https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/417/History_Part_1.pdf dfd02cb896237e06d48793d036ae4c94 PDF Text Text IJ tL-i lt the county history, we were ^,^P:o-oiting able to secure manv stories ;;";;;;; that were writren and- compil"d "rd bt-ii:C fl IIo_._k!1, Delta Hendricks, Bessie id;;. H.Y. Hoskin, Bonnv C""fa *J ,";r";;#:: We chose to publisl ihese stories ual segments for vorrr reading as individ_ t*=i**r r*T*--l ff\t I d il.fi You will notice that some of ""r"*;. these refer to "" their own ,.current" framework of ti;;.' In ptacing these stories .hr;;;ld;;f;, . taken the liberty have categorically, so that suDJect "f l\i L**I**, L**i**___J tffil-*r tt lf.-f t\.'-' lii # '"--*"*i ---"{ ," pt".iig -#"r. : matter is more meaningful. It is impossibl, i I\ i****t-**-*".j i*T*-*l I-**f'***i iJ ,d | ;'** *'*{ *J i,l l' t{ If -*-**.-, I f**-r ;';;;";;'; capabilities prevent it. Ir is ;;; ffi;;# you will find. some new uits i"r""'Il"ii.li atong with what has already "i b"";;;bil#: We. are gratefully inalui"J' -;"ii;;.; compiling una putri.it;;"il,. I:-1kin..Ig' bo.oks, ..Memories" ,,Otii.;l compl.ete.d history as time, iq{l events and human **y*ry*,".$ r*L**"iJ *iii;fi *find in your tocal Kit-diril"d;t";; and t { Louisiana purchase lg03 ]:,jt] Irbraries- Colorado from 1540 to 1g6l protection from Indians, ELBERT - KIT were poor, and suppl. ** ti{i. .tt.i"ij""T#::f il: Jl,ffi jJ; Jj CARSON COUNTY begin attempts to push rhe T2 *": really about l.gb9 when the first _.*lr. . whrte, settlers came to what Elb;;; uounty, Colorado. The great .o_."tt"al,JJtj was then had brought hundreds to Auraria, -n-oJ 1ush" Lrenver- of increasing numbers of __T,: to ,..Ting the area prompted tt ry:y" oI stage, pony€xpress, ind freighiiil;;.-"'^ "a".-igr"ii# r ne maln Smokev Hill or Butterfield Ml.#;,;;ffi; from I|_11r".**t was St. Joseph, r,rancrsco routed via Kansas ti, f,"1" Station (near Limon), on to Denver. r"prd growth of the territory ^rl_1 many problems. Settlers aDout communications brought were withiut area. Iniia; f;;;'il; assignment of Iand (from south of the ^.TLir pig Sandy Creek to north'of t-h-e"ffi;;.; meant the r"ai*. *"rfr Ill::lbytrno.means ::::j: giving up rheir buffalo l;;;il; grounds. 1864, a band ofArapahoes, led bv L;hief. ^,Il/1n., Roman_ Nose ttunning Creek. murderJ;l;iil ;i .In November, 1g64, Colonel Chivineton with a detachment of men -";;t"i i;;;F;; .i-p e,"p li"o' til lioif, I "i "T".," 400_500 llri* # :;;, reservation). Some i";i;; women, Lyon and completelv r and children Ju;;#i"; ffi :, f; ijiffil"ri Arapahoes; emong th; Map ol i.rt Larson County. White Antelope and y"ii;;"w;i; Ccl:rri.i c Nebraska and Kansas Territory 1gb4 Chief Black Kettle of the lt ll."^_a_!:""nnes. escaped. The massacr", l;nelenle: kno*r tl? Sa,nd. Creek Affair, *". l;;;J;'b;;;;il; ", g,t,l:T.d discussion in the pages of CJ;.;;; rlrstorv. Following this Col. Chivington was sev_ .t.pl1*"nded and ruli"";- ;f hf;f;i;; "tilt Naturally, the Indians were infuriatJ a-s a result of such treatment. Th"fi-"c* ;;; open attacks ers, on the settlers, f";_;;;-;;;;1 freighters. Many attempt. t. _"f," -and were treaties to no avaii. G";;i"S#ff;; was. prevailed upon to make lndians. He consented. ;;';;T; by Janice Salmans Railroad map - 1gg?-1ggg. Note Muskoka, a railroad switch. �3s:<aat- -=a>/ n Ju;, 1.,"1,. rr r,";1\Y #"+ Itd. ^? ,7'+,,^.' --tF, i ,. x /l* 'z(f'l G.rFt '9--(. tt' ..:.-.-.---r4/ cq ii'--i-'*"'"n ,,--.(fr; .aT .:" g I -;17 \] A ,tu!i /' "'-.i'r --"f, S*.'h*+' R,A 1885 Map showing Elbert CountY ORIGINAL COUNTY ORGANIZATION T3 The present site of Kit Carson was first incorporated into the United States, in the u""r i803. This small area was a part of the iast Louisiana Purchase which consisted of all the ground drained by the Mississippi River. T'his piece of land was purchased by the United States govetnment from France' The small area known as Kit Carson County was located in the mid-western section of the furchase at approximately 39 30 longitude and 103 30 latitude. As the land was broken up into territories, the boundaries were changed, and this area became part of the Missouri Territory' The MissouriTerritory existed from 1819 to 1821' when it become an unorganized U.S' Territorv and then from 1854 to 1859 Colorado was part of the Kansas TerritorY' In a three day convention in Oct. of 1859' a constitution was drawn up for the Jefferson Territory. The territorial boundaries took in all of prlsent Colo. and large strips of -Utah and Wyo. Quick action was taken to ratify the territoiial constitution, and only two weeks later, the constitution was ratified by popular vote. R.W. Steele was elected Governor in Colorado counties as they appeared at the time of Statehood - z 1876 �The first mentior oiS'io."do is now made. As counties were formed, this was first situated in Arapahoe County. Denver was the county seat of this very large county. In lg?b, the western part of Douglas County, the northern part of Arapahoe County, the C-heyenne Reservations, and part of norihern Herfano County were incorporated to form Elbert County. 'Ihe area was not as large as Arapahoe County was previously and the county seat was at Kiowa. by Janice Salmans MORTON COUNTY T4 "Formation of Kit Carson County (first called Morton County)." The followine ex_ cerpts were taken from issues of the Cheyenne Wells Gazette as notated. Febru_ ary 16, 1889: "We will give a premium to the residents of towns, 12 and 18 that would rather be in Morton County than in Cheyenne." (Note townships ld and 18 of present day Cheyenne County were in Elbert County prior to the new county formations in 1889.) Iebruary 16, 1889: ,,It was only through selfish motives that the projectors of tf,e Morton County bill included towns 12 and 13. and not for the benefit of the settlers in the two towns." "The Blade of Feb. 8, says: .The people ne cnargeq ruu pounds ot potatoes and a gallon of whiskey. During the Post Civil War era, from 1gZ0 to 1885, large herds of cattle were driven from Texas through this area and delivered to the miners near Denver. There were also herds ylrAn some were pastured here, and still otheis driven to the east to railroad terminals as well Patent for , ,W as to the west. Before the 1880's, two ranches settled in the Republican River valley. They were known as the McCrillis and the Bar T Ranches. They were both horse ranches and ranged their stock from the Republican to the Arkansas Rivers. The balance of county land was dry divide land on which water couli onlv be obtained by dug wells, some of over 100 fi. in depth. This land was not all settled until the construction of the Rock Island Railroad in 1887 and attention of landseekers was called to the homesteads. The Homestead era of 1886 to 1906 brought flocks ofsettlers in and each filed on 160 acres. There are still todav marks of habitation on almost every quarte"r section of land. The United States hada land office in Hugo, Colorado, and every settler made ttre trip to file his claim. Laier, laws were changed to allow the planting of a timber claim. A timber claim was the pLnting of ten (10) acres of trees. A few sisns of thes! still remain but many have long since van_ ,r , (?""t qi' :lr r ,n - - Entry No .. -d 111.h.? , is in this office, and will be deliveted to you {rpon ssender of the Registels Duplicate Certificate. Where the Register's Grti{icarc is lost, separ3t€ aflidavit must be made {or the tract embraccd in each entty 6y the pieseot bona fide owner of the land, accosnting for the loss oI the Certi{katq and also showing ownenhip ofthe traitqlor a' portion thacof, embr,aced in.the patcnt, and that the affidavit is ma& for the ptrpose of obtaining ths pat€ot. ished. by Janice Salmans Morton County will not consent to tef ttrat portion of their territory go at present at least, as there is a great amount of taxable railroad land in the two towns.' DEoARTfv1HNT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATFS LAND OFFICE "February 16, 1889, Bur lington Blade said: "The Cheyenne chiefs are bold, but their raid fo-r the purpose of securing territory from Morton County will fail." February 16, 1889 Cheyenne Wells Ga- thiefs" to secure any territory from M-orton !l t"iStl, iltrr. i:;r;, driven to the Indians in Montana territorv. of zette: "We wish to inform the Blade that there has been no effort whatever bv the UNI'€D ATATES LAND OFFIC€. .,;;o iol o . Il*;e,T!?r .?6ir, if i'-, 3iile1 i1.l.1r'rrk, County. Our bill. The question as to which county is justly entitled to the strip in controversy, will be determined bv the Legislature." , .-February 23, 1889: "The Morton County bill was amended so as not to includl Cheyenne County territory, and passed. Burlington is the temporary county seat. After the bill passed, the name of the countv was changed to Kit Carson." Mgdi:q: - fn reply lo y6r;1, l,ett*r sf tire ??d,,1ns.vant :.ou s,!s lniore*i thari your noflc* ?r&s sgnt No :hs $slbsrt ssttler fo, sdvsrtlaanent .rnd ohould ba corLp).eieittilsre aE your proof r* set for thc a6il',Of tals month.Yorr irsd beit€r e;;,]1 :rnil s's rf ths .fdv*rij.ec$lent has b93n sun the proper tfune,you carn o$nre &n;, rrialrs KIT CARSON COUNTY BEGINNINGS pub)'1cat1"on brrg aot b$dn ntrde trie prooi rr11]. t1'l'1 the :{i.dvertifro,*ent hes bere conEiietorr.rf you h3.ys not'U*pen,i.;c payed: fo.r ihF adverllearlenrl Jrou had b*tter &ttenii to sans,r f111 ,rrttell . T5 From 1859 to 1870 was a gold rush era. A time when Gold Miners rushed to the Rocky Mountains. The area that was to become Kit Carson County was first settled in the T0's when a_ cowboy named Joe Miskelly located a small .ranch at Crystal Springs. Crystal Spnngs rs a branch of the Republican River and is about 3 miles east of Flagler. Joe traded at the Robidoux Store in F6rt Wal- t:ie;:{uof :-nd tf t& h;v* to bs thep:,perfs1irtiv,tpN]rlg*jvel|tgen:$n'i.' F'c*l*ctlutrr, ,, �_ Be it enacted the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: Section I. That the county of Kit Carson PICTURES T6 {.{o \Er -J*t' {1tc,rrr" ."'j' * ttre **'---'-r'."V-"f," bnrr +{+82"*n lflolgito. 'fr:"r!,rP ? a t ?3 a c a q.tsc f lnt 8o4en ,4ot _._---._za[fev ,p ar(w ,t' '{ t. .t!'6sn^y",,r' ftkPsnwwo' lto ? t:"'*no.n A*reo '.'g g.rt Fo aa ;:ltJliliti:oute 7fr{rLX tf Urh*rvi*iyiiladrre l7oaufuSifu - +a, Yt!f rr'c' t.r q/ca tD illo * F,' was traced in the 1840's bv one of the group of 10 KIT CARSON COUNTY T7 (S.8.48) An Act , To Establish The County Of Kit Carson, And The County Seat Thereof; providin* 'Lhe Appointment Of The precinct Foi And County Officers;Fixing The Terms OiC*J is hereby established at burlingto;, *t it shall remain until changed a"c6rai"e;ii* "r" and until such time all iourts of ,u"J"JrfrJi be held there and the county offices ,"-uin there. S,ection IV. There shall be held annuallv in said county of Kit Carso" fou" ter-* oiitr" 9guqty Court, commencing on the--firJ Monday in January, April, J"iv, *a'O"t"U"i, respectively; one term of the District Court 6;;t;;: Section V. All suits, civil and pe-nding in District and County "ii-i"J, ""* C;;i.;i "+ *- lu be le_gal officers of Kit Carso""C"r"tvi""a commencin_g on the third Mo"d"yi; ,.w)9 f0o t;: to lhey ar9 elected, and are hereby au"U""Jio the Governor shall appoint,u"f, oit"r-ofii_ cers as may be necessary to carry on the government of the said county, or until their s-uccessors.aredulv electgd and qualified by law. Uounty officers shall be elecled in said county at the next general election. Section III. The county seat ofsaid county + Nebr, therr respectrve ottrces lor f,ne f,erms wnrcn ., stat€ Historians. Trail traced by is hereby established, with the legal capacity anq runcttons of other counties in the State. And the boundaries are as follows,B"si""i"; at the north-east corner of Elbert Cointvi6 the west along the north line of said Elb"; lounty to the west line of range fifty.L"" (51), west of the sixth principa"l *"iiai*; thence south on said west line of fifty;; (51) to-the townships 11 and 12 south; t[";;; east along said township line to where it intersects the state line of Kansas; thence north on the east boundary line oi Elbert Co^unt1,to_the place of the beginning.- ---Section II. All county and piecinciofficers \ Elbert Qounty wherein the case of occurred in the tenitory embraced in the ""ti* new c_ounty of Kit Carson, or wherein the defen_ dant or defendants reside therei", .fr"fil", as soon as the officers of said Kit Carson County shall have been appoin;"J;e qualified, transferred by the clerks, tt order of the judges thereof, to ttre cJurtgoi "po" " the seme jurisdiction in the said county. Section VI. All county records and other county pr-oqglty, heretofore belonging to the county of Elbert, shall be ana ,6miin tt prgperty of said county of Elbert. " Section VII. The county commissioners of the said Kit Carson County shAf caure ; transcript to be made of all the records of ali property situated in the county of Kit Carson as provided by la1 and such iranscript strJi be entered, upon the records of said countv. and when so entered, shall be d"u;;J;;A held to be good and legal records.Section VIII. The present indebtedness and funds of Elbert County statt Ue appoi_ tioned between the county of Elbert ;-d-th" county of Kit Carson, in proportion to the ration which is now incfuaed within the boundaries of Kit Carson County, t;;r-; the ta-xable property of Elbert b;""t; ;; snown by assegsment rolls for the year lggg. . Section IX. The boards of courrty co--i._ sioners of said counties of Elberi a"a Xit Cglso.n shall have fult power ana a"tf,oiitv to acljust and settle all matters of revenue proper to be done on account ofthe formation of saidcounty of Kit Carson, a"a to apporiion the indebtedness of said county El[;J:;; specified in section vii ofthis aci, "f and for such purpose the said commissioners shall meet at Kiowa, in said Elbert County, upo" t* aavt notice in writing being given bv tfr" .o--i._ sioners of the other county, at any other time after the officers of Kit C-arson Co""ty .t have been duly appointed and qualifi"ll, ;;; "tt a-majority of the United Board of Commis_ sioners of said counties shall be " legal qqoJym- t9 adjust said revenue and apporti-on said indebtedness. In case there .t iufa be a quorum present at such meetint, oi-in "oi ca.e said commissioners fail to agree"on the adjustment of the revenu" a"a ""pp*Uo"_ ment thereof, and the apportionmerrt of tn" indebtedness, and the bbard of county com_ missioners of the county of Elbert -"V *"G sucn adJustment of revenue and apportion- �order and decision the county of Kit C-arson' of any person aggrieved, may appeal allowed from'the board of county commissioners-to the District Court, and upon such appeal a change of revenue may be taken, upon goott by either party to such proceed- the county was awarded to the "Colorado S-i"n. dazzette". Bids for transcribing i""o.d'. from Elbert County to Kit Carson County was awarded to Edwin McCrillis' giar tot county printing was awarded to the 'Burlincton Blade' which was also chosen as ""t.""ttto* ings. the offi-cial paper for the county'" lishing the fees of the county' preclncl ano assessor was ordered to place the valuation 'section X. That, for the purpose of estab- The first'as--sessment was made, and the said county of Kit Carson shall of land from $1.50 per acre for pasture,land XI. fn" county hereby attached to the Tenth Senatorial District, and for representative purposes 'American'horses were assessed at $30'00 head and'half-breeds'assessed from $8'00 to head. The abstract of assessments $13.00 per t""a" 'o" September 5, 1889, shows - the items: 246.560.731100 acres of lancl following""t "-itr"i"offi."t., a countY of the third class' be --section of Kit Carson is shaii be attached to the county of Elbert, and .ftJi U" attached to the Fourth Judicial District for all judicial purposes' Section XII. In the opinion of the General Assembly and emergency exists; ^therefore this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its Passage. Approved APril 11' 1889' bY Janice Salmans THE COUNTY T8 Kit Carson county was organized in 1889' io g11.00, an acie for cultivated land' per u.fo.a $eZ,gZO.O0; 60 11/10 miles of ."itto"a $508,323.58; Improvements on land $9,535.00; on public lands $24,050'00; town anJ city' lots $58,745.00; public .utilities gSf,SSO.-00; Amount of Capital emploYed in manufacture $5,500.00; 1,904 Horses gia,ioz.oo; 217 Mules $?,909.00; 2,239 Cattle izs,goa.ooi 5 Sheep $8.00; 548 SYTU $f,dAz.Oo; 5? Musical instruments $940'00; i8i Clocks and watches $914'00; 743 Carriages and vehicles $?,886'00' Witfr the introduction of the horseless carriage the people of the county expressed a desiie for good roads. Six scrapers were ordered to be distributed, to the different from a portion of the eastern end of Elbert Couttty. The county is rectangular in-outline road districts' The road fund was $43'11, ;;h;"i fund $48.00, ordinarv countv fund from north to south. ihe first county officers were appointed by by Janice Salmane *a it-OO miles from east to west and 36 miles the Governor of Colo., Job A' CooPer, throueh the influence of the Populist paper publis'hed by J.F' Murray, in Burlington' the ii*o.t all the appointees were people in the Co.l. atea, which rightfully infuriated towns in the western part of the county-' were: Judge, John Rose; Clerl(, James,rnesu; Tres. M.R-. McCauley; Assessor, A'N' Corliss; Sheriff, Jos. Smith; Supt. of Schools, II'E' Carmicheal Surveyor, Wm. Hollowell; Coroner, M.E. Cook; Commissioners, Jeremiah Lee, R.G. Campbell and Alfred Wallett' In f89b. to serve in 1900-1901: James T' Jones, Burt Ragan, J.W. Penfold, L.J' Neff, B'D' Rogers, G.H. Hobart, (there was no coroner elelted after M.E. Cook left until Dr' Blumberg was elected in 1904), C.L. Chase, N'H' Fuller, and W.G. Hargis. Elected in 1902, Judge, T.G' Price; Clerk, Wyatt Boger; Tres.' W.P. Flaming; Assesso-r, Shet-a.t Yale; Surveyor, Wm' M. Hollowell; Supt. of Schools, John F. Stott; Comm', E'T' Epperson, C.G. Burr and W.H. Hargis' There **. tto election in 1903. Officers held over until after the 1904 election. 1904: Walter Gliaster, Geo. O. Gates, Fred Flexar, James Knapp, Wm. Smith, Wm. Hollowell, Etta noee.s, lst Dist. - Conrad Gephart, 3rd Dist' - C.W- Huntley, 2nd Dist. - G'G' Burr was elected, Coroner, Dr. A.M. Blumberg' In 1906. elected commissioners for the lst and 3rd Districts were Huntley and Gephart' IIOMESTEAD PUBLICATION $594.00. Tlo dtrm*eir ar it{. ntrrm. RELINOUISHMENT. COUNTY ELECTIONST9 ,/ tr,,4 -t r-,;t /" x 4/"*t *Le .A 2 rik r,fr. t^a\ ,/,--' ;, -a a a. /"/L-t-a-tt -.,/ Most of the appointed officers were det'eata few montis later in the Nov' election' "d E.G. Davis and D.S' Harris were the exceptions. Burlington was designated as the county seat. l;,,,iL'V First Commissioners District, Burlington; . '4t-,t. .:,....-:.-....,..........,...,..,-....-.,I". Second Commissioners District, Stratton; Third Commissioners District, Flagler' Appointments were: April 1889: Co' Judg-e' p".f!-fittg; Co. Clerk and Recordet, E'y' M.Ctittit;'bo. Treasurer, H'F': N99]; .C-9' l..e.to., n.a,. Vanderpool; Co' Sheriff, A'N' Wilcox; Co. Sup't of Schools, D'S' Harris;.Co' Surveyor, Wm. Hollowell; Co' Commission- ers, Elias G. Davis, L.B. Deckjr, Jacob Brammeier. Elected: Nov' 1889: Co' Judge' F.g. Coat-*; Co. Clerk and Recorder, Dan t<auaoarlgtt; Co. Treasurer, George B.e3tiCo' e..u.tot,-O.9. McDonald; Co' Sheriff, Sam S"ia"h*; Co. Sup't of Schools, D'S' Harris; Co.- Co*-i.sioneis, E.W' Morgan; E'G' Davis; D.C. Walton. One commissioner was elected in one and two in the next election' election - Thu tt"* officials were given new offices in the west rooms of the Bank of Burlington' *tti.tt *". erected by the Townsite Co' in iA8S, tttu first building on the present site of Burlington, as there was no court house yet' The county commissioners held their first meeting in May, 1889 and the records show the foll-owing business transacted: "Official bonds of all county officers were approved. The seal ofKit Carson was approvfn" Hquor fee was fixed at $300'00 per Relinquishment form from a general land office' Disbursement of county funds, 1889-1896' Elected Nov., 1891: Judge, P'B' Godsman; Clerk, R.B. Campbell; Treasurer, John uor- ti.t, 1i.."..ot, C.W. Milleson; Sheriff, Mike Supt. of Schools, J'W'-Aug-u*ine; ftieeins; -Co"rimi=sioners, D.C. Walton, C'R' McCabe' n* Jones- Elected 1893: Wm' H' Long' "tta Ci. f"t.itt, B.F. Kaiser, J'S' Casey, Sam Porter, Wm. Burnett, E.E' Brown, !'i'G' -O"ui.,'and ;;"; W.H. Lavington' The commiselected in 1895 wJre: E'G' Davis, E'E' The following is a copy of a homestead entry publication: Notice of Publication Department of the Interior; U'S' Land Office, Hugo, Colorado, October 23, l9L2 -- Notice i-s hereby given that Harvey N' Jensen of Bethune Colorado, who on May 27, 190? made Homestead Entry ?125 Serial No' 052?9 for W%NE%, SE%NE% Section 11, �;;;;;d;; ;;-d;;;;fi hi; ." "",tr,"i quarter section under the Homestead law. This gave many of the settlers three quarter sections or 480 acres. A large part of the people who proved up on their claims borrow- ed the money on their farms from loan companies who were making loans of gl00 to $500 on quarter sections. They, then, left and turned the farms over to the lenders. Practically all of these loan companies failed in 1898 and 1894. The first rush of settlers began to quiet, when an extreme drought drove out all Homestead Entry dated May 22, 1899, signed by President William McKinley for Charley J. Farr. but the hardiest and left the countv thinlv settled. Small ranchers were running-from bb to 100 head of cattle on ranches from three to seven miles apart. To the old timers, this seems to have been the most prosperous and successful era in the history of the county as everyone was fairly well to do and debts were small. This situation continued until about 1905, when a second rush ofland buyers from Iowa, Eastern Kansas and Eastern Nebraska began to buy up all the lands which were being placed on the market at low prices. From this time on land prices began to rise, with occasional periods of recession, until at the height of the land boom, 987.50 an acre was paid for Kit Carson County lands. Wheat SW%NW% Sec. 12, Twp. 8, S-R45 west of the 6th Principle Meridian, and on July 14, 1908 made additional Homestead Entry No. 98471 for SW%NW7a Sec. 12. E1/zNWVt Sec. 11, SW% SEtl Sec. 2, Twp 8S-R 45 west of the 6th Principle Meridian has filed Notice of Intention to make final five and three year proof, to establish the claim of land above described before the County Judge in and for the Kit Carson County, Colorado at Bur- lington, Colorado on December 3, 1912. Claimant names as witnesses: George Powers, Hans P. Jensen, C.E. Mills, all of Bethune, Colorado. P.O. Hedlund, Register Late comers also purchased a relinquishment from a homesteader, which gave them the privilege of finishing the terms of the homestead. Perhaps the relinquishment was filed with the land office and a new homestead entry made. crops were good and every available acre that could be planted was plowed up and seeded. Tractor machinery was introduced and as large acreages could be easily handled, it seemed that there was no limit that could be taken from the fields. Large schools, and other public improvements were saddled on the communities and valuations were raised all over the county and when drought and by Henry Y. Hoskin wind erosion struck, and the wheat crops PRE.EMPTION failed to come in, farmers found themselves unable to meet the high taxes. The land boom Trl had ruined the countv. The Pre-emption law allowed a settler to live on the land six months then "prove up" Timbe-Critlc Cedificate Na l. 1. ,1 . . APPL'CAT|0N .t / )'I I ... .. 1. , by Jan Salmans THg UNITIID STATES OF A}IERICA, ' 8811i.fmg Tkft las lr.n &psikal ir th ourlxur rArr orrrrcli uf lh uilitr{r srar* x (irrr!:ri or rn, tr0jMm .t lrt L.s &oc - --1. L '. sha-b\ ,, .,rpr,. rr,..,. ja,,.l.u,r ,.* .\, ,;,,*.;;:,., ;.;;;; {r(lrn. liia,ril ,un.14.$ia."Toen*lragtlheOrow..hoi Tim.@ronlhclilqeiernprqirLes.,,itorlrln,rzt'-1 , t.;, . r' ili r]rrodi tjr.r lotl itr 3firct or ir.:iid r,,jrn. {ir.!rd ,^;;1,;:;-V!::, "^u it . ,,, ,a - , }:,';""i1]-.T ,.1L , ,, ,,,, hnrcut..dllr'Nr.r!,tlEs,nrIrotft.ardrhseliftt.c!r\r0r,Ln!,orrllt,!eb.r.0rt";;.,"",, !S*d. GtvENrrn.rsytirn.dlh.tr.'r,\r'^sd'rcr.r.tt.cl.:.-...:::.,...,t",.ri)*v,r,ndt,,.,hrh.t;;!f.urrrd,eftnil{F,l tri..ru!dfed,.,--7r,.1-. ,'rt ,retdS.Jrt+hbMdlt.lliilSrNl*ilja.!.tr"l"a*t,tlitx!<:... ]hr'D|!!'1,o\1.l.'..'.-.],..,{/0,'.a'i.'-,.a, ,.,-..,6"4-.L ,. ,u. j,, p,...Jt- / ./- ,y''/,'^.^ t /.. homestead guides. For a fee they would show where a homestead could be located. I will quote from parts of the pamphlet. "Citizenship: When an entry of any kind is to be made, evidence of citizenship will be required. If the applicant is native born, his own affidavit of that will be sufficient. But if he is not born in the United States. in addition to his own affidavit, he must furnish a copy of his declaration of intention to become a citizen or his certificate of full citizenship. Land can be purchased at Public sale or under the Timber and Stone Land Act. entered with script of any kind, or final proof can be made on a pre-emption or homestead can be commuted by an alien who has declared his intention to become a citizen: but he must have taken out his full citizenship papers before he can make final proof on a homestead or desert land entry." "Reservoirs and Ditches: Under the act of March 31, 1891, any person or company could locate a reservoir or ditches on public lands for the purpose of irrigation and could obtain a right to the snme, and 50 feet each side thereof that could not be disturbed by any person afterwards." there were vacant public lands within three miles of such city or town, an entry of 160 acres or less, could be made for park, cemetery or other public purposes." "Timber Claims: A person living on and improving a homestead or p.e-empiion, may cut so much timber as is necessary to make his improvements. If there is more timber on ements, he may sell the surplus." "l''*' :l "-":l:"1"*'*l To ha\,. arC io hojd n( sil ber 4i tud, !* ,*rr*o"q ,rlroru*t ,. i;.{',*."'..jtit. The following was taken from a pamphlet from Daniel Witter and Co.. who were land cleared in good faith for cultivation, than is necessary to make such improv- rt uf ritj\ehlr, LrxD ofncE rt [. iLnrrr.,r (iri.'rtu$ IUIOU ga, Ttdl ir.r. ij. rl.rtr€- !.rnr.il,! 0f Unitcd g!a!e3 ur. u* unknown, "Incorporated Cities and Towns: Where ilo all to mhon thsr gr.6rn15 shrll (omr, (6rcc.lin!: .t r!16r&rg Typical home on the prairie. The family is -. ... '",.):",,. ;.1t. "_-,.-,, " Tree Culture Claim Certificate for William P. Davis signed by President Theodore Roosevelt on the Thirtieth day of Decernber 1901. "Unsurveyed Lands: Such lands could be secured by settlement under the pre-emption or the homestead law, by entry under the desert lands act, or by location with some high priced land script. Settlers on unsurveyed lands must file on such or enter the tract within three months after plat of the survey had been filed in the land office." "Expired Entries: Homestead entries would expire by limitation in seven years after date of entry. As a rule, soon after an entry expired the claimant was notified to show cause why it shouldn't be cancelled, and if he failed to respond, it would be reported to the general land office, for cancellation and in due time be cancelled." �ryrdfJ darlE Drlrurr Lry Juslrce oI reace J.I . The first homesteaders were: Henry P. Oats, Lots L,3,4,5, and 6 of Sec. L-6-44, McCrillis, puncher; Warren J. Adams, Lot 2 of Sec. l-6-44, McCrillis, puncher; Edwin McCrillis. SW% lL-6-44, Feb. 13, 1884; Nathanial McCrillis, part of Sec. 33-6-44, Oct.25,1884; James M. Wyman, Lot 3 of Sec. 2-6-45,Bar T puncher; Mellan G. Jordan, SE SE 3-6-45, and NW SW 3-6-45, Bar T, puncher; John A. Brent, Jan. 3, 1882; Woodard, land in 23-6-46, Aprll 22, 1883, Tuttle Ranch; Riley land in Sec. 33-6-46, Jan. 16, 1882, Tuttle Ranch. The first to file on a homestead within the present limits of Kit Carson Co. were: 1. Jo Miskelly, Iand in 3-9-50, Mar. 21, 1885' Crystal Springs,2. William Matthias,3. Dick Moore, 4. Simmon Rumming, Homestead No. 15, Penelope Burr (Gordon Burr's mother,) on the Rep. river near Tuttle. Vona was settled by Perl King and E.H. Haynes, then came the Howell's, Ferris' and the Linford families. N. of Stratton were the E.G. Davis, Pugh, and W.A. Richards families. The Tuttle Ranch, established about 1876, by Dr. Tuttle of Denver, was sold to J. Austin. Dr. Tuttle was a surgeon in the confederate Army. He never lived on the ranch. J. Austin sold the upper ranch to J.J. Pugh' The lower ranch - 6 mi. down the Rep. river was sold to Harry Cox of Colo. Springs, whose mother though blind operated a hotel in Colo. Spgs. The blind Mrs. Cox when visiting the ranch gave it the sobriquet of 'Rock Haven'. She "saw" the ranch through feeling the side of the bluff with her fingers, - the rocky ledge of the bluff on the N. suggesting Rock Haven to her sensitive hands. Each week in the early '90's there were items published in the Burlington papers about the visitors and events at Rock Haven and another column from Tuttle P.O. J.W. Austin's daughter married Burt Ragan, who at that time and over a period of years was foreman for the Sherrer owned Bar T (-T) Ranch. In 1879 E.W. McCrillis obtained what is known as Spring Valley Ranch, from the fur trappers (Reecks Bros.)' The fur trappers owned "squatters" rights to that area. They had built a cozy log cabin, burned down by Indians in 1878. and rebuilt' FIRSTS OF THE COUNTY Keller. May 27, 1889 Elmer Castor and MarY - Wellis, Burlington M.E. E. Rice by Rev. J.N. Church Casper F. Fetters and June 5, 1889 - by Justice of Peace J.F. Jerusha Ann Fetters Fetters Charles W. Bennett and Aug. 19, 1889 - by Rev. J.N. Wellis Carrie B. Kimball Paul B. Godsman and Sept. 4, 1889 - Rev. Mead. Charlotte Rose by Anderson J. Pugh and Sept. 25, 1889 Marie E. Shumanand Sept. 26, 1889 - Edward W. Cain Belle V. Kyle. Long and Etta Dec. 22, 1889 - William Van Horn. by Janice Salmane Answer from the Dept. of the Interior, Dec. 9, 1916. iiI i rl,:,, ,if'rlll FINAL HOMESTEAD PROCESS T14 t tn-o.Ilr- l..,nt, rOel io lf, [f'',,,crl- \; ) ( " *'J^ 15 ,-'-,"q '!. 1', t\ \r,,r- \,*4 , ,- o,1t S'*l rr I I y. . \ t ,!-,cr-,.-^ i,s lf-c lJf r.al 4 ,{ i ..f i-lr9 * l/ -56 .' i^.\ "'lf.{r,-\ o'^ '';'\yn')'l -17/3 '" .' .-o : r'f o. a I ')'b t' / . '! 1''-.r- ,Jo J,,. a. .frr & ,'-l ,* ,-oLtt.l c,r-,,-d {a La...r.r.-. i \ -r1.,,-, '\- o\!, t,, t ^ 'do t )Y o" ,\^.rr,,r (r-,-. r.{ .,n,1 rtn! 'i-rr. -.rr.irtr ,-, u .-., t ]'^ o (( ,url'["*l;, ' ,,,' , 1 .io d^--*rAo Oa;^rVo^zt, i *-[,{^J ?O,.tn-oJl 'S"q io**, 'r; .r !,t.,,* ln ,t{r-,"ao Y VX. C. C tn^Y, '\-I .nlto^ 0,,{n. \*w,-.-"-:'.t 4 .(.yyr.,c'^tt\,'\'lrl. 1r b1^,. ,rrr,'l* , \ .' ..i,i',.r. .a..a- . ',ii:l.."l .i ,:r.l:rr'i":.:;Illlli Notice of hearing of final proof of homestead. 'E$*!l'1*','*:-' ' b4 R lie EI PT "! $,a:iit:rT4rl *,'"",., d&r' 4 :drA ' .uu^@, [":M,e;d'z'.a-q. Correspondence to apply for a land claim. T13 by Flo McConnell First child born, Mabel Parks at Walter, 1885. First boy born, Leon Lavington at Flagler, 1888. First doctor in county was Dr. Hoyt, 1886. First town in the county was Burlington, 1886. First school was in Burlington, December 26, 1886. First country school was located south of Burlington 3 miles. First marriages recorded at the Court House Mav 16. 1889 - Owen W. Small and Final three year homestead proof, Dec. 28, 1916. �@l1r l,{nilel $lntrr uf Anrpriru, O! rll h !ilpn rt.@ ,nfult{ ,h hd oil- il The ballot case for the county seat election ,hdll ilu,., 6rdh, in Precinct 12, (Beloit) in Kit Carson Cou"ty, Nov. 5, 1889: Claremont received f2 votes Hu8o, Colorado, Ith.l l!, 11.rk .".,h rest hdf of .j6ciio! t*6Dty_four in Toinshll orolon so!rh of tanfle fifty v.st of ibe Sixth kinoipai |:eridie, :olor,:Co, cort ,iDin,j three hDdred ttr6nty !cres, and Burlington received 18. county seat was located in Burlington .byThe election: Burlington 4b1 votes; Claredoni 170 votes. The Burlington Boornerang was selected as-the-official paper May 2, lggg; Assessed valuation of the county in iSSg was $440,482.00. ' ::' ' iroodro{ ]!tsoh COURT HOUSE BURNS :iytNItt{ ;;, ; "") . ; .,,) 1, o,_ . . ;, .) ,, o,. r' ",,,l./1 '2,, -J:!/ti.Ji.'t.,r., ,,.,,,,,..,.",,,",.,...:ril,i,l ", "..: "":",,,, the old settlers. In.the County Sheriffs office and that of the Assessor but little if anything r", ."*a. Fortunately the tax booke for ttr-e year 1SOZ were not in the Assessor's office. In the County Commissioners'room little of anything was saved. County Recorder, Q9o.-G.- Gates, fortunately had Lort, if all of the important records, either'in lhe "oj Woodrow Wilson, June 6. 1g1?. Tf b being adjoining the County Judges i; fare4 far worse as the Clerli Wyatl noger "fd;,wa; "private unable to enter his office to save the vault or in the large safe, and while the sJe is warped with the intense heat, it is hoped that the records will be .""ur"d. Thu lu;;; court room upstairs with all its contents wis doomed to destruction, not a thing could be land deed for Ethel M. Clark signed by president VOTING ON THE NEW COUNTY SEAT of his big safe. The office of the District Courl be. hard to duplicate. The valuable County School records were almost entirely med and the early history of the schools "orrarr"_ in this county will largely exist in the minds of T16 :;,:,,",):,: demon fire and black pall of smoke stifled and strangled the rescuers to such an exteni that they were compelled to leave the room but not until Mr. Price cooly locked the doors and court records unless the safe snouta prove resistant to the fearful heat. Mr. Boger lost sonre valuable private records wtrich iiil ,""^ii"lJl:;iJiirl::;:::r"J:"fl1;,,ti;t"1ill::.:1ll::,:lt';t,i;l;.:1.,,,:.1t;til.,lti::;l:::t.,1 j.;:,,, ,i 1,..;;;l; ,i:;:. " , ,...,,.,, ,, ,t. .;,, ;.. ,;;.;, ; ;; :;.-.:;,,1. ti 1j"i:li,tl. 'lt:. :. .,:ilr, l :; three men were in the office passing out such movables as was possible to get ouI until ihe Kit Car.son County Court _ Built in 190g, 'lne orrgrnal structure was House destroyed by fire. saved. A handsome piano which naa U"en i" use in that room for public gatherings was destroyed. The court house was a frnme building and was built by subscription,Ee Rock Island Railroad Leing one of ' ;h; heaviest contributors, .o-e 6ight""n y;; ago. In fifty minutes the flames that lit up the surrounding country with lurid light; had destroyed this ancient landmark. Fortuna_ tely,,the building was insured for about two_ thirds of its value. From such .ecords as we could get, it is learned that there was in the neiglborhood of $2,500.00, insurance on the Duudrng and contents. There was little doubt that the structure could have been saved with its contents ifthe city had possessed even a moderate sized water system. Original Kit Carson County Court Houee burned Two men were arrested Sunday night as Dec. 23, 1907. "The voters of Kit Carson County are to Rebuilding of the courthouse after the fire. Boger house and barn in background. will locate the permanent county seat ai Burlington or to remove it to Chr;mont." If the county seat was to be moved the o'clock, the startling cry of fire, fire, was decide on November 5, 1889, whether thev county would have to cover the cost of moving the records, and furniture which would cosl flom 9200 to $300 at the least. Then the first thing to be done would be to build or rent offices for the next two vears. Claremont claimed it had $2,000 in securities deposited with the Columbia Banking 9o.pqry for the purpose of building house for the use of the countv. " "ouri Burlington submitted house erect_ "o.rri ed on Block 44 consisting " of 40Xb0 ft. in size with22 ft. posts, seven finished offices on the lower floor to be occupied by the county o{{c9r9, a large 36Xx40 ft. court ,oo-, t*l adjoining jury rooms, (4'X16') on the second floor. Said building was to be constructed at a cost of $4,500 and deeded to the countv at a cost of One Dollar ($1.00). The deed was deposited inescrow, with the county commis_ sioners, to be placed on record after the election. On Saturday night shortly after seven heard and echoed from street to street and house to house; soon the bell of the Montezu_ qa HoteJ began to clang, arousing the whole city to the knowledge that a disistrous fire was in progress. Great throngs of people began to rush to the scene of tf,e conilagra_ tion and the word was passed the cotinty court house was on fire, Those persons who had been at the fire at its incipiency stated that the blaze appeared to be located under the floor of the office occupied by County Judge Glaister. How the fire could have start€d in that part of the building is a mystery as the Judge left town Saturday night for his place of business at Seibert and so far as known no one had been at.the office during the day. The writer (of th1. lytp"per article, a Burlington paper, dated Friday, Dec. 2g, 1g0Z) arrived on'the scene just as the fire came bursting out t!ryugh, the window of the Judge's piivate office. County Treasurer price with i*o o. suspicious characters and placed in ttrelait as there is little doubt that the fire was of an incendiary character. Our County Commissioners should at once arrange to build a Court House commensu_ rate with the present condition ofthis countv. It should be built ofbrick not to cost less tha'n sixty thousand dollars. The population and wealth which has been and is pouring into this county will fairly justify the-expeniiture tor a commodious and up to date court house that will be a credit to our county and our city. by Janice Salmans NEW COURT HOUSE 1950 Tt7 Carson County has a new court house! _,Kit lnls, oI course, rs not a startling announce_ ment at this time when the new building has been in use for some months. In factl the move from the old to the new building has �and Harley Rhoades of Burlington. Abstracts of assessment since then show a building fund levy of 1.0 mill was made in 1945, 1.5 mills in L945,47 and 48, 2.0 mills in 1949 and 50 and 1.874 mills in 1951. The architect, Chas. A. Kellogg of Denver was instructed to begin work on building plans early in 1949, and construction got under way the following summer. The com- missioners served as general contractors and took bids on such work as electrical, plumb- ing and heating, cement, and installing the elevator. Wm. McKinley of Burlington served as supervisor and Elmer Kerl of Vona served as foleman. The final cost exceeded the original figure due to the increase in cost of the steel strike which occurred after the construction had begun' The total cost of the new court house has been broken down by the commissioners: Wages, $?9,631.13; Materials and freight, $78,606.12; Architect's fee, $3,835.00; Electrical contract' $6'689'48; Plumbing and heating contract, $11'787'88; Elevator contract, $9,850'00; with the total cost being $190'399.61. Kit Carson County's Court House, above photo shows east entrance' been so gradual during the past three yerrs' that it has almost escaped formal notice' The new cornerstone reads that the building was reconstructed in 1950, but construction was not completed until the spring of 1952' The new building is a four story structure, finished in Carnegie marble veneer' It is situated in the center ofthe block, two blocks west of Main Street in Burlington' It's total cost of $190,000.00 has all been paid by small mill levies during the past several years' In fact. since there is about $10,000 remaining in tire building fund, no further levy will be necessary. Commissioners Reuben Anderson, (Burlington)' Ernest McArthur (Stratton) and Earl Boren (Seibert). The idea of establishing a "building fund" which would be built up for several years to finance the conversion of the new building came from the commissioners in office in 1945. They were the late George Baxter of Flagler; the late Tom Kennedy of Stratton Officials and employees carried on their work many times under very trying conditions. A public meeting room is a feature of the building. It is Iocated on the first floor and is available for all types of public meetings' Also on the first floor are the offices of the County Superintendent and the Assessor, the welfare office, and the furnace room. Formerly it was necessary to house the welfare office in another building. On the second floor are the offices of the County Clerk, the County Treasurer' the County Commissioners and the County Aeent. Law enforcement and judicial offices ar-e grouped on the third floor. These are offic-es of the Sheriff and the County Judge, the jury room and the District Clerk's office. On tite fourth floor are the county jail and modern, complete living quarters for the iailer. There is also additional storage space on the fourth floor. Formerly the jail was housed in a separate building on the court house grounds. Sam Travis, CountY Treasurer, 1956 County Treasurer's office. �recovered Bar T cattle. When we set the old chuck wagon down and the remuda of mustangs were settled to grazing nearby, the boys had to fan out and work for miles around bringing the cattle in. When the Rock Island Railroad was built we tried pretty hard to keep our cattle north of it but we still had round ups, but smaller ones. District Court room; adjoining are Judge's chambers and jury room. COUNTY SHERIFFS T18 there were instances that a buffalo cow mated to one of the Bar T bulls it was known. and while this would probably have been born A listing of the County Sheriffs as known: 1884-1888, A.N. Wilcox; 1889-1890, Sam Beidelman; 1891-1899, unknown; 1899-1900, B.D. Roger; 11901-1902, Frank Fleming; 1903-1908, James Knapp; 1909-1917, un- known; 1917-1918, E.E. Hoskin; 1919-1923, R. Lee Worley; 1923-1928, John G. Davis; 1929-1930, Walt H. Conarty; 1931-1932, Hugh Baker; 1933-1936, C.C. Gates; 19371947, Ray W. Plummer;1947-L955, Oliver C. Dunlap; 1955-1963, E.B. Ormsbee, (1st 4 year term); 1963-1967, Ed Mills; 1967-1971, Jack Heid; 1971-1984, George R. Hubbard; 1984 Sharon Heinz. and would have lived it would have been a hybrid like the mule and would not have reproduced. In a few years the buffalo entirely disappeared for there were those that would try so hard to get one. For years we had to go to Benkelman, Nebraska, for supplies and a four horse team made this trip late in the fall for we did not like to have to go during the winter if we could get by without it. We had to have round ups too, for it just had to be done to collect our cattle. We went as far south as the Arkansas River and still Then, when the homesteaders started coming in 1866, we had to keep them even closer and watch them better. We also started to put up hay for winter feed for the first time and by 1898 we had cut down cattle numbers so much that we only had 2,500 left. Then a little later we fenced in what we claimed as our ranch and we kept this grass to grow over the summer and would put out cattle inside this fence during the winter, and we just had 1,000 cattle left. We fed them hay during the winter too in this pasture. Then the homesteaders started coming on our property and filing claims and we started having trouble with them. There was a Mr. Munsinger who was locating most of them and he would come right in and lay out a claim. My father had filed on a homestead also that lay just south of the old Fleer place. Mr. Minsinger located a homesteader on this land and started to put a fence around it. There was trouble and Mr. Munsinger shot and killed our ranch foreman, Mr. Allen. Cattle were not worth very much. In 1912 we just got $3.50 for good steers. Shortly afte' 1880 we had taken out water rights on the river. The old Tuttle Ranch, 12 miles up the river, was our closest neighbor. Then later on there was the Pugh, Davis and Pugh ranches and a Harry Cox bought part of the Tuttle Spread, and Burt Ragan took a homestead close to our ranch house but he was working for us. Bill Mace took a homestead just north of Mr. Ragan. ll t6'/67a THE BAR T STORY T19 \n 1872, my father, Jacob Scherrer, and Tom Ireland teamed up to form the Republican Cattle Company and the ranch carried the name of the Bar T. This nnme came about as a result of the brand they used which was a bar over a letter "T", put on the left hip. Indians were seen often and while they had just recently been hostile there were no incidents of a serious nature. There were plenty of guns and ammunition at the ranch but there was never an attack. The Indians etole some things but nothing was done about it. They also stole a cow or steer once in awhile and it was thought these were eaten and, as cattle were cheap and the ranch had lots of them, it would have been foolish to have made an incident of such a small thing as losing a few cattle. To my knowledge there was never a band of cattle or horses driven away. If there was it would have been just small groups. It was better to get along with the Indians if you could. Buffalo were here yet, too, in 1872 but not in numbers that hindered with cattle raising. They were scattered in small bunches and on the few occasions that a cow became mated to a buffalo bull, the cow died in calving. If n7 t.l J++,^., t u4t r+n /Iv./fl.lJ,ltllnill.ltl.tn0tl// '3( edfr"^-r L vdr "-4flttlttl,lt\lfttJ Al A u^/L'N'lliftf-fN &rt{.ta $' 7 c, nnnll ,/ &,6a j 71ry *TT1 ii I j t. &3 rii lr rl I Record taken from Burt Ragan's account ledger, accounting of cattle delivered to O.P. Hughes. HT rc,-t �ri? le &o bA/. ,r_"2 utq"a*, %),!,t rl, ,,4,^zV,, l^bu ur,.,'9,1 l, | fuu Nql t, ,, to&iullt*'at ', /,fi't he camped out under the stars on ground that he was later to own. He got a job on the Bar 4w{n T Ranch working for the Republican Cattle Co. His job was to help fix fences, haul supplies or any other job that happened to ''f'E:, )l come along. He went on many a long cattle drive and round up. He helped in the driving ti of the Texas Cattle that the Republican Cattle Co. had shipped as far as Lamar. He also saw buffalo at different times. After working there for five years, he became the manager. He was for making more pay, so he started to put together a small herd of cattle for himself. He also took a homestead close by and proved up on it while working at the Bar T. In those early days as a cowboy he did not have many clothes nor did he need many. A couple of pair of pants, two shirts, boots, a good hat and a blanket was about all he ar ,4It.l ..r,,t, .:i \*r 'u {./., L' ,t., "i "t ,,eA ),,J r'.ri L ({ 'c,u cqc'- .'Ed 7 possessed. But they had good times in those days anyway. Dancing was the main amusement. There always seemed to be a good fiddler ':41t'r. I lna , U-z€ /tt *1 or two at the Bar T. Whenever they could, a good crowd would gather for a night of ,:,ttft'r, t0 il, '.. :)i.t ' enjoyment. He would never forget the big round ups. The dust was terrible and they were bothered so much with flies and sand gnats. The last big round up on the range in this part of the 8,6 b,0 , aa country was in 1888. Fred Bauder $20 per month, 1899 water. It swallowed them up. There were lots of rattlesnakes and coyotes, but the prairie dogs came in greater numbers after the settlers came in. J.G. Scherrer Denver, Colorado April 26, In 1911 the Kit Carson Land Company was med and they moved in lots of people ;ween the river and Burlington and anothplace that they settled in numbers was of rn on what they called the Idalia These people on the Idalia Flats had ir success with wheat. We were bottled up. 1957 Burt Ragan was born on March 31, 1868, at Lancaster, Iowa. He came west to western Kansas sin 1885. The next year he decided to come to Colorado, so he walked. He was then eighteen years old. His first night in Colorado big cattle days were over. We had lost lots them in a blizzard in 1905 when thev rifted over the river bank after it was filled with snow and they perished in the snow and Burt was well acquainted with Dr. Tuttle, who owned the Tuttle Ranch, and who was formerly a surgeon in the Confederate Army and was then living at Littleton, Colorado. He also knew the rancher and cattleman George Benkelman, Sr., who had cattle all up and down the Republican River. He later founded the Colorado Packing Company in Denver. He also knew Ed McCrillis who later built the "Sears" Hotel in Denver. He also knew Ed McCrillis who later became the Cattle Brand Inspector of Colorado. McCrillis at that time was connected with the Spring Valley Ranch. by Myra L. Davis t3 /1-t-<.LA-L 'i | )t y',t- , g '6 r0 E'^/A- Q r;- J./u''ar.