Turning Back the Pages

30 Years Ago - April 8, 1983 Tom Brokaw, NBC Nightly News anchor, said Tuesday evening that Wondervu had received 40 inches of new snow since Sunday. Arvey Drown and Donald Rowberry, the men convicted of fraud by a federal jury in March, have been sentenced to spend time in a prison camp. Drown was ordered to spend three years on one count of mail fraud and five years on probation for the second and third counts of mail fraud. Rowberry was ordered to spend 18 months in prison and serve five years’ probation. Lela Green, a long-time resident who lives off Smith Hill Road has been keeping a diary for years. One of the things she enters into it every day is the new snow depth. She said the last big snowfall year was 1973 when she measured a season fall of 18 feet of snow. This year, as of April 5, Green says she has measured a season snowfall of 14 feet six inches. Perhaps she borrowed Santa’s sleigh or maybe she’s had practice hopping through snow, slush and mud. In any case, the Easter Bunny did manage to make it to the annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Ladies Elks last Saturday. More than 100 youngsters gathered for the egg hunt which was originally scheduled for the Opera House Gardens, but was moved indoors to the Belvidere Theatre since the gardens were buried under snowdrifts. After a lapse of four months, Angelo deBenedetto has recovered his missing luggage. An errant bag, considerably flattened from its experience and taped to keep it together was returned on St. Patrick’s Day. Angelo was quite relieved to have it back as one of the items in the luggage was a box of slides, the subject matter concerning sculptures that Angelo had completed, spanning a period of over 20 years. Everyone has something nasty to say about the snow and cold temperatures. Some people do manage to get some of their more distasteful chores accomplished when the weather is rotten as it has been lately. A case in point is the staff of the Register-Call. Donna actually cleaned her oven this week, and Kathy has repainted her bedroom ceiling, walls and floor. Gilpin County is trying to open a gravel pit in Lump Gulch to use the gravel on county roads. The site is across the road from the old Lump Gulch dump site in Roosevelt National Forest. The Colorado Lottery is still a matter of interest as the third game is about to start. Jack Brown has won three fifty dollar prizes so far and last week Norma Jean Walters won her first fifty dollars. The big winner recently was Bill Giller, who bought his winning $1,000 ticket at the Prospector in Black Hawk. High Country Auxiliary holds Bingo games on the fourth Saturday of every month at Station #2, north of the Nifty Nook on Highway 119. In addition to the bingo games, there is also a “pickle jar” and homemade pies are on sale. Roller skating at Clark Gym on Fridays from 3:30 to 7 p.m. - $1. Skate rental, 25 cents. Undersheriff Eric Klemp investigated an attempted abduction of two female students of Gilpin RE-1 who were walking on Highway 119 near mile marker 10 on March 9. Allegedly, both girls received minor injuries when the suspect hit them. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Denver resident. Susanne, Kenny, Denise, Kiwi, Jim R., Moose, Boodle Bob, Mike the Cop, Kris and Frank, Katie and Richard, Tom T., Dan the Cop, Roger and Roxie, Bill L., Glenn D., Patti, Kathy, Janet, Steve, Jim and Donna all survived the Blizzard of ’82 at the Glory Hole Tavern. Blizzard Reunion Party coming up. Get your Blizzard souvenir. 60 Years Ago - April 3, 1953 Yesterday was Easter Sunday, with enough nip in the air to remind us that it is still early spring. A good attendance was noted at all three of the churches, which is a laudable notation. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Francis, of Black Hawk, left by plane Wednesday evening for New York, to attend the funeral on April 11, of their son, Edward, who was killed January 27 th in Korea. Edward, 29 years of age, grew to manhood in the vicinity of Rollinsville. He was a member of Cody-Thomas Post of the American Legion at Central City. Funeral services were held at the Russell Gulch Cemetery on Wednesday last for Robert J. Williams. Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company’s expenditures for construction in 1952 were over $20,000,000. For 1953, they are expected to be nearly $25,000,000. Sheriff Kenneth McKenzie says that District Attorney Priest and Sheriff James Sacra, of Clear Creek County, have returned from Michigan, having in custody Charles Dammoth, who is being questioned in the headquarters of the Police Department in Denver. Dammoth was the one who first informed McKenzie when he discovered the body, which was burned beyond recognition, some four miles east of Black Hawk in a shallow pit, some 200 yards off the main highway. Efforts to obtain a confession or admission from Dammoth have been met with a blank, even though a lie-detector has been used several times. Mezzo-soprano, Gloria Lane will sing the coveted role in “Carmen.” Miss Lane is a member of the New York City Center Opera Company and is well known to opera and concert audiences throughout the country. An important name in operatic circles, Hugh Thompson, will sing Escarmillo in this season’s performances of “Carmen.” This young baritone was seen last year in the production of “La Boheme,” and his return is anticipated eagerly by the thousands who heard him. Old Boreas, the god of the North Wind, and regulator of the weather, according to ancient mythology, has either been partaking of too many double shots of milk, or has been asleep on his job. Tuesday there was most unusual phenomena, when it was snowing, with the sun shining brightly, and not a cloud in the sky. A few hours later, rain, snow, sleet and fog descended. That’s not right, Old Chappie; pull another lever and let’s have real spring. Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company has asked the Public Utilities Commission to set a date for a hearing to determine the fair value of the Company’s Colorado property, a fair rate of return on that property and, finally, to determine the revenues to which the Company may be entitled. The same inflationary forces that were present when the Company last sought relief in 1951 have continued their depressing effect on earnings to the point where the going earnings level under the present rates is only 5.3%. Maybe you can make money without advertising - but why try? Smart money knows where to go after reading the ads in this newspaper. 90 Years Ago - April 6, 1923 There was a large herd of elk feeding on Flirtation Peak, this week, in full view of Idaho Springs. There are about eighty of the animals on Flirtation this winter, the south side of the hill being open and making fine pasture for the animals. Wonder how many Golden people realize just what a good road up Golden Gate would mean to that city? The Gilpin-Jefferson County Stockmen’s Association is now in dead earnest over getting a real road up Golden Gate. If the Moffat Tunnel is built, this road would be the main road to the mouth of the big bore. The first real evidence of a tendency on the part of governmental authorities to heed the demands for lower taxes in Colorado is to be found in property taxes assessed for all purposes for 1922, to be collected in 1923. Reports show that per capita taxes to be paid this year will be slightly less than last year’s amount of $44.97, which were the highest ever paid in Colorado. Will Ziege killed a bobcat at his home in this city on Tuesday evening. The animal had come over the mountain side and taken refuge in the dog house in the back yard. It was evidently looking for a nice chicken for its meal as the hen house was only a short distance away. When a fellow tells all that he knows, other people know more than he does. The Polar Star Mill started up last week and intends running through the summer months, or as long as the water in the creek holds out. Sherman Harris, deputy game warden, was over to Nederland last week to look after an elk cow that wandered into town and was found near the Wolf Tongue Mill. The animal must have been injured or was starving, and was taken in charge by men in that vicinity and moved to a barn, fed and nursed, but died a few days later. Mr. H. H. Hoffman and party came up from Denver on Friday by auto, on a visit to the tunnel on Clear Creek, being driven through Lake District, cutting through to the Williams and many other mines in that section. Black Hawk City Marshal Charley Klais is making preparations to cover over the new flume that was built the first of the year. Monday morning’s train to Denver was delayed three hours at a point about five miles this side of golden by the rails being broken by a big rock that slid down the mountain side. The train had to wait until the section men had replaced the rails and repaired the track before proceeding to Denver. Mr. Charles Gage, superintendent of the company operating the Wain Mine in Chase Gulch, Black Hawk, has opened up a fine streak of smelting and mill ore in the lower levels of that property. The crevice shows a body of mineral four feet wide, with a nice streak of copper iron carrying 4.90 ounces gold, 37 ounces silver and 8 per cent copper to the ton. The Cornucopia Mines Company near Apex are operating their mill two shifts, since there is a good flow of water from the melting snow of last week. The quality of the brain doesn’t count so much as the use to which it is put. The Black Hawk City Council instructed the Marshal to notify all persons in the City of Black Hawk to clean up all rubbish, and that there be no manure dumped within the city limits without a permit of the City Health Officer. Mr. John A. Crook, the owner of the Snug Harbor cottage at American City, came up Sunday from Denver in his car, accompanied by friends. They came as far as Apex to see how soon it would be possible to get to American City by team. Weather like the past week would make it possible for teams to go through, with some shoveling, by April 15 th . Twenty two elk, found on the mountain side near Eldora, were driven down to where there was better pasture last week by the deputy game warden and his helpers. They were all in good condition and are expected to come through the winter in good shape. Why editors go crazy: There are over a thousand words in a column of a newspaper. If you don’t believe it, count them. When you have counted them write a column on a subject. Then write another, then a column with a different subject for every two or three lines. Then chase a news item all over town for a missing column and find out there is nothing to it. Then write about five columns more and you have the material for a rather slim newspaper. Do this today, tomorrow and the next day, all next month and next year, with just five legal holidays. Try this for just a year and see if you would not look on the man or woman who rang your telephone and gave you a news item as a benefactor, a Christian, and a good fellow. 