Turning Back the Pages

30 Years Ago - April 15, 1983 The Gilpin County jail, although not ideal, is adequate for what it is used for - a holding facility for prisoners awaiting trial and sentencing. That is the opinion of Magistrate Donald E. Abram of the U.S. District Court. Abram dismissed the case of John Henry Clark versus the Gilpin County Board of Commissioners and the Gilpin County Sheriff over jail conditions. The Cub Scouts of Pack 251 held their Pinewood Derby at the Gilpin County School last Saturday. J.J. Winn was the winner in the 9-year-old category; Zach Golden won the 8-year-old category and Paul Richardson was the winner in the 10-year-old category. Central City Police Officer Dirk Vaughan began working for the police department Sunday, replacing Assistant Chief of Police Michael Shephard who has resigned. About 30 people, including lawyers, council members, Black Hawk residents and other interested parties gathered in the upstairs office of the Black Hawk City Hall April 12, for the often-delayed public hearing on the liquor license application of Marko Lah. Lah’s original application had been turned down by the council in February due to a petition circulated against issuance of the license by Dan and Mary Mason, who were the owners of the Black Hawk Liquor Store at that time. The decision was tabled until April 18 th . Central City Police Chief Pat Warkentin has requested permission to have a holding cell constructed in the basement offices of the police department. He said there is a triangle-shaped corner with stone walls on two sides that would work with only the addition of a jail door. “Yukon” Jim Scull sent in a column this week which he entitled “Final Edition.” He has written his column, Scullduggery, for 19 years in June. Yukon Jim is gravely ill and staying in Westland Manor Nursing Home in Lakewood. “Good-bye now, folks!” he says, “I hope you enjoyed my columns. I love you all.” Bill and Kim Page are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Matthew Daniel, who arrived on April 1, 1983. John Gregory and Bill Kendall left Arapahoe City on April 10, 1859, and went into the mountains following a commonly used Indian trail. By April 12 th , they were prospecting Clear Creek, coming down the creek between Hughesville Road and Black Hawk. When do you suppose they prospected at the mouth of Chase Gulch and then Quartz Creek where the color jumped to 100 to the pan indicating a good source of gold? The gold was irregular in shape and rough in appearance showing that it had not traveled far in transit. When do you suppose they continued up the gulch where Gregory would recognize the lode that would bear his name? Do you suppose it was the 13 th , 14 th , or 15 th of April? It’s not known for certain because the exact date has not been stated in anything found to have been written up to this current time. It is known that by the 20 th of April, they were back in Arapahoe City with specimens of gold. 60 Years Ago - April 10, 1953 Russell Gulch resident, Joe Ress, writes from Leghorn, Italy, that he and Dave Zancanella have met several times and enjoyed a most pleasant visit. One Joe Browder, who says he hates crows more than anything, killed 50,000 of them recently in the Brazos River bottoms of Texas. Mr. Browder fashioned 300 bombs from 150 pounds of dynamite and shards from a metal foundry. He set off the bombs and the crows died or fell wounded on the ground. Then he and his confederates charged into them with clubs and killed the wounded. The people of the community of Asa, Texas, who help in the extermination, were outnumbered at least 1,000 to 1 by crows. It was Mr. Browder’s 23 rd crow-bombing mission. “The Merry Wives of Windsor” will open on July 4 th as the alternate production to “Carmen.” Both operas will be sung in English. Committees meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Skagerburg, are planning for the purpose of “Gilpin County Recreation.” All types of crafts, games, etc. are being discussed. Already a Girl Scout Organization is practically assured. The Communist government of Hungary has come up with a new tax idea. Not so much to raise money, however, as to increase the population. It is a special 4 per cent tax on total income of all persons who do not have children. The tax must be paid by bachelors between 20 and 50 and spinsters between 20 and 45, as well as by childless couples. Members of the Army, State Security Office, disabled veterans, and university students between 20 and 24 are exempt. Calling attention to the fact that failure to register is a violation of law and makes the delinquent liable to penalty, Colonel Howard E. Reed, Colorado State Director of Selective Service, outlined registration requirements under the universal Military Training and Service Act. All 18 year-olds must register. The gain in telephones in Colorado during 1952 was 24,600 as compared with an average annual gain during the five pre-war years of about 8,200 which clearly indicates the continuing high demand for service. Spring is here. And so are the wood ticks. 