\-/htl m At t (,, I W Eu I 1' tt'1 / D t\o I I Expenses for moving cattle tt tt pf^"11*' ,t q.nt ar:w1,. ,, *oa-ctD ^"^r.A r-(p+1 /7o1'^ / ,r '1,/ Kit Cargon County Memorial Hospital, 1950s. �Orderlies: Emergency Medical Trainees: Scott Beethe, Rnmon Cortinas, Glen Grotegeers and JFmes Timme and John Wilson. CRT. Ward clerks: Dorendo Harrel. Melanie 9eelhoof and Marjorie Sloan. Dietary: Wave McNeill, Pauline Hayden, Leola Isom, Sandra Webb, Loraine Wood and Hilda Zeigler. I,,aboratory: and X-Ray: James Jordan, ASCP; Joanne Jones and Bruce Gross. Central supply: Ardith Gulden, LpN; Iona McBlfresh and Martha Carter. Housekeeping: Anita Sandoval, Esther Perez, Marla Trevino and Maxine White. Consulting Pharmacist: Linda Hayden. Respiratory Therapy: Carl Curtis, AART. Five personnel serving on the staff for 2b years were honored at a service and presented a brick from the original hospitaf with the words engraved on them "For 2b years of Community Service, 1948-1gZB." PIONEER LIFE ON THE PRAIRIE B_ar T cowboys ready to start-roundup, carnping on the weet side of 14th St. at the north end. L. to R.; Mac Bevier, Frank Mann, unknown, chris stahlecker, b unknown, Burt Ragan, Fred Bauder. KIT CARSON COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL T20 The Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital opened its doors on June 23, L948. Construc- tion on the facility was start€d Feb. 1947, with W.M. McKinley (Supt. of Schools), accepting the responsibility of the general contractor. The project was sponsored by the Burlington Rotary Club. The hospital was built with funds received only from contributions and donations. Allotment of federal funds were held up by delays, red tape and tough breaks. Eventually the hospital board decided to build with only local funds. Donations cnme in as cash, from a few dollars to several hundred. from donated labor, from a "lO-acre wheat club" (which farmers organized and contributed all proceeds from 10 acres oftheir crop, with the rest being piled on the ground at the site of the now occupied Medical Clinic.). On hand with "the first load of bricks" so to speak, was J.S. (Steve) Rockwell, who resigned his position as county treasurer to ffrsume responsibilities as hospital adminis- trator. Rockwell and the board accumulated a surplus of approximately 9150,000 during his first 20 years to help with the construction of the new wing of the hospital, which had open house festivities Sunday, April 21, 1968. Guy Ancell was contractor for the new south wing project, which he operated on a cost-plus basis, which saved the county an estimated $50,000. This increased the 32 bed hospital to 45 beds. In addition all facilities were improved or new ones added. The staff of 44 persons represented one of the larger payrolls in the county. Cost of the new wing and improved facilities was about $350,000. Landscaping of the original grounds was a project of the Burlington Garden Club with the committee of Mrs. W.W. McKinley and Mrs. Arthur Wilson heading the effort. Another help team of the hospital has been the Hospital Auxiliary, composed of commu- nity volunteers, who met each first Mondav of the month to mend, and sew various garments and hospital supplies. Anna Buol was a charter member and first president of the auxiliary which began with seven members: Mrs. J.C. Coleman, Vice-Pres.; Mrs. C.D. Reed, Sec.-Treas; Mrs. John Revert, Mrs. Lyle James, Mrs. Alice Travis, Shannon and Alice Adams, Superintendent of Nurses. A remodeling project of the original part of the hospital was completed for occupancy in Aug. of 1972, bringing the capacity of the hospital to 51. This included two beds for intensive and cardiac care; five for maternity patients; L0 in the skilled nursing facility and 34 medical surgical beds. Rockwell resigned as administrator in 1967, at which time he assumed responsibili- ties as purchasing agent and maintenance supt. He then joined administrator Robert H. Robb as assistant administrator. Robb joined the staff Sept., 1970, after having retired as an Army major after 20 years of service. The board members were: Harold McArthur, chairman; Leo Kindsvater, vice chairman; Russ Wilcox, Sec.; and members; Dale Har- grove, Seibert; Louis Pickard, Vona; Max Toland, Stratton; and David Rowland, Flagler. Personnel consisted of 70 persons. Administration: Robb, Administrator, Rockwell, Agent, Assnt. Adminis. Business office: Thelma Mayhan, Thelma Rockwell, Virginia Williams, Bernice Rudnick and Theresa Knapp. Medical records: Eileen Stewart, Art; and Patricia Stewart. Nursing Staff: registered nurses: Dorothy Crow, director; Iva Crist, Doris Crouse, Debbie Cure, Ruth Haugey, Patricia Herrmann, Dorothea Homm, Dora Knapp, Carol McCulloch, Virginia Peterson, Nancy Roark, Hazel Stahlecker and Sara Veselik. L.P.N.'s: Alice Cichanski, Mildred Hines, Norma Lindholm nd Helen Schaal. Nurses Aides: Louise Barnhart, Bessie Boyd, Dixie Burrows, Mildred Copley, Beverly Critch- field, Jean Haines, Karol Haines, Faith Hase, Joyce Knodel, Kathy Kramer, Mabel McAr- thur, Cass Minter, Vera Perkins, Betty Smith, Debbie Smith, Mardean Stewart, Elva Mae Wall, Leah Woods, Grace Wooley and Eunice Twomey. T2r Where we now live encircled with all the embellishments of modern civilized life. our intrepid forbears knew a far different type of existence. Those who blazed the trails through Eastern Colorado, endured untold hardships and privations as great as those suffered in colonizing America. Yet many of their graves are on the plains, unmarked, and the deeds of their daring unsung. _. Kit Carson County, the crossroads of many historic trails, has not one marker or monument to perpetuate the memory of those whose courage and fortitude led to the settlement of this County and helped to make this a beautiful gateway to the beauty and grandeur of the Rockies. To answer the question of who passed this way first, we would pay tribute to the Indian tribes who chased the buffalo and antelope over the plains and left the relics of their tribal lives on most every hilltop in this County. The dust storms of 1934-198b uncovered the campfire sites of these early inhabitants. Trained eyes may read the secrets of broken pottery and fragmentary implements; experienced hands may piece together the story of their tribal lives and customs; history written not in formal documents, but in the result of their occupation. Their trails have been almost obliterated by white man, and their burial grounds despoiled by the curious settlers. The bold Cheyennes, their allies, the Arapahoes, and the more hostile Kiowas. all have left traces of their nomadic life on the plains. Today we enjoy visiting the bared camp sites and find pleasurable avocation in the study of the different types of tools, and the tribe each type represents. Stone needles, grinding stones, knives, spear heads and arrow heads in abundance are to be found. Old Indian Cemetery: Eleven miles north and four west. on the bluffs of the Landsman Creek is an old Indian burial place (sec. 33-6-44). Here is an old Indian cemetery, a pyramid of stones, several feet in height, marked graves of some chieftain or warriors. This marking was despoiled, unknowingly of course, by an early homes- teader looking for stone to build a dwelling house on his homestead. The house, now long �vacant, stands as a protest to the desecration of the ancient cemeterY. An Old Legend: After the battle of Beecher Island, survivors tell us that the Indians gathered up their dead and withdrew, going in a southwesterly direction. In a direct line of their travel are very high bluffs on the Republican River, which would be their nearest watering place, and where live springs keep the water flowing at all times. On one ofthese high elevations is a circular layer of stones which is supposed to mark the tomb of the great Cheyenne warrior, Roman Nose, killed in the battle of Beecher lsland. The site corresponds to the tribal burial customs of the Cheyenne Indians. Changes in the river's course and the great floods have uncovered several skeletons from the lower bluffs where the waters have cut away what seems to have been a cave sealed in the long ago. The Mystery Grave: The former old "Tuttle Ranch" on the Republican river and Landsman Creek holds the site of what has been a legendary treasure hunt. As this land wag crossed by the old Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Trail, many interesting stories are told of events transpiring along this trail. One is told by L.N. Corliss oi St. Atbans, Vermont. "A miner who traveled this route was dying in Chicago and tried to give directions to a point on Lands- man Creek. The directions were: "Go to Landsman, follow to a spring, southeast from the spring you will find a mound. In that He died leaving the mound you will find -" rest ofthe story untold. Hundreds visited the cave expecting to find a miner's cache of gold, but only a few Indian trinkets were revealed. The Corliss family still own the old ranch, and the younger generation has often sear- ched for the "miner's gold", but without success, although some small Indian relics were uncovered. Several graves have been found and opened, but the secret lies buried. Cowboys who rode the plains with the "KP", the "Bar-T" and the "77" cattle herds tell us of many interesting incidents of the early trails and the trading posts set up enroute. At least two of these were in Kit Carson County, and another was located just over the line in Yuma County, near what is now the Newton school; another on the Arthur Pugh ranch, and a third one north of Kipling, a railway siding, and on the south side of the Republican River. This trail was still visible in 1908 when an "old timer" called my attcntion to it. The trail was also visible on the south bank of the Republican river where it crossed U.S. Highway No. 244. This trail was pointed out to me by one who freighted from Denver with an ox-team before the advent of the Rock Island Rail- road. This trail is near the old Indian caves and in the region where a wagon train of one hundred white people were attacked by the Indians. The story of this battle was published in "The Seibert Settler", a county newspaper. The writer was from Topeka, Kansas and was visiting relation living near the battle ground. There is another old trail in the vicinity of Seibert that I traveled for many miles from 1908 to 1910 when living on a homestead located on this trail. The Kit Carson Trail leads from Bent's Fort on the Arkansas River ,o trsramie Fort in Wyoming, and passed the west side of Seibert and on to the Arickaree Creek near Cope. I saw the trail over most of this territory, but today it is most obliterated by plough shares. These early trails did not stay within the scope of boundaries ofpresent highways, but varied over considerable terrain as circumstances necessitated, sometimes to avoid low marshy ground in wet weather, sometimes, if guided by scouts, to avoid hostile Indian tribes when they were on hunting trips over the plains. Occasionally there would be a variance of several miles between the trail and various detours, but Kit Carson Trail through this county is very direct. The Smoky Hill Trail followed the South Fork of the Smoky Hill river as far as Big Springs where the Kit Carson Trail crosses it, but old settlers on the North Fork of Smoky Hill river show us a distinct trail along the south bluff of Smoky Hill river just south of the First Central School, and it appears again further west until it was obliterated by cultivated fields. The trail led onward in the direction of the "KP Ranch". In road grading in the southwest part of the County, workers have uncovered skeletons along this route. Wild Horse Corral Many western Kansas pioneers chased wild horses over this atea, according to the history of many pioneers in the late 1870's. One of their traps for catching horses was Wild Horse Corral on the Landsman or Launchman, for Dutch Jake was not distinct in the pronunciation of his home's name' These wild horse hunters also found refuge in the dugouts in the bluff. One early day trapper in Colby told of being caught in several blizzards. one in Colorado. While following a stream, he saw vapor rising from the bank at the water's edge, and investigating, he and a companion found a beaver's nesting place large enough for them to crawl in to keep snug and warm. Early Trapper's Residence The Spring Valley Ranch is the site of the Reeks Brothers' log cabin home, which was burned by the Indians in 1878, but was rebuilt in 1879. These men were trappers and their home was open to some of the older roving cowboys, such as Jimmie Gray, early foreman on the Bar T Ranch before the feuds with homesteaders. In his declining years, Jimmy often spent his winters at the Reeks' cabin. Jimmy was still riding at the age of 82. The Reeks soon after rebuilding, sold their camp site to Edward McCrillis, who had a ranch on the Republican River. The Reeks brothers settled near Beecher Island and later went to Elizabeth and are buried there. Their camp site is now known as "Spring Valley Ranch". The first man known to have his home in the Burlington locality was known as "Dutch Jake" (his surname is Harbison)' a German trapper who had a camp on the creek which crossed U.S. Highway No. 24 just west of Bethune and joins the Republican River just east of State Highway No. 51, about twenty mile north of Burlington. He lived in one of the six or seven dugouts in the bluffs of "Wild Horse Canyon, Sec. 4-7-44. Other dugouts or caves were used by buffalo hunters, then later by bone haulers. These bluffs or caves are on the Landsman Creek, designated by U.S. Survey as the proper name. This creek origin dates back to the days of "Dutch Jake" who, it is said, purchased his supplies and shipped his pelts from the old "Benkelman Ranch" on the Republican River, and not far from Colorado-Kansas line. When he would visit the ranch "Old man Benkelman" would greet him with - "Wie ghets Landsman". The word "Landsman" being used in the sense of farmer, hayseed or backwoodsman. The cowboy soon began calling the creek on which he lived the "Landsman". Early Cattle Ranches: At a time when this State was full of wild adventure, a few of the more daring men with some capital assumed the risk of establishing cattle ranches where water comes to the surface and forms living springs. Three such ranches were established in the present territory of Kit Carson County. Tuttle Ranch (TT-) This ranch was owned by Dr. Tuttle of Denver and located as early as 1876. The first building was comprised of one large room built of sod with walls three feet thick to protect the inmates from Indian attacks. Many turbulent times were encountered during the years intervening between the establishing of the early ranches and the coming of the settlers in 1886. On Hell Creek north of Seibert was the scene of an Indian attack on cowboys, in which two cowboys were killed and their bodies interred near the old Kit Carson Trail. Erosion revealed the victims of this tragedy in later years, and they were reinterred on higher ground. The bunkhouses, which were the living quarters of the cowhands, were the scenes of unsavory episodes that were always common in the early days of the West. On Tuttle Ranch reposes the earthly remains of at least one cowboy killed in a bunkhouse brawl, the result of cheating at cards. Scherrer Ranch (-T) (T) The Bar T Ranch is better known to us, as our present State Senator, Burt Ragan, was a former foreman on this ranch' Like all early day ranches, it went through many phases of western history. We are told that attacks on homesteaders, in order to discourage them, were frequent. After crops were destroyed by the range cattle, ranchers often retaliated by butchering beeves; quarrels and shootings occurred, and sometimes one or two persons were killed. Such was life on the Republican River in the vicinity of homesteader Munsinger's home and the Bar T Ranch. Munsinger did not scare, so when he was warned by the Foreman Allen and a cowboy, the former was killed and the heel shot off the cowboy's boot as he scurried for his horse. Later Munsinger was killed by another homesteader who claimed self defense. Nothing was done about either case as there were sympathizers for both parties concerned. Later L.R. Baker shot and killed a prospective homesteader who was coming over the trail from Haigler, Nebraska to Burlington, and as the trail crossed the homestead rights of Baker, he objected to the trespassing. Baker was arested and hurried to the nearest in order Cheyenne Wells railway station - violence. Relays-of horses to prevent mob were arranged along the route and the trip was made with the greatest speed in order to catch the next train. But upon arrival at Cheyenne Wells, a grim and armed crowd of men took Baker from the Sheriff and hanged him to the water tower. As the train pulled into the station, a few minutes late, the place was deserted, not a human being in sight. A lone passenger, alighting from the train, both hands filled with luggage, looked askance at the deserted village. Scott Vititow, coming to �visit his brother Tom at the latter's horse ranch, was disappointed that no one wag there to greet him, but his disappointment changed to terror as he saw the gruesome sight at the water tower. The train was receding in the distance. Impossible to catch it an-d hop aboard, he wanted to get away, but how? At last a sombrero emerged over the top of a barrel, then a face, and a voice asked. "Lookin' for somebody?" Scott then explained who he was and that he had written his brother Tom to meet him. Residents of the West knew that ranchers out on round-up received mail belatedly, so Scott was loaned a horse to ride to his brother's ranch where he had a full week alone to meditate on the scene of his arrival before his brother rode in from round-up. In the same village of Cheyenne Wells was enacted another drama which again made the populace gasp in horror. In the graying dawn of early morning a drifting breeze stirred two indistinct forms suspended from the arm of the water tower that had served as a gibbet in eking out justice to L.R. Baker for the murder of McConnell. An earlyrisingwoman, emerging from her home to look after her cows, gave a sudden gasp, then with frenzied screams brought the scantily clad citizens to their windows and doorways, where their gaze was directed by the gesticulating and pain stricken woman to the lengthy forms dangling by ropes from the erstwhile gibbet. After the first shock was dispelled, citizens hurried to learn who were the victims of the latest tragedy. They found two well known villains who, by their many forays on the scant larders of the citizens, had made themselves obnoxious to the entire village two long, lank greyhounds. A vast sigh -of relief was wafted on the early morning breeze. Ho5rt was a prosperous village established by Dr, Hoyt, who was also a surveyor, trail blazer and locator. By turning up sod along the route, he marked the trail which the emigrants were to follow to this land of opportunity. Hoyt had a hardware store, two groceries, a drygoods store operated by the I,eellutchens fanily, and a hotel, opeiated by Mrs. Wivinis, mother of Mrs. Bertie Tucker, who is well remembered as a charming resident of Seibert. A little sod school house was built, and Mrs. E.P. Trull was the first teacher. Mrs. Paul B. Godsman. who was the second teacher in this school, was for many years later Principal of the Montclair school in Denver. When I came to Colorado in 1908, I was shown a trail about one and one half miles northwest of Seibert, and which was called the "Santa Fe Trail", or the trail from St. Joseph, Mo., to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I asked Mrs. Priest about this trail. and she stated that local residents knew it as the "Santa Fe Trail" and that it was used by the emigrant wagons and freighters. This trail passed along the south bank of the Republican River and on via Hugo to New Mexico. Among the emigrants of 1886-1882 were Lee Hutchens and family from Harrison County, Mo., who were among the most prominent pioneers of the later town of Seibert. Mrs. Priest also mentioned Charles and William Blake, brothers, who were early settlers, and freighted with an ox team from the town of Hoyt. She doubted if Charles Blake, who operates a small store in Seibert, would give any information about pioneer days and doings, as he had refused to talk on the subject to her or to others who were compiling historical data. However, I like adventure, so asked Mrs. Millisack to drive to the Blake store, but to keep the engine running for a quick exit in case f was to meet a reception that had been accorded others who had met with the ',old timer's" disap- proval. Although I have known Mr. Blake fbr many years, he would not acknowledge acquaintance nor give any information whatever. I tried in various ways to get some response to recall events, but had to be gratified with a smile when I spoke of a certain event of the old times. Finally, Mr. Blake curtly arose and left the storeroom bv a back door, so after visiting a few moment-s with customers, we left Seibert. _ With my companions, we journeyed to the Collins House in Stratton, where we were graciously received by our good friend, Mrs. John J. Pugh, (Mrs. Jane E. pugh) who interestingly told us about the old Tuttle ranch, their home. I further inquired about the Indian burial ground. Mrs. Pugh told that she had seen skeletons of Indians, one of a chief, evidenced by the articles included in his grave, and also the remains of a Civil War soldier, recognized by his uniform. A musket of Civil War days was uncovered in the field. Mrs. Pugh mentioned "six Mile point" as a part of the Tuttle ranch, a site that was familiar to me, as I had passed there often in visiting schools while County Superintendent. Six Mile Point is the region I recognized as the supposed resting place of Roman Nose, the Cheyenne warrior. Mrs. Pugh is a lady of charm and culture. and has a very alert mind and retentive memory. Her daughter, Leona, was born on the "Divide" on December 22, L886, at that time part of Arapahoe County, now the south edge of Yuma County. Leona was the first child born in this vicinity. After making final proof on their pre-emption claim, they homesteaded within the present boundary line of Kit Carson County, and have been Thomas County, one in Sheridan Countv. and four in Greeley County, all in Kansasi also seven met death in Wichita, two in Scoti and four in Sherman County, Kansas. At least one died in the storm in Kit Carson County. Fred Boyd, aged twenty, and Jocab Koen_ ingheim, a_ge twenty two, left Gandy, Kansas, in a one horse sleigh to go to Voltaire, a distance of six miles. Returning in the evening, they were overtaken by the storm. They stopped at a house of a Mrs. Douglas, not far from Gandy, and were urged to turn the horse loose and stay overnight. But they refused to do this, and after obtaining a lantern, proceeded on their way. They w"ere lost in the storm and their bodies found later. The horse was found frozen in a upright position where he had broken through ihe ice in a creek. The other two men wlre from Voltaire, a man named Kerns and a bov named Harper, about fourteen years of age. Kerns was from Missouri, and the boy frJm Atwood, Kansas. Three others, who left Voltaire t_he dqy before New year's to go to Colby had not been heard from, and (at"that time) fears were entertained that they too were lost. They were Bert Hendricks. Monte Brashear and John Vandeveer. (Sherman County Herald). These three men were safe. but had a gruelling experience. Bert Hendricks, my uncle, now deceased, described his experiences in this storm to me some years ago. James Priest of Seibert told of a man who was found frozen to death under his wagon in the vicinity of Hoyt. Bert Hendricks and O.H. Hendricks were early locators in the town of Siebert. Colorado. The grove oftrees north ofSeibert were planted by O.H. Hendricks. by Della Gamble Hendricks among the county's most prominent citizens. BEECHER ISLAND and Elias G. Davis were also pioneers in tlat BATTLE {llliam_nicnards (brother of Mrs. pugh) territory and prominent in the early days on the plains. Mr. Davis and Mr. Pugh came west together, lived and worked for manv years together, and both passed to the Great Beyond within a period of three months. Ed Davis, a son of E,G. Davis, possesses an heirloom mattress brought from Illinois by an early settler. The Great Blizzard, of 1886 The blizzard of January 2nd to 6th, 1g96, is still referred to as "The Great Blizzard..,, And well it may be, for in no storm of record was the loss of human life so great, or of livestock so general. Nothing comparable to it has been experienced in the history ofthe west except the storm of March 26 and 27th. 1931, the year of the "Towner Tragedy." On Saturday, January 2nd, 18g6;the first snow gtorm of the season made its appear- ance, and continued for about twentv-four hours. Some four or five inches of snow fell. and drifted badly in the accompanying heavy wind. The weather settled somewhat on Monday, and remained pleasant until Wed- nesday night, when another storm more raging than the first, began to blow. This storm was general over most of the West and great suffering was endured. Railway trains were stalled and many tragedies occurred. Four people were frozen to death in T22 There had been a raid on a freighter's train about 13 miles east of Ft. Walale, Kansas. The Battle of Beechers Island ensued. Col. George A. Forsyth led his troops ofb0 scouts in pursuit of the Indians. They saw no signs until they arrived at the Arickaree or Middle Fork of the Republican river. At this point of the river and valley there is an island-. It was here that the Indians in countless numbers rushed at the troops. Col. Forsyth ordered his troops to take refuge. Chief Roman Nose of the Cheyenne, in war paint and headdress and riding his large spotted horse, led his men in wave after wave of furious charges. The Chief and his Medicine man were finally killed. Toward evening Lieutenant Beecher received his fatal wound. After dark. two scouts: Jack Stilwell and pierre Trudeau. v_olunteered to try to get through to Ft. Wallace. They dressed in Indian clothing to avoid being intercepted by the Indians. When the soldier's food supply becpme exhausted, they cut steaks from their dead horses, and ate without salt. It is said. after nine days the meat became putrid, so they put gun powder on it and ate it. The evening of the third day came with no word of the two scouts. Two more offered to �and the of morning The island. ieturned to the ninth day the Indians made a charge, then *itnat"*. Evidently the Indian lookouts had spotted the U.S. Cavalrymen-from Ft' Wallace. The two scouts, at risk ofbeing captured and scalped, had been successful' Scout eo but could not make it through the lines Klt Car son' s Trail Janice Salmans Vona, Colorado 183 4 To Sainl Franc-1s KANSA S trudeau'returned with the Cavalry, but Stilwell was unable to on account of having stepped barefooted on a cacti on the trek to Ft. Wallace. Upon arriving at the scene of the battle, thosl in need of 'medical attention were Hal- e immediately taken care of. Food was prepared and heartily enjoyed amid exultations at their deliverance. A monument was erected in memory of the heroes killed during battle. It was a fitting marker, placed there in 1898, but was later destroyed by the flood of 1935' The main of the river was completely changed "tt""""t by the turbulent waters, thus the-stone marking their final resting place and the site of the Eattle is forever lost to posterity' by Janice Salmans OCCURRENCES WE HAVE HEARD BUT NOT READ ABOUT T23 old Tuttle Str atton . Lilt]e Rin --Kit carson s 1834 PosL Kit Carson Co.lorado cnrinac One pioneer said there is one grave-on the prairie ior every two miles of space and began io enumerate ltto*n burial sites as West of Smokv Hill school, south of Peconic, on the prairie northwest of Burlington, -where a covered wagon was seen standing for some- time and a rider who after watching a short time to see if someone was in need of assistance, rode over to ask if they were-in need of help. He found an open grave and a woman trying to pull a stiffened body of a man from-the wagon for burial. This story is said to have been in one of the Burlington Papers in mid Pioneer Years. Four miles west and three miles south of Burlington is the grave of one of the earliest pioneeis, Frank Aldrich, whose brother Heniy's name is prominent in the earliest paper -- The Blade. The brothers had adjoining homesteads, when Frank died and was buried on the line between the southwest and southeast quarter of Sec. t8-9-44' by Myra L. David KIT CARSON T24 Christopher "Kit" Catson was one of the createst olthe "Mountain Men" and was one 6f tn" most romantic figures in Western American History. Kit Carson County, Colorado has the honor of being na-ed after him. In 1925 the county commissioners were able to purchase a fine old oil Painting of Kit Carsoni the noted scout and pioneer for whom the county had been named' It was olaced in the Court House. ' Kit Carson was born December 24, 1809' in Madison County, Kentucky (Daniel Boone's rf z4oo county). He moved to Missouri with his par"ttts when he was one year old. At 15 he was apprenticed to a saddler to learn to make saddlis, harnegses and moccasins for the mountain men. At 16, he heard tales of the west and became restless and ran away. He joined a wagon train bound for Santa Fe' There he Ieained to speak Spanish and trapped in the mountains and learned all the trails' In 1835, at the age of 26, he manied an Arapahoe Indian girl, named Prairie Flower (or Singing Grass) and they lived at. Fort ilent. Shelied in the fall of 1838 and was buried in the same robes that she was married in, at Big Timbers about 20 miles from Fort Bent. Tiey had one child, a girl -naq'ed Adeline. Aiter her mother's death, Kit Carson took the child to St. Louis, Missouri, to his relatives where she lived and received her education. She later married an army officer, a lieutenant. Kit Carson became the best known of the trappers, and was a good Indian fighter' He tu". itt" chief Indian scout and was a good friend of most of the Indians. He moved around a lot as he was never happy settled down in one place. In 1843, he married again, a 15 year old Mexican girl, Senora Josepha Jarimilla, in the church at Taos, New Mexico. They had seven children, four boys and three girls. He had a ranch home in New Mexico where his wife and children stayed when he was away' It was one of the most comfortable homes around there. In 1853 he was appointed as a Government Indian Agent for the Ute, Apache and Pueblo tribes and held that post until 1861' He organized a regiment when the Civil War br-oke out. He fought his cavalry in battles and skirmishes in New Mexico during the war. Kit and Mrs. Carson came to Boggsville iustbefore Christmas in 1867 in awagon from Taos. New Mexico. Kit Carson had just come back from Washington, D.C., on business with the government. Here they lived in a large house that his brother in law had built for him. His health was failing so that he was able to do very little work. He was suffering from an old injurY. On April 1t, 1868, Mrs. Carson died in childbirih. And on May 23, 1868, Kit Carson died in the government hospital at Fort Lyon' Both were buried near Boggsville, but later �the bodies were removed and were taken to Taos, New Mexico, for permanent burial. His brother in law took care of the children and saw them raised. Some of the children followed their fatherrs sanmpl€ in their marriages, down to the fourth generation, by being married in the same church at Taos.In November, 1858, Ed Baldwin of Anchorage, Alaska, a great great grandson of Kit Carson, visited in Burlington for a short time. He was interested in the county as it has been named for his pioneer predecessor and was seeking information of a historical nature. Taken from "The Life of Kit Carson". ,& ,dli wf b. '&:.',.' by Myra L. Davis RAILROAD INFORMATION -&*. i T26 1927 train wreck east of Vona, lifting train cars. The following items were extracted from F .ru: g{ the Cheyenne Wells Gazette asl listed. The newspaper was issued on days. Union Pacific - November 12. 1gg7 "Burlington citizens are elated over prospects of securing the Colby branch of thr Union Pacific to their town in a short time Burlington is a good town and in a country, and we congratulate them on thei prospects." November 19, 1882, "Burlington early in the week forwarded a petition contai containing the names of of all business men and many farmers int in prosperous locality to the general agent of the Union Pacific, asking that ihr night trains be stopped at Cheyenne Wells We trust that the work will bear fruit. Union Pacific should look to the Burli '1||' trade." Rock Island - January 28, 1888, ,,A Island surveyor went through town last-en route to Burlington to join a party road locators." February 18, 1888, "The country north us between Burlington and the Kanr &{*ll:,f&} Pacific railroads is full of railroad surve It seems certain that two of the routes will make a strong fight for teriitory, viz: the Union Pacific and the Rock Island. The building of even one of these li through the section this coming summer will be a great blessing to that portion of eastern Colorado. Burlington is on one or two survevs $ and is assured of one of them before the * natural trading point of this country at summer is ended. As Cheyenne Wells is the present, no small share of Burlington's boom will fall to our lot for a season. We are pleased that the towns above will catch theii roads. i, . 11. '. f']],r '. ,,&11&....,' ,t,:. :41", '.':,':. ' 11:,tf 'r1,-1' ,,f ':, ';' ' 't,t r' The old Milk Train of the Rock Island R.R. knowing there is room for all in this greai country, and would like to see them all _ Hoyt, Floyd, Beloit and Burlington shake - boom the atmosphere with an eighiy ton each." .. .Ap_ri! 14, 1888, From the State News report: "At Kit Carson another outfit of graders made their appearance on Thursday last with a trainload of mules, horses and tools. Thev are going to work on the grade of the RocL Island railroad forty miles north of that town. Graders are at work all along the line from the state line to Colorado Springs." �Mav 5. 1888, "Work on the Rock Island grade is being pushed at a splendid -rate' burlington fofuJ expect to see the headlight about the lst of November"' May 12, 1888, From the State News report: "The Rock Island railroad promises to reach Burlington by the 15th of JulY." June 2, 1888, From the State News report: aqtp:, ',,/;'L{)a ,;.:.ta:: 'itJ.ttt)il,:: {rit. ::.:1:t4' "The construction of the Rock Island we- $l,i|:At stward is making excellent progress and in a few days the road will be completed as far as Burlinston, this state. It is now estimated that t[e line i'ill reach Colorado Springs sometime in November, but probably too late for the fall traffic. Grading outfits are scattered all along the line of the new route' and the earthwork is advancing at a satisfactory pace." iune 30. 1888, "The Rock Island will reach Burlington about JulY 25th." .lutv Zt, 1888, "The Rock Island reached Burlinglon last Thursday night." February 16, 1888, "The Burlington merchants are complaining because freight rates pay 35 cents per hundred in trade for freight from here, than_ gay the extra -cents in cash to the Rock Island." ? Laying of the railroad line, 188?