling. Under instructions from the Health officer of this city, our City Marshal Keleher is serving notice on persons who have not yet cleaned up the accumulated filth and garbage around their premises. He is serving on all and doesn’t intend “to make fish of one and fowl of the other,” treating all alike. The Masonic cemetery grounds on Gunnell Hill this city, are being cleaned up, the fence repainted and new headboards put up at several of the graves. An enterprising Scandinavian is cleaning up under the old batteries of the Bruce Mill-site, just below the Polar Star stamp mill and is wheeling it away to be run under the stamps. It is a great wonder that the place has not been cleaned up before, as the Bruce Mill was run for several years exclusively on ore from No. 4 Gregory Lode. The development work of the new Eldorado gold camp, located about half way between Central City and Ward, is limited, the mines having been located only last year. The ore produced is free milling gold ore, readily treated by the mills of Central. Among the most important mines are the Huron, Populist, Parachute and Golconda. A great many strangers are coming in at Black Hawk, some of whom are locating in the mining districts north of this place. Mr. Taylor Gallagher of Gold Dirt, was a pleasant caller at this office last Monday morning. Taylor stated that Mr. Earl of the Homestake Mine has struck about a foot of splendid mineral in the adit which he has been driving on that vein. A girl over in Russell Gulch found a lot of love letters written by her father to her mother many years ago. The daughter read them to her mother, pretending they were of recent date, and substituting her own name for that of her mother’s and the name of a young man well known to them both, for her father’s. The mother was very much disgusted, and has forbidden her daughter to have anything to do with a young man who will write “such nonsense and sickening stuff.”

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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