120 Years Ago - April 7, 1893 A traveling telephone, which can be taken to any room required in a large office building at a moment’s notice, is a recent idea. On Thursday last the great Mormon Temple at Salt Lake was dedicated in the presence of a vast throng of believers. The building was commenced on Feb. 6, 1853, and cost nearly $5,000,000. Street sprinkling was resumed yesterday on Main Street. Let the good work be continued. Leo Donnelly, down from Caribou, says that the last March was the worst he’s ever experienced and he’s been there for years. Snow is piled from ten to thirty feet. Mr. Fred Bolsinger put in an appearance in the Town of Mines last Saturday for the first time since last August. Fred’s trip to the gold and diamond mines of Africa proved a myth. He has been spending his time in Minnesota. Mr. Carlson, section foreman of the Colorado Central, had a force of men at work last week in clearing the track above the Polar Star Stamp Mill in Black Hawk. The track came near being covered with debris from the creek during the winter on account of the forming of anchor ice which caused an overflow from the creek. Col. John Q. A. Rollins was in from Rollinsville on Wednesday. He said he has already commenced putting in seed on his ranch on the South Boulder, and that other ranchmen in that locality are engaged in doing likewise. He also stated that his son John A. Rollins, of Lincoln, Nebraska, has purchased the Traverse ranch in Gamble Gulch, which he will seed at once. The first of the week a large-sized wagon loaded with supplies for the Alice Mine at Silver City was sent out from this city. The roads leading to that place should be kept in the best possible condition this season in order to secure the trade of the mining men operating there on Yankee Hill and immediate vicinity. Born: In Black Hawk, April 1, 1893, to the wife of Robert Morris, a son. Born: In Central City, April 4, 1893, to the wife of Isaac Johns, a daughter. Died: In Willis Gulch, March 30, 1893, Maud, infant child of John and Annie Prowse. Died: At the residence of John Snyder, near Missouri Lakes, April 3, 1893, of mountain fever, John Gibbie, aged about 36 years. Died: In Central City, March 4, 1893, Mary A., wife of Patrick Flynn, aged 41 years. Died: In Central City, March 5, 1893, the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Williams. Died: In Mountain House district, April 4, 1893, of miners disease, Thomas Penaluna, native of Cornwall, aged 50 years. Died: In Black Hawk, April 2, 1893, daughter of Henry Webster, aged 2 years. Mr. Best, manager of the Saratoga Mine in Russell District, has just completed sinking the cage shaft down to the 700 foot levels, the same having been run about 200 feet east and west from the shaft showing a nice vein of ore which assays well. Thursday of last week the miners working in the breast and back of the 600 foot east level in the Corydon Mine encountered a large volume of water which drove them out. They’ve tried to handle the water with a bucket, but it gained on them at the rate of about a foot an hour and is now up nearly to the 400 foot levels. Possibly the water comes from the Gunnell, as the country rock between that property and the Corydon has become infiltrated with the water standing at the 700 foot level of the former. The following is the shipment of smelting ore and tailings made by rail to Denver and Argo from Black Hawk, for the first quarter of 1893: January, 4,127,100 pounds of ore; February, 4,296,000 pounds of ore; and March, $5,430,000 pounds of ore-a total of 13,583,100 pounds of ore. The Mary Miller Silver Mine below Black Hawk is now employing sixteen men, the most of whom are on development work, in doing which has increased the output from 20 to 25 tons of ore per month. The workings are now 730 feet in depth, that depth having been gained in driving an adit 2,000 feet on the vein. Easter services were observed at the Church of the Assumption, St. James M. E. Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church in Central; Christ Church in Nevadaville; and at Turner Hall by the members of Blucher Lodge No. 10, Herman Sohne, a benevolent order recently instituted in this city, whose members are German. The Blaine adit which has been driven under Perigo Mountain in Independent District, is now in 1,900 feet from its entrance. The water which formerly seeped in from the north and south walls, now comes in from the breast of the adit, indicating that there is open ground ahead of the miners. Mr. J. A. Rollins has purchased the General Logan and General Garfield lodes, situated in South Boulder District, adjoining Independent District on the north. Miners will be put to work on the properties next week. The two show bands playing on the streets last Monday evening, reminded the writer of the good old days of 1861, when Sel Irwin was running the People’s Theatre on Main Street, George Harrison the Montana at the head of West Lawrence Street, and Swift & Berry’s Varieties were in full bloom on Lawrence Street, just this side of the American House. The places of entertainment were open every night and were well patronized. Gold dust was then plentiful and the only currency in use. “There’s a stiff breeze that blows around your house,” said a visitor at Mack’s Brewery. “Yes, it ought to be a pretty stiff one. It blows over three cemeteries of stiffs,” was the reply.

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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