-88, Kit Carson County' sas was the announcement that the Chicago' Kansas and Nebraska railroad would extend their main line, which had already reached BUILDING THE ROCK ISLAND RAILROAD.,U Before the coming of che railroad, the was entirely free of fences and l herds of cattle roamed at will. one thing that gave the greatest mpetus to the settlement of government ands in eastern Colorado and western Kan- Fairbury, Neb., on through Kansas and Colorado to Colorado SPrings. In 1938, B.M. Barndollar recalled the buitding of the Rock Island and brought to the following original account: tight ""There had been a series of dry years in central and north-western Kansas starting in 1880, and the thousands of settlers who rushed in there were discouraged. Many had been impoverished to the point of want' Their horses and dairy cattle were none too good, and their wagons and farm implements r:t:'tll!,:rl: were only such as could be salvaged after severe dry years on lands in other places. All that was needed by these settlers to induce them to move into Colorado was assurance that a railroad would be built through the section where they could get'free land'." In those days there was' in the west an army of men, who for years had done nothing but railroad labor; building the great transcontinental lines that were threading their way west of the Mississippi and Miqsouri rivers. They were a sturdy lot of men, happy in hard work and hardships and only responsive to the laws and rules which they had set up for their own government, and by which tfiey [ved. They were pretty much -alik--e, mostly from Irish parentage, free from faaily responsibilities and when it came to drinking - whatever was to be had - the record has never been equalled' "First came the graders and their thousands of mules who moved the dirt by grader method. It sometimes required several weeks or months to complete the cuts and fill on a single stretch of right-of-way. Today a single slsAm shovel would do it in a short time." "The mule-skinners lived in bunk wagons' and had a big mess tent where plenty of good food was served. It was just too bad if a grade contractor happened to draw a poor cook, or if he tried to cut the quality or quantity of the chuck he served. The best skinners would leave in droves if this happened, and it meant disaster for the snmp; for only experienced men had the ability to take care of the animals and keep them in shape from sunup 'til dark. Yes, and it took plenty of grain and hay that had to be hauled great distances by wagon." "Barndollar, when 13 years old, was a water Section crew working west of Vona, 1896. Roy Leaper (foreman) with foot on rail' boy for the Kerrigan outfit. It was his duty to have a plentiful supply of clean water handy where the workers could get it quickly without interrupting the never ending train of scrapers that was passing. Water for all purposes had to be hauled in tank wagons, in .oroe .".". about 20 miles. And talk about �there was serious drinking to be done in a wet state where one could stand at a bar and call for his choice. To the last man they headed for one of the various saloons that were prepared and waiting. By l0 o'clock practi_ cally every one of those boys were howling. roaring, fi-ghting, pie-eyed stiff, singinl, swearing drunk. These two-fisted rail-roa-d builders had been in ,dry' Kansas and Colorado was'wet'." "The peace officer was one-armed Jerrv Barnes. The only thing he could do and dii do was to go to every house and advise everyone he met to stay in their homes and off the street." Lrnes ond Projects in €oster,, Colo. saloons were wreckg, but by some p.e-_ arrangement the liquor kept flowing. Stores remained closed and no women or children rt? lt.onSr..lin9 & 7 tlorrl*en ./ "By daylight many were laid out and the streets resembled a battleground. The flimsv were to be seen." "After the first few days the money ran out and the reetaurants started to do a little i | business and things assumed a more orderlv trend. But it was 2 weeks before the railroai gathered enough men to finish and B weeks before the rails were completed to Burlington." The railroad continued for many years to bring service to the farming and business communities along it's rails. _ On-October 10, 1962, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Comp-any was 110 years old. i-t:'' -lst!b-ail!r!s It was on October 10, 1852, that the first train chugged over the newly laid b7-pound ri- ---f I I iron rails, between Chicago and Joliet, Ill. a distance of 40 miles. This was the first fiocket train of the Rock Island lines. The first Rocket was made up of six new yellow coaches and was pulled by a tiny American-type Q-a-\ wood burning, steam locomotive. Eighty five years later the railroad introduced the first of its diesel-powered fleet of Rocket strenmliners. Significant technological advancements have made, by the Rock Island during _b-een ilg 110 years of operation. A long list o? "firsts" can rightfully be claimed by the company tlrrough the years. Among the more notable is the first use of microwavJin its vast communications network; introduction of swearing at those poor mules by their drivers, why those animals knew every word in the oath vocabulary with all the variations." "But a good 'skinner' always looked out for his team and it was a disgrace to allow an animal to develop a sore shoulder or any other ailment that was within the power of the driver to prevent." "When the grade was finished, crrne the bridge gang, who built temporary bridges so that the steel gang would not be delayed. Remember that all this material had to be hauled by wagon trains from the nearest point of the line, which at that time was Colby, Kan." "But the sensational event came after the tie and steel gang headed west out of Goodland. A train load of flat cars, each weighted down with steel and ties, with the engine on the rear, acting as a pusher. As the steel and ties were passed or rolled forward to the head of the train, the rail lavers grabbed the ties and laid them in posiiion. While others picked 'Jerrys' nailed the spikes. The spike men were the pride of the gang for they never missed a stroke. It was claimed that from the time the train left Goodland until it crossed the state line at what is new Kanarado, the steel train was never allowed to stop. The cars were passing over the newly laid rails practically as soon as they touched the ties. The rail from Goodland to Kanarado was laid in an all-time record." "When the last rail was in place across the state line, every man on the steel gang dropped his tools and quit the job. The railroad rules were if a man quit or was fired, !e would immediately get his pay check. Otherwise there would be a delay in getting all the pay that was coming." "Word had leaked out to the paymaster department ofwhat was going to happen and pay checks to that hour were soon given to each man. None were left but the engineer who had to take his engine back to Goodland without a fireman." "The tieup happened about noon and bv evening a strange, determined a"my com-menced arriving on foot. By 9 o'clock that summer evening, (1888), all had got into town. There was no time taken out to eat: L especially adapted electronic computers in its I automated yards at Silvis, Ill. and at Armour| dale, Kans., as well as its administrative functions. Says R. Ellis Johnson, president: ,,In 1962 we are convinced that the ll0 year old youngster is capable of accommodating on its own system, and through its multi_int€r_ change arrangements with other railroads. the transportation needs of all its customers. "We are proud of our high-speed Rocket freights, piggyback hotshots and our fleet of Rocket passenger trains. Our railroad is imbued with a progressive spirit and it is our proud boast that no finer employees can be found anywhere." Then in 1964, a newspaper article states: "Rock Island Post-Mortems, by Willard Haselbush, Denver Post Businels Editor. The 11 year financial illness of the Rock Island Railroad has ended in death for the carrier serving 13 states of America's heartland over 7,500 miles of track. Spokesmen for major railroads, includine the Denver and Rio Grande Western. havi advanced various proposals to dispose of the estate. Most suggested the best way would be �for the ICC to let competing railroads whose trackage duplicates that of the Rock Island in about 80% of the territory involved, take over for the Railroad." The railroad was virtually unused or little used for about the next 20 years or so, and finally went into complete bankruptcy. -The Kyle Railroad company took over in about 1985-36 and the rails are now used to transport wheat, and other farm products from our countY. on the Republican ticket in the 1920's after serving as County Treasurer for 3 years. He served for 2 - 2 year terms and ran for the third term and was defeated by the influence of the Ku-Klux-Klan which was active throughout the State during that period of time. In 1934 Bert Ragan of Burlington ran for the office of State Senator and was elected from this area. He served one term. Louis Vogt, a Democrat, served in the State Legislature. Louis was from Burlington bY Janice Salmans STATE LEGISLATORS T27 where he practiced law and also was a great thespian in the community staging many Shakespearian plays in the 1920's. William H. Yersin was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1948 EARLY LAWYERS T29 T.G. Price was an early day lawyer whose name was Treverious Glorianus Price. He had a brother called Realto Executo Price and two sisters, whose names were reportedly, When In and .In The. (When in the course of events, the start of the constitution and In the, the first two words of the Bible). He was here at the start of Burlington, and erected the building where Mel Mullin had his TV shop. He homesteaded neat town, but later moved to town and practiced law. He was very prominent in the history of Burlington' P.B. Godsman, who first settled at Hoyt, had a law office just east of Rasmusgen's barber shop. He moved to Denver, where he died. He had a son, Sidney P. Godsman, who also practiced law in Burlington and later in Denver. He dways kePt in touch with Burlington, and owned property here. He was also a doctor as well as an attorney. Louis Vogt, or "Louie", was a prominent lawyer who erected the Midway Theatre and had a large house on the corner of 13th and Senter Streets. Louie was the father of Mike Vogt, local resident. He was elected to the 1935. State Senator Burt B0th General Assembly of the Colorado State Senate, Denver, Colorado January Ragan from Kit Carson County stands third from left, front row' Christopher Buchannan of Burlington w-as elected State Representative before the and served three terms. He was minority leader of the House during his last two terms. 1920's. John Boggs ran for State Representative .. ir.:,.:.,,. ;1.'.: .,.',-.,:;.,, -: ",,':, :,.,,',, : .;.. . . ,', a .'.. -, r. .:.,:,.,, ...,,\.t,,, ..r-.ri,,.,,,,.,'.-..,. I, r':.,.. MAIL CONTRACTS AWARDED T28 2/8/L902 - The following Star Route Mail contracts have been awarded by the post office department for the period from July 1, 1902 to June 30, 1906 for Kit Carson county. The contract prices per annum range from five to forty per cent higher than heretofore paid. The route, names of contractors, and iates per annum are as follows: From Cope to Seibert, Peter C. Dill $500; from Hale to Landsman, David S. Custer, $299; from Haigler to Idalia, George F. Conrad $740; From Henderson to U.P. railroad station, John Anderson $150; from Kirk to Tuttle, Frank A. Cline $159.99; from Littleton to Lamb, Stanley Dudley $300; from Thurman to Arickaree, James W. Clement $208; from Watkins to Salem, P. Peterson $200; from Ashland to Lnmborn, F.H. Odell $130; from Burlington to Burlington, E.E. Harrison, $400; from Claremont to Tuttle, Archie Dargrove, $450; from Flagler to Thurman, Edw. F. Miller $600. rVilliam H. Yersin. State Legislature, (as a Democrat) and was prominent in state politics. He was a Thespian of the first order and was the instigator of many Shakespearean plays that were produced in Burlington. These plays were put on with the help of local residents. His plays received state renown and were always well attended. Louis was a real dramatician in the court room also and won many trials by his dramatic abilitY. A.P. Tone Wilson, who came much later was a real sharp lawyer and somewhat of a prankster. I can remember that when I was a boy almost every farm with a For Sale sign Tone on it had the name "For Sale by - A.P. Wilson. Jr.". He built the building just north of the First National Bank where Percy Lounge had his shop. Mr. Newbury was a lawyer who settled on the river north east of Stratton near the Pugh Place. His homestead is now the Harvey Wood place. Newbury moved to town and never practiced law in Burlington. He had been a brilliant lawyer, but had a nervous breakdown, and never recovered' He lived in a dirt hovel just north of the Railroad station. bY HenrY Y. Iloskins EARLY DAY WATER SYSTEM T30 Most places in the early days did not have water piped in to the house. I suppose that the towns people started in the 20's and the farm people a little later. We had a cistern in the yard which was cemented and which had a PumP with buckets that picked up the water and dumped it out when turned. The buckets were about 6 inches wide and 2 inches deep. Most places in the country had a windmill with a well house. In the well house was a barrel into which the water from the well was pumped. It flowed through the barrel and probably into another barrel from which it �HINTS REGARDING THE 1916 BURLINGTON DISTRICT T311 I I q- '.*t&& +*:-' Bert and Roxie Kvestad drilling a water well on their farm in 1928. Frank Dinsmore is the well driller' Looking east at the Colorado-Kansas line, 1916. ribbons runs the purest of nature's life giving Crops Raised Wheat is one of the principal crops and produces on an average of at Ieast twenty bushels to the acre in general. Oats and barley do exceptionally well, yielding from thirty to sixty bushels to the flowed into a stock tank. One barrel was used for the house. A bucketful at a time. It was always a cool place to stop to get a drink from a dipper which hung there. Latir everyone had a supply tank through which the water ran before being used, this way a person could store up quite a bit of waier. Everything ran good until a real cold day when the well house froze up. Tlre Seilman family had a supply tank in the basement of their house and always had warm water for the cattle. This was a big item. Of course, all the water systems gave way to the submersible pump which is connected to a 50 gal., tank for storage. The air pressure keeps the water running. Each pasture had to have a windmill to furnish water for the cattle. Usually there was a tank near the mitl which had to be checked every day or so to see that there was water in it. Most windmills were Aermotors by make and every farmer had to have a knowledge of how to fix them. Not everyone would climb a windmill. Each motor haC to have oil in it and that was a yearly job to climb up and fill it with oil. When a well stoPPed PumPing it was usually because there were worn out leathers. This meant that the pipe would have to be pulled up. A large block and tackle anchored in the tower was used, there were well tools 'to facilitate separating the pipe and sucker rod. A large block with a "dog" on it was used to keep the pipe from falling back into the hole. When the cylinder came up it would be taken apart and new leathers put back in and then replaced and reconnected. It was also a practice to use a small one cylinder stationary engine and a pump jqck to get water when the wind did not blow. This was attached to a sucker rod and the jack was driven by belt. There are those who know much more about this than I but I have written it as far as my knowledge goes' It seems that through the ages, when the need becomes great enough, some genius with foresight and vision meets the need in spite of all criticisms and all other obstacles. So it is that pump irrigation came into being. Viewed from the air, the picture of this flat land, formerly a vast prairie of buffalo grass for miles and miles now turns into a panorama of growing corn, milo, or maize, even wheat. while down the furrows like silver water. Pioneer in this field was Mr. E.L. Powell of Burlington. As far back as 1938, Mr. Powell began to advocate pump irrigation. In 1948' E.L. (Earl), and his brother Floyd G. Powell, put in their first irrigation well. This proved to be a curiosity and people drove from miles around to see the sight. Kenny Wilcox drilled the first well. Finally in about 1955, there were about 100 irrigation pumps in the county' Mr. Powell alone had about four wells. And what is this pump irrigation? Without going into technical detail, it seems that under this prairie is a water bearing formation called the Ogallala formation. A drill is put down through this formation to the Fierro shale or floor. The pump is installed, powered by an L-P gas or diesel engine and lhe pu-p brings the life giving water. The farmer then directs the flow of water to the crops. Some wells were pumping 860 gal. to 1,035 gal. of water Per minute' Among those trying out the irrigation were: Jack Chalfant, Loutzenhiser Bros., Sydney V. Huntzinger, Dr. R.C' Beethe, C.D. Reed' Floyd Whitmore, Lloyd Pugh and others. Two types of irrigation were being used; ditch and sprinkler. In 1957, the crop Sugar Beet was introduced into the county, and growing was made possible because of the irrigation. The growth of sugar beets from a test plot in 1956 grew to 13,000 acres in 1965. Mr. Fowell passed away in 1958, but he lived long enough to see his dream come true with the irrigation. According to the office of the county agent' Bob Croissant, as ofApril 30, 1965 the official number of irrigation wells was 506. by Henry Y. Iloskin acre. Kaffir corn, milo maize and different kinds of cane EIre grown more or less in all parts of this country, but do best in our soil. Alfalfa does exceptionally well, both on upland and in the valley lands. A season and three cuttings will generally average five tons per acre. Watermelons and cantaloupes do well, and our product has a fine flavor and is much in demand. Mail Service Rural routes are in existence everywhere and the towns are so close together that most every farmer is served in this way. Telephone lines connect every town and rural lines are beginning to run into the country fast. The Dairy Business The dairy business is gradually assuming larger proportions. I The cream checks to our farmers amounf to a goodly sum each year. Come and Settle In This CountrY. Man, beast and field all do well in this country. What more can You ask? Come you also and live among us. We want and need more farmers, morc business enterprises and more industrier here, and we have the right country t< support them. Many have succeeded here and few havt failed. What mining and stock raising meant t( the prosperity of the state in the early da5 Colorado, the continued development of thr agricultural resources of the state means t< the prosperity of the state todaY. Where a section of the barren prairie lan< in the old days would not suppod fifty hea< of cattle, often now you will see when visitinl our country a rich, productive farm. The same land used for cattle wortl perhaps no more than $1,500 will todaj produce 15,000 bushels ofwheat valued at { ieast $1 per bushel. This is good evidence th{ through our agricultural development, prad ticed early to a greater extent' greate �prosperity than we have yet experienced is yet to come to eastern Colorado. Come to Eastern Colorado Hints regarding the 1916 Burlington District July 1916 Those who were here before you have prospered with worse conditions to meet and overcome than you will have should you decide to settle here. When you come you cannot help but by Myra Davis THE GREAT LAND , And so in turn will the man that comes SALE prosper also. trfter you. No one is leaving here, but the town and country is gaining in wealth and population yearly. Interest yourself in the country and take advantage of the opportunities we have to offer. Territory tributary to Rock Island lines in Eastern Colorado offers a splendid field to the dry farmer. The days of brilliant sunshine, the crisp dry air, and the invigorating atmosphere bring a healthful contentment that makes the farmer in Eastern Colorado take a keener joy in his work and in his living. In eastern Colorado the homeseeker is offered opportunities for substantial returns for agriculture, under ideal climatic conditions. The years have worked a revolution in farming the plains under light rainfall, soil, wind movements, length of growing season, crop varieties and tillage methods before he sets his stakes in a new communitv. The system of agriculture that brings permanent success in Eastern Colorado is ,based on livestock. Under this heading dairy fiarming furnishes the most dependable and constant source of revenue. Winter wheat and Mexican beans are the two cash crops. Corn, with kafir sorghum, Sudan grass, alfalfa and sweet clover furnish ample forage and grain for feeding and the farmer here, as in other localities, must make his first business provisions for his table out of the farm garden, poultry flock and pigs, which can be done as easily and economically as regions of greater rainfall. In Eastern Colorado good dairy cows will feturn $50 to 975 each, every year, and you pan grow every pound of feed they need. The lreat markets of Denver, Colorado Springs, pnd Pueblo, with the nearby mining districts, pan use everything raised and strong prices [revail from strong competition with Eastern parkets at Omaha, St. Joseph and Kalsas Ditv. I Eastern Colorado has every condition lavorable for making money with poultry. lhe dry climate is particularly favorable for ;urkeys. Every four or five years the rainfall s just right for seeding wheat and you can 'aise a crop of wheat that will sell for as much rs the land on which it is raised is worth. With vast areas of tillable land ready for he plow ranging in price from g7 to 915 per .cre, every acre capable of producing somehing needed to sustain life, Eastern Coloado presents an open door to health wealth nd contentment in return for intelligent ffort, packed by experience and moderate leans. We want successful farmers, for the more ,rccessful you become the more we benefit. 'here's lots of land, lots of opportunity. We ave a well organized Commercial Club that ready and glad to give impartial informaon and advice about the country. Write us rlly just what you want - Write today. from The Booster Edition was present at the great land sale held here some weeks ago and his opinion in his home paper will be given more credence than anything appearing in a home paper here. The sale was without a doubt the greatest undertaking of its kind ever attempted T32 On Tuesday, June twenty-first, 1910, the people from the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and many other states began to arrive and on Tuesday night, a room and bed brought high class rates, cots and quilts were brought into use and almost every sleeping and eating accommodation were fully utilized. A number of people were compelled to sleep in automobiles or on the ground. On Wednesday morning, the crowds were augmented by hundreds of excursionists, brought in over the great Rock Island system and the streets of Burlington resembled one of the greatest fourth of July celebrations ever seen in our city. A coronet band made the air ring with melody; the hot screeching of the automobiles here and there along the streets was a terror to pedestrians; while the hoarse bark ofspeakerJin the white city were heard; where every kind of attraction was present to interest the visitors and lure the filthy lecre. Tainted money was in demand and found many patrons. The darkies quaint songs in harmony with stringed instruments. The expert ttapeze performers, the smooth juggler of various fine arts, was out in force to amuse and instruct the people. Upon Wednesday and Thursday morning, more than sixty automobiles loaded with people drove over the country, viewing the best laying land on earth. Hundreds and hundreds of miles was made by the automobilist and only words of praise was heard for our beautiful landscape. Unfortunately for the promoters of this great land sale, June month in Kit Carson county had experienced the same wretched drought which had prevailed outside of the government drawing and the men who engineered the feat certainly deserve credit for their enterprise. Below we quote what the editor Howard says: "At Burlington, Colorado last week. C.M. Guenther sold nearly a quarter million dollars worth of land in one day, in his capacity as trustee. It was a sure bargain day for buyers. The extreme hot weather fright- ened many of the timid. More than a thousand reservations for berths on a special train were cancelled when the hot winds began to blow over all the Missouri valley, with the result that the sale attendance was less than 500, where as, three thousand had been expected. It was a real bargain day in the land business. Two weeks before the date of the sale, it had been estimated that the average price ofthe land would be 912.00 per acre but the weather conditions cut lhe average down to $9.00 per acre. It is a beautiful country in Eastern Colo., much of the land lies as level as the Platte Valley. The altitude is too high for a sure corn crop, record reads that every man in the country has been maklng big money if he has been farming intelligently. Many of the farmers have grown as high as 40 bushels of wheat per acre, and all other small grains in proportion. About the only grass is buffalo and grama grass. It is not fit for hay, but it is a great producer of butter fat with the result that the cream industry is now one of the most profitable. Henry Grotelueschen, of the Platte countrv secured a half section at the Burl. sale. Thi Denver papers contained descriptions of the big sale. The feature which they said was most noteable was the remarkable physical endurance of trustee Guenther, whose task would have sent an average man to the hospital or to the grave. He began the sale in the auditorium at nine o'clock in the morning, talking 16 hours with only brief intermis- in South Dakota, western Iowa, portions of Nebraska, Kansas and other states. The small grain crops, which had made great sions for dinner and supper. Burlington Records - July 1, 1910. promise during May for an abundant harvest, had been affected. But in a lesser manner, the crops of other states, had been stricken with by Myra Davis the unusual dry spell in June. Although conditions were against the sale of lands at this time, we are informed that not a single piece of land was offered for sale out of 240 farms but what there was someone present in the auditorium that made a fairlv reasonable bid for the property. The highest bid for a farm ofraw land was thirteen dollars per acre, and this bid would probably have doubled had the usual weather conditions prevailed. The promoters, Messrs McKillip and Swallow were every inch gentlemen of the highest type and the great land sale was carried out from start to finish in a honest and up to date business way that denotes the highest skill in selling vast land acreages. Land Buyer's Bargain - Kit Carson County Record The following is from the Columbus, Nebraska Telegram and is reproduced for the express purpose ofgiving our readers an idea of what people from a distance think of conditions in Eastern Colorado. Editor Howard of the Columbus Telegram AGRICULTURE T33 Part 1 In researching for information for this section on agriculture, I came across the following editorials from the ',Blade". We must remember that these "editorials" were really promotions to bring people to this area and many ca-e seeking their fortune and a clance of obtaining land of their own. Many of these people were not skilled "farmers" but were ordinary people with a dream and lots of hope and courage that resulted in many failures and several success stories. What is amazing, that there are still descendants living here today of those hardy and skilled farmers, ranchers, and businessmen who persevered the many hardships of surviving those early years. "Editorial": No place astonishes the trav- �,'lr:':' ilit;ari l llli:llr:ia: i.:it: il r::l;lrii: : :.::llir, irlal:, lir:.'' tii::t. i; ,. ' .r::.,,]'l' iilr ... irti ::rlil: lir. t .1.: -,.. -iI lt:ir .r,:1i:1i ,1 r:i,r,,,r{ rt:itrl. i The grand age of farming, late 1930's and early 40's gaw the threshing machines still being used. The more men are gone but not forgotten. eler so much as Burlington. Only four weeks old and today almost every branch of business is represented, but still there is room for more. Travelers and land seekers crowd the hotels and eating houses and many have to undergo the painful task of standing up all night or holding down the soft side of a pine floor. Land is going fast and in a short time the area government land in this county will be of small proportions' The bounteous rainfall we have enjoyed this spring has virtually made the road to success on solid stone and the treach of progress more than sure. Labor and capital move hand in hand and their social union make everybody satisfied. No one is grumbling and east Elbert June 3' 1887. County's boom will continue it is not "Editorial": In coming to Colorado, going out of the world but coming among,a ilass of intelligent and industrious people and a country well settled. There is plenty of room for more and these vast alluvial prairies will produce enough of the necessities of life 15, 1887' to supply the state - JulY to Colorado! - If you "Editorial": Welcome are growing old with the fire and energy dying out of your life and the bouyancy of your youth leaving your limb, if you are looking fellowship of threshing crews, meals served to a dozen or with despairing gaze into the future and interesting advertisements were the onesl produced by A.W. Winegar who was a bigl away the remaining days of life in peace, promoter in this countY. longing for a quiet home where you can pass come to Colorado. If you are in search of health, wealth or happiness come to Colorado and come soon for before many months roll around every quarter section will have a house uponit and the hills that are barren will be filled with people, homes and livestock. A picture was taken in about 1910. Location is Main Street in Burlington. The large two-story building on the right is the Winegar building located on the corner of 14th Street and Martin, north of the present Bank of Burlington. Mr. Winegar was a real estate agent and he placed large ads in the Omaha, Nebraska papers and chartered special trains to bring prospective buyers from eastern T34 Nebraska to Burlington for the purpose of purchasing land in Kit Carson County. He would take them out to the country to look at the land and these Model T Fords were It is interesting to note that in 1890 the population of the county was 2,472. By this number, we see that manY PeoPle were coming west to take up homesteads' As the towns we e established along the railroad, the land agents set up office and began their big parents to this county. Many land companies bought up relinquishments from people whol did not finish proving up their homesteadl agreement for a very cheap price. They inl AGRICULTURE Patt 2 promotions by way of handbills and advertisements in newspapers in the east' The most used for transportation. Notice the large "HEADQUARTERS" sign in front of the Winegar building. A real land run in the Burlington area. Many people living today recall that these advertisements and schemes brought their, turn sold these farms later making goodl monev on the transactions. In an advertisem- �ent, in a 1920 paper, we find that the Bentley Land Co. was offering loans to purchase both improved and unimproved land and would also buy mortgages at a very reasonable discount. The real story of what agriculture was like in those early years comes from the stories of those who came here and made their homes here on the high plains. In the 1890's, one farmer planted 20 acres of wheat and his neighbors laughed at him for planting that many acres. He had to cut that wheat with a sc5rthe, then gather it up and bring it in and use a threshing rock to thresh the grain from the chaff, all hand labor. The straw was used for cattle feed and many times was sold to the cattle ranches after bad storms for g1 a load or the farmer would let them run cattle on the stack so that they would have use of the manure for fertilizer that spring. One record breaking winter, the cattle returned to the straw stacks and ate all remaining feed along with the dried manure. Such were the good old days. "Promotion" of agriculture in Kit Carson Countv $EMI-AI{I{UAI $tsokmott's il $tncftmenT $irodql $TAT[II[[IIT WJn ttrie ool,wm'm will puhl'i s lba d,,&, e br gad t' ina lurtluttotr, colo., Julv 7th.' lm, ToTba ll@onbL Eolrd ol Couur,y ooFml} ol ou mer, his r q'n'E e qryd rloloil ot lI'll CarDn Co. ' O.lor.do. !o youi goDombl€ ofi,ce adclress, dipnar is a' swbscriber ol Poopwbtiewrt. ETE ed 0 E ff J , i. t, trr&!gb!f, f,ttgrq, C{'lo, S4Dsqq6rFbalot' T F.SILI8, Eorliltto!, Colo. ru*q oltbvdt ot Bullalton, ."a.s. uoeq^N,.. sz u BuruDabD, 0oto. ,. Eaatl, ltdltr ln ' Un}INANY FIIND Doc. 3r, 190r, i318:i'. 8a g t4r € Bo, A na!g€, Br R, S,,SARAOUR; Burllngton,0olo, ot BurllEtt3D 36t3 aeAUp!I,\\{, A N ^. (:l&$Bor1, 0olo. Ba!{€, rqer (i:aagbor,t, ttrott BnuE., t-- c. w. eRUwELrr 'x.44 :s.00 90.!t tl i TrG. lrlro S0So, lgribest ot Burltlgtorr. ltrrllLKio!. Colq ' &lt btD. ! r IJ *""''^"Tii;'911'' -& . D uuo.ei1 m'e, colo. .:'-,, ,; ,,,, *r-*._**ttl1-, -a;;;6* CONTINGEN', FI;ND rbtrse suu(b ot ld.u,"Jo. u,u Hore!' le{r rhoukrdr' {:laEhoD'' (}olo' To vsrrota ouaslrldlls De, Bl. l8o2 -r.m I ,/' ntlrDra.lsuad 6 6d..4!dlDg ruYei:f&ff . ,"'IW '- L L *#&,.". Ctrcuft Ct drDo.ltcd 8.lTB{ T*t lr hraar co. tril 18.|51 g.Et J4s 90, lmd 30r.8d II " ratffico,t*roo"r,r* lv L, BIEGEL&B Rss6,NorthBesi,€r, Bu.llDlt6. eok -."_ --lffal;y iql ffiTr"rtff;t#"".1[""1,u t&-ora tlqh T o!l6nblr. --.-; DAvIs. D na <i @ : ldt:ffi! b'u& 9o 'tFN J!tr' ' (;rtfl€, let! lrip. tso$es lett iboulder. " t,T e ItosLIH E-H EDrl.lDl*4i, Crtd ftrDae, t! eua g. W ofburUDgto!, L-C """*H,lll$; -#if;ffi*#;*;ru'.1;1ffi **;Ifis,fflL:;,. li,frl, ffif;[{'mi",.sJD!0,0.,* 8, lrb.odtco, 1:rN. Jmes, l90t Is.l$a p,r:*so#-ro***',*,,*or*Hl\ =[';,1'.'il - t-, - *+..,"-.".+-ri* "',i*"Xj'*"".. RaUe. E$!o( BsrlrDttotr. B.urr5rto', qrb. POOR FUNI). --tiT:wrNirr&r1 *-* gulllDgt r, Colo, Roo8o Nodbgsi ol Eirllhgbn. "i*L:";, 't!se'|oot'bptBilrutr.to!' -*-n'lT "lwlJ ".-wrr.r<rn- --- LlaremoDt, Colo. RaBgo. cE halmn Crek. !.,I,,,, r,oNc, .! LU. a x.mlCzT -_. fl!:H LaBdlE*n, Calo. alrc w. w. PAISLEY' toi rcl - r :ty a&rBnu D q q ,los. €nalrDg Jutr. i uffi J' o ,f,r1oi''Jt-o.. o r*r Sl -.----'' farraut. oubBndlac JutrG *. Iffi. U,l.t.l{ "EdiogJur. Ra.n€d. Boutb tri,olk R€pubiloSt & '; 8€tboDr. Oolo. 8&uo. ecrb ot 8€ibEo, nCPUD',IOAN CAT.i LD Ct). o! 161t rtdo _'#*ilB-'P *--l"".lifirlff"1o, rror., .ru* 4 J ltal clu€uolt,cota -.-J.--._ 79,S1 Jgr 0o &bgy to Ky. ' .4. J F C.!t16, ioft tif,, nango, lorls ofSIflDS Crst EorlD. rlr,1r shguld(i Cori bahN l{o!go $'reor BurltsabE, Colo, Iarb@D. IJ ruc.6 Dil€ scutLrsl ' XlaF. Ilrs! 9t Bstttrg&m. A.{D88^a BALTZEB, _ E S'A !f, n:l1k^bu*sy: Efiwat". --- Itare, Ctortbei3t �These Model T Fords were used for the transportation of prospective purchasere of land in Kit Carson County. AGRICULTURE "Branding time" in the 1920's. T36 t!t., .':.]: t Ready for work. Cattle ranching in the early 1920's. North of Siebert. Real life "cowboy" Jess on Mack. .,,.. . .,t.tlft L,, Cattle struck by lightning - the cattle belonged to a George Kiefer. Location is in Section 32, township 9, Range 44, Kit Carson County. Date: Approximately 1915-1920. Herd bull with passenger - note wood tank. "Spectators" waiting for the fun to begin. �Part 3 The face of the earth seems to glow with health and beauty, and the people that live in this wonderful country go around congratulating each other due to the rise ofthe land and trying to analyze theirjoy. Even the dogs are so overcome with gladness that they catch hydrophobia and go into fits and die over it. There isn't a man idle who wants wor$. The banners of prosperity wave from every hill and the lean, hungry skeleton of starvation has gone on a tour to the cities of the east. Here the farmers pump water for their stock with windmills and do their plowing sitting on a spring seat with a box of cigars on one side and a bottle ofDenver beer on the other, while in the east they carry water from the nearest creek and walk behind a plow until they have no distinct idea whether they are shoving the plow or the horses are pulling it. The man who can't thrive, prosper and grow rich in Colorado would starve in a bakery. - AGRICULTURE r*"ll *'i::":-T36 "Afternoon break" while ehocking corn. Part 4 Breaking sod with "Horse power". "Editorial" March 29, 1888: Eastern Colorado is the place for the poor man, for the farmer, for the mechanic, for the merchant, August, 1887. "Editorial" November 1987: People living in the eastern states have no concept of our superior advantages, the vastness of our fertile prairies and our rapid improvements, unless they can see for themselves. To tell the truth of our products and our rapid settlements, seems incredible to them as their experience was so different in the early days of Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. Here whole counties almost as large as New England states, settle up in a year or so with families on nearly every quarter section while with them their settlements were confined along the streams in order that they might pasture stock for years upon the commons. The pioneer of Ohio and Indiana was considered a rustler if he opened a five or ten acre farm the first year and cared for hie family, but here there is less work opening 160 acres, each acre of which will more than remunerate one for the labor bestowed with a sod crop of corn, cane of miller, besides obtaining the title to 160 acres of choice land. If we speak of raising potatoes, cabbage or any vegetable product on sod with our irrigation they wonder if that is true or whether it isn't a scheme of the newspaper- Threshing with a handmade "threshing rock". Strobel farm. ,men to "catch a few suckers", while here on fexhibition are potatoes that weigh from two fto three pounds raised in this county. But just llet a man come out from the east, (if he dare venture) look around and see for himself the energy of our people. The improvement of our lands and new towns all clean and nice, oftimes with waterworks, elegant hotels, churches, school houses, with a genial, intelligent class ofpeople as you will find anywhere, and he begins to look around as Rip Van Winkle, to see if he hasn't been asleep for twenty years in the sleepy hollows of some of lhe eastern states. About one more year the people back east who contemplate coming rest will realize they have slept upon their rars, if they wish government land east of the Rockies, in the localities for corn and wheat. Binding oats. �Harvesting flax in the early 1900's. East of Burlington. for the laboring man, for the dispeptic and consumptive rich man, and for the balance of creation. A country of beautiful rolling prairie, black loam soil of surprising depth and durability, fine water in abundance, fresh One must remember, that to live here meant that some source of income was needed in order to start their farm. Many men left for months at a time and went to Denver to work in the smelters and railroad Zone, with markets for the abundant surplus yards; others worked in the truck garden farms along the front range and lived in tents with their families during the growing season and returning in the fall with food supplies of agricultural products almost at the door, with cheap fuel and home manufactured to last them through the winter. It was tough going for everyone. and pure air that strikes at the consumptive germ and vanquishes it like an August sun does of the principal product of the Frigid farming implements, magical towns and burroughs that might be called cities teaming with life, activity, business and substantial growth, railroads building in every direction and a class of energetic settlers who seem determined to improve the advantages nature has bestowed upon the country. With all the above grandios language in these "editorials" one wonders what people really thought when they arrived and found these barren plains with no trees, few sources "Great looking horses" Bert Kvaestad. AGRICULTURE T37 of water and the new railroad that was crossing this county in 1888. They forgot to inform the public that water wells had to be dug to the depth of 150 feet or more and many were hand dug, no easy job. Some wells were dug along the railroad by the railroad companies so that the steam engines could fill at regular intervals along the track. They were instructed not to give the settlers water but the local foreman or their wives would not agree to this as they knew that water must be shared if a populace was to be obtained. The "mortgage lifters" Strobel farm - ready to go to the field and plant wheat, "Beauty" carries wheat and water pail. Part 5 In 1908, Mr. A.N. Corliss was given a Sugar Beet Growers Contract signed by a Mr. M.K. Dunbar. The sugar company was planning on making the Republican River valley into a viable sugar producing area similar to the Platte River valley north and east of here. Breaking sod on the "High plains" with a steamer Plans were to build a sugar beet processing plant at St. Francis, Kansas. He signed a 5 year agreement with 50 acres to be planted the first year increasing to 100 acres. This project never came into fruition. According to one early homesteader it took several years before many acres were broken for farm use. It took lots ofhard work to plow up the sod and at first it was walking behind a hand plow with one or two horses pulling the plow. Lots of shoe leather was worn away during this process. Montgomery Ward had work shoes with the guarantee that if they wore out within 6 months time you would receive a new pair free. Many homesteaders received their free shoes. From one story we find that in 1907, Bb acres were broke; 1908 he farmed 45 acres; 1909 he farmed 80; 1910 he farmed 90 and in 1911 he farmed 95 acres. That probably was a very normal average for most farms. They planted feed cane for animals, wheat, barley, �.;:, l,;r;a Work horses used on the Berrv homestead from 1918 to 1925. millet and corn. Many experimented with on the homesteads because of the water new crops such as flax and beans. shortages. Gardens came first and even those were difficult to keep growing in hot weather. It took a lot of their acreage just to feed livestock as a milk cow or more plus pigs, chickens and the necessary horses had to be provided for. Living was very simple and if you had a chance to work out and receive some cash you took advantage of this when possible. Many worked for the large cattle ranches in the summer. Some took butter and eggs to town to trade for groceries and perhaps to sell directly to someone who lived in town. Of course, many in town had their AGRICULTURE Horace and Joyce loading the pickup with wheat. T38 own cow and chickens even up into the 1940's or whenever the town ordinances prohibited animals from being kept within the city limits. Life was more of a struggle for existence than one of making a living. .*" ,.i,,"ffi Water was very hard to come by at first as most early wells were hand dug or if you lived by a creek water was hauled in barrels with the horses. No wonder every drop of it was used before any was discarded. The first Hauling to town, the last job. order of business was shelter and a water well. ,It is noted that very few trees were planted I I Loading the truck, Horace and Gus Schreiner, July 4th. tr Part 6 r '1'1"1"t, dd .:t,.,,, rl,; Chow time" - note field of corn in background. John Berry feeding pigs 1926. Model T truck which Mr. lerry purchased from the Lavington Motor Co. in Flagler. Marketing cream and eggs kept many farm families alive by providing cash for groceries and clothes from the period between 1910 and 1950. The creem separator really helped this method of providing income to these farm families. The cream separator was patented in the late 1890's and it was several years before they were purchased and came into common usage. Before that cream was skimmed off with the ladle, a very slow and sometimes smelly process. Chickens were the mainstay of everyone. They were raised for fresh meat, eggs, and even feathers were used. A hog or a cow was butchered only in the winter so that it would not spoil and could be processed without refrigeration. Most meat was cooked up and sealed in fat or cured and smoked for preservation. The advent of �Heading wheat 1920's. Threshing in the 1930's and 40's. Boger family. canning equipment especially the pressure cooker, was a blessing. In 1920, under the guidance of Miss Amelia Alexander the All Star Canning Club won fame and recognition from all over the country for winning the State Fair championship at Pueblo with-their canning demonstration. The girls, Vivien Worley, Elaine Hendricks and Bertha Boger competed with well trained teams from all over the state. Miss Hendricks and Miss Boger won a trip to Europe to help teach the women how to preserve food as the families were trying to reorganize their lives from the devastation of World War I. Tarming during the 1920's required much labor and the families within the local neighborhoods helped each other by exchanging machinery and labor. The days of the threshing crews that went all over the countrv rue now a thing of the past. We hope rhat the pictures included in this agriculture section will bring back memories of that period of time. The large crews of men gathering to work and then the immense task of feeding these men took the efforts of everyone, evei children who kept the water jugs filled to shooing the flies out of the house with waving dish towels. The men working with the horses or the new huge tractors will be remembered as the giants of those days. One can hardly believe that they were capable of all the physical work that they endured. The attachment of man and beast is recorded in the relationship the farmer had with his favorite team oi horses. So many hours were spent in joint effort to provide for the necessities ofhfe. Maybe they all survived because both man and animal had to rest at midday providing a refreshing period of time for all. It is interesting to note that in the records of the Extension Office we found that extension work began in late 19lb with the organization of districts or communities for the betterment of crop, Iivestock and poultrv production along with the formation of So". and Girls clubs. These boys and girls cluLs were the forerunner of the 4-H Clubs of today. There were Boys Corn Clubs, Girls AGRICULTURE T39 Part 7 The 1920's were prosperous and times were booming and land values were climbing. Farms were growing in size and equipmerit and machinery were larger so the manbn the farm would see a future full of hope and possible financial improvement. Rumley "Oil Pull" tractor with Carl Schaal, 1920's. Sewing Clubs, Boys Bean Clubs, and Canning Clubs. Other activities for the adults werE sped improvement projects, pit silo project, livestock_ improvement, farm -"rr"g"rrr"rri and rural organization in the variou's com_ munities. Many interesting activities came from these efforts such as the drive to poison t-!e jack rabbits because of the damage they did to the growing crops. Recipes for"rabbii sausage, rabbit loaf, fried and creamed rabbit, baked and dried rabbit, chili con carne, chop suey and rabbit mincemeat were ii listed. The need to improve corn seed varieties and livestock by introducing pure bred stock for cattle and hog production were started. Families were encouraged to plant wind_ breaks around the farmsiead using trees, lilac bushes and flags for beauty. Farmirs feli that they needed help in marketing and record keeping. Plans were obtainJd b make "iceless" refrigerators available to farm fami_ lies. Grasshopper control was very important in the 1930's. By the 1940's the fbcus was on crops, s_oils, pest, forestry, poultry, dairy, husb-andry, ag economy, .rntritiorr, development, clothing, home management, "hiid and a motron picture projector was purchased plus a generator to provide electricitv at community meetings. During the 1g40's, an e_mnhasis was on the war effort and many ol the same projects. In the 1950's we find information on irrigation introduced and ir Combining wheat in the 1940's with pull combine. 