90 Years Ago - April 13, 1923 Train No. 1 on the Moffat Road which left Denver Monday morning, reached Steamboat early Tuesday morning. This was the first through train since March 15, as the pass has been blocked with snow. Joe Caspar is hauling mill ore from the Belmont Mine in Russell to the Polar Star Mill in Black Hawk this week. Some people never worry about the future. It keeps them busy just covering up their past. Recapitulation of the bills allowed by the Board of County Commissioners on April 2 nd : Pauper Fund, $397.50; County Fund, $1,658.41; Road fund, $456.00; for a Grand Total of $2,516.91. J. P. Richards and Claude McKay of Black Hawk, who are working the Jennie Blanche claim on the mountain side near the mouth of Dory Hill, made a shipment of a carload of smelting ore to Leadville on Tuesday. The gentlemen have a nice streak of mineral in their workings, which reports say will carry values of $80 per ton. Lady Carnarvon, in compliance with the last wish of her late husband and assisted by Howard Carter, the American archaeologist, will continue the direction of the exploration of the tombs of the Pharoahs. The Junior Matrons Club of Black Hawk gave a hard time party at McKay’s hall on Saturday evening, and a good time resulted. Bids will soon be asked for to complete the balance of the flume in Black Hawk, from a point in front of the Blake Brothers livery station to connect with that portion of the flume in front of the hardware store, which was completed last year. There will be over 500 feet built, and it is too bad that work could not commence at once and be finished before the summer floods. Eighteen inches of snow fell in Apex from Friday until Monday, accompanied by high winds, which drifted the road so badly that Chas. Robins had to carry the mail 1 ½ miles several days. Thermometers, 14 degrees above on Tuesday, 12 above on Wednesday - cold for April. 120 Years Ago - April 14, 1893 The bluebirds have arrived. The Josephine Company, or rather Brad H. Locke and his gang of blackmailers, now want $900,000 from the Gunnell Company for ore they claim was taken out of their claim by defendants at a point 800 feet below the surface, where the Josephine and Slaughter House veins cross the Gunnell properties. It is time that game wardens were on duty along our trout streams. The Lenten season is over. Now for gay colors, gay ladies and gaiety all along the line for a period of forty-five weeks. The moon will be full twice this month-on the 1 st and 30 th . Mr. William Launder has graded out the vacant lot west of his blacksmith shop on Gregory Street and will erect a stable thereon. By the new telegraph portraits can be transmitted by wire. If it works no better than many of the cuts in the Denver papers, the invention will prove of no practical use. The Gould Silver Mining Company, operating the Susquehanna Lode, situated on Silver Mountain, Enterprise District, north of the Cyclops and south of the Jo Reynolds have sunk 50 feet on the shaft and are now down 190 feet and are extending levels from the bottom of the shaft. A systematic cleaning up of the city should be commenced at once in order to be prepared for a visitation of the cholera should it break the quarantine and enter the United States this summer. It is amusing to watch the antics of the average citizen when an officer is making his rounds to secure a special venue. Going out back doors, dodging in and out of alleys to keep out of his sight, and streaking across the mountains are but a part of the maneuvers to keep out of the jury box. Several quartz teams are busily engaged in hauling concentrating ore from the Ivanhoe Mine, Nevada District, to the stamp mill and concentration works of the Rowena Gold Company in Black Hawk. The Ivanhoe will start up again as soon as a new driving belt arrives. The new Golden & Denver Smelting Company have taken possession of the smelting plant in Golden, and will soon be producing bullion. Born: In Russell district, April 8, 1893, to the wife of William Quiller, a son. Born: At the Forks-of-the-Creek, April 7, 1893, to the wife of George Dewey, a daughter. Died: In Russell, April 8, 1893, of pneumonia, Hugh Nichols, aged 40 years. Died: In Central City, April 4, 1893, Mary A., wife of Patrick Flynn, aged 41 years. Died: In Central City, April 5, 1893, the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Williams. On Tuesday city treasurer R. F. Lowell redeemed $5,000 water bonds of the city, which were held by John D. Snails of Denver. This cuts down the bonded indebtedness of Black Hawk to $11,500. Last Monday morning Edward Weir, an employee of the Rowena Gold Mining Company, while working in the backstope of the 600-foot level of the Ivanhoe Mine, Nevada District, a piece of ground overhead gave way, a portion of which struck him on the right collarbone, breaking the blade. Under the new law passed by the last legislature, all barber shops in the state are to remain closed on Sundays. The 600 and 675 foot levels west from the main shaft on the Concrete vein have been connected, and now a better air circuit is afforded for the miners working in those two levels. A series of revival meetings are being held at St. James M.E. Church this city. Those parties who have received bills from this office since the first of the year, for subscription to the Weekly Register-Call , and have not yet remitted amount due, will confer a great favor by giving the same their immediate attention and heed the demand given. Let one and all join hands and surprise us with full amount due, and we will shower our blessings with a liberal hand.

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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