1960 we see the program very similar to whal we have today. In 1935, Farm Census statistics were nol very favorable for Kit Carson Countv br figures released by the Department of Com I I I �Lindberg Here It was the custom in the early years to hold the fair in October, and often the cold, snow, rain, or sleet would darnpen the euents. :. However, one fall the weather was ideal, and prior to his history-rnaking trip to Paris in 1927, Charles Lindberg took up passengers here t'or three days during the fair. He stayed at the Montezurla Hotel, unheralded, unhnown except as just another barnstormer pilot to get paEsengers at $10 per ride. {, iitd'*&',"Mr. Hull's threshing outfit north of Burlington' Diseases of Old "The Grippe" -A uirus disease - Inf luenza Sore throat - Swelling of glands "Quinsy" - Feuer - "Lumbago" - Painful rhumatism of lower back - affecting Siatic nerue "Consumtion" - Tuburculosis - wasting awoy of the body "Catarrh" - Inflamation of nasal passages "Dropsy" - Edema - collection of water in the feet and legs "Flux" - Diarrhea - wdttery flow from the bowell "Rheumatism" - Inflamation of muscle, joints, or fibrous tissue "Gout" Inflamation of joints - excess uric acid in the blood [Jncontrollable tremor of body "Palsy" part - "St. Vitus's Dance" - Chorea - a neruous disorder - spasmatic tnouen"Lent and in' coordination Stroke of the neruous system "Epilepsy" - Schaal threshing wheat in the Settlement' Notice steam tractor' merce. Bureau of the Census. They tell a rathetic story of farming in eastern Colorado' ]uoting the report in 1934 we find land, ]18,000 acres from which no crops were rarvested due to failure (drought). Mitchel and Ada Christie with babv Virginia "Sod House Collection." �many people are hurt in the end and manv farms are sold. On the other hand this opens the door for someone to purchase land at a value that may be profitable in time. The ca-pital required for acquiring and operating a farm is huge making one wonder if the ris[ is worth it but there is such a love affair between the farmer and the land we know that there will always be someone willing to take the risk. The 1920's were difficult times on the farms due to the war effort and the unavailability of farm machinery and repairs. If you had not purchased any new equipment piior to the war it was almost impossible to do so until after 1945. There were good growing conditions during the 40's; along with the -. t:' plentiful rain came lots of hail which is typical of this country. 1945 saw the greatest grain crop in many years. Kit Carson County became the wheat and barley center of the middle west. Two davs after the harvest began the elevators at Stratton were overflowing with wheat run- Boger's corn sheller north of Vona. AGRICULTURE T40 Part 8 For purposes of comparison using figures from 1929 as a base, corn acreage was reduced 8t%; wheat 75%; oats threshed, g5%; rye 69%;bafley 90%; andhay 6Vo. The value of farms, lands and buildings for 193b, is given at $8,261,026, while in 1930 it was $14,396,018. Horses and colts for lgBE,g,725, while in 1930 it was 12,157. Mule and mule colts shrunk from 1,317 in 1930 to 52b in 193b. Cattle on January 1st. 1935 number ed.42,282, against 25,5L9 in 1930. Hogs slumped from 26,723 in 1930 to 8.518 in 1935. Wheat in the spring, towing sprinkler to irrigate the corn. The report statcs that wheat suffered severely in both acreage and yield. In 1929 wheat was threshed from 99,71G acres and produced 700,721bushels. In 1984 wheat was threshed from 25,167 acres with a yield of 93,156 bushels. The loss in farms and livestock in the state is about the same ratio. The value of hogs and pigs dropped from 462,801 to 248,770:. and wheat threshed from 17,332,160 to 6,169,685 bushels. This gives us a picture of the economic loss that was absorbed during this period of time ning as high as 55 bushels an acre and winter barley to more than 95 bushels an acre. The following article taken from the Rockv Mountain News gives a very good account oi the county's bumper crop: "With the rich prairies soil yielding better than for many years past, the only sour note in the harvest picture is an inability to obtain railroad cars to move the heavy crops to the Kansas City market." "The lack of cars for shipping purposes can become very serious if rain comes," Mr. Woodfin said. "The weather is ideal for the harvest, but if it rains there will be losses in the wheat piles on the ground." "A few years ago people were calling this a dust bowl area", Mayor Zurcher said. "I wish everyone in Colorado could see this harvest. you have to see it to believe it." Many grain storage facilities were constructed after this. Many of us today remember those years and after the war was over and machinery was manufactured again farmers purchased new tractors that were larger and wheat was still king ofthis area. Livestock production began to modernize with emphasis on larger animals finally coming popular and farm storage for grain has been built on most farms. resulting of people leaving the land in large numbers. Some left never to return but manv did come back and again ventured into farming and ranching. To give us some indication of the ups and downs in this county the following list gives July, wheat harvest, 1980. AGRICULTURE T4r the population of Kit Carson County through the years. Year: 1890 2,472;1900 1,580; 1910 7,483; 1920 - 8,915; 1930 - 9,725; tg40 7,512; L950 - 8,600; 1960 - 6,952; 19?0 7,100; 1988 - 7,668 - with today from the 1g70's In comparison to date, 1988 we find that in the mid ?0's drv land farm ground was selling for g8b - $12b per acre; Irrigated land $356 per acre and pasture land was selling for 940 - $b0 per acre. The 80's saw dry land selling for g2T8 - $400 per acre; irrigated land 9800 - $1200 per acre and pasture land brings $100 - $120 per acre. In 1988 land prices are down due to the recession of the early 80' in agriculture with dry land bringing $225 - 9275 per acre; 1986, Gleaner L2 combine, Hasart farm. Irrigated land 9325 - $500 per acre and pasture land bringing $70 - $100 per acre. It reminds us of the old rule that what goes up must also come down but the sad part is that Finishing up, waiting for the last loads of corn �made their place in this area and other crops such as truck garden vegetables have been tried. What the future brings in this area can not be imagined as of now but there will always be something new to be tried. Feed grains have made a large impact on the economy allowing the formation of large cattle feeding operations in the county. This has really been a boon for the cattle raised here providing a local market that has been very good and stable. The feedlots in this area would not have been possible without the water systems of today using electricity which powers the ever present submersible pumps that bring us the gallons of water needed for domestic and livestock needs. Can you imagine windmills providing this im- mense source of water? The 50's had the setting aside of land out of production called the "Soil Bank" and today in the 80's we see the problem of overproduction being dealt with by the "Congervation Reserve Program". The longer we live the more we see things return to the same cycles of over production or scarcity. The sugar beet industry has come and gone and many farmsteads are long gone from the peak population years ofthe 20's. The day of farm houses on nearly every quarter of ground are a thing of the past. The mechanization offarms and ranches has brought about changes that our great grandfathers wouldn't have believed. Livestock statistics for Kit Carson County; 19?5 cattle on feed, 29,000; all cattle and calves, 137,000. 1981, cattle on feed,37,000; all cattle and calves, 116,000; and cows and heifers that have calved, 34,000. 1986, cattle on feed,40,000; All cattle and calves, 113,000 and cows and heifers that have calved, 27,500. Corn harvest 198?. These figures include 1,000 to 1,300 milk cows and were obtained from the Kit Carson County Extension Office. Statistics on winter wheat, dry beans and corn for grain for Kit Carson County are as Corn in August. lCedar Rose Dairy, owned and operated by Tom I Dobler northwest of Burlington. follows. 1980 winter wheat show 332,000 acres harvested totaling 10,733,000 bushels; 1983 winter wheat harvested shows 368,000 acres with 15,164,000 bushels produced; 1985 the peak year for production shows 385,000 acres planted with 17,595,000 bushels harvested and in 1986 310,000 acres were harvested with 10,841,000 bushels produced. In 1980 7,000 acres of drY beans were harvested with total production on 119,000 l*. hundred wt. and in 1885 11,000 acres were harvested with 205,500 hundred wt. Corn for grain, 57,000 acres were harvested producing 5,669,000 bushels of corn in 1980. In 1982, 62,500 acres harvested with 7,890,000 bushels produced; 1984, 41'000 Spring is lsnbing time on the Dean and Bonnie Witzel farm, FebruarY 1988. just got on your feet financially and had- a good start in the cattle business and then the Irrigating corn with gated PiPe' Part 9 The return of the dust storms and dry years luring the 1950's forced many farmers to ,hink about drilling irrigation wells and the lry years forced the rancher and farmer who lwned cattle to sell their herds at low prices rnd then buy back at high prices. This cycle vas always devastating as it seemed that you bottom fell out. By putting down an irriga- tion well you were assured ofraising feed and grain for your livestock enterprise. Many farmers did drill wells and the age of irrigation on the high plains began. Iirigation made a large impact on th9 agriculture industry in this county. The old stand by crops of corn, milo and wheat now had the potential of producing much larger yields and new crops were introduced such as sugar beets which became a huge source of revenue for many years. Pinto beans have acres harvested with 5,916,000 bushels and in 1986,48,000 acres produces 7,056,000 bushels of corn. These figures do not include corn silage figures. The corn silage figures are; 1980, 10,500 acres harvested at 184,000 tons and 1985, 4,100 acres harvested 97,000 tons of silage. This gives us a good comparison of acres planted in the 1930's and the 1980's. What a story they tel.' With the new markets for grain such as corn sweeteners and ethanol for fuel and other products being researched and tried we hope to see a healthy future for our grain production. Wheat has always been the mainstay for this area due to the climatic conditions. �Agriculture AGRICULTURE T42 Part lO Included in this agriculture history are many pictures showing the changes in farm_ rng practices and equipment over the years and it is hoped that you will be able to paint your own picture of your life and timeJwith these photo essays. Pictures have a wav of saying more than words can ever do ,o it is with this thought that brings the close of this section of our Kit Carson County,s agricul_ ture historv. 1988 Population and Altitude of Towns in the County . _B^ethune: 152,4,257 feet; Burlington: B,2gb, 4,.L65 feet; Flagler: 574, 4,575 feet; SeiLerti 4,710 feet; Stratton: 6b4, 4,AL4 feet; Vona: 120, 4,504 feet. The Kit Carson County Extension Service _1_95, has provided a wealth of informatior, services to this county that has been irreola_ "rri cible. The following are listed in order fhat they were serving in this countv. 1915. Agent RN. Flint; 1918 H.O Strange; 1919 Adelia Alexander, Ass't agent; fSS4 bick Wooan" with S.H. Stolte Ass't and Logan Morton Ass't in 1938; 1944 Bertha WJar came as Home Agent with Nellie patterson Assit: 1947. Albert Brown, Agent; 1952, Don uhactwlck Agent with Ass't Agents Vernon Howard Enos, WarreriMauch, anJ I"r."9 Berl Stedwell in the late b0's. R.L. Croissani came in 1961 with Ass't Agent Leon Stanton; 1966 Norma Pankratz, Home Agent with C;j scracca and Bill Bennett as Ass't Agents; 1969 Darrel Schafer, Agent and .I. froee. Wolfskill Ass't Agent; R.L. Croissant, &;;; until 1979 when Larry Henry came. Noima Pankratz left in 1980 and Bonnie Sherman, Carol Fitzsimmons, Carol pfaffly we.eHome Agents; 1987 Colleen Simon, Home ege"U l^e11v D. Brewer, Jr. came as Ass't Ag"ifiri 1981. w AI,FnfD YTTILLET f Wellet, polo. 8aoge, no:ttte&t oi Bur.tiagtoD.. .['rect lYallett, f... { w ou rtshr, htp. lVallett, i;olo. 'L R&nge near 1y&nett, Colo. W4L w, II. LavINOtoN. tDd halt crop Range, gculb Fdik n€Dubllcsl 'ln laltcar'; Ftaelei. Colo. ilw Is GSV/ rt,IdANSIILAU, Da:rge, Lostmen\Cr€6k. C. 3, WELIJMAN, Llght htp, cyer slrloin. - or, Renge, 8. E, otOlareppelr Cfaremont. DAl0, C' S -J_(- E. MCORILLIA, JL Budlu gtonr Co!e. Known a,s illl double-wrench breDd. Re;ngs, Iaadsmba. _ &ryo John Buol feedlot, 1982. North of Burlington. >t< LCA Left side. U, A, I'}MB. rnge, vtclnlty ot BUrllDgtoo, Burliagtdn. ColO. --J, 0. McNAItir llf Klrt, uolo. ti$gte. z miles oast ot Klrk. Alro li3btDr*; rod braDd on l€tt std€. c H H (rEoReEEEr{DRrOKE. A. ADdreas Adotl, R BurllngtoD, Colo. Range, gand Oreek. yale, Oohb. r&ng€, rreor Tele. Mrs. M. A. B€vler, EurIafton, Colo. rgffiEESEE eU.btDd| oa Ettildo. fisrchornaW. range, eourh srid loutbw€rtb(,goDen, 5 Star Feedlot owned and o^perated by the Cure Family and feedlot in background is operated by the Hornung family northeast of Stratton. � https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/417/History_Part_2.pdf 52894eed6aabdbae23d7bd7fbe8f08e3 PDF Text Text Cutting silage with a Field Queen on the Cure farm' Livingston Simmentals, 1987. IRRIGATION BEGINS T43 :lriiija.:'r: Feb. 29, 1940. Work will start immediately on the construction of the first major irrigation dam project to be undertaken in eastern Kit Carson County. C.H. Parke, who owns ' From field to silage pile, Hasart farm, 1987' land along the Beaver Creekjust east oftown, has taken the necessary steps and made proper filings as to water and ditch rights and ihe-engineering has progressed to-a point where ionstruction will be started at any time. The dam will be of earthen construction, a center core being constructed of clay and the fills both front and back of earth and the front rip rapped with rock, wire and posts' The blui prints call for an excavation 10 ft. deep into which the base of the clay core will be sunk and this core will be built to the Baling hay, Hasart farm. Cutting cane for silage, 1986. height of the dam which is to be 25 ft. above the bed of the stream. The base of the dam, when finished, will be 141 ft. through, with a crest of 14 ft. In length, the dam will be 515 ft. and will be of sufficient height to allow use of a natural sPillwaY. The dam is to be located on what is known as the Ryan place, about 1 mi. east and 1 south of burl, on the NW% 8-9-43. Ditches will carry the water to the Parke place. There has been much talk of well irrigation and some contracts for drilling test wells in Kit Carson County. These and Mr' Parkes' dam project will be watched closely by interested parties as their success would mean a new era for Kit Carson County. Irrigation activity began in the early 1950's with the drilling of wells throughout the county. As of July 1, 1957, there were Pome tlS wlils in the area with more wells being drilled and put into production. The depth of the wells range from 200 to 325 feet, and capacities are generally 1000 to 1600 gallons pei minute, with some wells having a capacity of *ot" than 2000 gallons. Most of the wells are pumped by electric motors, Diesel, Propani, and Natural gas engines, and the cost of pumping is not as great as one would expict. the excellent soil structure, its de-pth and water retention capabilities go hand in hand with economical pumping of the amounts of water required for crop produc- acking silage, Cure farm 1980's. tion. The local soil is a silt loam which is very �easily handled. Seed bed preparation is readily accomplished by a limited number of operations because of the excellent soil structure. The soil ranges in depth from b to 40 feet before any formation such as sand, gravel or shale is encountered. At present, there seems to be no drainage problem. As of July, 1964, it was estimated there were about 730 irrigation wells on 415 farms in the tri-county area, with 400 of these wells located in Kit Carson County. The wells deliver water to about 107,000 acres of highly fertile land. Since the report was made, additional wells have been drilled. Irrigation methods used are open ditch with siphon tubes, gated pipe and sprinkler systems. In 1988 approximately 1150 wells have been drilled and put into operation providing the county with the base of grain and feed production for the livestock industrv. Supplies are more than adequate to suppiy the cattle feedlots within the county at the present time. During the 1970's and early 1980's the farm economy was booming caused by inflated prices and increased land values. This came to a halt and severe declines in land prices prompted the recession for the agriculture community that has severely effected all businesses and communities within the county at the present time. The agri-business sector is restructuring its business practices and lowering its base debt load to position itself in a better financial frame. Two questions pose to be dealt with in the future and they are the declining water levels in the Ogallala aquifer and the cost of pumping the wells in relation to the price of the commodities produced. If the figure amounts to more than what thev would receive in soil bank pa5rments, plus the 50 pct. penalty for non-compliance, they will harvest and thereby break contract with the government. What soil bank payments will mean to the eastern counties is shown by figures compiled by Warren Myers, program specialist in the Denver offices of the Federal Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Agency. The County which will reap the largest benefit is Kit Carson, for which 94,2b4,268 is ear-marked. The money will be paid out at county level from ASC offices in the form of certificates which are negotiable as sight drafts. Before payments are made, however, it is incumbent upon the county ASC committees to determine if the farmers are in compliance with the soil bank law. The payment program, Meyers has estimated, may run into August. Although it was not the intent of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to put the soil bank _program into effect for the 19b6 crop year, because the law was passed too late tb affect a lot of basic crops, political pressures were such that the progrem was inaugurated then. As a result, Colorado farmers last year were allowed to put some of their wheat acreage into the soil bank, even though the land hid been planted and lacked promise of any crop because of the drought. The acreage reserve payments in the state in 1956 amounted to approximately $4,472,000. Average rate of payment was g6 an acre. The national average on wheat for the 1957 crop year is expected to be g20.04 an acre. Whether there will be an acreage reserve section in the soil bank in 1958 still is a matter of conjecture. Members of both political SOIL BANK parties have condemned it as a failure in what is,was designed to do - reduce surpluses by T44 In the year of 1956 on June 28, the Soil Bank Act was passed. The bill went into effect in Kit Carson County retroactively for the 1956 crop year. The bill is still in effect as far as any contracts which are not termina- ted are concerned. However, as of March 1960 no new land could be placed under contract. The general program was designed to take a certain nmount ofcropland out ofproduction ofcrops, putting it to a conservation use. This was used in order to help reduce the surplus of crops which was plagueing our agriculture economy at the time. Uncle Sam's treasury on about June 10 will start pumping $22,217,736 into the agricultural economy of Colorado all of it - almost into the eastern plains counties long-smitten by drought. This bonanza will be paymentto more than 8,000 farmers who placed a total of 1,318,826 taking land out of production Last year it cost 9200 million, and still U.S. farm production set new records. Estimated cost this year is more than $700 million. The Lg57 - 1gg4 146 Eldon Shive starts first beet irrigation on the Ben Rudy farm just east of Burlington. f House has refused to appropriate gb00 million for the bank's operation in 1958. For 1957 wheat acreage alone the govern- ment signed up 233,453 farmers in the commercial growing states to take a total of L2,784,968 acres out of production in return for an aggregate of9230,975,4?b in payments. Economists estimated that this should have reduced wheat production by 20 pct. But now the high yields in prospect indiiate another bumper, surplus-producing crop. Thinning beets with a mechanical beet thinner. of the alloted wheat acres into the 19b? acreage reserve of the soil bank. Average payment per acre so put into idleness is expected to be 916.80. Total amount paid to Colorado farmers, however, may be somewhat reduced. Some landowners planted wheat on their soil bank land. Under law, that wheat may neither be grazed nor harvested. Some of these farmers will estimate the wheat yield and multiply it by market price. THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY IN EASTERN KIT CARSON COUNTY Loading beets into the railroad cars. �TIIE GREAT STONE FACE CAPER T46 Mt. Rushmore you say? Miss Bonny Gaunt, now Mrs. C.G. Gould of Burlington, posed with the wives of a camera crew from the Alexander Film Studios, Colorado Springs. The carvings were done about 1923, by Philip Smith of Ttentynine Palms, California and the late Clyde Roberts, both residents of Flagler at the time. Edmund L. Smith, Flagler businessman related that as a younger brother of Philip he didn't get in on the fun. The site of Buffalo Creek is six miles north and three miles east of Flagler on the Weston Fisher ranch. Between erosion and target practice not a great deal is left of The Great Stone Faces. After a lapse of many years, 3/L/L935 Stone Face," has again Seibert's "Great sprung into the limelight. This time through a newspaper story, written by Mrs. M.H. Brown, formerly of Seibert, the mysterious The first beets in the new area were plantcd by Gene Penny (center) on April 26, and on August 16 Earl iowe1 (inset) could be proud of beeti displayed at the fair. Mr. Powell, left and Carl Luft right of Gene Penny. Ben Rudy, Melvin Sall, Conarty Bros., O.E. Powell, Wayne Barber, Earl Powell, and C.D. Reed. From that humble beginning in 1957 the industry grew slowly but steadily each year with more acres and new growers added each year. In the early 60's, when the Cuban sugar import quota was cancelled, because of Stone Face, where a cameraman "shot" more than 200 feet of scenes, those who accompan- early 70's 50,000 acres were being grown here; visiting the relic. These films will likely be shown at some theater in Eastern Colorado, but it is not yet known. probably 25,000 actes was the most Kit Carson County produced. Up until the new sugar factory at Goodland was put into production in 1968 all the beets grown here were shipped by rail to the Great Western factories at Brighton, Loveland, and Longmont, Colorado for processing. Even after the new factory was built, nearly half of the crop was shipped west for processing. By the late ?0's, after the Hunt Brothers had gained control of the Great Western Sugar Company and also because oflow sugar prices, the industry started a slow but steady decline. The crop of 1984 were the last beets planted in the county. The Great Western Sugar Company took out bankruptcy in 1984 and the growers who planted beets that year did not get paid fully for their crop' The West€rn Sugar Company who purchased the northern factories from the Great Western Bankruptcy Trustee chose not to buy the Peconic Station in 1966, piling beets. The birth of the Sugar Beet industry here in Kit Carson County came in the spring of 1957. This was due largely to the efforts of Mr. Earl Powell who had also pioneered deep well irrigation here in our area. He, along with several other influential people of the area, no-ely C.D. Reed and Jack Hines of the county ASCS committee, were able to get a 300 acre Beet allotment for the county for new growers. The first growers to grow beets for the Great Western Sugar Co. in 1957 were Gene Penny, Fred Plautz, Leonard Pieper, E.K. Edwards, Western representative of Universal Films, wired a friend at the Seibert Settler office, that he would be here to make news reels of the freak. He would need some person thoroughly familiar with the location of the cliffs where the sphynx-like object is situated. M.N. Rasmussen is such a person and his help was enlisted. On Saturday, Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, Mr. Rasmussen, his daughter, Miss Rose, Miss Bonny Gaunt and a Siebert Settler reporter visited The Great Castro, sugar beet acreage controls were lifted and the industry grew by leaps and bounds here in earltern Kit Carson County and in nearby western Kansas as well. By the Beet field in Kit Carson County, 1960's. stone attracted attention. factory at Goodland. Consequently this factory was sold to the Two State Equity CoOp to be used as a grain storage terminal for the Goodland, Kanarado and Burlington Co- op's. by Russ Davis ied him taking the part of "sightseers," The excitement caused by the "rediscovery" of this unusual example of stone carving recalls a bit of history. In August, 1923, the Seibert Settler carved a column and a half of a story devoted to the Great Stone Face. M.D. Haynes, now deputy postmaster, had visited the spot and made pictures. At that time, old-timers claimed that the Great Stone Face had antedated their earliest recollections. Others claimed that the work was more recent, some even claimed to have done the work a few months previous to the appearance ofthe article. But although there has, indeed, been some cement work done by way of repair and preservation quite recently, at that time it nevertheless was pretty well established that the work had an early historic origin. The Great Stone Face does not measure up quite to the gigantic measurements attributed to it in the Denver newspaper story, but it is nevertheless of no mean proportions. About nine feet in height, it is caryed on the solid face of a huge boulder which must weigh close to 100 tons. The work is more or less rough, but modeling and expression show a degree of skill not to have been expected among the early cowboys or hunters to whom the work is credited by some. That it is of Indian Origin seems doubtful, too, and the Indian usually expressed his artistic urge in line drawings. The profile, however, is distinctly Indian. Exactly who was the creator of this image will likely always remain a �Saturday afternoon from Denver for a visit with his mother, Mrs. Myrta Christopher' Thev returned to Denver on Monday' V.S. FitzPatrick, well known former editor of the Seibert Newspaper, is now an instructor in the United States Air Corps' He attended a Denver school for several months recently, having first learned flying in 1919' He sold his newspaper in Craig last summer' John Chalfant is stationed at Camp Bennins. near Farragut, Idaho. He is in the meJhanical branch of the service and likes it .it *' T{ very much. iee Bruner is locat€d with the aviation cadet detachment at Scott Field, III' This is not far from St. Louis. A letter to Mr. and Mrs. John Buol from W.A. Robertson, Colonel of Army Air Forces, brings the news that Kermit Buol has been seleJted by the classification board for training as a navigator. He stresses the importance oi thit woik and sends congratulations' Kermit, who is now at Santa Ana, California will be transferred soon to a west coast school for intensive training. Harry and Vernon-Dalke have volunteered for U.S. service and reported at Fort Logan, .': t, { 'r*&'la,'. &':g ' .,tif The Great Stone Face \ Bonnie Gaunt Gould with the wives of the film crew of Alexander Films' Colorado Creek 6 miles north prtifrip Snilrt ana Clyde Roberts' Buffalo Springs. Faceg were ."rr"a""r"""i-G-zil Uv and 3 miles west of Flager' mvsterv. as he would likely find few believers if he should present his claim to distinction' OUR SOLDIER BOYS ARMY TIISTORY T47 Bud Boyles is stationed at San Diego' California. Word from Mrs. Steve Stransky states that her husband has enlisted and is stationed at the Great Lakes Training station,- near These three day passes sure help in seeing the country. Gas rationing is going to put a o.t hitch hiking, at which I am gettilg "ti-o Jong pretty good. Ye Old Pal, Tb John B' Aurner Pvt. Ralph Brunemeier of Rice, California' ** horr" last week on furlough' He returned Mo"d"v. He is in a tank division, being in the service since last month. Mrs. H.B. Morgan writes from San Diego ttrai ttreir son, Lee B' Morgan, is in the U'S' service in Hawaii. He likes it there and says pineapple juice, tropical fruits and ihev ""jov coconuts. W;. Bowker has been in the hosPital practically ever gince his induction in the Colorado November lst. Leigh Short, son of Judge E.V. Short' has been tlransferred from Buckley Field' Denver to St. Petersburg, Florida. He left for there Saturday. A letter from Harold Pearce to his parents came this week. It brings the news that he is stationed in Honolulu and is in training in a motion picture school. Harold was operator at the Mid*"y theater here before being inducted into the armY. Word from Harold W. Thomason of Strat- ton states that he is with the medical battalion in Camp Edwards, Mass', but s-ays tt" ioet.t't know what kind of work he will do as yet. Mt. and Mrs. A.F. Romberg received word last week from their son Donald telling that he had been commissioned Ensign in the Naval SupPlY CorPs on August 26r lt reported for Lctive duty at the Naval Air Station, Alameda, Calif. In November he will be sent to the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration in Boston, Mass', for advanced study. Donald is a graduate of the University of Colorado and has been in the offices of the Naval Net Depot at Tiburon, Calif., since his enlistment last dtti."go. Mrs. Stransky is the former Maxine Lynn. This office is in receipt of the following from John Aurner: The army and I are getting along just fine' armv. i""n., ato-.alled just plain Corpor"l:-I -1- "--fi""t. sargeant. and Mrs. Bernard Litty arrived Wells, Texas, visited here Sunday at the J'W' Larsen and Mrs. R.C. Yarnell homes' Lieut' and friends. He left on Tuesday tor ! t' Leonatd Wood, Mo. Mrs. Litty will remain nephew of Mrs. Yarnell. Have finaliy made Tech. First Grade, Corp' having a swell time with the stars in Holly*ooa."t have been a personal guest of Jagkie Coop"t, Kay Kayseiand Gene Autry'-H-ave Hattie McDaniels, Wallace -Lti".tv Colona, S""ty, iana Turner, Goldie Cantor, Bob H6;,'Dorothy Lamour, tt"94v L^amar and a few others' I have attended the urouman s Ctti"".u theatre, Lockheed aircraft, Douglas uii..uft, and the shipyards of Los A"qul"t' N"*l riU on seeing ihe naval yards of San Diego. -i"t"* Larry Tieman in L.A' Iast week' He is the only persott from Burlilgton I've seen g to March Field' I have been .it "o*it "" itrfo.-"d thit I might be placed in charge of all broadcasts from the field' I am now *otfi"e on a four panel mixer for the field' When completed it will not be necessary to have NBC, CBS, or Mutual to bring their eouipment'to the field for the pickup' I work i;t thil now, but their men have charge and I only helP. - N"*t has been received that Pvt' Frank E' Norton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Norton, has sraduated from an intensive course in aviaiion toechanics at Sheppard Field, Texas, and is now eligible to become crew chief on bo-b"t and win a rating as corporal or Saturday for a few days visit with relatives December. Lieut. Leslie Palmer and wife of Mineral F"m". is a grandson of the Larsens and a Louis Vogt returned Sunday night from has been transferred A.E' from Indiantown Gap, Pa., to Virginia' Dr. Gene Aten is stationed at the Naval Denver. He-has enlisted in the navy and will enroll at Marquettc University in Milwaukee' which oPens SePtember 16th' Verlin Kingsbury came home Friday on furlough. He is in the U.S' Navy and must ..poti"t San Francisco by September 17th' t". *u in Spokane, Washington, which-is is the Wins Commission son of F.L. Aten of Denver and spent his early boyhood days in Burlngton. Mrs' Atencame down from Denver Saturday anct hao Just a late picture of her son in uniform' received - Second Lieut. John W. Todd came down from Denver Monday for a short visit with his oarents. Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Todd' He had visit' for a longer here ---Capt. -Calvin Ttainine Station at Athol, Idaho' He is Lieutenint Commander' His wife and daughatout 50 to 6b miles from Athol' Gene Virgil Brown, who is stationed at -Ft' Deveis, Mass., was home recently o1 -fyr- tugn visited his parents, Mr' and Mrs' ""a H.O. - Brown. Sgt. R.S. Christopher and wife came down iust completed his training in the Artillery bffi..t iandidate School at Ft. Sill, Okla'' and received his commission as Second iieutenant. He has been assigned to It' Lewis, Washington and will leave for that �place soon. Vernon Dunn went to Colorado Springs Monday, then on to Denver, where he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. He leit there at nine o'clock Wednesday night for San Diego, Calif., where he wil Le iritraining for six or eight weeks. He will try to get intJthe marine air school. Burlington friends have heard from Dr. M.E. Robinson. Capt. Robinson left Denver 'I'uesday morning for Ft. Meade, Md. He is a member of Base Hospital No. 29 of the U.S. Armv. First Lieut. John C. Straub, also a member of Base_ Hospital No. 29, left Tuesday for the same destination. Dr. Straub is a former Flagler boy. Lee B. Morgan, son of Mr. and Mrs. H.B. Morgan, former Burlington boy is in the U.S. Army. He is stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Pvt. Earl McKinney and a friend, pvt. pete __ Hunter, crme down from Camp Carson, Colorado Springs, Friday night and spent the weekend with Mrs. McKinney and her parents Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Wilkinson. Alvin Barber who recently enlisted is stationed at Shepard Field, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Schell received a card from Pvt. Clyde Melton. He is in the Armv Air Service and is stationed at Saint peters_ burg, Fla. He says he will be there fo" . i", weeks. George McNeill, who was home on fur_ lough, returned to camp in Missouri. Glenn Weaver, who is stationed at phoe_ nix, Ariz., came in on the Rockett Wednes_ *"v. U",lg: a lb day furlough. He is looking nne and llkes the Armv. by Myra L. Davis FRANKLIN BAKER MURDER CASE T48 State News: Franklin Baker, the murderer of two ranchmen near Burlington, was taken from the sheriff at Cheyenne Welis by a mob of infuriated men and hanged. Town and Country News: Judge Spere has gone to the county seat to make a rlport of the recent coroner case to the County Clerk. Rectus in Curia. A Murderer Hanged by Popular Justice. Last Saturday afternoon, as two voune men from Iowa were driving toward Burl Iington from Wano in company with a liveryman, and as they wer" p"rrirrj tne shanty of Franklin H. Baker five "Uimiles northeast of Burlington, they came upon a man with wagon and team stopped in front of a house and the man see-id to be in conversation with Baker and his wife. Nearbv the house ran a ravine or draw and the liverv tenm had started down the inclevity whei Baker hollered to the parties, ..Hold on.,;As the driver was checking his horses and loo_king back to see what *as wanted, he saw Baker's wife hand Ba-ker a gu.,'."yirrg, "Here's the gun, shoot the s- b--." ,titfrii the driver put whip to his horses and Baker threw the gun up and fired when the buggy was not over two rods from him. The gun liid been loaded with buck-shot and ptaled saJ havoc at that close range with the occupants of the vehicle. E.B. McConnel's bacf was mangled with seventeen balls, while his companion, John C. Morrison, received three shots-in the back, they piercing vital parts. The driver escaping uninjured,-whipped up nrs rcam and drove to a farm house a half mile away, where the injured men were cared for until taken to Burlington later in the evening. It has been learned that the *"r, -"ri_ tioned as in conversation with Baker and wife at the time the shooting was done had been halted by them and ordered to go back on his way and turn around the claim the road ran through. Baker had become incensed at the travel across his claim and had built breast works of sod at his place overlooking the traveled highway with the intention to" tratt or shoot any and all who passed on the road. There is no breaking and of course no .-". o_n th9 land, nor any sign to give warrrine ;i the_ closing of the road. It was pure and undefiled. deviltry, brutish hate of people at rarge, and a satanic hunger for a bloody row prompting the low born friend. . Arrest followed, the prisoners were guar_ ded out of reach of the citizens of gurli"";on. and a preliminary trial called for attemit to kill while the mutilated boys *rr" ininn between life and death, and o" IUo"a"i morning Deputy Sheriff Jerry Barnes. bv I strategic move, got his prisoner into a buesv and st611ed for Cheyenne Wells at a lightriii! speed, covering the ground to the firit relai of horse, seven miles in twenty minutes. When Burlington people caught on to the move., which they were not long in doing, the popular cry was, ,,Guns, horsei and teims!" and soon two hundred men and every horse in town was in hot pursuit of tne sheriff. fhe chase lasted for the thirty-five miles inter_ vening between the two towns, the pursuine party losing members as horses winded ani hopes weakened. Qeputy Barnes arrived here about one o'clock on Monday and an hour later the advance guard of the pursuers came. , Fate, coincidence, or as some people will have. it, in the-light of subsequent ."""t., providence had delayed the west bound passenger nearly two hours for the first time in months, else we would have closed this bv saying.that the p-risoner was safely lodged in Arapahoe's jail. But the delay allowed"num_ bers- of the- rescuing party to get in and precluded-the possibility of reriroving the prisoner from the depot, where he- was guarded, to the coach in safetv. From two o'clock in the iternoon until twelve that night, Deputy Sheriff Barnes and his deputy, Charles Lynde, guarded the prisoner at_the depot and resolitely bluffed ott a crowd of near fifty men from any and every attempt to relieve them oftheir charge. Guns were numerous and flourished silenil" now and t!en, and attempts were made by I free use of the pen's weapons to overpolier the guards and return the prisoner d Bu;_ lington. The sheriff parlayed the crowd by a clever rrree to telegraph to the governor for legal advice, seeking to gain time for the arrivJoi Sheriff Harper and reinforcements, and ryaking promises to bide the word, knowins that his assistance would come in ihe irrte.l val. The ruse worked well and held peace for several hours, but at twelve o'cloct a sand storm caml up and the crowd gathered determination. At a time least tt de_puties were nabbed by bystande..'"rrd "*p"It"a, " taken away, the excited prisonir rushed from the depot with a notary's seal held above his head with his manacled t ,""av lo L."i" ""a, ti. fir""t-ioi whoever__attempted to bar liberty. Hardly had he gained tt e ai. f"fore he was_ thrown, held and ,oo" *". l"i"i dragged across railroad tracks o"". .i"J"i"E ground and pretty roughly tranatea wtrite lusuy calling on the ,.Jerry" who himself was being hustled over the ground Uy fr"f?l dozen able bodied maskJrs. " The closing scene of the great tragedy was enacted about midway of tle t.essei work ol the west approach of the coal chute. Under a span ofthis was gathered a group ofmufflJ merr; and they in charge of the prisoner, Ji unknown, were irresistibly drawn toJ*d them. A rope ending in a noose was danslins trom over a cross tie in the tressel; under iI the-murderer was dragged and told d;r";. As-he was a pretender of a religion which tre defiled, he was not amiss at thiJand;ilh til; stereotyped form of prayer meetings began with: "Oh, Lord, we are glad that ie a"J i" the condition that we are. Forgive tfrese men: they know not what they do. C"unt -" " fitii" more time that I may explain to these men." At that a voice from the crowd reminded him that- he had given the boys ti-" io pray, and the rope was tightened"o about his neck, and the inanimate form fr.r"g less and was left alone while his sorll -oiiorr_ ;;;;; its maker.and will probably give *u.f, io exprarn. I'hree murders and other attempts to kill are recorded against him on this edth alone. A coroner's jury was summoned Tuesdav morning by C.I. Spere, Justice of the peace. the body cut down, an inquest held and the remains buried near town. The verdict of the jury was to the effect _ that the deceased met his death from hanei; at the hands of parties unknown laboiini -" un1t9r_qn epidemic of transitory f."rrv. Bird McConnell, one whose life waslken - by the murderer's bullets, was one ;i;h;;; whole-souled boys whom everybody and was glad to call a friend. it" *"."d-i*d to t"u" been married on the first of May to . Vo"n* lady in Kansas and had .orir" *".i-ti establish his home before going back for his bride. Before his death he made'a wiil leavine all his property to his affianced. Hi, i;h;; arrived from Iowa Tuesday morning to {o1 the remains. He was a membei of "aie the I.O.O.F., and the members of the order in these parts did all possible to care foi friwounded and dead. John C. Morrison was a stranger in this section and was making his firlt visit io Colorado. He had no .eLtirres -a UuJ former_ acquaintance at Burlington, """ b; ;;; none the less tenderly cared for. Above three items from Cheyenne Wells Gazette, April 21, 188g. Monday'sDenuer Republican had a photo_ graph of and an interview with Mrs. Harriet Baker regarding the murder committed-lv her husband near Burlington on the lbth of April. The reporter's emotions got him and he represents the acc'essory "*"y,ith io tfre murder as an innocent, intelligent and religious, motherly country *o-io, and gives her statemenLs credence. Nothing could be wider of the truth than the accoirnt olthe affair given, and any attempt to manufacture sympathy for the woman will hardlv be a-ppreciated by those who have heard her threats, oaths, and cold blooded ments to kill any and all who attempted """o""""_ to �cross the land as well as they who were instrumental in the gudden death of her husband. Great allowances will always be made for a female criminal, but the Republican's young man rather overdid the matter' Cheyinne Wells Gazette, May 5' 1888' A sensation was created Sunday by the discovery that the body of Franklin H' Baker, ttanged by a mob at this point on the 16th.of lprit. had been taken from the grave' An invesiisation showed that the corpse had been histily dragged from the buried coffin through an opening probably kickcd in the foot eid, dragged in the muddy soilfor-a few feet and ihrown into a vehicle which had been in waiting. From the signs, the body snatchers were-not particular in their care of the remains and ii could not have been friends ofthe deceased. It can safely be set down that some medical student has been taking lectures on strangulation with Burlington's murderer for a subject. State News: A sensation has been created at Cheyenne Wells over the discovery that the remains of F.H. Baker, hanged there by a mob two weeks ago, had been stolen from the grave. A hole had been kicked in the coffi"n, the body dragged out and carried away, possibly for the education of the coming generation of sawbones. Abo*vJ two items ftom Cheyenne WeIIs Gazette, MaY 12, 1888. A Graphic Account of An Early Necktie Party. Tire following article, taken-from the Burlington Coll of last week, we feel sure-will be of interest to all of the Neus readers' There are many people here now who are familiar with faCts as set forth, but the vounger generation scarcely rcalize the tranritioti ttt"t has taken place in Eastern Colorado. Mr. R.A. McConnell, special representative of the New York Mutual Life Insurance Company in San Diego, California, and W{' McC'onnill, president of the California Mutual Finance Corporation of Los Angeles, Calif., passed through Burlington on Monday morning. These gentlemen were in Burlington on April 16, i888, *h"tt their brother, who had been shot by Franklin H. Baker, died at the Montezuma Hotel. Mr. McConnell, Silas Fonts, Dave Spear and Wheeler had made pre-emption filings ott four corners where sectioni 22-23-26 and 27, in 9-45 come iogether. Each one had built a sod house and th"ey had dug a well in the middle of the road crossing for their joint use. After- filing on his land and building his house, Mr. McConnell had returned to Iowa to close up some business affairs and on his way back came by train to St. Francis, Kans' Thi mail for Burlington was at that time broueht bv horse conveyance from St' Francis ;rd young McConnell, with John C' Morrison, another homesteader, arranged for Dassase with the mail carrier. ' Siimiles north and two miles east of Burlington, Franklin H. Baker had pre-empted thJnorth half of the north half of section 4, township 8, range 43, which ls-just-north taken by Mrs' Martha oi ttt" t-d homestead. Mr. Baker had been Coakley as a"tt"rwards a scoul and buffalo hunter over Eastern Colorado during the ?0's and was the possessor of rather a trard reputation. He had stood trial at Holdrege, Neb. on two different occasions, once ?or assault with a gun and once for assault with intent to kill. In the last case he had slashed a butcher across the abdomen with a knife' In both cases he was acquitted on the grounds of self defense' He had brought several parties from Holdre-ge and that vicinity to this part of Colorado, locating them on tree claims and pre-emptions. His practice was to take the train from Holdrege to Wray and from there drive across the country. One party located by him included B.F. Kaiser, afterwards county treasurer of Kit Carson County, W.S. Ready of Stratton and Ed Hoskin. The traveled road from St. Francis to Burlington led across one corner of Baker's land, and he had ordered travelers to go around the corner. The mail carrier, either not knowing about this or not caring, drove across the corner on this Saturday, and Baker fired a shotgun loaded with buckshot into the party in the spring wagon. A trunk in the back of t-tte wagon protected the mail carrier' Morrison received some wounds that were not deemed serious but from which he died some three years later. McConnell, however, died from his wounds on the following Monday. When they reached Burlington, Jerry Barnes, deputy sheriff for Elbert County, accompanied by Frank Mann, drove out and arrested Baker. He was brought to town and kept in the old Bon Ton restaurant; and wh91 it was seen that McConnell was bound to die and that his friends were evidently making arrangements to take their revenge on Baker, Barnel sent Mann on the road to Cheyenne Wells to make arrangements for relays of horges to be ready in case of hurried flight' After the death of Mc0onnell, arrangements were made for the preliminary hearing before Justice of the Peace Page; but before the time of the hearing, Barnes decided that he better put Baker in a safer place and left behind a iast team for Cheyenne Wells. Cheyenne Wells was reached in record time, but the train they expected to take was ten minutes late; and before it arrived, the 4elggation from Burlington was in Cheyenne Wells' The deputy wal overpowered, and Baker washanged to the coal shute in the east part of towi. He asked the men not to bind him and said that he would take his medicine' The mob was orderlY but determined' Baker was buiied at the Wells and his his body afterwards found in the South Smoky tr.totot has it that it was brought to "rrdBurlington and the bones cleaned and wired as a coimplete skeleton' The whereabouts of the skeleton is a matter of speculation' While some of the detailstliven above may be somewhat incorrect, the story in the main is correct and the ColJ will be glad to have any further information concerning the affair that any one maY have. We aie enabled to print the above interest- ing story of early day history through the co"urtesy of Mr. H.G. Hoskin. Reprinted from the Builington Call in Cheyenne County Neu's, June 3, 1926. incident of little pride. It happened during a time of distressed conditions when treacher- ous dust clouds had claimed the land. A dwindling economy' short grass, drought and hot weather, forerunner of the "dirt days," had caused an exodus of many brave people in earlier years. This left vast acres of srassland untended south of the correction l-ine and southwest of Second Central School. In this day, a term for this vast expanse of vacant land was "Free Range." Little farms and ranches were left in limbo as hardy people left to find a better place to live' Some ieft-on foot with their few belongings on their back. No matter how the incident is viewed, basis for the trouble was greed. This unhealthy trait of men, has not subsided and is, no doubt, a single sickening source of man's problems today. For some, this incident was probably an indoctrination of how to use the iaw to further one's financial condition. Local livestock ranchers were aware of an abundance of grassy acreage and ran their herds in the area. Most were amicable, and in reality did no harm to anyone except, perhaps, those still living nearby. 11 1o--st instances, allowances were thoughtfully made to assure each could share in this windfall, providing a chance to succeed for those stili hanging on. Short grass and dry weather created a need for larger acreages to sustain animals on Pasture. There were cattle and sheep men in the area, solid citizens of the community, generally with their own land or land rented for their use, occupying a good share of the area' Local sheep men may have shared in this practice of using "Free Range" at times, without disfavor, owning and renting some of the grass land. The so-called war, was not a battle between those who ran different animals, but between the community, both sheep and cattlemen and a somewhat errant or greedy outsider running !!""P. J.S. Price occupied the old Sexton place on the north edge of this area, running cattle' Jim Kountz ran sheep and cattle to the west' "Billie" Vassios also ran sheep and cattle in this area. Ora Vawter lived southwest of our school using a portion for a cattle operation in the "range.'iConrad "Connie" Stone had bought a couple quarters out in the expanse of iI, intending to use a share for cattle' Robert McCurdy owned an 80 near Connie' West of Connie Stone was Tom Rowland who grazed some of the range on occasion' DoroIhy, hi. daughter, remembered herding cattle orl. it to keep them from eating weeds which grew in patches where the wind blew out and "go-back" fields had not yet g."s.y over. These weeds made milk taste ir".tld"t.". ierrible and Iowered salability of cream' Most of the remaining residents of the area milked cows and sold sour cream. Dorothy remem- bered a time when sheep were relocated' A'B' Radebaugh lived south of Connie Stone at a placed cilled Loco. Charley Smith lived north of Mr. Radebaugh. South and a little east of Charley was Cecil Baxter and his family, trying to grub out a living by milking i:"T'.ffi*l]y,-,*:j:,JiTi S:".?i,iL'$:u]l* srrEEp_cATTLE wAR T49 Wanczyk. Giibert Smith lived a few miles south in Cheyenne County. Fred Mort and Kenleth, had located north of wild A strange event, so named by He-nry son, The Bergman family was located in Horse. in o.."rred Hoskins, unique in the County,south of A'B' Radebaugh' "ou"lv, Cheyenne iftirties. It our community during tit" "#iV perhaps an There were others in Cheyenne County' This was seldom mentioned Jiur*u.d, �is not to say all these men used the .,range," but it was a possibility not denied them] - Though quite young, I knew most persons involved in the incident. Each was law abiding, each a good neighbor. Generally, ' , most attended church on Sunday and all took an active interest in their communities. Thev were good men and helped one another, a necessity required to remain in the countrv. Times were bad with few rains; an incessant dry wind took a toll of remaining grass and crops. As if this was not enough, to be oppressed by thousands of sheep, makes it easy to understand a situation forced on many of the local stockmen. It is amusing to find, as I searched records, few lines .ecJrding encroachment of sheep on private land. Most lines recorded wrong doing of a commu- nity and of legal maneuvers. __In a June 15, 19BB issue of the Flagler News, an article appears with the headline. "Cattle Men Opposed to Running of Sheep.'; This article tells of a proteJt meetins, reminiscent of the old battles between cattle and sheep men. It was held south of Flagler and attended by forty-two people. The shlep were owned by two brothers from a distancl west of Limon. The sheep had been driven here from this area. The sheep men had rented the old Jens Petersen place and had set up camp there. Several protests had been made to the owners when sheep had encroached on a large tract ofprivate land. This was caused in part by dried up water holes and insufficient grass. It was decided at the meeting to send a dozen or so men to make a final protest. These men informed the she-ep owners and herders that the sheep had to be removed that day. Nothing was done about moving the sheep so neig[bors gathered in body and proceeded to movJ the sheep themselves. Basket lunches were taken along and a regular picnic held at noon. No opposition was encountered as the sheep were taken eight miles back to their home grounds. There were about 1000 ewes together with their lambs in the flock. the Junl 29, 1983 issue of the Flagler -_In News, a headline appeared. ,,19 Arrested-For D-riving Sheep Off Range." The description of charges seemed ominous when I read them. Nineteen farmers were arrested on a Satur- day by Sheriff Hollander of Chevenne County on warrants charging them with unlawfully, willingly, maliciously and felo- niously driving a flock ofsheep lB00 head of ewes and lambs from their-usual range. They were owned by two prominent she"ep men, Rex and J.B. Hixon and valued at $5200.00. The Hixon brothers leased several sections of land north of Wild Horse and farmers in that vicinity decided to drive the sheep north to Kit Carson County. A crowd of some fifty men, women and children her4ed_the sheep out of the country. The Hixon brothers signed compiaints for their arrest and informations were prepared by the Deputy District Attorney, J.F. Death- erage. These were gent to the District Judge at Colorado Springs for signature. Since tf,e charges were gerious in nature, an early date of the trial was expected The item stated that warrants have been issued for the anest of the following farmers: C.W. Baxter, Gust Bergman, Donald Bergman, Alex Crouse, Win Cotton. Art Wiltse, Floyd Thompson, Fred Mort, Kenneth Mort, A.R. Farley, Arthur Tryon and son, Andrew Gwartney, Dave Jemmaka, Eugene Schumacher, Gilbert Smith. A.B. Radebaugh, Frank Wanczyk and Stanley Wanczyk. It was said a large trial was expected because of the n 'mber of men involved. At least a dozen witnesses were expected at the trial. The Hixon brothers allege that they lost some sheep and others were injured whiie the band of excited farmers drove their herd off the range land. The article from which information was taken was in the Flagler News and had appeared in the East"ern Colorado Plainsman. Those arrested were named in the article and, inthe opinion of this writer, were good men of high caliber. Memory dictates a reluctance of law officials to become involved in.the problem. It is difficult to proceed in this manner unless a law is broken and can be easily proved. I am told these intrusive sheep were watered during the drive, indicat_ on the range. The cow was fresh; they put her in the corral and milked her. The-rice was much better with a little milk! Mr. Hoskins worked only a few days after the move. There might have been L tocat recommendation that he quit the job. He drew his pay and left for home in Buriineton. He was arnazed, to read in the Flagle. N"*. a few weeks later about men who had entered the. sheep camp and drove off some sheep, intimidating the herder in the process. His short record said J.S. Price might have caused a delay,in the altercation, giving him time to leave. Since Mr. Hoskin's iamiiy was prominent in Burlington, it would not have been good for him to have been involved. He mentioned papers were served on two men from Flagler, five local residents and others from Cheyenne County. It was also men_ tioned land sheep were grazing was leased by some of these men, accounting for such a ing the community group was trying to care properly for them. Many incidents occurred at this time in the community which are not reflected by news media of the time. These are added from memory and interviews with fracas. There is no record that J.S. price had a part in the incident. He was also a law abiding man taking an active part in Sunday schoJl and Church in our community. This was true oi time. records. those who lived and experienced this unusual I was about 7 years old when all this happened, and I didn't really understand until some time in the '80's when I read a short record by Mr. Hoskins of Burlington, giving information about the affair. I reriem_ ber a lot of concern and worry my parents endured, and of nearly losing some of our milk cows. More than this, I remember lack of water when wind just wouldn,t blow to turn the windmills and cows were bawling for water. Water holes dried up, as did the grass and never did it seem so hot. When winl did blow, it was turbulent and screamed so hard we had to shut down the windmills or lose them. Cactus began to gain an edge on buffalo ancl gramma grass; it seemed to like drv times. Always, we were short of funds and mv folks had to do without and utilize what thev had to remain. When things seemed as bad as they could get, the grasshoppers came and cleaned out all vegetation. Caltle were sold to the government for a pittance; many were shot on the spot, to be buried by my father as part of the deal. This instilled in me a wariness of government programs I have never overcome. Apparently in 1938, Mr. Hoskins talked to C.M. Smith. Mr. Smith knew a man in Matheson who needed ranch help. Mr. Hoskins went to him and hired out to a couple brothers on a sheep ranch. He went to work in March, beginning his experience as a sheep rancher. He spent mornings feeding ensilaei from an upright silo and added to hii learniig experiences there, trying to drive a tea- o1 unruly horses. It was lambing season and afternoons w_ere spent trying to match up lambs with their mothers. A careful watcir was kept on the newborns when they were placed as small herds in pastures. As the lambing continued, the entire herd was moved to a ranch south of Flagler. (The lone sheep shed, 2 or 3 miles west of Second Central school). Newborns and mothers were placed in_ a special wagon accompanying a cook shack on the trip. The food wai "ota not very good; no one knew very much "rra about cooking anything. One day, Mr. Hoskins said the Boss brought a sack ofrice. It was not verv good by itself in any form. Mr. Hoskins continued that they tied up an old cow found most local men whose names appear in As I beean to research this happening, I was amazed how many remembered events seemed to fit into the incident of this time. The sheep outfit had leased some land in the area, I am told, but chose to graze the entire area with several thousand animals. This was not an acceptable act, considering previous arrangements. I was amused about the cow Mr. Hoskins mentioned, her milk being used to enhance the rice. I remember Ora Vawter looking hlgn and low for a missing milk cow. It is possible, Ora found the cow a-t last when hc visited the sheep camp after a few hundred sheep had trempled his field. I could be wrone about the cow, I think not; but it is a fact. Ori was assaulted violently at the camp. Hisson, Jim, reported to his school mates what had happened and that his dad had contacted the sh-e1if! charging one of the sheep men. I am told Jim said, "They charged him with assault-and battery!" Ora was a good neigh_ bor and highly respectcd in the Jommuniiv. Certainly, this was an inexcusable act. This Sheep-Cattle incident became verv serious and associated with this time ani event was at least one death. This involved a man killed at the sheep ranch headquarters and listed as accidental and may ,"ll hau" been. Strangely, no one talked with who remembered this incident was convinced the death was aceidental. I found no records of other deaths. One murder, often erroneouslv associated with this time was that of Joe Ruestle. His body was found in November. 1929 in his shack in this area, dead ofa bullei wound. The investigation contained rumors of trouble due to the Ku Klux Klan, religion, neighborhood enmities and other imphed motives. This was before the sheep incident in 1933. Coleman Murphy lived east of Rock Cliff and was engaged in raising horses, much in demand at this time. Al a round-up to prepare them for sale, an excess of 100 head were driven into the home pasture. This must have b-een a spectacular sight. Seventy head of his horses had strayed and were reported southwest of Flagler. Troy, his son, who had worked for Matt Simsenson in his cattle operation, was sent to find them and bring them home. �oerhaps wrong' seemed justifiable' To get fi; this unusual situation trom law fl:ii"?'i irelp in Hi.'?"T.",li""il#i;;T;"; popular pop-ular a not was ;Ht1:"ii$iiqil'iJffi"$'fi"niif"f_:*1? agenc-ies if':x',$,?';':'il":,$ enfbrcement agencres course' enforcement *3HH'ffi'#j which' i""iiJTJr-uv"?i-il"i""t*rence'of feelinss remained from feelings cxistirig Cxistirig ililt". ililt"' trte euerrt, animals *a *t"it"J-data was ;A;;;;i; b""o iilr^.""ia-ir"u" his own' of nls the ""u". ;;;ilr earlier days when one took care ol i'tt often, the unskined -igrrt -i.r. This it"Jia must i#, -"r"" one s,,In sought' sought,was e"t" he been " help ."y outside "uitiJiui.iog n* *tti"rt Had ""i fi"d-ffi;tT"Ti case with rroy. one unan fi;'#;;ii;q probablv probably "o,rrd were was i"r"rber, this area i"-"-b"., .9n .Yntune with the land.,, Troy,s thoughts rrt"'il;;-p#;;;rr""*,i."q1"a i"Jtffi investigation "ril'"i-*"rlo""t"a' an acllive, an conduct to and piace hors-es il;;hhv rrr" il;ilh;;i""e centered on missing and verv restless and As Troy ;"il;;ih; t,orrg .t""p residents very ir-"e"tu-v-t"tiaents *iin ir'"**v *i]t though silent landsc"pJ"uo,rit i-. [""r-rr."a il"n"J rnrq;;;i;';";;6;a anv any most at some bullets range_ " ", open spraving spraying someone rode west he *ossed i Il I I ffiil";F:+i-".r;;idP:i."* benefit' all -t! YT-a tilendlthoueh of little benefit'.all tilendlthough and one haif structure and ;il;;i'i" satisfaction satisfactlon and two room, story s""ai, Little again' easy tt"atrt" breathe could "e"i-tt' shot ["i*Jr.i"." " "oula outcome' Davs followin the p;ti*. ;;;.;;;i;"cedintheoutcome'Davsfollow;;;.;;;i;"ced ""liri"!'..n!E;t1*; -"t'i*.tt ""'v first with retaliations' filled him-the were arrests sig;aletio i"n ing and whining bullet "ligiiu"**"ireditwlii-por."irt"tosaveit' rr"a ri""tiiirt#.tt""p u"tr vr"" srr""o ii3 expectaany g*pecptotally and uncertainty of an-y u.. and uncertaintv ,,tirurinu* wa' no accident. N"I *-"a c"".u ol th" fir" was un- ,rtir..it the fact' tne ,^""if-iirr:ti.v. protection from the law' In tact' of tions iit"t unpreparedforsuchJ";;I";h"eredhis somJJpeculation. causrllq I I^am am r.ro*o, aspect' "r of lop-sided aware verv very was tie t'ook on a *"lt* ti"t sootted mount to tn" -dh;.1o"at Jh"ep -"i *"r" not immune to t"ttut one Une time' this "".i, at guns willing not euni toted *", several uJ ;;ilil;;;;;i-totedtold tension in the area, -t" t#".;;lbd *-.. r""i iJrJ or,'io"a rn""p ;;;il;;;" a cord ibout his neck with a sixremainaninnocenttarletwithnoweaponfor ii;"tr,'d; ;"ii ii*rtrt*ot"acordabouthisneckwithasix,*"t"r,.li* ;;ttb ;; gun with others carried rifles' just in returned tioy gi." day, p,ru"a rti. eit" reco'rse. Next ;il;;;;;; i"ir"il";r*gJ "tl""rtta; "tl""ft.a; with in hand aod cros.ej-ir," ,"r,g" ^no ""il"r, was the sheep-cattre plr or {it X*J;afil,ul":11'*#ffi,TEii$".il created bv greed' ;;G;;:shlnmen ;;#d i;t" rft;ii, ;J9;"ili-si""" ii caison countv, a" "it n:fllm*f*'*i"m*tn5** and acts of bravery of *"'u ih"t" ror. were watching 19ts were times of fear' Mv te*ove the posts-' a-new i'"r-itp.,'iuleto There Jim's r"*r"tt""tt' Icanstatethenextincidentasfactbecause young and ;"ll h;e; ug -{rg t" ;;;";ii;.-t-";1. pip" tittett' Jovce' D-orothv and I nearlv grew up irt" I lived it. As I have said, I was very (Jni#. ili;i"i"""t" ffi '''il*;v': ;f a horse thit ti*e' our saddle .*a j1 ." ;;;h;;;i poor did not understand all that was transpiring. ;;;, ;;;;ri,ig ai.tlir[1""", "t ridins was done bare dozen half a about "f verv ior was looked -rrti"gtt so mostyoung' Mv folks had rg""J;ilffiil;ilp1!1r ;;;i;;t6*. we roamed the My missing. very of our m'k cows *r,i"t,-*"r" for aiiowin! the errant sheei ilitrt' ;;;"t"rt.tilrn on our range one eye in watchful horse a keeping saddre prairie, our riding mother was ariu"o, tlil *T#"i"t rtlr l*r'". r""r" *rri"t and somecar, very Ford, was old voung the "'dil.".;uv, ro"i;;pi;-;;"lved. anl cattle"Dorothv area. Dad and I werl in the horse well' once command aia"'t ii-ur searchinginanother.w""*"overahillanq had io o"rl"J[""ff. ]ilrT";;d;;; mv grandfather's house us. several were shocked at ttre scene below prru"ur, had to pay 'a .ii"vi.tg "t*ost toBringing "r;;;;d, ;;;il;t back the uneasv cows our herd awav' to riil"t trying rorl on intent ";a diiJiliJrri-u..*"i,r;r, ^ men were of last Londing memories are had_been time which thisl"Ji"gr of checks ti into the bed of a .to"['ir-rr-"r ,"u"ra-..u"i;;.;story tiat"o-o*v. father My bottom. in-tire *i""f"i"ttt"ctionswhenwerodeoff'some wash a backed into ira'r"vi'g* .9.Tg;; his ;#ii9;;;i;lriomuiie"qirii" time were' "Don't go had an instant temper, cogin-g fromgun, #3"g, :'Thq; il"-"ruo from this when rirst ir,6 sent to bring in -i"a, ul """r ttt"ttt""p camo!" mother,s side of the fanily. He-\a{ To fi;";h;;-tigrrt il^#"il-i"-""-u"i.r leave the people' I_know sheep the gratefur. see "If vou for which I am now very " ;.rit" lr;". "Ir you.pt.n ;;;; l;;;"",igr', "o cows' home!" These for Luckily, straight head ;;;"""nt! ;; it ."**' use to -aird temptation do!" iiiiig ""a to "Keep an eye out --coirt*i"t rr! might'.ri"a were able to all men ran for *re tiucr little difficult to instructions were akin times!" ao.r-"rrt for rattle snakes at all I leavebefore*"-riu"a]itaveoflenwonderoo l,rorn"rr;uli rs, rssg, tlr" g1u.1"r Astimewent.on'thesheepoutfitdeparted ri.ttirt r ed what would have-liapp"o"a that day had "";;;t. ;;il;;J;ril rr,"T".ii,".ri"" "r ror"" ti*e later' a new man' Mr' Hutton' they remained! Th";H;;;;;ffi;;; is no b"iri,i"*tr, j"alia ili.i.fut" trri* ""J the land' This ended the there "o'tiiJttrougr, t""gtti-*t.of from the ,heep outr.it, xro.19*"q"t r"q,ru.tJd*bv-c.w. ;;;';." ;;nrJ" seem; R*tgu" in the area' Mr' Hutton was a way to prove this. ri"ir"", i&"dd ends of justice^ aii drivi to and was accepted well bv his trying i;iltt*;t# d"i];d"r l riri d;i;;; sheep outfit *u, u.touirli orh" coiue'i"r,"" io, a larse number of sheep in "o"J*ir"iv. people out of the cguntry. sg.t* ili.Rliir;;ri*i*ti"g t""l"d; ;;*ilil; ""iet'uott' about when he sold out' the to followed' talkld have tt'"t I c;;i v""?r Most older peopre d.r9d niri""lii""T?,i';il;;;;;J.'. pasture land for cattle ild "c"t; became co,rirqi" this subject remember cecil w. naTt€.r.ad #;;til;iLa i"-g, ;ffi;;J, Ranch' I do ii probably Harris-Davies piii the cows, to ;l;";il his loss of about five-m'k b4"r, Crg.1".^c1"ii"e)"5.e. land had ;;il this what pr"uioi"ry aig; IL;; not wish to-even mention disaster' also crea manner sucrr ure iile'i";id;t #ffiiiJi!;ei, ii"ir"ii"iJp. hi's pending a diffeiengg, ^r" todav' one i described. rhere was i*i"** r'u"tg,L"lr il;;";; ated bv greed! r cattre were loaded *a t t"o some distanci il"iiJi!;a"u"",igi, .ri"d. Troy distances south of the iooe'rr,""p rifle was shocked to hear trr" .'r""r of a second A bullet a of whizz the I south or the U.P' tracks!-rhe cows-wer: i:'"?]#::HF}"*il#ift',e**#:""" Gnar"a bo,""tl.Td-.ld"rph Martinez' times' XX*L$tH#5;#llfi:r'ifiG"n{iu; in foundinterribleshape.Beingmilkcotllthlv Eacir-time -'lpn@U1 a continuance was sranted and tTr#i::l had dried up and *";-lfii; and thirsty. 'f:ffitti'. 6eitaintv, tt e, *.,",,"iiffi"' one dav. ftff3"r1:'i"il*ttt# storrs Franf with happening )Xf-_:1".,:*tiJ"T*^I:ltl"; ;clt*t"t this bitmissed'Aeainst 19 Farmers'" We come to the .o""iuJJ'-tr'ut r"'tt'"' tttal3f t[e 19 defendants who tr," d;;r"ttu6;tdwith threats made to cecil """J"Jiiir" loi""* felonv and misdemeanor I ;;;;;;ged going to a place i" iir""-'*i'l bv Lvre w. stone t-"-Y:L:* held several $:ffi:$: area, ""itit*"JK;;. canremembertheirleaving.Leon,ason'wasoveramattercon-cerningthedrivingofsome IIENRY IIATCH MURDER rv'a v r-- T60 or F,agrer was thrown into rhe,itt,e town *i:i$:t^nTJ"llily",l'i1!#:'d"l,t!:,]i H'$ilq by thp discovery of Henry Tuesa on ##ftil*lrl*fl,'J,"r:y pi".ia"a. crr"rg"" *"r"-Ii.r"i..JJ north of "*"i;"-*""i at his homestead rt""g ii"i"it;t-ll"tli I cannot. I know it was not freely lnade and iay bv the court has telegra-d"ff;Jil""t" ;;;;:-Dt' Godsman' of siebert'the p""pr" Ivasuelyrememberaquestiono?theability ."vi"g ti',"'irir", il;;";.iiu"a i;" results of at investigation' an countiee prt"Jtt carson Kit -"t" of cheyenne or ii;;;;";[J"q'"g trr" public' rirr"s-a"-"! made since '1ry been i"hittt tt"u" not "o.r'ii time to cope wittr a bad situation. "'i-rti"""gtvbruiseshavebeenfoundonhis had been irr"iir*a,ira"o"vrrJ-*iliitli*""irt"it part of their eource or i#.;ift;fd;"t"il;ffi;;;il*il'"u "rirt"o"" one above the left iaken and no retaliatiin oir""ouery -"d", ilil",ip i", tri"r o" h";a;;;;;* onthe'temple' il;;;itb*w-ir," of the head' The going! back ^;;;;;;; 9"li the for them urane ;;;;J-;;; . .. t'ime it was one could hardly ;;'h fi; l,";ffi vividt{ a'stranger'laterfoundtobe wrriJh qi'J"i-"ttio"tof There were otrrer events of *iir"r" the deceasid' is exerting consiremain in my memorv-aUo,rt ?0. tonswas "o'tir,,rua.wondered ::-:#:;; why these m^en were "r "";"prr"* and suspicion' and he will father, prairie hay, belongirri'to -y "it"n pr"g,r"a w i cloud of uncer- d"tu'bt" comment ;a to explain his to burned opportunitv *iri"t an given tir" prairie be large Lurned in a "p;;;;d ;fi;il#ru;;d;1h;;J;""J*.t""a"ur" theroadwestofseconJbentralschoor.To saturdav evening and the *r*htwnr;ft:ffuy*g, r,"* *lT-"",:'n*;*:^:l'*l;"?*:ii:'"?; ""ll:T;" to Fragrer �desiredtotakeaclaim..Hedroveoutoftown of KitCarsonCountyCoronerBobHendricks D;;;;. -i-h#;":Tom with the murder t,;il;;ffi;iil",n,ou,"ement .com home;;;"ft; ::ldfiti.i"lqp"a il;;l;;";;"t"i"i". rro* srories from made this not to go any further, and soon week by Thomas and charney. "ft"ll""ri"g would not-LJJ-.iil." court of taw. tvtite Jas ,,Theidentification of the other two bodies withJohnKesan,atandto".t";,;t;;;;ilu, officials charged and after being shown Hatch;s x;o i. or*i"Iir*_en;*. very happy with the llnif**l#if:ru'*l?ts"Tif;i $!;,f"*r;:i*$Till"Tfr{:[,T,1"": morning' and save ; il;;;;'"pi; I sundav "," N,r-"i..r.*"r,rir-ceme't age'cies in coro:tt5r:Tfiiyril"*Tt"lT##*:L, ;i*1";Hf;fiir:*:ril:Txj*r*r y;,hi;'d;;; i| :.1ti'T,f:$'{i"F[!i4ilil${ilf,}'; orriciars haie,,ir,o F,*r*, we ;;;"s ;,'il11",, c.,,,,,t] *:1.:3:,r*ti:;i;ri #j ;Tf'#:ffi.:5"*T."'""r101*:r:.f;*i,11 ry;q:j ,#e*-"*:t"fitn# 3fXT.'."fiji""Jil'1"{lL:*ti"f::.:S.i;;;;i Denver' Fe has beeriiocated i" ui.r'ig"" ilTflI,if:il"J'-Yruir*gliil:[tfff for his actions. and agents rrom Jerrerson ililfl.H*j::"''ffi.ft1,,]:*"f::;tjg H:,"h1],jtln;il:**"'en,orthetask focus on the ranch murders. M""v ;;;";;;?urt *"csr shourd rocus r#1"i"grffi:?f#:twru'#affi:: fii** H:"'.|:: ;ililffi ;xitiill p*r, J,i;;;',il,"si, McCORMT.K RANCH .",r.*#W.;rltAn;,.;;;;;; MURDERS rAsK p,,or FouND FoRcE possrBlE .':affH:$l!ili.!".tj,1,1,ff":'ff;. BURTAL ftT,:"",i,'"'ilffi lfi Jiffl l*":ffi:,,"ffillrt':::.**:illi:"::,r* T6r said-. .We asked for'helti;;;"th" ^iB;,";; we did get some initialty in tt One body identified . . . :J$:;.t think thev weie i""r*v "rirrl tr'"i (f " r'"rpr"ii" "e'v 162 gbg) Faced with a sma'budget-and rimited ,1$;f*r6#'ffj','.:l'"Tlf:,*.if;,1: fJ#'f,"",ixi,#*:l:ri{#i+""j:ilrf,"j t" r, reast threi'sker-Jto,,.. e,, examination F:11,":#?,trtlffffiSfilf"i,l""liT-}T fjqtt,i;;:rfrX."'."oi,.". orthe "1i.1 investigate the murders of-three men roirnd ...Thomas went on to. ".ui"i" he was ;-.8:n'H"ilit"j::*#ffiru:T:lX',;3t bv rom M"c;;: "disappointeii".,a 9ay "iu,t,,rbed; at til" crii. iliiTi:r.t:i*fyr ffi;: K.n"pp L-"gi,i't1,"- skeretons to t"ff:'*t;. "'*""u' Henry -_ rh";;''i# ;"' In a two-dav r;j,i:,.T; ai,".to. or pubric sarrry said he span colorado's newest.dirlctor-"f p"ilri'" wants to assign cBi agent David tt":?{1;;:Fyr1;1,:i:l# safetv has spearheaded the push rot dh*-f"I,i otcoior"Jorra-rr.r,r-,goda"r.Knappstated ii t"tt time.to trr"-?*]n; ;;ril force to help investieate theduril;t;;";-G'tHy'# that he.wourd preier to have the skeretons working *ilil iri'".tigators from^Kil or the bodies rouid has d;;-;";il;lv c;-;; remain in the riurlington museum. a;\,1!" \4;"#'Rii;"'1 identified. ngrige a"n"r;;;; . Anexplanati"""ir,i.rindingsisexprained eq:u:, i;'i:,,?"H#r#,1,;,"'$i:r Jefferson countv and now trt" trti"i"a-'i"il- *i*llfi:?l;ffd;fl"1d;"i::g yt r"u"*v';i'fi,6 *r. an'ou'c"d by ;;5;,:t;g#;;Tf"Htrg1ffi,; Lv'r retirrn tt em wittrin the next few davs. r,"- 6J",la" si",; " shourd eve.r.decide to parr Fi"i"T,bi:f;i""'3*t:iH:,:i+l'"*,*ii- k$#.lH"""J.' + d; #$::1n:"*::J::i':'JT:*:Hr:f*r ,",n'i['l{;,.lx::*i:,i;i:i$:lt:i!*T our society and I don't like to ;;L; unsolved." *rro *L-lolr,- .o1r?, 1?, rgzi, "i" -N.rifi with the rT:_1ry end simnlo li-o i. +L^+ rr ;;flti$t;.1}#ir:1;;iiilil;;ijr.ry __,,I have partiaily restored the one skull. ;*.*n::;1#J;:;rk: , or.':t*:'+'**f{:fff':,T:a".i6.? bilitv of forming a task foice-t" i""r.iig"L i;]itiffiJr4id+r$i",J:t"##J';; 1975. He would"il^;; b""." ,.In.anyeveritjiesearethethingslcante' the murders' The thoueht di; L;;il;ffiil 4! #;;;;; p*g9."a. H;ll"l?;;," u'"t rir"J i"i" r,i. " rhe builet pierced vou aroutlr,e iirli"ia"arhe sku' is male, age about s5-ad;ii"uth. rhe skur measure_ F:i'l'""T{5. ti:*Titffii,::il*ti":-il; ffif }i:::"jr,,HHii:' f'"'3i3,"ili*n'ffi,1,n::'ru,"::tli'*:i nnf,*fll,i'k:Tlffi.;.H.$f -:1. "': J,g#'ilf*it?i;"""J""fril:tJiffl?f3, tive trait, llt r."91 iii"'t".il?or"" ,^ or today,s livingj #JHHX1,:H'.%'*j3t"ffi":.t:lt:tj:: 20 vears . . - rtu *". pe9!e are "rii'3"gr'.-'ny ir."^very_good_idea,,, long well become realitv. hiaded. :j*r'r".x"r"il:: ;;.:'#rfl#,'ii"#'j:r:fi:::iJffrf'f';-f, *#iidtl'",1"'*: Lqfiffii'Jffi:tii#Jii;lti.t-;r";"fii see what he wants want-q dnno ltr/o 6i^ L^-.:-- --, done..we bones includef,il;";difl.tiliil'i:""T: iftt"X|f::liil:?: ili;;"; ongoing investigation on the murders ";; irioui ;ffi:iliilril31""i'h,"'"li*ffir'-1fli:'"# with and all the help we can get wiil appreciated." be "ra ;?"il'*"ii":fffJ;T,li f;ff:ijthatboth mon U"t I rtur" .,ynrr sh^,,r,r d^^ +L^* u- L r"* it in at lensr rwn nll,^- ;,,'".:***'#:.Te"tll,::x*ll,* *$f*#'d*il,i;::lH;',ffi "if,"; most #*a:*Hi#i:,*".rd*r;u"i:ff sofre startling stories -lv uitii""i'M;i;;: mick' 28' who is Tom's-son ;J;-ftt-"r _ " p.i{,1iii or"*. r,"-1""" er,rr;;fi;fi . ,,There I. ";thG I can teu you about the i#4["**rijfii?if':#iTr"]T rl fi[-ri,i,,:$]##t,$f",{iq,i},,fth pr"u nv *rooio ii"tir," t".t?or"e.ri"rii put together to investigat-e trr" a""irr. ilirr" i!:i1"{ifiit,-r:f,Hillf"'#fi"*,Tlj 5*#ff.*'i"',l,li'l; tr,","".n-.""ti""} ""Jlfi'ffii#'"":l?i5".{"r burial fuiniture is-a't.ait characteristic of the so-called uiaat" or Archaic period on the phins. ' tr,i. a"ti,,g is correct, the sku, ;$t'*tt**,,?n#i:13""Tff"i:?iiilxt ;*t{,ffg$';thu"r*'"';*;r.l* 'i*;;;;;;; i#:ilxllJ"#flff"u"e"tir,,gi"r,;''"'il; ,.r" one skurr, the bone |j'i3"'iil,{/"!*"*6,tih",:lP":l:lir3 ^ ranch in Kit carson county. ''lF;'i.?;Ts "aaitiofrJir," rt"g-"trt irr.r-"al p".t. of the lower jaws of were peoole. I dnn,r noro ir i+ t*,i"aaiii""Ji*J."., as weu the ;If:,11t'r:iliff1:*.iff:'::?['jjl ". cr'*g". r.'-tl"ii"iJ.n.,ii". round on ranch were never filed, but law enfoic;;;;; going to let this lay,,, Heinz said. ",i,,-u"i �of additional teeth. I can add nothing from these." by Jayne Hubbell THE L929 TRAIN WRECK WEST OF STRATTON T63 In 1929 I was working on the section when a wreck occurred on Spring Creek just west of Stratton. We were at that time called up there and helped where we could so I was i partial eye witness to the aftermath. The Rock Island train headed west in the early morning arriving at a bridge that was weakened by a flash flood and crashed over the bridge leaving the passenger cars in the bottom of the creek. Several people were Work completed, first test run over bridge. drowned and it was a terrible disaster. The Burlington Fire Truck was taken there to pump out the hole that the one car had fallen into and pumped steady for days. (It was an old Model T Ford Pumper). The following story ran in the Denver Post: "I have just come from the most frightful experience of my life awful tragedy - the which snuffed out a number of lives I dontt know how many when the Rock- Island,s - train went through a crack western bound fifty foot bridge over a dry wash three miles west of Stratton, Colorado. Never have I geen men and women behave so heroically. No hysteria, no screeming or weeping, only courage and grim determination to save as many lives as possible from the swirling waters of the wash. Among the heroes of this wreck, I am proud to say, is my assistant secretary, Able -. I have never known him by any othername and have known him for years. He rescued an elderly woman from the car in which I was riding. I was riding in the fifth car back of the Next day the repair crew and equipment started their job. engine, I was on my way to Denver to make km3/ry6*-r .g %tu ')of( / ,^/" ,/*a u &. w i& Ten people were taken from the wreckage who were drowned. Men indicated by arrows are County Sheriff, Bill Hendricks, Paw Penny, and Orin Penny. arrangements for the presentation of ,'The Miracle". I was sleeping in my stateroom in the rear of the car when the crash occurred. Mv wakening was rude. I was thrown out of m-v bunk and found myself kneeling on the sidl of the car, which somehow had become the floor. The car is on its left side. Above me are the windows, the early morning sun is streaming in. The glass has been smashed. Reaching up the edge of the sill, I pull myself and clnm[st out of the side of the car. The front end of the car is submerged in the wash, I see. My end is resting on the bank. The car is at an angle of forty five degrees. The car in front of mine has completely disappeared. The one in front of ihat is completely smashed. The one next to the baggage car is hanging on the opposite bank. The car back of mine is partially off the track, but it is still upright. My car is tilted on its end so that I am about even with the roof of the car back to me. Now the people are pouring out of the coaches. I climb over to the roof of the car behind me and lower myself to the ground. I wonder why I am not excited. I also �marvel an instant inwardly at my own feelings. My attitude is that of an observer rather than a participant in this fearful tragedy. Any minute now the screaming and hysteria will begin, I think to myself, but to my amazement I am mistaken. Where are Able and Thurman, my secretary? We should get busy to see what we can do for those in the front end of the car. The submerged. one in front is gone - completely like myself. He Here's Able in pajsmss rushes up to ask if I am alright. I'll send him back to save our luggage and the books of iiiriartfl ;rrr&rli "The Miracle". He lowers himself through a window. Now he is smashing a window further down in the car. He has found someone. Here is Thurman. tlt, ::1.,{,:t)a.,\aa. On-lookers watching the repair of the tresgel and track. Together we do what we can to help. The waters pour through another window Able i-'. , ::;i] has broken. He is struggling with a body, we help him and just in time, it seems, carry an elderly woman to safety. She is almost nude but is courage itself. She doesn't so much as sob. A fine boy, Able, I'm proud of him. Somehow everyone else seems to have escaped from our car but no one has seen the porter. He was probably in the front and drowned, poor fellow. For what seems like a few minutes, but !i,,: t }'i' actually is an hour, everyone helps take care which were of the injured - those in the cars derailed and smashed. At the end of the hour the water has gone down enough to make the submerged car visible. As fast as possible the injured are taken to Stratton in automobiles along the highway which parallels the railroad. Finally I leave for Stratton myself. Find a newspaper office and send in my story to the Denver Post." The above story was taken from the Denver Post. To heep in touch $rith ERIENDS View from highway 24, notn "guest car" center right. A TELEPHONE in your home is well worth the few cents it costs a day ft runs m&nY errands -handy in and is always emergencres. There is no su.bstltute for four teleDhone. The Mountain $tates Telephone & Telegreph Company Train wreck west of Stratton on Spring Creek. �THE GREAT FLOOD oF 1935 T64 A series of dry years, beginning in the late 1920's, culminated in the dryest of all years, 1934, when less than a five-inch total was recorded in much of the Great Plains area. The "Black Blizzards" of the Dust Bowl days darkened the skies at midday. The year 1935 began no less ominously. Up to the first of May little moisture had fallen. Then began three weeks of almost unceasing rains. The ground was soaked and county roads were like bogs. About May 25 the rains stopped. Up to the afternoon of May 30, mild and sunny days prevailed. Memorial services I Y were held under auspicious weather conditions, although in a few places light afternoon showers occurred. Towards evening, dwellers in the tri-corner of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska described heavy cloud banks in the northeast. Similarly in the locality where Colorado and its three southern neighbors meet, thunder heads were observed at dusk, away to the southwest. How little those who idly noticed the cloud banks realized just what was taking place! For three days a ttemendous low pressure area had been developing along the Canadian border and moving eastward towards the Great Lakes. In like manner, a storm center had been generated in lower California and Arizona and was moving eastward into New Mexico. During the forenoon of May 29, the storm-center nearing the Great Lakes sud- denly halted, changed course and began Taking bodiee from submerged car, photo looking south. moving at accelerated speed to the southeast. It was as if the two storms foci, like two huge angry giants, had suddenly sighted each other and halting, moved forward to do battle. By evening of May 30, the one storm center was over Central Nebraska while the other was at the Southern Colorado border. The stage was set for the most terrifying clash of opposing aerial forces ever seen in this country! The center ofthat stage was a spotjust within the Colorado border, an area in northeast Colorado, between the Republican River and the Arickaree. where those streams cross the state line. There, was the focus of the lowpressure area and there, the two opposing storms met. From that whirling vortex the tempest spread in all directions for perhaps 150 miles. At the focal point of the cloudburst, twenty-four inches of water fell, and most of it in the forty minutes of the storm's greatest fury. Fifty miles away in the same period of less than an hour saw as much as twelve inches of rainfall. It staggers the imagination to picture two feet of water being laid down over hill and valley in less than an hour. The downpour was accompanied by the most incessant and vivid lightning, while the earth shook with the continual roll ofthunder. Over Pulling wreckage from water. most of the area the height of the storm came between 7:30 and 9:00 p.m., although it was a few hours later that the sweeping waters reached the area around what is now Bonny Dam. People huddled terrified in such groups as could get together. At the height of the cataclysm in the western part of Kit Carson County, Colorado, several earth tremors were distinctly felt. None tried to reason this out nor to account for it at the time, but the �green in the May sunshine were now onlv desolate patches of hot and glistening sand. The channels of streams had been altered: huge bowls torn in the rivers'beds revealed the bones of beasts that dwelt on this earth ages before the coming of man. A single leg bone measured nine feet, while a tooth from some prehistoric monster was found to weigh twenty-seven pounds. .&):W.ltt@,t&.& The deluge that drowned thousands of jackrabbits and birds on the plains also washed away millions of cubic yards of the rich topsoil requiring countless thousands of years to build up. Hundreds upon hundreds of old Indian cnmps were brought to light, and it was revealed that at one time this country had been covered by dense and huge timber. June 1, 1935, 11:00 a.m. Overlooking the flooded Republican river bottom, looking north across the river to the Harvey Wood ranch. explanation, or at least the result, was shown later. At last the rain settled to a mild drizzle. By mid-night most of the fury of the elements was spent. The day dawned clear, with fleecy clouds overhead and low valleys wrapped in feathery fog. By 10:00 a.m. the wind came up and from the rapidly drying surface of the ground, dust was whipped up in a few places to form miniature but growing "black blizzards". But what a scene of havoc and death greeted the eyes ofthe thousands ofsearchers who were out at daybreak along the valleys of the rivers and creeks. Word had spread that many who had retired early had been caught by the rushing walls of the water that swept down the unusually dry creeks and river beds, and carried away to die, in a hopeless battle against the icy waters, in darkness and alone. Scores of houses in the lower valleys had been quickly toppled from their foundations. Survivors who had escaped and fought their way to shore or to trees through the long night, had, when daylight came, found themselves surrounded by animals dead and dying. Often human beings were hard put to hold their places of safety against the approach of desperately swimming animals and snakes. For, struggling in the frigid flood, trying to avoid the debris of houses, fences, trees, hay and floating animals, the victims faced the added danger of venemous rattlesnakes, coral snakes and other vipers. Hay meadows that had been warm and Those who had believed they felt the earth tremble at the height of the storm had ample proof of their belief. All over the northwestern part of Kit Carson County and that part of southern Washington County huge cracks had been opened, leading into the bowels of the earth. Some ofthese cracks, extending for miles, were as much as six feet across, and in them, hundreds offeet below the surface. the roar of rushing water could be heard for days. Wind and farming operations have filled the upper parts or obliterated these crevices since, but there are plenty of creditable witnesses to testify to their reality. An earthquake? Well, with nature in such a convulsion. is it to be doubted? The storm was one of the major disasters in America's western history. More than 100 lives lost, and the loss in farm and town property, highway and railroad bridges and roadbeds was estimated conservatively at the fourteen million dollar figure. No one could guess nor calculate the loss caused by depleted soil; people had been made homeless and all the other products of this tragic class of the elements. Rivers more in name than in fact, that usually were dry water courses, ran a mile wide and twenty feet deep, carrying a wealth of property and topsoil into the sea. To most of us, Bonny Dam, and the many similar dams all over this plains country, are places of beauty, of rest and relaxation. But back of all this lies the comforting thought that should there come such another flood. or even any of the many that occur each year in lesser violence, Bonnie Dam stan6. as . bulwark of safety. Augmented by the practices of soil erosion prevention at the community and individual level, such structures guarantee us against another like disaster as that of the memorable night of May 30, 1935. For Bonny Dam indeed makes possible the slogan: Preservation of the soil saves death and loss and toil. by Bonny Gould lrees starting to fall in wake of the flood, note tree on far right. �Br,uo. { mrloN lortharsi of Ctcranotrg. RsEge, Dortbei,rt of ClaretDolt. :*.t' !9],:ntlti:..,;:r:*ali r1.r':":,,'.]". ' :',i;r. ..':i* .f ,:.r' J, P. Evans. *,** . : r,,.,.,ji:,3,.:, *.iJ Cloremont, Co:o. Rlnge, Lostolau's Creek. t.i TTG S, GAIEWO[D, Olsfemont, Colc. Ruge, southeast of Cls:smoDt. w1i.i6.,:... ACI ,ri$ ii*qY auGUsT l'DOLr, Burll!gton, Colo Rauge, neer Landsmen. YINOSN WISSBAUM, )l B Next sequence; tree tumbling down the river. BlrllDgtoD, Colo. range. southeest of BurllnAtoB. Fted llachenbergbr, Lanrborn, KeDs. rolge. nor;hc&st ot nrllngton F -T and rwallow- IOrK lll eactr 61r. BR \/ H. rr. KLIEII'ER, Flagler, Colo. Range, Dutk.Crock B:.'RT n.{.oAlJ, Yale. Colo. Ren{o. C-.i5. South !'o:k llepubltcan. Albeft Bur!s,ri, U Kh'k, Colo. P tlp tl lell, c&r oil g rleh& ear rDllt. raDse, i niltdi ioutheict o! Ktr'[. s.-*'-": * 3{*;dt re-.,.-- Goorgc (*, B&rDer. Newton, Co!o. jYld -- ronfs, h8ad .of :fiiliaw cre6k. m catu€ & hoiect JO Flenpv Scbmi.lt, yole, Oolo. range, wssi ol i,andllla,n. FLX Treee have vanished in flooding waters. INTEREST & PENALTY FIINN. fiSTD FIIN]}, Io Werraptsoutstsnding Dcc, 31,1902 A05.25 llo B€lr. ou iand Doc, u, 1002 "' Colloction.0 rilde, cedlllgtuouan, 32.?l _il waneq!! tilued 0 mo.. eudlrg JuDe !i5. tl6 E0. 1803: Serylger, liold Ov€lsoer Sup. R'd Dlslnctr 194.00 B.0l 6.q) Work on rood Irllllng wellr {i.00 I'o lnt p'd 6 nros, endiEg JuDe i-i.93 ... 6rl in ltands oo. 'l'red,8 JqDe 30,.1903 8{J, 190s 2tJ.{t pv Trens;ep lo cen'l (.o. Rov.uue Fund Be,l. or brnd Juqe 30, r" w&rr&Dt! p'dl fl' nros. end.faB '- June .lsc.il) 80, rrlg pldd Eo! ondrng JuEo 80, l9O3 5..o3 ,'l tnt " Bal. banqr Co. l'rea"s Jun€ ;t0; tgg_llll! 78 t.0r ADDIT}ONTI/ IIOII NTY X'IINI) ,.1'o B8l. handr Co. Treas. Dec. 31, ,18.01 r.' lJoll.ectlou 6 Eos endlng Juncl90U t0, 1903 zriS.sn Py Erl otr b&nd Co. Trear Junr 90, 1903 ??1.00 95.A1 -3108 c-N Cb&rl'it Neoilc/; Burllrrgton, Oolo. reDge, SendcrotE 80.65 FTltTE OF COLORAD(,. | ._^ NITCARSdN COUNTY: iDJ. I hereby celtify tbe tol.egolng . lo !e r truo aDd correci state6ent, of thU sev-. pral qqun-ty Fuuds, lor the rlx mouths endilrs .f uue @, 19C3, a! Bbowtr by the I^lecorda and re: pon8 rD Ery Ollce, Wltneqg py hand iDd seal lhle ?th day of re0q. Julr - (!r.aAL) Wr'..t.r'I BocErr. (lounty L'lerts. renli-atnuel lletemgnt war . 'lhg.fofeSolpg F-xalllrbeg lDd &pproved by tbe Bo&rd ot l;ogn[I_ UomlutsrtoDers of KiI Calson CouDtv. colord4o, !f',f ilsr. ott "[r,ilr',;ff,;.;;. -' v"H:titf'd 6 ttlos, erdlns Juns BurllngtoD, Colo. i?nCe, Dgfth oi Berhuno, Oblo, "+# ?.J3.61 y'y warrontsoutstardlog Junp80, lg0J 21,$ 1903 f,', S, IJle;er, 0halrmaD. J. i. W;rtppte, Ilrtrle, COlo, rriD$.9. RopBblipan r lver. �of the basin, causing local floods on many rivers in Nebraska and Kansas. The south fork of the Republican River and the Arickaree River were the principal sources ofthe flood and had the highest crest discharged in record feet per square mile of any river in the basin, the crest discharge of the South Fork of the Republican River at Newton being about 103,0fi) second feet : ::,":.-:,r t\ l *4x $t* occurring between C"mbridge and Arapahoe, "" Nebraska. Below this point the effect of channel and flood plain capacity in reducing the crest discharge were sufficient to off set the inflow from tributary streams, so that there was a flattening of the flood crest and a gradual reduction of the magnitude of the crest discharge to 170,000 second feet at Ogden, Kansas, and 120,000 second feet at the mouth of the Kansas River at Kansas City, Kansas. The loss of life was greatest in the upper parts ofthe valley in Colorado and Nebraska, where the flood occurred at night. A total of 110 lives were lost. The loss of livestock was 20,593. More than 2?0,000 acres of farm land was damaged, most of which contained growing crops of hay. Several hundred miles of highways and railroad were destroyed or Strobel family watches as Republican river rages away' damaged, also 515 highway bridges and railroad bridges. The number of homes destroyed or damaged was very large, especially in the upper part of the valley, where the water rose to unprecedented heights. In Kansas 1,485 homes and 1,552 buildings other than homes were flooded. The river measurement stations maintained by the Geological Survey and cooperating parties in Nebraska and Kansas were in operation through out the period ofthe flood with the exception of five stations that were destroyed or rendered inoperative. Determination ofdischarge at these five stations were made from flood marks and data obtained by :,' i'' ii i' :.::a.: ,. . - ir,,.. '3 'i.li, observers. It appears that other floods, especially that of 1903, have been greater than that of May and June of 1935 for the Kansas River below Junction City, although the flood of 1935 was the greatest flood that had occurred in upper part of the Republican - Kansas River Basin The Strobels could hear the roar of the water 4 miles south of the river - notice the waves. FLOOD ON THE REPUBLICAN AND KANSAS RrVE*S ,uu StorY 1 An unusually heavy storm of cloudburst intensity in Eastern Colorado and Western Nebraska during the night of May 30-31' 1935, which followed two periods of general rainfall over the Republican - Kansas River Basin earlier in the month, produced the 1935 Flood waters under Vona bridge (railroad). greatest flood on record in the upper part of the basin below Junction City, Kansas' The area of the greatest rainfall contained no precipitation stations of the United States Weather Bureau, but records obtained by local residents who measured the rainfall in miscellaneous receptacles indicate that the precipitation was 18 to 24 inches at some places in the upper part of the Republican Kansas River Basin during the night of May 30-31. During the period of May 26 to June 2. the storm extended over the greater part during the period of historical record' The flood that occurred in the spring of 1884 apparently exceeded the flood of 1903 in the lower part of the basin and is believed to be the maximum flood of record on the Kansas River, although no definite information is available as to its height or to its magnitude. The storm that caused the heavy rainfall on the Republican River Basin during the night of May 30-31, 1935, began just east of the mountains in the forenoon of May 30. In that area local residents measured, chiefly during the afternoon, as much as 20 inches, including some hail, in stock tanks. This storm followed general northeasterly direction across the headwaters of the Republican River and ended a few miles east of Curtis, Nebraska on May 31. The airline distance from the head of the Republican River in northeastern Colorado to Curtis is 215 miles. Within this area the rainfall was concentrated chiefly in the South fork of the Republi- can River but extended along the ridges dividing that basin from the basin of the Arickaree River nearly to Benkelman, Nebraska. Outside this concentrated area there were undoubtedly small areas of concentra- ted rainfall, as shown by the record of 11 inches in Section 24, Township 6, Range 55W, �but only 1 inch two miles farther south. Unfortunately the area of heaviest rainfall contained no Weather Bureau precipitation stations, and it was therefore necessary, in determining the location and approximate amount of rainfall, to obtain from local residents such information as could be furnished by those who had measured the rainfall in improvised rain gauges. Some list€d are on Sec 24, T6S, R 55W, 11 inches, measured in paint can; Sec 36, T65, R 55W, I inch, measured in paint can; Genoa Sec 12, T9, R 53W, 3 inches, rain and hail in can; Arriba Sec I T9S, R 53W, 00 inches, storm did not touch Arriba but there were black clouds all directions; Flagler, Sec 2 T9S, R 51W, 2.5 inches, measured in a glass tube; near Cope Sec 1, T4S, R 30W, 1.5 inches, Weather Bureau; Siebert Sec 34, T5S, R 49W, 7.0 inches, measured in glass tube gauge; near Siebert Sec 11, T8S, R49W, 13.0 inches, measured in concrete tank; near Joes Sec 5, T5S, R 47W ,7 .5 inches, measured in 3 gallon can; near Idalia Sec 22, T4S, R 44W, 5.5 inches, measured in vertical can; Stratton Sec 36, T8S, R 47W, .2 inches, Weather Bureau; Burlington Sec 33, T8S, R 44W .L inches, Do?; Newton Sec 10, T5, R 44, 12.8 inches, measured in stock tank. by Della Hendricks RESULTS OF THE FLOOD T66 Story II In Kit Carson County, the dsmage to farmers along the fertile valley from Flagler to the Kansas Colorado state line was massive. Many valuable alfalfa fields were covered home and caught a limb of the tree as he was swept by. Charles Farr, near Flagler, was rescued from the current by his son, Duncan. Wire fences were washed down stream with The estimated $14,000,000.00 damage to property can in no way reflect the real losses yet recalled by those who lived through that terror-filled time. The horrors of the initial shock, the learning to live with loss of human and animal life, the dreadful clean-up time, the terrible ravage in fields and the years of toil spent in trying to reclaim and restore the loved fields are very real in the memories of many. A statement was published, forbidding anyone to gather posts and wire until it was collected and allocated, so each would get a fair share of the amount recovered. Those who lost their homes in the torrential flood, sought vacated houses, where ever they could find them. Arthur Pugh, who lost his fine cattle, came to town, where he found work at an elevator and lived at the Winnegar building south of town. The barn across the road on the east is gone but the house still stands. Arthur told of his troubles, heavily in debt and nothing left except the two story stone house. which withstood the flood. He was such a fine example of manhood, he must have been demented when he hung himself in a barn. Many down the course of the flood had their homes washed from the foundation and sometimes onto another man's land. This flood caused the government to have the river surveyed and an engineer employed to build a do- across the river and land was purchased, which is known as Bonny Dam and reservoir, the latter is filled with water one mile wide and six miles in length with a depth capacity of 153 feet at the dam. At the C.C. Gates farm, eight miles northflood waters. The piece measured six and one half feet in length and was about twelve inches in diameter. Another bone was discovered, while two men were digging in the edge of the valley, eight miles north of Siebert, which seemed to be a tusk. Other unusual bones were found, so the men decided to let the Colorado water currents on each side of her, sweeping away all loose objects with its furious and divided currenLs. Dawn, to her, was never so welcome. Other down river residents had similar and more harrowing experiences. Frank Chase, who lived north ofthe river saw a boy in a tree some distance across the rolling current. He got someone to help him and rescued the lad. The boy was swept down stream from his T67 Story 4 Rev. Tyner had charge of a memorial service held at the Evangelical Church, Siebert, at 11:00 a.m. Monday for Wayne Gessner, Frances Gessner and Clarence H. Lothian. They all drowned when their house was swept away in the flood the night of May 30th. Mrs. Lothian was away on a visit to friends in Kansas and escaped the fate of the others. Senator Hill of Greeley, a brother of Mrs. Lothian was present for the service, as was another brother, who resides at Flagler. Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Gessner maried last January. by Della Ilendricks THE FLOOD IN 1935 T58 east of Siebert a huge bone from some prehistoric animal was washed out by the Mortuary of Burlington. A night ofsleepless terror was described by Mettie Love, alone at her deceased mother's home, with the river flowing on both sides of the house. The rush and roar of the river and elements of the sky were never more chilling, but there was no route of escape, with the VICTIMS posts attached. livestock swept away; fences swept to another man's property, many lives endangered and in one case a whole family swept down stream. The Wayne Gessner family, who lived two and a half miles west of Siebert were victims. Wayne, his wife and father-in-law, Mr. Lothian, were swept away. The bodies of the men were found and buried at Siebert. Months passed; then it was discovered that Nebraska bore the description of Mrs. Gessner. Investigation was made and positive identity made by a ring on a finger. The body was interred at Siebert by the O.P. Penny SERVICES FOR THREE FLOOD Arthur Pugh, who liked to show his pure bred cattle, lost them all in the flood. by six to ten feet of sand, cattle and other a body found and interred at Mc0ook, MEMORIAL University Museum Archeologist examine the bones and dig up the remains. One ofthe peculiar things noticed after the flood, was the presence of mud balls left in the river bed. These range in size from two or four inches to a foot in diameter, some much larger. Some object started rolling by the force of raging water, gathering mud on its journey and the result is an almost perfect sphere. by Myra Davis Hell Creek north of Vona. The water is from melting snow. An interview with my mother. This was a report for history that I wrote as an assignment when in the eighth grade at Liberty School. Regina Whipple Oldham. We lived on the Republican River when I was a kid, John Homm owns the place where we lived. I have some vivid memories of that flood and some people now wonder if we who lived then aren't exaggerating a bit. No, words cannot tell it how it was. We date our lives by before or after the flood because it made such a change in our lives. We had had several years of extreme drought. In the spring of 1935, we had had fierce dust storms too. But on May 30 to June 1. we had water. Momma had a hot bed with tomato and cabbage plants, north of the house, in the fenced lot with the cherry tree. This evening she sent Joe (my brother) and me out to put the frames over the bed as she �feared the threatening storm. Both of us became so fascinated by the clouds that we forgot what we were doing and were startled when Dad shouted to hurry. The sky was all black, whirling, clouds. Such furious energy and churning! The clouds were darker and denser than any we'd ever seen and were all moving to the south west as if driven by a high wind. Dad and all the family were hurrying to secure the livestock and give them protec- tion. I can remember the rains after - itandstarted dark and was just a down pour it was still raining when I went to bed. We were awakened at dawn with a distant roaring sound and my older brothers who slept in the bunkhouse calling for us to come look at the flood. We did. It was just getting daylight and I can remember how frightened and awe struck I was, there was water everywhere. All of the bottom land was under water. Our usual river of about L2 feet wide and at most 10 inches deep was now a mile wide. Dirty, muddy water rolling huge cottonwood trees end over end, making waves as high as a two story house. But Mom and Dad didn't let us look long as they made ready to leave ifnecessary. We dressed warmly and packed food and clothing and bedding. We didn't have to move to higher ground. We were protected by a natural dam or hill which was south of the small spring fed stream which flowed close to our door. In a few hours, it seemed that the water wouldn't come any higher so we children just watched. Later, we learned much about the cause of the flood. What had happened was that a rain, measuring anywhere from 12 inches to 25 inches, fell over a large area. It started above the head ofthe rivers flowing northeast and just followed the water shed down stream. Since it covered such a large area all the draws and fields and sand creeks flooded and converged into the river channel at the proper time to swell the flood. We had about 15 inches at home. Rosser Davis, up river, had an empty cow tank which was full after the rain, depth of 24 inches. Mr. Hershberger, who printed the Stratton Press, had printed an ad he meant as funny. It ran: Wanted: Rain. He said later the he regretted it as they had 17 inches there and he wondered if the Good Lord was reprimanding him. We watched the rolling waters for hours but the older people were busy saving what animals they could. Cattle and horses floated by but sometimes some would be swimming and the men would try to rescue them. My older brothers, Alex and Bob, rode the saddle horses and hurried to cut a fence as some cattle and horses were washed against it and would have drowned; they were saved. Our work horses had gone down stream but were stranded on a high piece of ground. Old Mr. Chase went out with a bucket of oats and coaxed them over to land. They just made it. A big wall of water with a tangle of wire and posts washed by just then and all that livestock would have been trapped and drowned by the tangle. Alex rode all day, channel changed and all the beautiful hay meadows were sand bars. The trees were washed away. Any machinery left on the bottom land was lost. We believe it sunk in the sand. We found an old horse drawn mower because the tongue was sticking up a foot above the sand. Lots of machinery was never found. During the preceding winter and spring Dad had sold or given hay to poor farmers who were desperate for feed for their remaining cattle. He was a frugal man and believed he should keep hay over from year to year in case of a crop failure but often said how thankful that he had not let that hay be washed away in the flood. The aftermath of the flood was severe. We needed supplies. We had no access for several days to a town but did finally make a way to Kirk, mail went out from Kirk. The county road past our place was a route for people north to get to Burlington. People built their own roads, there was at least a mile or more of impassable sand bar from our house to the other side of the river. A trail was broken or planned outand then the men hauled manure and trash to make a solid base so a car could travel across. But the wind would blow that trail full and they would have to haul more manure and eventually built up an elevated track and people could carefully drive over it. They often had to pull travelers across and especially across the stream bed as a car would bog down in the loose sand. We had a miserable time getting to church in Bur- lington, didn't go very often as it took a team to get us across the river and one to get us home. We had to help many people over that sandbar that summer, fall, and winter and summer again. It struck me as odd, the way some people act when faced with a hardship. Some people who needed to cross on the trail would apologize for the inconvenience they caused. Some offered to pay, others would help shovel the sand away or push their vehicle, some acted as if itwas our doings that there had been a flood which left blowing, drifting piles of dirty sand. Many a time our men would have to unhitch the team from whatever they were doing and rescue someone who needed help. Sundays were especially trying as people like to visit or supplies were needed and so they attempted to travel, it was no better at any of the other river crossings all along the length of the river. Once or twice I saw my brothers hurt or angry or just plain disgusted at the treatment they received and other times they felt well rewarded for a difficult job done. One especially trying day we all laugh about now, Alex took a four horse teem to pull a car back on to the track after it had churned until it became stuck. The woman pansenger heaped verbal abuse on his head, yelling for him to hurry, and accusing him of not knowing how to drive horses, etc. Finally, without saying a word, Alex unhitched his steam and started for home. The man begged him not to leave them stranded and Alex agreed to help him but only if she kept quiet. One day that summer while out helping hunt calves I found an iris in bloom. It sat all the leader towards safety and the rest alone in a pile of mud and rubbish and I wondered about the woman who had planted it. Mom told me that if that flower could live and bloom that we could find courage to go on living too. In 1938 we left the river place and moved followed. to a farm on the hills east of Kirk. Those were cattle would be washed to shallow water and would be so exhausted they couldn't get on to dry solid land. He'd help them. Once he turned a herd of horses that were so frightened they were unmanageable but he headed After the water receded. we found the trying times and the 1935 flood changed our way of life. by Regina Whipple Oldham CATASTROPIIES AND BAD STORMS THAT HAVE HIT THE COUNTY T69 aa::.aa ,:,*, Over 200 head ofcattle were found dead in the road ditches and fencerows northeast of Stratton after the 1977 late March blizzard,, the worst storm on record. Some cattle were pulled from the ditches and were still alive two days after the storm. 1886 - January 8, a blizzard 1886 - March 25-26-27, probably one of the worst to ever hit the county. Many cattle drifted away and were lost and frozen to death. Some people even lost their lives. 1888 - January 12, ablizzard. 1890 - A blizzard that caused many cattle to drift. Many wandered to the banks of Hell Gate Creek and were pushed over and were found smothered in the deep snow as they were unable to get out. 1895 - A blizzard in the first part of April. 1905 In April a storm which raged over - for sixty hours caused cattle this region ranging 100 miles from here to make their way to the shelter of buildings and fences with many dying in the streets. Thousands of cattle perished throughout eastern Colorado. Trains were twenty-four to thirty hours behind schedule. 1906 - A bad blizzard that came in March. 1913 - March 13-14, blizzard L924 - August, a tornado struck north of Flagler killing 10 persons. 1935 - May 30 - June 1. Heavy rains fell all over the county and the flood on the Republican River followed, destroying property and causing death to people and livestock. 1938 - Spring. Another Blizzard. Towner tragedy. 1939 In June, Kit Carson county was invaded-by a plague of grasshoppers. There were over 6,000,000 pounds of a combination ofbran, poison and sawdust used to try to kill them. As the plague beco-e worse they had to start to import sawdust from Wyoming and South Dakota. There were over 500 men employed from both Federal and county employees. At one time during the plague it was so bad that the trains couldn't get up the �his home place. There was no other loss to the Shaw and Walters ranches. I The men were away from the Dunham ranch, and three stacks of feed were burned. By the most heroic efforts of Mrs. Dunham, Bessie and Arnold Thomann, and Will Dunham, who came to their aid, the buildings which were on fire were saved. Mr. Little, who had recently moved on his place, lost a new barn, 150 bu. ofcorn, 50 bu. of oats, a stack of feed, hogs, a colt and chickens. Mr. Hudson lost his barn containing harness, seed and everything. Only a few reported losses among whom are E.E. Houseman, who lost his automobile, feed, pasture and five hundred dollars; Joseph Anderson lost his barn, feed and four hundred dollars; J.H. Houseman, lost his feed, a buggy and two hundred seventy-five dollars; Williem Byers lost 75 tons of feed and several horses; Mrs. M. Kelley lost a windmill, tank, lumber and one hundred dollars; Alfred Sandage lost his barn, feed and two hundred dollars; Bert Towers lost feed, a barn, wagon and other losses plus three hundred dollars; Alfred Leander lost barley, a barn. and an unknown amount of feed: May 10, 1936 dust storm with the town of Vona in background. grade outside Hugo because of grasshopperg Lowest rainfall in the county - 1894 had on the tracks. 8.43 inches; 1934-35 had 7.66 inches; 1954 had Smoky Hill. No deaths. heavy weight of the gnow L942 - The limbs from the trees and it is a broke many wonder the damage was not greater. The heavy snow bent the trees clear to the ground. The snow stopped about noon Friday and it was almost clear that night. 1948 - November 19-20. A bad blizzard, followed by two more later in the winter. t957 - March 23-24.The worst blizzard in Highest rainfall in the county - 1904 had 26.90 inches; 1915 had 27.45 inc\es; 1930 had l94l - June 8. a tornado struck around years. 1960 - January - March. Continued heavy snows with no let up. The Drought of 1893-1895 was the worst drought recorded, but no dirt blew. The Dust Bowl years came in the middle 1930's, following a drought. The Drought of L952-L957 was the longest drought recorded but no dirt blew. 6.13 inches. 26.61 inches: 1957-1958 had 26.20 inches. 1910 PRAIRIE FIRE Lewis Chapin sustained a loss of two hundred dollars; Melvill Rogers lost a good barn and a new buggy, in addition to four hundred dollars; John McCracken lost his house and barn; John Armstrong lost his barn and feed; Ed Harbour lost a barn and windmill; Ingeveld Stangiland lost a barn and feed; and many other poor settlers lost all, but we were unable to learn their names from our infor- mant. The bridge across Big Sand Creek south of town was burned; in one instance, a life was T60 in peril as the fire almost overcame a The prairie fire of Saturday, March 26, 1910, was the most destructive that ever passed over this vicinity. The dust was so every obstacle. It traveled faster than the thick and the velocity of the wind was so great that one could see no distance. The smell of smoke gave the first warning. At two o'clock the fire csme sweeping the prairie from the southwest, first striking the pastures belonging to Albert Walters, half a mile south of horseman. The awful furnace of fire rose in majestic form and leaped rods, roads and swiftest race horse! by Grace Corliss PRAIRIE FIRES T61 The old Tuttle ranch on the Republican River northeast of Stratton was owned by the John Pugh family in early days and later the Lloyd Pugh family resided there for many years. At present, the ranch is owned by Tom Price and covers quite a territory in the Spring Creek, South Fork and Hell Creek valleys. It was north of this ranch, in the hills north of the river, where a fire took place. It wasn't a big fire, but costly and did its dn'nage in a hurry. In those days, ranchers kept fire guards, which were about five plowed furrows, then 20 or 30 steps ofgrassland, then another five furrows. It was the custom to keep the grass burned out between the furrows to protect the homesteads, hay stacks and rangeland, because cattle had no feed on a range, once burned. Someone decided to burn the land off that was contained in the fire guard, without doing new plowing. There was a brisk west wind blowing. Gorden Burr, who lived on the homestead which presently is the Harvey Wood ranch, was loading hay onto a wagon A 1958 snow bank on the Clapper homegite east of Vona and was being assisted by Glass Davis. When they saw the fire sweeping toward them at a �high rate of speed, they hurried and jumped on the horses, though harnessed, and planned to help fight the blaze. However, one of the old mares had previously been hurt and if things didn't go right she would lie down and refuse to budge, which she did at this time. Glass is still laughing about the incident; however, it was no laughing matter at the time. The embers were caught up in the high wind and set the stack afire on the top instead of burning it from the bottom. Glass related that the fire did a lot of damage as it burned the haystack and wagon, plus a straw-roofed barn. Rosser Davis, a younger brother of Glass, was at home and becorne excited. There was a pond east of the Davis residence and as the fire swept on, Rosser placed some harness and other items in a cart and pushed it into the pond where it couldn't burn. There is much merriment today in retelling of these stories. However, in the days of yore, homesteaders had so little and everything was so precious, that losing small things was tragic. Glass relates that many times at night, one could see a rosy arc in the skies from fires up the Hell Creek valley, and since there was no wind, the fires would eventually burn themselves out or reach water and be quenched thusly. Mrs. Spoonemore and her daughter Judith swam out of the ditch to dry land. Spoonemore and his daughter, Corinne were washed away and were drowned, McNeill said. The bodies were recovered the next morning on the left shore of the lagoon, not too far apart, and were taken to Hendricks Mortuarv. by Grace Corliss T62 August 22, 1969 - Flash Flood Claims Lives of 2 Persons. Two people perished and two other members of the snme family escaped when they swam to safety at midnight Friday, Aug.22, when they were swept by high water off the top of their car at the side of Highway 24 two miles east of Stratton. The high waters and heavy runoff resulted from a cloudburst which fell in the area Friday, up to eight inches of rainfall being reported in the neighborhood east of Stratton. The drowning victims were identified by the Colorado State Patrol as Kenneth Spoonemore, 39, Newton, Ks,, and his daughter, Corinne,6. Swimming to safety were Spoonemore's wife, Priscilla, 38, and their daughter, Judith, 16. After reaching the shore of the lagoon into which they were swept, the two women spent the night at the Louis Husler farm home, which is adjacent to the scene of the tragedy. They were brought to Memorial Hospital in Burlington early the next morning and were treated for shock and exposure. They were dismissed and left for their home Sunday. Patrolman George McNeill investigated the accident. He reported that Spoonemore was driving west on Highway 24 in a heavy rain when his car came to an area where water was running across the road. As Spoonemore drove his car into the water the vehicle was washed off the roadway into a ditch. Spoonemore, his wife and two daughters managed to get on top of the car. They remained there for some time, but the rising, flooding dry creek water washed them off, the patrolman said. exaggerated, but there were many stranded vehicles in that area. 'We hauled people to the community BLTZZARD BLITZES AREA T63 shift to the Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital. He also stated the storm would be terriblv hard on young cattle. 'I'm anticipating i terrible death loss in young cattle shipped in,' Hubbard stated. 'The old, native cattle probably made it, but as yet we don't have a single report.' An estimated 5,000 people in this area of the state were without power for extended periods. As temperatures hovered above freezing Spring blizzard inside the garage Excerpts with graphic clarity tell the story of a harrowing blizzard time in 1979: "One of history's worst October blizzards howled into Eastern Colorado in the earlv morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 30, deposi- ting t2 inches of snow, closing all roads and 1969 FLASH FLOOD the truck Wednesday morning and that estimates of its occupants may have been center all night,'said Hubbard, who was also called qpott 1or transportation of the morning I recall a number of stories of homesteaders burning off a piece of ground upon which to build a new home, only to lose the lumber stacked on the plot in the process. warmed it up to 70 degrees for the folk who had to spend the night in it.' The sheriff said crews had hoped to reach highways, causing widespread power outages and stranding hundreds of motorists as 60mile-per-hour winds whipped the wet snow into high drifts over a 24-hour period. "Reports of outages, injuries to stranded motorists, emergency situations and overall dnmage were still spotty and unconfirmed at press time Wednesday morning but city, county and state maintenance officials were hoping to clear up major problems throughout the day. Burlington Police Chief Carroll Johnston reported close to 100 stranded motorists had been taken to the Burlington Community Center for shelter after all available lodging in the town was filled. 'It's a mess.' said Johnston Wednesday morning. 'All the streets are blocked and we even have strav cattle in the east end of town, but most of the power is back on now.' Kit Carson County Sheriff George Hubbard called the blizzard a'real paralyzer, one of the really bad one's because of the snow's depth and lack of visibility. 'Our people are exhausted,'he said Wednesday. 'We were out in four-wheel vehicles trying to reach stranded motorists on I-70 but it was impossible to see. We couldn't get anywhere because people were stuck in cars, trucks were jack-knifed, interchanges blocked and even the snow plows couldn't get around all that stuck traffic.' Hubbard said rescue vehicles were still reaching stranded motorists east of Bethune Wednesday morning including a reported 30 motorists who took refuge in a refrigerator truck near Bethune Tuesday night. 'One of the women motorists broke her leg and they put her in the refrigerated truck with a bunch of other stranded motorists,' said Sheriff Hubbard.'They can reverse the refrigerating process in those trucks and the driver just and the strong north winds whipped the snow into drifts, worry mounted for two young men who were reported lost in the blizzard south of Bethune. Doug Beeson and Bill Gramm were reported found at 7 a.m. Wednesday morning after spending close to 24 hours in a field where they had gone to check cattle Tuesday morning. The young men were out in a pasture looking for cattle when their pickup fell into a hole completely obscured by the blizzard, according to Duane Beeson, Doug's father, who was out on horseback when he found the young men Wednesday morning. 'They stayed in the pickup and used the heater until the exhaust plugged up,'the elder Beeson reported. 'After that, they just got cold.' Blizzard damage reports continued Wednesday morning, but local people involved in the monumental work of opening roads and highways to restore service to the area were frustrated by the stranded motorists who were handicapping progress. Sheriff Hubbard also said roads were blocked with eager motorists Wednesday morning. 'It really irks you,' he said, 'the number of people who don't have brains enough to know to get out of the way of maintenance equipment. But people are that way; ifyou tell them they can't, they'll do their best to prove you wtong."' COUNTY FAIR T6,4 Old timers had small street fairs several times in the eighties, but it was not until 1908 that a "real" Fair was held. It was organized by a group of private citizens: J.K. Rouze, Wyatt Boger, A.S. King, Louis Vogt, and G.G. Burr. It was held in the new Auditorium. which had its grand opening the March before, and which stood on Fourteenth Street where the present armory is now located. The Auditorium, which was built and operated by Mrs. Martha J. Coakley and her daughter Pearl, who is now Mrs. H.C. Schell of Burlington, held the exhibits, including the first one to go to the State Fair at Pueblo. The first exhibit went from here to the Interstate Fair at Denver, with a total sum of $238 being gladly spent to show the rest ofthe state that there was more to eastern Colorado than prairie chickens, buffalo and wolves. �..l.,.i* ,?ti .,i.l']'li:., ':i:ll: ,,:llt,,l': Friday - Third Day Free for all pace or trot, purse gl00; One g-ile noveltyrace, purse g20 at each quarter, 980; two and one half mile relay raie, five horses, three to enter, two to start, purse $?b. Saturday - Fourth Day Miscellaneous Matched races, bronco bus- ting etc. 1. All harness mile heats unless otherwise stated will be governed by the rules of the American Trotting Association. 2. Running according to the American running rules. 3. Five entries required to fill and three to start all races. 4. Entry fee of 5 per cent of purses to accompany entry and b per cent additional to be charged against all money winners. 5. Horses will be called at I p.m. each day. Early picture of the Kit carson county Fair grounds, Floral Hall in foreground, 1g20's. The exhibit consisted of frames 3 ft. wide and 6 feet in length that held shocks of wheat, millet and kaffir. a period of eight or nine years to finance the Fairs. Although one pumpkin at the first fair was as large as a bushel basket, the corn was so short that many believed that crop would never be a success here. Not to be forgotten in 1908's big doings wa8 the race progrAm the holiday part. So horse scrapers were -taken to the edge oftown (then two blocks west of the present munici- pal swimming pool), and a circular track made, around which were parked several Stanley Steamers, all the buggy brigade, the surry set and lumber wagons from as far away as twelve or thirteen miles. Best winner that year was a man who was to have horses in this Fair for over a quarter ofcentury, Joe Boyles. A few years later the only world's record made here to stand, as far as is known, was captured by Joe. A pulling gauge, known as a "dynamo meter", was brought to Bur- lington and a team of his own, weighing only 1990 pounds, pulled L7/z ton 27 feet in LL seconds. In its class, this was such a phenomenal feat that offers were made from the Chicago exposition, the Purina company, and a leading beer firm for this team. Immediate- ly after the pulling exploit, the team was attached to a Roman chariot and took a blue ribbon for speed. None of the offers were accepted and the team, ag well as other winners by Boyles, was a feature ofFairs year COUNTY FAIR 1910 T65 a a r r t a lr r t a l a r r t a t rr !ta lrr I t I lt a tt I I r l .rrr!llrrrlrrrrtllrtll.r.rltlrrtriiiriiiiiiii lr r at One Hundred Dollars CASH To a Kit Carson Couaty Couple to be narried at the Kit Carson County Fair on Saturday September 27 at 1:00 P. M. lltany otber handrome gifts fron Kit Carson County Business men. Namer will be kept secret until moment of wedding. Communicate with E. C. Baker, Burlington, Colorario. after year. A need was seen for a new home for the Fair and forty acres, legally described as SEZz of NW% of Sec.36-8-44, where the present Kit Carson County Fair is held today was purchased. However thirty years had to elapse before the county could really own the Fairgrounds. T.G. Price, helped organize the Farmers and Stockmans Fair Association. This was a group of progressive local men who bought the Fair site, functioned from 1909 to 1gl?, incorporated and exists to put on county fairs. The first president was Louis Vogt, with J.K. Rouze secretary. Beautiful gold-encrusted bonds, eize 8y2Xll inches, were sold as shares in the organization at $5.00 each. Rosser B. Davis possessed No. 98 bought Oct. 10, 1910 and H.C. Schell bought No. 200 in 1917, so evidently these bonds were sold over ta | !a tI I tt I I I I I tt I a r t a t I t t I t I I I I l a l I l at I t l a a a rrrirlrrrltrrtlr.lrttr.lrrrtlrr----i--iii-iii 'fHfr |! nr,t\{;Toi.' cAr_1, 6. AJrorse distancing the field or any part thereof shall be entitled to first -or"v.' 7. If owing to bad weather or any other unavoidable cause, the society shall be unable to start one or more of its races on or before I p.m. of the last day such race or races mav be declared "off'and entrance monev shail be refunded. 8. No premium to ruled out horses. 9. Stall rents shall be $8.00 including strain. 10. The society reserves the right to trot or run races between heats. The right also is claimed to change the order of any of these events, should it be to their convenience to further the interests of the contestants. 11. Money divided 60, S0 and 10 per cent unless otherwise stated. 12. A horse may be entered in two or three races and held for the entrance fee in races started. Records made after July 20th no bar. Entries in all races close at 8 p.m. the night before the race. J.K. Rouze Sec. Burlington, Co. To the People of Kit Carson County In announcing this the second County Fair - many years in Kit Carson for Counti. We first want to heartily thank the citizens of this cgunty for their support and help given in 1909, whereby, that fair made the best record ever made in Eastern Colorado. The stock holders of this year's fair have already spent much time and money expecting to make it deserving of the great county it represents. We want in this connection to repeat our declaration of last year when we said the Fair will be open to the entire countv. The citizens of the several railroad towns in the county will have no privileges not extended to those in the remotest corners of the county. We earnestly solicit the cooperation of all the people to make this, the second Annual Fair better, if possible than the Fair of 1909. We would like a good showing of the stock of Kit Carson County, together with the Kit Carson County Fair Burlington, Colorado October b, 6, 7 and 8, l91O Speed Program Wednesday - First Day Green Harness race, purse '50; One half running race, purse 940; One half mile boys pony race (56 inches), purse $20. Thursday - Second Day 2:25 Pace or trot, purse g?5; 7e mile running race, purse $50; t7n mile free for all running race, purse $50. products of the farm and garden. We wish to make this Fair a reunion of all the people in the county. Our motto shall be to build greater, better and broader, and to make this fair a permanent feature of the countv to which our people can look forward to with increasing interest each year. J.K. Rouz, Sec. September 17, 1910 � https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/417/History_Part_3.pdf 0fca309c074a7fa07c7b1db33cfb04a3 PDF Text Text 1915 COUNTY FAIRT66 In June of 1916, a County Agriculturalist (later to be called County Agent) was firsl hired to begin duties August 1. He was P.N. Flint. who served until ill health forced him to resign in April, 1928, when H.O. Strange began. 6ne of his first duties was to help with the 1915 Fair, then to locate a market for all the counties surplus Potatoes. The following commissioners: Wyatt Boger, F.D. Mann George Gates and J.K' Rouz ippeared, at the Oct. 22, L9l.5 mee-ting with a- iequest that the county purchase the Fairgrounds, buildings, and appurtenances for the county, at the cost of $2845'61' from The Farmers and Stockmens Fair Association. In 1917, Mrs. Della Hendricks brought the first 4-H club girls. On July 20, 1918, an advertisement went out for bids for a more elaborate building' to be 38x80 ft., with 8 ft. side walls of concrete, with a hip roof. The first mill levy was partially to pay for this construction, fixed that year at .005 to raise $1'059.15. As far as can be determined, the first premium book was printed in 1919 by Arthur Wilson of the Burlington Call. In 1920' a county club leader, Miss Amelia Alexander, was hired at $2,100 per year to help the boys and girls clubs. The new grandstand was first used in 1921. With it came the first telephone service to the fair. There were improved race track facilities while the poultry building made that year, featured the first big turkey, ducks, and geese displays. The most expensive Fair to date, the grandstand got insured for $2,000 and hail damaged the roof almost at once. The Siebert band entertained the three days of the 1923 Fair, receiving $100 and much praise. FAIR PREMIUMS T67 Beard growing contest for the Kit Carson County Fair in 1948. Winners are center front. They are; I. to i j""t"tnt"g""] second place; Fred Byer, third place; Red Lindsey, first place. L.L. Reinecker in the right in announcers stand. Claude Irwin is on the left. Some true signs of the times appear in a comparison of the premium lists of 1918 and 1958. Dept. A, in 1918 was Horses. In 1958 it was Beef Cattle and Dairy Cattle B. and the horse relegated to third place. In 1918' registered Herefords taking the first prize brought $8.00, second $4, and ribbons were given. In 1958, first place takes $12.50, second $ro, ttrira $7.50 with ribbons for champions and reserve champions, while the junior raiser looked forward to upwards of 30 cents per pound for his fat steer. Still Dept. D, (now termed swine) hog, went up only 50 cents on first place - now $5.00 (1958). Sheep first place gets $3.00, and poultry got $1.00 to 1958 $1'50. Floral and Educational Departments were begun and premiums were about the same. There was a silver cup given for the farmers organization having the best booth displaying agricultural products. A fascinating category was listed in 1918-19 departments In this category, a dollar - "Monstrosities". given for the largest ear of corn, onion, was sunflower, cornstalk, beet, turnip, etc. The wet year of 1938, marked the first free fair. Always before tickets had been bought for entrance, usually at $1.00 each, but in 1928 and afterwards no fee was charged excepting to the grandstand. In 1928, came the affair of the carousel, which has been written about in great detail. August 1,1931, the question ofwhether or not to hold a County Fair was considered, and after discussion it was unanimously agreed that owing to the financial depression which had hit the county along with the nation, the Fair would be dispensed with for one year. But it was not until 1938, however, that the Fair was revived. A feature of the 1948 high jinks was a wonderful fireworks display, and in that year and several subsequent ones, it was obligatory that the men grow beards or suffer a horse tank dipping. They could avoid penalty by purchasing a smooth-shaven permit. The biggest 4-H entry to date was in 1950 and a 4-H style show become a regular feature. An entertainment agency in Denver began to supply good Friday night variety shows, which have become traditional. Right after the 1957 Fair' work went undeiway to furnish the county with a brand new grandstand. Barely finished for the 1958 fair, seating, 2,500, and costing between $50,000 and $60,000. The structure is 250 feet long and 60 feet deep. There are two front entrances, two offices, lounges, six booths in the lower front. A new ticket office and reserved seats for 225. One thing is certain, the solid institution of this County's Fair is an unique, calendar- marked occasion. September 1930 Kit Carson County Fair. �.. :rlil .:r' ,.1'.:..r:rrl.:' .,:,:: coyote while riding his horse on a dead run. .,. r .:,:, ',.r "i.,:r'',ilt: There were eight runs previously in the i: ,ir:tr, Stratton territory. At a drive nearer Kirk, .. , 4200 rabbits were killed. At the nine drives a total of about 24,000 rabbits had been ' slaughtered. One hunt was staged with the following lines: West line, 6 miles west of the Kirk and Stratton road; east line, 3 miles west of Kirk; north line, 2 miles north of the county line and the south line, one mile south of the countv line. Hunters were to be barred from catching any coyotes in the ring. These hunts beco-e very popular, with women as well as men entering into the excitement. It was likewise very beneficial to the farmers because of the great damage . these pests did to growing crops. Several farmers south of Stratton as well organized for similar hunts. In the 1950's rabbit hunts were held as the rabbit population had increased and were 1e30, Note the old wooden grandstand and open bleachers behind the beef barn with the machinery displayed by the Burlington Equitv publican river. Men were dropped o'ff around i:lf?""1*l:,itx,ti#1'l-[]ffiu1f"H'": Exchange. RABBIT IIUNTS *:T:ilI".ISIl3::l?:TJffJ::H:J::: :|;Ir',llY'r"#".:',ll;,:??ti:::fl "li:',li: they were shooting away from each other. The women of the community provided a lunch at noon. The dead rabbits were put in the truck being retrieved by the person who shot them as each man was paid so much per rabbit with the tally being kept by the truck driver. At the end ofthe hunt the count was totaled and was paid for each rabbit helping to pay for the '€ - *,t, An afternoon of rabbit hunting in 1920. .€ aE&8: 1935 rabbit drive on the L.L. Pugh ranch north Stratton. of shot shells. It provided some sporting fun and sharp skills for the participants besides getting rid of unwanted pests. In tgOg the State of Colorado allotted Kit wire netting near the center. As men neared Carson County $678.00 to pay wolf and Around 1935, rabbits became so numerous the corral, the ground seemed to move with coyote bounties. This practice was continued that the farmers and stockmen north of rabbitsandwentintotheopeningofthetrap off and on for many years relating to the populations of the coyotes at the time. On Strattonarrangedhuntingpartiestotrapand two deep. It was estimated that several thousand August 12, 1908 Mr. Ed Boger of Seibert kill them. As Ripley would say "Believe it or not", but'10,000 rabbits were killed with clubs in one drive", which centered just two milesnorthof theMortonDavisfarm. Itwas escapedthroughaweakspotinthelineatthe receivedthefollowingletterfromtheAuditor final windup. It was a sight too strange to of the State: Deartsir: I beg to acknowledge believe. Those present said they had never receipt of yours of the ?th Inst., enclosing seen more excitement. As far as can be found, scalp bounty certificate. We have placed the biggest of nine drives held. Men, in the usual manner, carried clubs, thisdrivewasthelargestofitskindinhistory. sAme on file as there are no funds available cave man style, driving herds of rabbits Seven coyotes were also killed at this drive. for their payment. Yours truly, George D. Statler, Auditor of State. Chris Seal had the distinction of roping a within a four mile square to a corral made of In the 1920's and 30's the fur market kept *lit?'Tlfl{#T{i$*ril*{n'jlili population rose again and the $1 an ear bounty was reinstated. The bounty was discontinued again and due to the loss of livestock both sheep and calves (chickens and etc.) the state came out with the program using 10-80 to poison the coyotes. Today the fur market is active with the very best pale western coyote pelf. bringing $100 each. ffiil;';*; uT:*.-' 'l ommunity rabbit hunt in the 1920's around Seibert. �i& Rabbits being corraled in the pen. GRADING ROADS T69 Commissioner John Lueken of Kit Carson County looking over the new Galion 1-30 maintainer just purchased in the 1940's. s'lAalt (fF col()li^lx, cou*".../4,1'/rr,r',' i i SoAo DrsrRrgr No. -6- ,1.,1,' i" t ,. o ..1 ' , fleccircb tt.' r,,",'" t.,u",'J,:,1.\1.:'i.-- (l.l.a,o ,atu,.nti,! t. ... tist: /o' t/,c yar tq '*1 ,. ,i,!r .' t- :], ,,, ii,::i;.:" Receipt to Frank Boger, April 4, 1898 for $2.00 for labor with team for one day in payment of road tax. by Joyce Miller Getting ready to grade roads in 1925. 1960's OIL IN KIT CARSON COUNTY T70 The Reitman No. 1 test well, 13 miles southwest of Stratton, proved to be a producer Tuesday of this week. However, testing is still underway at the well and according to word received Wednesday night, oil recovery was about 25 barrels per day, which means under some conditions this well could turn out to be a real producer after it has been thoroughly swabbed out. According to information received the well which is being drilled by Harry Royster, Denver, an independent, and the new Drilling Co., was drilled to a depth of 5,732 feet for production testing in Pennsylvania. The oil perforations were placed, however, at the 5,507 to 5,519 foot mark, in the LansingKansas City formation. Since this well had been brought in, no doubt it will be the forerunner of considerable drilling activity in the Stratton area in the very near future, and substantiates the Machinery for elevating and grading roads in 1929. belief of certain local people who have always claimed, and for very good reason, no doubt, that central Kit Carson County would some �qay De the center ofconsiderable oil activity. Ever since this well showed signs it might be a producer, leasing has taken a sudden jump in this part of Kit Careon County. Recovery of 270 feet of oil on a test of Honolulu Oil Company, Kit Carson County, Colorado. Wildcat highlights the oil news for Eastern Colorado this week. The wildcat, in Section 20, 10 south, 47 west, about seven miles southwest of the town of Stratton. is about 40 miles south of the nearest production and is attracting widespread attention in the oil industry. The drill-stem test was made in the Pennsylvania formation at 5510 to 5526 feet. Several previous drill-stem tests were made in the test well, the No. 1 McConnell, and one, made at 1718 feet, recovered a slight gas show. Honolulu Oil, San Francisco-based independent, plans to drill the wildcat to granite at around 6000 feet. The new oil show, coupled with recent discoveries in extreme Western Kansas, is focusing more and more attention on this The Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Company deserves the major credit for starting the play. It entered the area late in 1934, and throughout 1935 operated exten- sively on a well-laid plan of seismic surveying and the subsequent taking of large drilling blocks. The Gypsy Oil Company made one of the largest land deals in the history of the petroleum industry when it contracted with the Union Pacific Railroad Company for all of the road's mineral rights in east-central Colorado. The deal involved more than 900,000 acres of land on which the railroad company had paid taxes and equity in approximately 200,000 acres more on which the railroad had failed to pay taxes. To appreciate the significance of the deal, it gave the Gypsy Oil Company virtually every odd section in an area of forty miles wide and nearly 100 miles long, running from the Kansas border to the west boundary of Lincoln County, Colorado. section of the state where there has been but little exploratory drilling. About 65 miles south of the Kit Carson County wildcat, Pan American Petroleum recovered slight gas shows in the No. 1 Nevius wildcat. This test is in Section 8, 22 south, 45 west, Prowers County, six and a half miles northeast of Lnmar. A drill-stem test of the Des Moines formation at 3992 to 4030 feet recovered 15 feet of gas-cut mud. in the dust storm last Friday at their farm home along Highway 24 two miles west of Burlington. About noon the storm was at its peak, and several persons taking refuge in their home were served dinner, while others who had already eaten were served tea and coffee. Mrs. Rudy drove in to the school to get their daughter, Karen, and on arriving home was not able to see the driveway into their farm. She was stalled on the highway for about 10 minutes before she could find her way. She had been in the house only a short time when traffic began to stop. One carload of travelers were from Vincennes, Ind. on their way home from Denver where they had attended a funeral. Another carload of people were from Burns, Ore. while another car loaded with passengers were enroute to the stock show in Denver from Arnold, Kan. Another vehicle was a truck, the driver being from Kansas City. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rudy, who had been in Goodland, returned to the Ben Rudy home to pick up their son, Randy, who had been staying there in the morning. Harvey Lambert, who had been visiting with Mr. Rudy, and Mr. and Mrs. Melton Rudy and daughter of Syracuse, Kan., ar- TAKING REFUGE FROM DUSTSTORM T7l Mr. and Mrs. Ben Rudy accommodated 20 persons whose cars were stalled or wrecked rived during the storm. By mid-afternoon the weather cleared and everyone from out of town left for their homes, being wished a safe journey to their destinations. $IO,OOO,OOO Oil Operation Start- ed in East Colorado Big Companies Seeking Leases and Royalties Expenditure by major oil companies of between 10 and 12 million dollars for geological and geophysical surveys and for oil leases and royalties in eastern Colorado presages one of the biggest wildcat oil "plags" in the west, in the opinion of Charles W. Henderson, supervising engineer of western field offices of the United States Bureau of Mines. Henderson, in a comprehensive analysis of Colorado mineral resources published Saturday in the September issue of the Mines magazine, described the recent leasing of Dust clouds in eastern Colorado. 1930's. nearly 4 million acres of land for future drilling as of tremendous importance to Colorado and the West. The blocks of leases are mostly in Cheyenne, Kit Carson, Washington, Yuma, Lincoln, Kiowa, Prowers, Bent and Otero counties. Reviewing the history of the development, Henderson said the oil play in 1935, with the exception of the drilling of two wells, was entirely concentrated on the making of seismic suryeys, and the subsequent leasing of large drilling blocks and the procuring of protection acreage. In February 1936, he said, there were at least twenty blocks of leases of sufficient size in this area to justify the drilling of test wells. By June, 1936, there were approximately 635,000 acres within thirty-one separate blocks leased golid and of sufficient size to warrant the drilling of a test on each. Much of the rest is held in rather compact form and ultimately will be converted into drilling blocks. A composite picture of dust storm and rabbils being driven on a rabbit drive in the 30's. �of all citizens of the county. It is a pastorar spot many of us have watched from its days of construction when its potential was scarcely envisioned by any of us to this time when it has become the mecca of fishermen and families seeking recreation on its shady banks and beaches, or boating, fishing, swimming and skiing upon and in its shining waters. Burlington, raging dirt storm coming in from the northwest in 1934. POLIO NAMING BONNY DAM T73 T72 In August 1955 Colorado received $286,000 of federal funds to purchase vaccine and administer the cost of the program. A Polio Vaccine Advisory Committee was appointed to decide how Colorado's plan would be operated as specified in the federal regulations. It was decided by this group that the government funds purchase 25% of vaccine allocated to Colorado and that the remaining 75% be distributed to practicing physicians through commercial pharmacy channels. At another meeting of the Vaccine Advisory Committee. a recommendation was made that the Health Department purchase 100% of the vaccine released. The vaccine was to be administered by Public vaccination clinics and/or by practicing physician's offices. The requested appropriation of $221,330 will be used to provide vaccine for 30 % of the estimated population unvaccinated under the age of 20, and to complete vaccinations with third shots of those in the same age group. It should be noted at this time that the original allotment of vaccine was distributed on the basis of population. Since many areas did not utilize the amount allotted to them, the allotment system was changed to one of supply and demand. Immunization in the school was strongly recommended so that as high a percentage of the children under twenty years of age could receive two shots before the beginning of the polio season on or about June 15. The third shot should be administered about seven months after the second shot. On March 1957, the National Foundation, the State Medical Society and The State Health Department began an intensive polio immunization educational program. The June 1952 Bonny Dam dedication souvenir book has a story of the 1935 flood and the role this catastrophic event had in providing the catalyst that brought about the construction of Bonny Dam after many years of dreaming, wishing, and trying ineffectual modes of water control. But that story makes no reference to the origin of the name. Old timers know that there was once a town called "Bonny". Materials from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation indicate the fact that this settlement, located about 25 miles north of Burlington, once contained 110 people. When a new Burlington post office was dedicated in 1959, Postmaster Dale Pralle indicated in a history he wrote for the post office that Bonny was listed first among the names of nine offices once supplied their mail by Burlington post office. Other offices listed were Beloit, Cole, Hale, Hermes, Morford, Newton, Wallett, and Yale. How long Bonny remained a post office is debatable but his family knows that Charles Barnhart bought the store there and handled the postoffice duties also for about two years. So regardless of how the name was chosen and logical as this choice for the site seems to be, all who frequent the now well-loved recreational setting would say that the name was well chosen. "Bonny" means attractive, cheerful, pleasant, healthful, pleasing to the eye. All ofthese and more are the background offeelings a day at "Bonny" brings forth. So most visitors would acclaim the choice of that name, and rejoice in the wisdom of those who chose the name for the delightful recreational area which is not in Kit Carson County but certainly contributes very much to life in the atea. by Dorothy Smith When the flood of 1935 ravished the surrounding area for many miles and many homesites on the banks ofthe tributaries and the South Fork of the Republican River were swept away with great loss of human and animal life as well as destruction of rich soil and devastation of fields by sand deposits, the role such a structure could play in the eastern Colorado - western Kansas area was clear. That some years elapsed between the 1935 disaster and completion of the structure we know, but it was built and assumed its many roles in changing life in the area. Bonny Dam is about six miles west of the Colorado-Kansas state line on the South Fork of the Republican River near the little town of Hale, Colorado. When it was dedicated on Sunday, June L, t952, with great festivity and ceremony, the program for the days of that celebration was filled with commentary and acclaim for those who had been involved in the huge project. In that program, N. Beth Woodin wrote, "Bonny Dam . . this is the story of a bargain . . . the story of how four million dollars and a year and a half of time were saved in building a dam for the people of the United States." Originally estimated to cost $17,047,000, the completion cost of Bonny Dam was $13,000,000! We would certainly agree that it was a real bargain. How that bargain is utilized is a wondrous thing, too. People from all over Colorado telephone their reservations for holiday weekends; families trail their boat and paraphernalia to the spot with high expectations of leisurely enjoying the facilities; the fisherman dons his gear and casts a line to snag a goodly fish; the water skiiers glide over the glistening waters with joyous abandon; and the farmers down the way from the dam treasure the irrigation process it provides. How much the dam and its impounded waters have contributed to a fuller life in this county as well as others cannot be overevaluated. How we do appreciate the engineering genius and the cooperation between states and the United States government that made it a realitv. RAINFALL REPORT T75 From the Burlington Record owned by Mabel Parke. The following table gives the rainfall for Burlington, Colo. for a period of 13 years, 1895 to 1907 inclusive: 1895, 20.81 inches; 1896, 16.81 inches; 1897, 1920 inches; 1898, 18.14 inches; 1899, 11.11 inches; 1900, 16.23 inches; L90L,L7.23 inches;1902, 19.86 by Agnes Rudy BONNY DAM T74 Mention of Bonny Dam cannot be omitted from the stories in this book. Although Bonny Dam lies outside the confines of Kit Carson County, that site looms largely in the minds inches; 1903, 12.39 inches; 1904, 26.90 inches; 1905, 23.71 inches; 1906, 16.36 inches and 1907, 12.16 inches. 1893-1894 were drought years. In 1894 nothing was raised on the Hi-Plains. The year 1873 was the driest that has been known on the plains. In the year 1908, very little rain fell. Only the farmers who had lived here for �deveran years and had learned dry land methods in farming raised even feed for stock. It was a bad sight to see the homest€aders selling their stock and household goods for enough money to get away. This was the 55Yeqr HistorJ Ollilonthly Cf Annus, Preeipitttion In Stratton condition around Seibert, Colo. Relinquishments on homesteads could be bought for very little, and in many cases they were abandoned when there were no buyers. The year was said to be the driest since 1873. The spring of 1909 was marked by plenty of rainfall. Crops were good in the year 1909, and 1910 was marked as a good corn raising year. Potatoes were so plentiful there was little market for them. T 1.23 0.04 0.13 0.39 0.61 0.17 0.38 0.27 1.00 0.24 0.23 Early Weather ....... The winter of 1885 and 1886 was the .. .... . .. ..... stormiest winter on record in the early history of the plains region that is now Kit Carson County. Extreme cold and one blizzard after another all winter, is told by descendants of the pioneers of the Crystal Springs Commu- ....... ....... .. .... . .. ... ...... ......... ,.,,...,, u..t/ ,........ 0.28 ......... 0.75 ......... 0.37 ......... 0.43 . . ....... 0.50 nity. WEATHERMAN I 0.94 0.32 0.49 0.39 0.87 0.10 0.25 0.13 0.20 Ll0 ......... T76 T 0.76 ..... 0.38 ..,.. 0.m ..... ..... ..... ..... l. Climate A. Nunrb.r oi drr\ in \err: 0.41 0.44 0.18 0.03 T ( lear 15l Prrrl! LLoud\ 108 d.\\ ( lord\ I d!\. . ... 0.00 ..... 0.25 ... . 0.18 ..... .... 0.it0 .. ..... .. 0.15 ... .... .. 0.20 ... .. .... 0.17 ......... 0.r0 ......... 0.19 ......... 0.€ I lh. roral rnnual !\rrigf Drccipir.rion r\ t6.51 inchc\ I Thc rr.rrge trt.inrr!riof n.r monrh. in Ln.h.'_ n: lrrrrr\ N|rrh \tr\ .lun. i.rrrnrbrr 1 7............9.23 TOTALS 19.05 55YEAn 0.35 \ (ioir\ llrgh ll .rth Ar.fu!. I nrnh l). Thr a\era8. numbc! of drt! ber$.en killins too\rs is I40 t A\.rig. d.iil\ leNncrrroru Nlr\imrm 55 58 8: 8t !ln\ 90 98 104 rm 92 9t E8 65 AVENACE Vr{n :8 50 rl APN. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. 2.6 l.0l 0.68 4.70 1.09 1.03 2.94 r.21 SEPT 2.M ocT. 3.m 1.49 0.91 5.70 1.65 0.76 1.69 0.06 0.30 5.41 1.30 0.47 0.95 2.32 1.13 0.93 2.21 2.t7 2.63 0.u 2.8 o.u 1.04 t.92 3.61 0.61 1.07 1.38 1.90 r.04 3.19 0.56 2.57 2.34 0.67 2.39 2.70 2.10 2.36 0.67 0.04 0.18 0.33 2.31 l.m 1.80 1.24 1.07 0.46 0.27 0.50 1.86 4.08 3.07 1.76 6.57 3.05 2.21 1.69 4.08 3.€ 2 I 0.r3 o.t2 2.07 3.02 2.U t.74 o.@ 1.39 5.gz 1.74 0.31 1.81 0.37 0.69 4.29' 0.34 0.67 0.70 0.41 0.35 0.32 r.0l 4.68 3.32 3.04 0.29 1.68 2.55 3.60 0.14 0.62 0.41 0.55 0.46 0.50 0.83 0.rr 1.68 1.36 t.94 1.57 1.60 0.25 1.48 6.24 4.08 3.18 2.43 3.52 1.03 0. 18 1.73 2.14 0.17 0.09 0.19 0.62 0.87 0.65 Lt8 t.t2 0.88 0.33 0.16 r.33 0.04 1.16 0.63 019 0.97 2.32 2.02 2. 0.35 0.38 2.02 0.58 o.27 0.52 2.53 \.71 0.37 28 l0 rt.5 Art Pautler, a farmer like many others in this area, for the last 18 years he had served the Stratton vicinity as the official government weather recorder. For those years he recorded many interesting happenings. Like the time he recorded an eight inch rain that fell overnight on Aug. 23, 1969. The highest temperature recorded these 18 years was 103 degrees occurring July 2, 197 4. The lowest temp. was 22 degrees below zero on Jan. 12, 1963. Also for the month of Jan. 1963, there were 17 days of below zero readings. Lowest barometer reading in these [ears was a 28.95, March L4, L973. Art said that in those years since 1958, he 6.t9 2.n 0.41 1.72 1.67 1.73 1.89 2.@ 0.92 2.43 2.48 1.56 2.t6 4.90 3.47 3.09 0.75 ?.00 0.98 2.46 0.56 0.46 0.15 3.83 l. l3 2.03 0.87 o.o2 0.84 0.26 L& t.49 0.30 0.14 2.03 5.49 0.52 0.24 o.o2 0.61 0.37 0.34 0.03 0.35 0.03 T 4.41 3.31 Lr0 0.56 3.86 2.80 3.81 2.65 0.25 0.34 0.70 0.65 0.56 0.17 3.62 1.70 2.37 0.54 0.34 0.22 0.32 2.34 1.80 1.93 25.39 0.46 l.1l t.99 2.48 9.43 2.58 0.42 4.46 0.08 2.07 0.98 0.62 4.05 1.60 2.37 2.02 r.26 3.i0 0.53 4.20 5.59 1.95 t.12 0.90 2.U 0.15 0.19 2.65 0.28 0.s7 0.49 0.59 0.04 0.70 0.89 0.82 3.39 2.50 4.31 3.s2 2.27 0.78 4.70 ?.t5 0.61 r.23 2.91 2.6 1.98 r.54 3.n 2.fi 4.U o.n 5.46 t.76 0.@ 0.69 0.58 t.72 0.47 o.67 1.71 1.03 4.42 3.74 3.19 4.71 0.54 2. 0.&r 2.\7 1.91 2.74 4.76 4.57 1.81 1.ll 0.n 0.65 0.73 o.28 2.SS 41.6S 2.57 53 2.77 13.48 .7.53 12.58 0.20........15.77 o.t2 0.'l8 t. l6 0.53 0.29 0.35 0.86 1.96 0.02 0.00 0.67 0.05 0.20 1.03 0.43 1.06 0.10. 3.03 1.43 1.86 0.5r t90 0.65 3.43 0.73 t.20 1.02 1.38 L& 0.53........,!5.OO 0.75 0.56 8.48 2.08 3.25 3.08 0.16........18.85 2.tl 0.92 3.78 1.60 2.82 0.62 2.37 4.55 1.44 1.39 0.13........15.21 0.23. .. . 0.29 0.08 3.43 0.75 0.27 0.20 2.@ 0.% 15.44 0.87 r.77 1.40 4.9 15..U1 0.01 1.33 3.31 0.07 1.42 2.67 0.51 0.56 0.71........18,94 0.32 1.58 0.73 0.m T........ 20.03 0.04..,..... 23.21 2.33 2.44 |.21 3.55 3.65 3.45 0.20 4.12 0.30 o.28 1.90 0.50 29.t3 0.58........ 16.39 0.26........ 29.36 0.35 0.91 3.m 1.73 0.9 0.40........10.82 2.2A 0.66 1s.a.t 25.78 l.6t o.u 'r.37 1.84 17.OO 't 3.53 0.53 t.u) 0.49 3.85 t.2l 0.70 0.7 I T 2.21 1.41 1.07 14.'t7 0.48 1.88 087 0.90 0.59 0.07 0.25 0.26 0.69 0.22 2.05 0.55 3.68 0.49 0.53 0.'t2 0.18 0.w........17,02 0.24 0.26 0.04 0.31 0.61 t.46 0.69........ 13.64 1.05 t.19 1.87 0.'15 0.12..... ... . .9.31 0.6 l.16 1.12 has enjoyed doing his "pant" for the weather servrce. Art was born July 4, 1909, has been a farmer stockman for 37 plus years. In 1976 at the age of 67 he planned to ease his way out of farming and turn the chores over to his sons, Gary, Tim, and Leon. They run the farm consisting of a hereford cow calf operation, irrigation, and dryland farming. Art and his wife, Sue, who he refers to as a "Superb House Wife", were blessed with three other children, too: Paul; Angela Beaner, Billings, Montana; and Betty Meierotto, of Denver. by Allen Ilurley 1r.ul 0.57 o.t2 1.93 125 ANIUUAL 0.20 0.58 0.40 0.04 1.08 0.46 0.44 0. l0 L36 ilov. DEC. l.l8 3.32 2.57 6.'t4 3.40 0.02 0.0'r 0.12 0.00 1.73 4.73 0.05 Precipitation record Climate of Kit Carson Countv 0.96 7.20 4.6 0.47 3.E2 ]N tt: 7.'11 2. 0.98 t8 [. Arinual n\c.aar r.drp.rrrLr.. it ] 1.27 4.34 r.8l 0.26 3.30 5.99 4.18 0.22 0.95 r.63 2.89 r4.5 60.5 J9 2.m 2.05 3.63 0.88 4.45 1.52 0.20 0.37 0.54 3.39 0.65 2.43 1.3r 2.20 2.28 3.43 r.5l 0.45 r.32 1.99 2.96 0.56 48 (r4 t.24 2.03 0.4{) 0.46 0.62 T T 1.33 1 17.90 2.14 T 0.36 T 0.60 0.55 0.62 0.55 o.79 1.96 0.26 0.59 1.65 0.55 0.65 0.44 0.64 0.35 t.8 0.10 0.90 0.80 2.05 0.18 0.84 0.40 0.58 79.74 1.45 50.57 0.92 36.85 0.67 0.@ 2.6 0.77 r.3l .... 25.59 0.46........14.37 14.54 15.51 15.31 't5.,t2 . 4.15 e2.o8 0.11 15.54 033........ 16.3a 0.u 0.29........14.60 ...... 23.52 T........ .t3.4a 0.10. . 0.09........16.20 0-33........20.41 r.26.... ... . 18.35 0.33........12.31 0.11........12.90 T........12.Op 0.40...,.....t4.59 ,...... 13.26 0.2s. _...... 26.04 0.99. 0.i0 ,t6.4.1 1e.38 ....... tO.5E 0.s8 22.57 .... g2g,2g o.4't ta.a4 NEqONDS FUNNISHEI' BY ART PAT'TITR Ilate 3lnGG t Tt .ta not offtclel but wcre recorded wlth tlrc .8nc squlDmcnt utGd prlor to gm. :l 41.5 57.5 0.74 0.58 0.75 0.38 �#5, could not stop in time when the bridge across Spring Creek was washed out by a flood. Calvary Cemetery: 1 mrle easf, or Dlrrruuw' north side of U.S. 24 (31-8-46). Claremont Cemetery: Northeast of Stratton % mile north on Colo. 57, 1/z mile east on gravel road. (Sec. 31-8-46). Fairview Cemetery: Northern edge of Burlington (Sec.36-8-44). CEMETERIES Flagler Cenetery: 172 miles east of Flagler T78 Rural Cemetery: Southwest of Burlington, take U.S. 385, tLl/z miles south, then 9 miles west on gravel road, (Sec. 33-10-45), established in connection with Nazarene church; all graves moved to Fairview. Rural Cemetery: L7 miles north of Flagler 4 miles east, 1 mi south and 1 mile east (Sec. (Sec. 6-9-50). Immanuel Lutheran Church: 10 miles north of Bethune, 2 miles southeast of Settlement Cemetery (Sec. 15-7-45). New Friedenburg Cemetery: 7 mi. south of Yona,2Vz miles west (Sec.8-10-48) by Janice Salmans 10-6-50). Seibert Cemetery: Northeast of Seibert, 1 mile north on Colo. 59, then 1 mile east (Sec. 34-8-49). Established 1917. Shiloh Cemetery: North of Flagler. Smit Cemetery: Northeast of Seibert, 15 miles on Colo. 59, east 4 miles then % mile Sue and Art Pautler. Art was weatherman from 1958 to the present. 1986 TRAIN WRECK T77 south (Sec. 20-6-48). Vona Cemetery: ca l/t mile north of town of Vona (Sec. 35-8-48). Grave: Go 14 mi. north of Flagler then 4Vz mile east (Sec. 21-6-50). Beaver Valley: Northeast of Burlington ca 9 miles north of I-70, ca 9 miles. Cemetery: east of U.S. 385, (Sec. 10-7-42), Established in 1919. Private church affiliated. Prairie Home: unknown. Hope United Church of Christ Congrega- tional Cemetery: (Sec. 3-6-45), 11 miles north and I mile east of Bethune. Beloit Cemetery: Southwest of Burlington on U.S. 385 callVz miles south, 10 miles west on gravel road, then 2 miles north, (Sec. 29- 10-45), Established about 1888, with the town of Beloit, some of the graves are identified by the stones. Bethune Cemetery: (Sec. 34-8-45). rli:r,,,,: Train wreck west of Stratton, Aug. 25, 1986. I llil .',,,,, ,::a.::::::,: i.{r: )3,:t). t. Authorities had determined that railroad cars loaded with wheat in Arriba, entered the main track and traveled eastbound at high *::: rates of speed before an untimely collision with a westbound train about two miles west of Stratton, in Aug., 1986. The collision left two crewmen dead. Both were employed by the Kyle Railroad. The accident is speculated to have occurred around 9 A.M. on the 25th, but was not discovered until the early morning hours of the 26th, by Bob Krason, who lived near where the wreck happened. As the runaway 14 car train passed Spring Creek, the west bound train, with two locomotives and 33 cars in line was approaching a cut in a hill. That cut is also a location of a slight bend in the track, which made it impossible for the approaching crew members to see the oncoming train. The impact of the collision was massive. The force of the impact "stacked" cars on top of each other in a chain reaction effect. Speculation as to how the cars started rolling from Arriba ranged from negligence, intentional, and simple gravity however no official statement was yet released. The location of the August 25th accident is only several hundred yards from a train accident that left 14 people dead in 1929. On July 18, 1929, Rock Island passenger train Republican River, Wood Ranch in the 1980's. REPUBLICAN RIVER VALLEY T7S �'- BurttDgtoD, Colo. BrrAe. NOrII! gEof.v. A+ ll B. MccAPLliI, Flaglcr, Colo, RrrnAe. Dtlck Creek GErIBGE AMMAN' Tale. colo. eJr, - A 93 Ranre, southwest of Ysle, t * !r 8. r,'. FLEtrrNc, z L _ LarnborD,I(anc. 3an8e, €ast of BurtlngtoE Coto. :.-=: vF lV. V. Erlckeon, BqrlingtoF, Coio. r+nge. squtboa8i ol BnrllogtoD. A -D AUGUST DEITEGO\VSI(I, BurllngtoD, Colo. nenge, * rolle Dorlh ol BurllDqtoo. slrEltrtAli r' YALE, I H Y yale 1,. O., Cqlo. Range, vlplnity ol Yalo, Y/rc (,. r,, NOIiT0N, tsurlinglon, Uolq. Range, coutlrpast of LtuillDgton. A. B. YARNDLL, Lt 4,f Y on left blp. t- Ylle Colo. Iiange, LosCnlap, n6er Yale, Colo. ___ fJ F e.'n. cnaFine\, Burhngton, Colo llenge. Soutb Beayer. J7 -+ , M. B. IIENDNICKS, _ Seibert, Colo. Renge. near Solbert. RS \J w. R. sltITIi, Clarenrobt, Colo. RaBge, ne&r 0lareuront. J. 'r'. JnNE$. r If .t- uotr, Colo Raxce. Cofl. Colo, A. E. (}RIS\YOLD, rt Bethure.Colo. - raDge, nolth ot Bethqile. HENR,Y ARITKNECET. , 7C A-U Ne$.ton, c0r0. Range, Republican River. .r tr{ tg L . Republican River in the late summer on the Corliss Ranch in the 1970's. l."rr t'ETIitt, J. ToN.DltE. t,rop. Fairbury,-Nebr. srd6 r, c. sHAF'r's1'..3l,irollii.r, R3pge. mouth ol Sand Cro€i(. peer Jaqua. nc A. B. CANT..IELD, _ BurllngtoD, Colo. Il&Dse.9 mller nortlr of Burliugtob. MII.O CR'APITTA\. Burllngto!, Colo. 4 5J ' Balgo. south ol Burllogtou. lo O D' LANGE' NeptoD. Colo. Ren8e. near NevtoD, 1F c. r.. PsaRcE. BorlllElou, Colo. Itenge, eoutb of Burllngton- F -1 r' P' LITrr{E' Bqtllnqton, Colo Boogp. rcqtlrcit d burdo! s' G' gpcny, E D H bnibn ur. r-1q u*ffil$fdllur. Jome cowboys prefer the "Jack Rabbit." �KIT CARSON COUNTY 4-IJ T81 May 8, 1914 marked the passage of the Smith-Lever Act which created the Federal Extension Service and which charged State Land-Grant Colleges with the responsibilities of providing extension work in agriculture and home economics. In Colorado the Land Grant College was the Colorado Agricultural College (now known as Colorado State University). Part of extension work which CSU was responsible for was the development of boys and girls club work (later known a 4-H) within the state. The first established boys and girls club was in Logan County (Sterling) under the leadership of D.C. Bascom, county agent. The projects offered to these young men and women were gardening, canning, sewing, cooking, corn and sugar beet production, woodwork and pig production. Kit Carson County began its boys and girls club work in 1915 under the leadership of R.N. Flint, county agent and by 1919 boys and girls clubs were located in the major communities of the county. Communities such as Plainview, Mizpah, Hermes, Golden Rule, Idlewild, Calvary, Progress, Shiloh, Republican River after the 1935 flood with Gordon Hitchcock and Merton on the Corliss Ranch northeast of Stratton. KIT CARSON COUNTY MAP 1988 Second Central, Rockcliff, Pleasant Meadow, T80 Bethel, Fairview, Jewell, Flagler, Seibert, norttl 4la9IS GENEFAL NIGHWAJ MAP Ol2 34 .: ti II t5: r 5 !! (K -llo JJ i: l2 22 3 r12 HH l,.t t! r- .L. 23 i i'. .i . --1 i20 l22 al i i .i I z2 ao f , , :. 420 t$ l'. ii- ira tro!/lr ! r. i. I, ri L l'l xi.-lt. r'i20 Jl 2a g l. r. ::*-.i-: 23.i T;- .. 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It. ta .f' x I ..\!1 1 i i, r------.'f__i 2 , I ta rot rt 'irr' !a la I 22i 2a 20 .I s2a irc i r. lat ... r' r1 I ta i*i ta ! , oo lr I T cc ll " l. -"r-1 ; i-i. roi ..i: OG ' | 1.. r. la . 12 t3 t415j!6lZ ""^"'i".., rz..r,.re ,rtrf-l-..,-1."*---..rL ..-.,*.;: .,.,,. l.' ,t" . :.1 tro 9 F ll 6 z I KIT CARSON COUNTY 35 s37 s t rc al a? 6 ro l I /2.1 I 30 20 --l 22- i 2. ^ 26 I .l 12! 54 srfl & co. lltt �The first of these was the catch-it-calf progrnm, sponsored by the Kit Carson County Cattlemen's Association. This pro- t grnm, the first of its kind in Colorado, provides ten members annually the opportunity to catch a calf at the county fair and raise a calf the next year for exhibit at the fair. During the course of the year, members involved in this program learn good manage- ment and husbandry practices which they can apply to other projects. Each member involved is assigned a sponsor who helps defray some of the costs of the project. by Perry Brewer BILL CHANCE !a,t MURDER T82 From the Flagler News Issue Jan. lB, 1g48 President Harvey Korbelik is placing Green Valley's 4-H club seal on the Charter in the basement of Green Valley school in 1951. Jessee Miller Receives Sentence Stratton, Vona, Bethune and Burlington contributed young men and women to the fledgling "4-H" clubs. Jessee Miller 79, of Seibert was sentenced in Colorado Springs last week to 10 months in Kit Carson County jail, by Judge G. Russel Miller in District Court. Since 1915 there have been many changes in boys and girls club work. Currently there are twelve 4-H clubs in the county. Willing Workers serves Flagler, Go-Getters, Seibert; Merry Mixers, Vonal 4-Leaf Clover and Country serves Stratton; Busy Bee, Bethune; and River, Plainview, Smoky Hill, Green Valley, Rural Route and Sunshine serves Burlington and the surrounding area. On the average each year there are over 250 4-H members enrolled in the 4-H program in Kit Carson County. Providing club leadership are over 150 adult volunteer leaders who teach project skills and administer over the alternating years gives 4-H members who are 9-11 years old an opportunity to experience outdoor recreation and to learn about wildlife and soil conservation. Since 1914 well over 4,000 people have either been a member of or provided leader- ship to the 4-H program in Kit Carson County. 4-H has a long and successful tradition in this county. In the 73 years since its establishment,4-H has contributed manv leaders to the community. 4-H has been an important part of this county, and as long as the traditional values it represents continues to be reflected in the people of Kit Carson County, the 4-H program will continue to be successful. From the clubs in the early 1900's who local 4-H clubs. Seventy-three years has seen vast changes in the types of projects offered to 4-H members. The second event established in the 1940's emphasized only one project, today each 4-H club offers a broad range of projects. Projects ranging from beefenterprise to childcare, and was the Annual Friends of 4-H and Achieve- course the projects which were offered over 70 years ago are still provided today, but with ment Banquet. The two fold purpose of this supper was and is to recognize and thank sponsors and supporters of the 4-H program who have donated either their time, money lor knowledge to the members and to recognize 4-H members and clubs for outstanding performance during the year. Yearly this event draws a crowd of over 300 members, leaders, parents and supporters and ranks second only to county fair as being the largest 4-H event held during the year. The late 1960's and early 70's saw the establishment of the Kit Carson County 4-H Jnmboree. A showcase for talented 4-H members. This event provides an opportunity for 4-H'ers to sing, dance, play musical instruments, perform in theatrical skits and plays and to show their skill in presenting lemonstrations and illustrated talks. In 1969 Kit Carson County 4-H joined with Yuma County, Washington County and Phillips County to form the Golden Plains \rea 4-H Program. With the joining of these :ounties developed an opportunity to share deas across the county lines. As a result of his sharing, the Golden Plains Area 4-H )Fmp was created. The Camp located at the )eecher Island Battle Grounds, The State ,akes (Hale Ponds) and the Flagler Lake, in from foods to nutrition to electricity. Of modern techniques included in the projects. Being a traditional rural county, members locally lean toward more traditional projects such as livestock production and home economics subjects. The basic premise of 4-H has remained the same from 1914 until today. To educate youth in specific life skills, leadership and citizenship. Fun is emphasized, as well, with 4-H club trips, tours and parties, occurring year around. 4-H is a family organization, parents and family members are encouraged to become involved with the 4-H'er to provide encouragement and support for the member. There are many activities associated with the 4-H program. As with most county 4-H programs the culmination of the 4-H year is the county fair. In Kit Carson County the fair tradition has existed for over 70 years. For one week during the year 4-H'ers from across the county are in the limelight as they exhibit their projects before the general public. Cattle, horses, sheep, swine, as well as general and home economics 4-H projects are judged and ribbons and awards are given to the top projects. During the early 1940's two events were established, which have survived until todav. Mr. Miller was convicted of involuntarv manslaughter last October 2 for the fatal shooting of William Eugene Chance, also of Seibert. Judge Miller granted Jessee Miller 20 days to file a motion for probation, but said that he must go to jail at once to begin serving his gentence. From the Rocky Mountain News issue Sunday Aug. 2, 1949 Jess Miller, Who Killed to Keep His Mustache, Will Soon be Free Colorado Springs, Aug. 20. Miller, - Jess 80, who shot and killed Willie Chance, 4b when Chance offered to alter Miller's handlebar mustache with a pocket knife, walks out of jail this week-end. He walks out with his famous mustache, which formerly sprayed out in wild array from beneath his nose, neatly trimmed. Sheriff O.C. Dunlap of Burlington, in whose jail Miller has been since Jan. ?, revealed here today that only last week, when Jess was taken down for his weekly shave, the spry old man suggested that his prize mustache be "trimmed up a little". There will be no fanfare when Jess walks out of the Kit Carson County Jail from a term observers here thought meant a "Life" sentence. "His term is actually up Monday, but I have a Texas trip pending and if it comes through I'll let him out Sunday night," Dunlap said today. No special meal will be served to observe his departure since the jail cook goes on vacation Saturday, Dunlap continued. "He is as pert as a rabbit and had been getting spryer every day he has been in jail," the sheriff reported. Feared He'd Die. When Jess was sentenced to 11 months in jail for involuntary manslaughter on a cold January day last winter, it was feared the aged man, used to an active life and already pacing and aching with the confinement of jail, would not live out the sentence. Taken to Burlington to serve his sentence, �Jess has taken charge of the prison yard, he has worked hard and steadily, been not a bit of the Loom and Apple Computer, and its staff spent up to 18 hours a day on location of trouble, abandoned his cane, and is really in good shape, Dunlap said. during the production which began June 14, and was expected to end June 29. every Friday, and either Sunday or Monday she will come and pick him up . . . and that's resulted in a one-day delay of shooting, by slowing production, restricting movement of vehicles to and from the set, forcing a team of horses to pull a stage coach through mud six inches deep, (in this usually extremely dry country), they had to use fake dust, and as one crew member put it, "giving us an outrageous cleaning bill." Approximately 10,000 feet of film was expected to be shot. His faithful wife has come to visit him all the celebration there will be, the sheriff continued. "I undergtand he and his wife plan to return to Seibert, where Jess has his gas station and home. at least for a short time," Dunlap said. "I have advised him to move away from there as soon as he can since feeling is still running pretty high over the shooting of Willie Chance." to court Threatened Him - According shot after having testimony, Chance was made threats to cut off the old man's mustache with a pocket knife. Evidence was introduced that Chance was walking toward Miller and that his last words were "You haven't got the guts to shoot me." "People are split over 50-50 on the ques- tion. and I think it would be best if Jess moved away from Seibert," Dunlap continued. "The Old man already has disposed of some of his property to pay some $1000 worth of court costs and I understand that he has the balance of his Seibert holdings up for Heavy rains which fell in the county The focus of attention was centered around four shots which showed the history of the farm house progressing from the buffalo on the prairie, to the stage coach, to the steam engine, to the airlane. At the completion of filming in Stratton, the staff will transfer to Dallas where it will shoot the Texas City's skyline which would be electronically impossible behind the farmhouse. After two days of filming, an actor from Los Angeles arrived for the close up shots, but producer Jim Peters decided to add a woman to the commercial. "We didn't want him to look like some old drunkwho lived by himself on the prairie." To fill that void, he turned to the local community and selected Julie Scruby of Kirk to make a brief appearance in the commercial. sale." "He's talked some of coming to Burlington SEAGRAM'S COMMERCIAL THE EAST CENTRAL COUNCIL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS T83 lington. The COG has established a transportation system for the elderly throughout the area, and have assisted in purchasing minibuses for Burlington, Stratton, Flagler and Vona/Seibert. It also administers s 4sels program for the elderly and has been instru- mental in the formation and funding for senior centers and/or community centers in Flagler, Seibert, Stratton and Burlington. The East Central COG has established a Revolving Loan Fund to assist with the expansion and creation ofnew businesses and thus new jobs in the county, and has been awarded designation as an Enterprise Zone which establishes special tax benefits for new businesses in the county. COG also continues to promote its Other Colorado program . i.e,, Colorado' mountains are wonderful, but so are the prairies, plains and plateaus!!! Kit Carson County residents that were full- time staff of the East Central Council of Governments in 1987 included Jo Downey, Executive Director (Stratton), Virginia Hubbell, Executive Assistant (Vona), Elizabeth Whipple, Senior Services Director (Burlington), Treva Henry, Project SMILE Manager (Burlington), Maudella Reynolds, Bookkeeper (Stratton), and Del Polly, Revol- ving Loan Fund Coordinator (Burlington). Part-time Kit Carson County staff working with the COG's Senior Services and Meals Programs include Betty Bredehoft (Flagler), Bessie Walden (Seibert), Isabell Monroe (Vona), June Pottorff (Stratton), Emma to stay." by Twila Gorton ement plans including Stratton and Bur- Mullis (Burlington), Janet Davis (Bur- lington), Helen Robbins (Burlington), and Debbie Adams (Burlington). by Maryjo Downey T84 Organized in 1973, the East Central Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the town and county governments in Elbert, Lincoln, Cheyenne and Kit Carson Counties. Its central offices have always been located in Stratton. Formed under authority of state legislation which allows for intergovernmental cooperation, the COG is governed COLORADO WELCOME CENTER T86 Research has proven that a warm welcome and high quality information enhances the by an eight-member board of directors comprised of one county commissioner and one municipal representative from each of the four counties. Kit Carson County commissioners serving on that board duing the past years include: Ted Wickham, Ralph Conrad and Doug Becker. Municipal representatives from Kit Carson County who have Home hastily built in a wheat field to depict early days to be used for a TV commercial, in Louis and Margaret Leoffler's field. Nearly 100 people buzzed around the farm of Louis and Margaret Leoffler of Stratton this week, (1987), working on the filming of two commercials for Seagram's Four Roses Whiskey. Polestar Film and Photography Production of Hollywood was in charge of producing the pair of commercials, one of approximately 60 seconds to be shown in theatres and another of about 45 seconds to be shown on television outside of the United States. Polestar spokesman Brigette Peters reported, previously had been involved with production of commercials for Porsche, Mer- cedes Benz, Puegeot, BMW, Winston, Fruit served as board members include Nyla Loutzenhiser (Flagler), Les Hase (Seibert), Zeke Kerl (Stratton) and Don Clemp (Bur- lington). Dean Stevens, county commissioner from Flagler, and Ken Yersin, city councilman from Burlington, are current board members. The Council of Governments has worked on numerous projects over the years, many ofwhich have benefited the entire region and others that have impacted Kit Carson County and its municipalities. Projects include the Colorado Welcome Center at Burlington; grants for Old Town and the Burlington Indugtrial Park; the Stratton baseball field; and the Flagler downtown revitalization project. The COG has also assisted Bethune and Seibert in developing financial packages for new sewer systems and has worked with various communities on mainstreet improv' Colorado Welcome Center located on I-70 near Burlington �experience and extends the length of a visitor's stay by an average of 2.74 days. This extended stay means the expenditure of additional dollars in not only Kit Carson County, but throughout Colorado by trav- elers coming into the State on I-70. To capitalize on these dollars, the Colorado Tourism Board, Cityof Burlington, Colorado Department of Highways and the East Central Council of Governments worked for several years to develop a Colorado Welcome Center on I-70 near Old Town at Burlington. The new center opens May of 1988 on a 10.5 acre site that was donated by the City of Burlington. The Tourism Board will pay $340,000 for building construction and landscaping, and the Colorado Department of Highways has contributed $1 million for construction of interchange, signage, parking areas, lights and related tourist facilities. The new center will be open year round and staffed by a manager and local volunteers. The Welcome Center's contribution to the area's economy ie anticipated to be quite high as it will assist in promoting Old Town, the Carousel, and local businesses that cater to the traveler. Kit Carson County Executive Manager is Kendra Rhoades; Marge Jones is Agsistant Manager. Volunteers working the : Notice the carving behind the saddle on the Zebra and the painting on back of the "sleigh seat". first quarter of 1988 included Don Beethe, Dot Beethe, Dovie Brown, Olen Brown, Part 1 Margaret Collette, Don Clnmp, Irma Clamp, Valorie Enfield, Torrie Haines, Peggy Hubbell, Winifred Jn-es, Elva Powell, Vel Pickard, Mary Richendifer, Oscarena Schreivogel, Georgia Seabert, Sally Smith, Lois Stevens, Stacie Stewart, Cherie Treib, Elizabeth Whipple and Anita Wood. by Jo Downey The Kit Carson County Carousel is a beautifully restored and fully operating carousel located at the County Fairgrounds in Burlington, Colorado. It is a 3-row stationary (the animals do not move up and down) machine housed in a dodecagonal (l2-sided) building. Manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1905, it was the sixth of 89 carousels built by that company between 1904 and 1934. The Kit Carson County TIIE KIT CARSON Carousel is the only known carousel in the COUNTY CAROUSEL T86 ..:,,.1:.a:a ,i:, nation which still has full original paint. In 1979, PTC No. 6 was designated a National Historic Site by the U.S. Department of the Interior and in 1987 it was awarded National Landmark Status, making it the thirteenth National Landmark in Colorado and the only one east of Denver. Forty-six hand-carved wooden animals including a hippocampus (seahorse), a lion, a tiger, a dog, zebras, cemels, goats, deer, giraffes, and many magnificent horses march counterclockwise on the Kit Carson County Carousel. These elaborately detailed figures are mounted on a 45-foot diameter platform in rows of three. The 16 outside row animals are the largest figures and most intricately carved. Carvings adorning the saddles or the animals, themselves, include full-blown roses, Cupids, a cat with a mouse in its mouth, a goat's head, a cornucopia, and a wooden medallion with a sculpture of an Arab sheik. A giraffe has a snake twined around its neck and on the neck of a deer is a woodpecker. Behind the saddle of the zebra is a gnome sitting in a shell aiming a spear at the rider's seat. The texture of the individual animals' coats had been faithfully detailed and teeth, slathering tongues, and hooves have been carefully included. Toed animals have dewclaws and hooved animals are shod (even the Indian pony). There are real antlers on the deer and real horsetails on many of the horses. All of the figures have glass eyes of a color and expression suitable to the tempera- ment of the animal. Hand-painted decorations can be found on each of the PTC No. 6 figures. An iron cross is painted on the chest of the war horse, a rising sun appears on the cnmel's saddle and intricate flowers of varying design adorn many of the inside row animals. The saddle trappings are reminiscent of cavalry mounts used in the eighteenth century Napoleonic Wars. Housed in the carousel is a 1912 Wurlitzer Monster Military Band Organ. The organ has Beautiful grey prancing horses three abreast, notice the paintings. been fully restored and is very large, very loud, and very wonderful to hear. The "Monster Military Band Organ", or as it was more mundanely known in later years, the "Style 155", is a 100-key instrument which �measures 6'10y2" high by 8'9" wide by 3'8" deep. This large almost cubic box of brass and wooden pipes used a music roll and sold for 93,250.00 in 1912. This style is known as "The Monster" and its musical results are equal to a band of from 12 to L5 pieces. The leaded glass panels which admit a view of the numerous brass horns inside may be opened, thus making the organ sound much louder. There are 30 pipes for basses, 22 pipes for accompaniments, 100 pipes for violin, violoncello, stopped and open pipes and clarionets, and 72 pipes for piccolos and flutes. The band organ's brass instruments include 51 brass trumpets and 10 brass trombones. There are eight stops; 2 for piccolo and flutes, 1 for clarionets, 1 for trumpets, 1 for trombones, 1 for stopped basses, 1 for open basses, and 1 for bass octavo. The band organ has two drums - a snare and a bass. by Maryjo Downey THE KIT CARSON COUNTY CAROUSEL T87 Part 2 The drive machinery and center of the carousel are enclosed by 45 oil paintings mounted in tiers of three. The paintings range in size from approximately 21/z x 31/z feet to \Vz x7 feet and are representative of the lifestyle and interests of the American Victorian middle class. The artists of this delightful collection of American genre paintings and European romantic scenes are unknown. These paintings are thought to have been completed in an average of hours rather than days and are done with varying degrees of skill. Subject matter ranges from landscapes to fullJength portraits such as the "goose girl" and the Tom Sawyer-type boy Armored horse in all its splendor. teasing a cat. Styles vary from Post Impressionist to Realist. There are four chariots on the Kit Carson County Carousel. The two red chariots have elaborately carved sides but the blue ones are Huntley and I.D. Messinger, met with widespread disapproval over the $1,250, a sum considered an extravagant expenditure in hard times. Huntley and Buchanan chose not to run for re-election in 1928 because of this simply painted to look as though they are carved. Each chariot has two seats and can carry six riders. The back of each seat has a painted landscape. This carousel was originally manufactured in 1905 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company for Elitch Gardens, an amusement park in Denver. The carousel was operated at Elitch's every summer until 1928 when it and the Wurlitzer Band Organ were sold to Kit Carson County for $1,250.00. The county commissioners who approved sentiment. the carousel's purchase, C.J. Buchanan, G.W. In 1931, the Great Depression forced Kit Carson County officials to temporarily discontinue holding the annual fair. The fairgrounds and the carousel were neglected. Cornstalks and hay for feed, made available to local farmers through a government assistance program, were stored in the carousel building and other available spaces on the unused fairgrounds. Mice, snakes and pigeons infested the building and piles of waste accumulated. In 1937, the county fair was finally resumed. The old feed was removed from the buildings and burned. The carousel was scrubbed with soapy water, re-varnished and operated once again. According to Harley Rhoades, the commissioner who was perhaps the most responsible for resuming the fair, the carousel was such a mess that there was much sentiment for burning it up with the old cornstalks! The mice had devastated the band organ, so Western and popular music was played on phonographs or tape machines for several generations offairgoers - about 45 years - until the organ was restored in 1976. PTC No. 6 is unique because it appears that each animal was individually chosen by an Elitch's representative. At the time of the original purchase, the animals intended for No. 6 were finished and in the studio, waiting to be mounted on the turntable, along with animals destined for placement on machines No. 7 and No. 8. The Elitch's agent, instead ofaccepting the order as it stood, handpicked the animals that pleased him from all of those on the factory shelves, even though several The beautiful dog with "Identification" on collar. were not part of the Elitch Garden order. PTC carvers traditionally stamped the underneath of each animal with the number of its machine and row. During restoration of the animals in 1979-1980. it was discovered that several animals bore machine No.'s 7 and 8. It also became obvious after inventorying the row numbers that the animals had not �Deen put back in the seme order as thev had been on the carousel when it was at Elilch's. by Maryjo Downey THE KIT CARSON COUNTY CAROUSEL T88 Part 3 In 1975, a committee of county citizens was formed to develop a project and join with the rest of the nation in the celebration of America's Bicentennial by choosing to begin restoration of PTC No. 6 as the countv's Bicentennial project. Art Reblitz of Colorado Springs was contracted to restore the old band organ, which after the many years of disuse, was literally a "basket case'i. It was returned, fully restored, just in time for the county fair of 1976. Although the Bicentennial was over, the project continued, as did the committee now called the Kit Carson Carousel Association which today still is responsible for the overall re,.qtq1"triott, maintenance and operations. Members include Bette Bailly, Irine Bancroft, Kathy Blakeslee, Don Clamp, Jo Downey, Robbie Fearon, Jim Knox, Bob McClelland, Joyce Miller, Will Morton. Norma Pankratz, Edgar Pratt, Iris Roth, A seaple of the artistic paintings to be found around the center of the carousel. Mabel Scheierman, Jean Schlichenmayer, Dorothy Smith, Ted Wickham, and Wiima Notice the fabulous detail on the saddle on the camel. Woller. - Grant money and donations were sought to further the restoration. John Pogzeba, an art conservator from Denver, was contacted regarding restoration of the 4b oil paintings. In 1979, Morton was given a contract to restore the original painted animals, the four chariots, and the outer rim. This project was eompleted LVz yearc later. Discovered during the restoration was a great amount of th6 original gold leaf and painted decoration. making -this a priceless treasure among America's carousels. The building which houses the carousel is a l2-sided structure with a l2-sided cupola. It was built in 1928 when the catousel- wa. brought to the Kit Carson Countv Fair- grounds. Some of the materials ,r."d in the building were salvaged from early poultry sheds on the fairgrounds. With the iZ large doors lifted, the building becomes completely open. In 1976, the building was refaced with steel siding. Lottery funds from Kit Carson County and the City of Burlington have been contributed to establish a park around the carousel. A 6-sided ticket booth with cupola was constructed in 1986 and contains a large leaded glass window of the Armored Horse. The park is lit by Victorian street lsmps and ornate park benches have been placed around the outside of the carousel building. On May 2, 1981, shortly after the balance of the restoration of the animals was completed, the carousel building was broken into and four inside-row animals stolen. The theft he trade mark shown on the Donkey's saddle. took place during a heavy rainstorm when no one was at the fairgrounds, and at a time when the burglar alarm was not functioning properly. The theft of the three small horsei and one donkey shocked not only the citizens of Kit Carson County but carousel lovers all over the countrv. �Kit Carson County Carousel Association members tied yellow ribbons around the empty poles and then initiated a nationwide awareness program to make potential purchasers aware ofthe rightful ownership ofthe missing steeds. Five months later, the animals were located by the Salina police and the FBI in a warehouse in Salina, Kangas. The PTC figure had proved too "hot" to eell. It was determined that their theft was but one of several by a large Midweet€rn theft ring specializing in antiques. Itte tttt"" horses and small donkey had received only slight dnmage during the "Great Carousel Caper". They were returned to their rightful places on the carousel after a parade through downtown Burlington on Oitober 31, 1981. The damage on the stolen figures has long been repaired, the yellow ribbons have been replaced by commemorative markers and the alarm system has since been substantially upgraded. The Carousel Aseociation will open the carousel on a daily basis during the summer as a museum beginning in 1988. Of the three to four thousand wooden carousels that were carved in America in the late 1800s and early 1900s, less than 225 remain today. The Kit Carson County Carousel and the Carousel Association have received numerous state and national awards for the preservation of what ig viewed by much of the nation as the "Jewel of American Carousels"' In 1987, the carousel was featured as one of five subjects in a National Georgraphic special, Treasures From The Past. The carousel has brought national and international recognition to Kit Carson County and its restoration and preservation is now an example to many rural communities and counties as to what can be done to preserve an area's heritage when everyo-n-e works together. The catousel's restorer, Will Morton, states, "But a carousel is more than just machine . . ' it has been called magical -by a a friend of mine. I think of it as a spiritual dimension more than just experience, more than just memories." The Kit Carson County Carousel is indeed Kit Carson County. by Maryjo Downey KIT CARSON COUNTY IIEREFORD BREEDERS ASSOCIATION Hines. he held the office for seven years. The late F.E. Kneedler served for 16 years. Lowell W. Corliss started as president in 1968 and served until 19?3. Larry Homm took the position in 1974 and is the current president of the association. During the years of the association, an emblem was designed by the mother of C.L. Hines. The emblem is a frontiersman riding a horse, carrying a rifle, traveling across a map of Kit Carson County. The emblem is still being used by the association today. In 1946, the association sponsored the first Catch-It Keep-It Contest, during the Kit Carson County Fair. The little wranglers caught young steers and then took them home to bring back to the fair next year as In 1944, the first sale was held and they have had a spring bull sale every year since then at the Kit Carson County Fairgrounds with the Bank of Burlington as the clerk. During those years the Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders Association has sold over 2600 bulls and females. A few herds in the area were actually started through the sale. The association's first president was C.L' lington, CO; Vice-President, Lowell W. Corliss, Stratton, CO; Secretary-Treasurer, Clinton Schlepp, Idalia, CO; Director, Dave Reid, Seibert, CO; Sales Manager, Susan Corliss, Burlington, CO; Members: Thad J. Douthit, St. Francis, KS; Earl Hedgecoke, Aurora, CO; Moberly Hereford Ranch, St. Francis, KS- by Susan Corliss FAIRVIEW GRANGE #2e7 T90 until 19?2 when the Kit Carson County Cattlemen's Association staded sponsoring the present day Catch-It-Calf program. During the 26 years, the 4-Hers caught 260 steers. Promotion of the 4-H Herefords has been important over the years. The association started by a money award for the Champion and Reserve Qftnmpion Herefords at the County Fair. In 1966, trophies and plaques were given out instead of money. Today, trophies are sponsored for the Open Class Champion Bull and Heifer, and a $200 award is sponsored if the Overall Champion 4-H Breeding Animal is a Hereford. On the first Hereford tour, the ranches visited were those of Cliff Hines, Ernest Notz, Jesse Jnmes, Rell Morrow, Reuben Rhoades, George D. Young, Jr., and John Homm and Sons. Approximately 400 head of registered Herefords were exhibited on the tour' In the fall of 1981, a state tour was co-sponsored by the Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders Asgociation. Ranches visited include the following: Reids Dez D Hereford Ranch, Lowell W. Corliss, Homm Ranches, Inc., Fairview Grange Hall. The former schoolhouse, 11 miles south of Bethune. Known as Midway #50. Purchased in October 1944. World War 1 was in the offing, transportation was poor, and farm prices were much too low, when 33 charter members met at the Knapp School house on JulY 8, 1916 to organize Fairview Grange #297 ' The charter 40th Annual Show and Sale in true style. members were George and Mayne Keifer, John Bloomquist, Floyd Richardson, Charles and Grace Elder, Fred and Maggie Dodd, Liltian Dodd, Lee and Lottie Raines, George and Emily Loper, O.C. and Lizzie Dunlap, Bert and Mary Loper, Alva and Anna Bacon, There was a banquet on Thursday, February 2. at the Ramada Inn in Burlington. About 100 people enjoyed the meal. Everyone ders, John and Lizzie Armstrong, L. Morgan, Robert Gottbehuet and Sons' and Schlepp Herefords. Approximately 600 Herefords were exhibited on the tour. In 1984, the association celebrated their moved to the high school for the special entertainment. Baxter Black, D.V.M., the cowboy poet, entertained for two hours for Sherman and Clara Ellsworth, Fred Matthies. T.R. and Mrs. Penfold, Martin Lan- Mr. and Mrs. O. Forster, C.E. and Blanche Nickerson. Soon there were seven Granges in Kit the audience of 200 plus. Since our banquet, Baxter Black's column is now featured in the Burlington Record each week. An open house Carson County and alljoined together to buy carloads of coal, feed and fruit at reasonable prices. The seven community Granges were: everyone viewed the cattle and enjoyed coffee and beef jerky. Champion Female was MISS TITANESS Rule #281, Burlington, 1916; Fairview #297, Burlington, 1916; Mizpah #305, Burlington' 1916; Pairview #341, Cole, 1917; Jewell #344' Burlington, 1917; Hermes #346, Hermes, 1917; Milestone #418, Burlington, 1935. By 191? we had 108 members. Depression days hit the Grangers hard. Grange dues, always low, were dropped to one dollar a year, just enough to meet the annual commitment to the State Grange. For several years Grange meetings were conducted at members homes, then as membership picked up, they moved to what the Grangers affectionately called "the Crackerbox Schoolhouse" West Faiwiew #20. This Catherine's Altar and Rosary Society did a fine job. The association is looking forward to many frequently collected blue ribbon honors for their displays of beautiful crops and garden As usual the Kit Carson County Fair- The Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders Association was formed by a group of Hereford breeders in Eastern Colorado and Northwestern Kansas in the early 1940's. The main function in the first years was a tour of the members'herds. tion are: President, LarrY Homm, But- a 4-H project. The association sponsored this was held at the livestock pavilion, where T89 County. The present officers of the associa- grounds was the sight of the Show and Sale on Friday, February 3. The show has become a trade mark of our sale. The judge, Roger Evans of Elizabeth, Colorado, started the show promptly at 10:00 a.m. The Champion Bull was 2M Ll BANNER 254 and the Reserve Champion Bull was 2M L1 SELKIRK 1?4, both were consigned by Morgan and Marcotte Cattle Co. The Champion Female was H MISS METRIC 8322 consigned by Homm Ranches, Inc. and the Reserve 473 consigned by Lowell W. Corliss. As in the past lunch was served on the grounds. Th9 $t. more years of being active in Kit Carson Grand Union #183, Tuttle, 1910; Golden building was used until July 2, 1944. Throughout this period, Grangers had a booth at the Kit Carson County Fair and vegetables. �Fairview Grange organized two 4-H Clubs in 1937 and the youngsters won many honors including several major awards during the next eight years. In 1939, a Fairview Grange girl was named the outstanding girl in the county and won a trip to Chicago, Illinois. In 1944, two boys were lucky enough to win calves in the County Fair "Catch-it-keep it" contest. The 4-H activities continued until 1972 when there were not enough children of the proper age in the Grange to sustain 4-H work. The Grange held many dances and its female contingent served many lunches to raise money for a variety of worthy community projects. Several Grange members served in the armed forces during World War II and those who remained at home strove for food production records. The Grange war bond drives went over their quota. The Grange also staged coyote and rabbit hunts and gave all the proceeds to the Red Cross. Fairview Grange moved into its own building, a former schoolhouse eleven miles south of Bethune, Midway School #50, on October 8, 1944. Every Grange meeting included social activities. In 1949 the Grange furnished Room #1 in the new Kit Carson County Hospital and helped to landscape the grounds. Grange members were active in the Young Farmers and Homemaking clubs during the fifties. In 1964, the Grange hall was sold. Then meetings were held in various community rooms in Burlington. The Grange had always been interested in civic affairs and good education. Grangers have always tried to combine social and business affairs in the best interest of the community as well as the Grange. Many residents of the area will always remember the Grange's annual oyster and vegetable soup suppers every Januar5l and its summer picnics in the park with ice cream and watermelon. The Colorado State Grange was organized in 1874. by Shirley Matthies KIT CARSON COUNTY FARM BUREAU red Jack Rabbit drives as rabbits were a real problem in those years; they even dug out roots of the winter wheat causing the fields to blow as these years were also very dry with small plant growth. Another problem was the grasshoppers which moved in and ate everything in sight. The Farm Bureau and the Extension Service built a grasshopper bait mixing machine. Shipped in sawdust and poison were mixed and sold to farmers at cost to spread on their fields. The 1941 records show H.M. Hines, President and Roy Bader as Secretary and in 1942 the insurance program got started through the Kansas Farm Bureau. In 1943 Kit Carson County had the largest Farm Bureau Membership in the state with Rio Grande County close behind. Membership was 306 with a goal of 500. Dues were 95.50 at that time. In 1945 REA was being talked about and Farm Bureau contacted farmers to sign up. 250 members were recruited for the REA that year and grasshopper mixing equipment was purchased to replace existing equipment. In 1946, Mrs. C.D. Pottorff,beceme the first president of the Association Women (later Farm Bureau Womens Committee) receiving 25 cents from each Farm Bureau membership. A large paint sprayer was also purchased as there seemed to be a need for this in the county. ln L947 the Farm Bureau organized the 10 acre wheat club which was formed for the purpose of signing up farmers who would donate L0 acres of harvested wheat to the county for the new hospital. This was a successful venture. Also a National REA representative met with the county Farm Bureau board to survey the County to approve or reject application for the REA loan. In 1949, the County Farm Bureau office opened with Irene Morrow, Secretary and Miss Bucholtz as assistant. Herb Klusman of Flagler was president. In 1955 Eddie Fuller becnme President and Orvel Aeschlimann secretary. Hildegarde Aeschlimann becnme Womens Chairman in 1956 following Mrs. Luther Tatkenhorst. 1957 shows Art Gaines of Flagler on the REA board. He reported that the REA will rent electric hot water heaters for $2.00 a month and electric stoves for $5.00 a month to be paid with the regular bill and will belong to the owner when paid for at that rate. The office secretary was paid $100.00 a month at that time with hours of f-5 PM. Truman Hooker was President and Mrs. Busby was office secretary. In 1959 our film projector was getting bad T91 The State Farm Bureau organization first began in the early 1930's in Kit Carson and Washington Counties. According to the and it was decided to let the County Commissioners trade it in on a new machine. They would purchase it as the County Farm Bureau had furnished the projector for the County Agents to use for many years. It was records of the Extension Service this organization resulted as the result of trying to form agreed that we could etill use the new machine if we needed it and the county agent county and community organization for the betterment of life on the farms and ranches. In the records of 1917 through 1920 of this county we find that reference was made of organizing community Farm Bureau and Boys and Girls clubs. Minutes found back to 1935 show C.A. Buetell, President, and S.T. Janett Vice President, both of Kit Carson County. The Bureau worked closely with the Extension Service seeking how it could would operate it. 1960 saw Dewey Jackson as President. The office was moved to the Courtney Building and started selling Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance. Mrs. Bill Ford was office secretary. Jack Hines retired ag insurance agent in 1961 and Gary Long was our new agent. Eddie Fuller beca-e District 3 Farm Bureau board member. In 1962 the National Farm Bureau Convention wae held in Denver with Paul Harvey as one of the speakers. Gary Long resigned as insurance agent to go and finish his college education. Bill Ford filled in and also Norm Travis sold hail insurance improve living conditions for the farming community. Community Farm Bureaus were formed and often the County Farm Bureau meetings were held at the local community. The local Community Farm Bureaus sponso- temporarily. Truman Hooker helped until the new agent Dick Bartell became our permanent agent. We also cancelled Blue Cross Blue Shield and joined the Zurick American Insurance Co. Sonny Wright from Flagler entertained us at the Annual Banquet. Dr. Ray was our speaker at our annual meeting in 1965. He also spoke to all the high schools in the County the following day urging more patriotism in our great country. Through the balance ofthe 1960's and the 70's and now in the 80's Farm Bureau has helped accomplish many things that would have been almost impossible for any one of us to do alone. One event that stands out concerned our sugar beet growers from Kit Carson County and our county Farm Bureau board ofdirectors. They were subpoened and had to go to Denver for a hearing when Rural Legal Services wanted to sue our beet growers and have the hearing out of our county, claiming prejudice, but not realizing our Farm Bureau was a state organization having petitions signed all over the state including Denver. The judge dismissed the case. Farm Bureau is a strong organization in our county. They have sponsored a Crop and Gardens Booth at the Kit Carson County Fair for many years featuring many beautiful displays of garden vegetables and field crops grown within the county. The present office building was purchased 10 years ago and we are debt free. We have grown to where we have 2 full time agents. Our county is represented by Hildegarde Aeschliman as Womens Chairman of the Colorado Farm Bureau, District 3 Womens Chairman, Dee Cure of Stratton. and also a number of our board members who serve on the District B Commodity groups of the State Farm Bur- eau. At the present time our board of directors include Orvel Aeschliman, President; Jim Whitmore, Vice President; Florence Fuller, Womens Chairman; Dee Cure, Secretary; Eddie Fuller, Gen,. Nichols, Dean Wigton, Randy Gorton, William Cure, Bob Cure, Eddie Herndon, Leland Strobel, Ted Schaal, Bruce Unruh, Allan Pizel, Dennis Coryell, directors. by Orvel Aeschlimann KIT CARSON COUNTY CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION T92 ATTLEMEN'5 StocrAre The emblem was designed by Janie Stahlecker in 1985 for a contest the association held. �The Kit Carson County Livestock Associa- tion was formed on or before 1898 as they were holding meetings in the Claremont School in 1899, with J.J. Pugh as president, C.S. Wellman as secretary, and Chas. Farr as treasurer. In June, 1901, an annual meeting was held at Claremont. The Kit Carson County Record was designated as the official paper of the Kit Carson County Livestock Association in the year of 1903 in order that the paper could keep the ranchers and stockmen well informed about their livestock problems. The overcrowding of the ranges seemed more apparent all the time. Loco had sprung up and had made a rapid growth everywhere. Pink eye and black leg seemed to spread out among the cattle at this time, causing great losses to the settlers and to the cattlemen and decreasing the number of cattle on the range for a while. In the spring of 1901, it was noted that a new disease seemed to be affecting the cattle, notjust the poor weak ones, but also the best and strongest of the young cows contracted it. No one knew what it was or what to do about it. In every case the disease was fatal. All were anxious for any information about it. One of the heaviest losers of cattle was W.W. Brinkley who lost between 60 and 70 head. Then the next year there was an outbreak of the "Texas Itch". In order to cure this the cattle had to be dipped. Ranchers Parks and Wellman of Claremont had dipping plants and they were kept busy most of the time. This dipping was a move in the right direction as the disease was doing the infected herds a good deal of harm and the only cure was in application of some sort of germicide. The "Texas Itch" or "Mange" as it was later called spread so fast among the cattle that many ranchers became so alarmed that the Kit Carson County Livestock Assn. tried to do something about it. W.W. Brinkley was appointed as Stock Inspector to check on the herds. C.S. Wellman, Secretary of the Kit Carson County Livestock Assn., issued the following notice to the stockmen in June of 1903: "The stockmen should remember that the Annual Meeting of the association will be held at Claremont, June 6, 1903. Mr. F.P. Johnson, Secretary of Cole Cattle and Horse Growers Assn., has promised to attend and give a talk on organization and the State Board of Inspection Commissioners would be there and give a talk about mange and brand inspections. Tell everyone interested in stock raising to be present and enjoy the rich treat that will be given by these gentlemen. The business meeting will be at 10:00 sharp. The speaking 1:00 sharp. Cattle infected with the mange or itch could be detected in the following way: The animal would show a constant desire to scratch or rub. The coat would be rough and bald spots would become encrusted with a scaly scab. If one or more animals were infected the whole herd would be considered infected. The "Mange" finally ran its courge and was completely eradicated due to the combined efforts of all concerned. The number of cattlemen attending the Kit Carson Livestock Association meetings started to fall off and before too many years no meetings were held at all as there seemed to be nothing of vital importance to come that affected cattlemen. The association became inactive. In the early 1900's the cattlemen were trying to improve the quality of their cattle. Harry Cox, one of the big ranchers, went east to get some good blooded stock to add to his herd. Cattle at this time were selling at $3.75 to $4.00 a head for calves and that was consider- ed a fair price. Many were contracted for future delivery around the Flagler area at that price. Some were contracted at an even lower price. Good yearling calves from a registered bull were selling at $12.00 a head. Cattle would be pastured for $1.00 a head for the entire season, May 1 to October 15. Salt and good water and good care would be given them. The shipping prices at this time were very high in comparison for what the cattleman received for his cattle after they reached market. Some declared that they hardly brought enough to pay the shipping bill. The association was active off and on through the next several years. On December 15, 1941, a group of men, composed of George Baxter, Fred Page, C.E. Murphy, B.H. Short, Claude Erwin, A. Pugh, George Ohrman, H.J. Geiken, George Bancroft, Rosser Davis, A.W. Adolf, Harley Rhoades, O.C. Dunlap and Charlie Peterson, met at Stratton, Colorado, at a Farm Bureau Meeting to consider reviving the Livestock Assn., with O.C. Dunlap as the president and Rosser Davis as the secretary. They agreed to affiliate with the Colorado Stockgrowers and Feeders Association. The purpose of this Association was to improve the quality of cattle raised in Kit Carson County, and to study their diseases and cure. Also to work on the tax assessments and laws on legislation concerning the cattle too. Years ago a plastic steer was purchased for a promotional tool in the county. [t was used in some parades and then sat for several years unused. In 1981, it was suggested to make a special platform for the steer and put on official display. The steer can now be seen on Highway 385 next to the John Buol Feedlot. The cattlemen's association sponsored a Light Cattle Management Seminar held in Stratton. In 1982, Colorado State University was doing this seminar throughout the state. The cattlemen in the area really benefited from it. The CSU Extension Office in the county has helped the association so much during the years, a thank you just isn't enough. With the changing years, the office was in need of a computer. When brought to the cattlemen's attention in 1983, they were glad to donate $1,000 to the computer fund. The Extension Office has been a great help in preparing for the 1986 Colorado Cattlemen's State Convention. The computer saved many hours of work and frustration. It has also helped update our membership list for the regular mailings and the annual membership drive. Besides all the help the Extension Office does with the Feedlot Performance Contest, without them it would almost be impossible to get everything done on time. The Futures are always a concern of the cattlemen and the farmers. Lots of discussion has been held on the Futures, in private and public. November of 1983 found Lowell Corliss and Ralph Conrad attending a Fu- tures Meeting in Denver. There were 11 states represented and at the end of the day it was agreed that the Futures are detrimen- tal to the cattle industry. Resolutions from the associations were sent to the different state associations encouraging that something be done about the Futures. Through industry. In L944, they started sponsoring "The the state associations or the National Cattlemen's Association, today this is an issue Catchit" calf contest at the County Fair and that is still being worked on. kept this practice for a number of years, until the Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders took it over. For several years they held a The Kit Carson County Fair is one of the biggest events in the county. The fair queen has lots of responsibilities during that week cattle grading demonstration at individual and all during the year representing the farms. county at other events statewide. The cattlemen and cowbelles were approached to sponsor new leather banners for the queen and her attendant. In 1984, the first leather In 1953, the Cattlemen's Association sponsored a stocker and feeder sale. Buyers from far distances came to these sales because of the good quality of cattle offered for sale, most of them being raised right here in Kit Carson County, These sales went on for many years. Kit Carson County has been an "Accredited T.B. Free" area for cattle since in the 1930's, when all herds had been tested and all T.B. cattle disposed of. In 1958, the cattlemen started working to get the county a "Certified Brucellosis (Bangs) Free" area. The neighboring coun- ties were doing likewise. 1962 saw the comple- tion of this project. The cattlemen have been busy during the last few years in many ways. In 1979, the Kit Carson County Cattlemen's Association continued its support of the 4-H Livestock Judging Team. Youth in the county is very important to the association, they are our leaders and future in the cattle industry. Our beautiful landmark at the fairgrounds is a pride throughout the county. A donation to the restoration of the Carousel was definitely in line from the cattlemen in 1979. The ending result will be the pride of the future, banners were made which the girls would be able to keep after their reign. Shandra Adolf, 1984 Kit Carson County Fair Queen, wore the banner sponsored by the Kit Carson County Cattlemen's Association, The association also sponsored the banner for Becky Corliss, 1986 Kit Carson County Fair Queen. The association also works hard at continu- ing the Catch-It-Calf program during the county fair. Russell Corliss is the chairman and fair superintendent over this event. The cattlemen enjoy working with the community. They have served two barbeques, one in 1984, for the dedication of the new county airport. In 1985, for the Mike Lounge Day - to celebrate the communities own astronaut! The cattlemen continue with their Feedlot Performance Contest as a fun and learning experience. The contest also provides the funds to annually give out a scholarship to each school for a senior that will be going into an agriculture major. Hopefully encouraging the growth of the industry. The present officers and board of directors �make the association strong and able to continue, they are: 1986-1987 President Charles Clapper; Vice President - John Nichols; Secretary - Lowell W. Corliss; Recording Secretary - Susan Corliss, Board of Directors, District 1, Jim Dobler, Rolland Nider, Gary Rhoades, District 2, Roger Kliesen, Patrick Hornung, Ron Gramm, District 3, Gregg Loutzenhiser, Eddie Fuller and Ervin Jones. by Susan Corliss KIT CARSON COUNTY COWBELLES T93 On October L4, 1954, the cattlemen and their wives had a dinner meeting in the Montezuma Party Room in Burlington. The purpose of this meeting was to organize a Cowbelle group in Kit Carson County. The Cattlemen attended to their business and Marguerite Klamm from the State Office explained the work of the Cowbelles. The Kit Carson County Cowbelles was then organized, with Burdine Homm elected to serve as president, and Avis Bader elected as secretary. The Cowbelles metwiththe Cattlemen and arranged for the social and entertainment part of the meeting, and had charge of the refreshments. The first year they were organized, they gave cookbooks (Beef recipes) to most of the new brides in the county. To take care of their finances, they would serve at the various cattle sales in the countv. They affiliated with the State Cowbelie Association. The Cowbelles have been active during the past twenty years plus, on their own and by working with the Kit Carson County Cattlemen's Association. During these years, they have had several presidents. The years were unavailable which they served. Mabel Parke, Mabel Scheierman, Florence Fuller, Anita Price, Nancy Pratt, and presently Virginia Corliss have been the presidents to keep the association alive. Years ago the Cowbelles worked together to make a beautiful brand quilt. Hazel Mitchum embroidered the quilt and Nettie Hasart quilted it. The quilt was then raffled off and won by Mabel Parke. The Kit Carson County Cattlemen's and Cowbelles'Annual Banquet is held in April each year. The Cowbelles furnish their brand nepkins, placemats, and table decorations. The table decorations are always given away as the Cowbelles' doorprizes. Most years feature a raffle for a leather tooled clock, telephone book cover, album, hanging lamp, or many other leather items. The Cowbelles created a brand napkin years ago. The napkins are used at the Annual Banquet every year and for many years at the Hoof and Horn Restaurant. In 1985, with many of the brands outdated, the Cowbelles revised their napkin. The napkins were really appreciated during the Colorado Cattlemen's State Convention in 1986. To help promote the beef industry, the Cowbelles have entered several floats into the Little Britches Parade. In 1982, the Cowbelles float followed the theme, "Now and Then" on how to cook beef (from the sampfire to the outdoor barbeque). The Cowbelles took first in their division. For three years, the Cowbelles gave the Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital beef to serve to its patients on Father's Day. This project was cnlled Beef for Father's Dav. Later, the Cowbelles continued the Beef for Father's Day. Something new for Father's Day? Yes, they surprised one "Expecting" father. The first baby born on or after Father's Day won his/her new Daddy a beef certificate at a local grocery store. Iris Roths was the chairman for the Beef for Father's Day for several years. The June Beef Month continued in 1982 with all the June brides receiving a Cowbelle Cookbook from the Kit Carson Countv Cowbelles. Gay Cure was the chairman of the June Bride Committee. The Kit Carson County Fair is always a big event in the county. The Cowbelles have offered their support in several ways. The past six years the Kit Carson County Cowbelles have put up an informational booth with all kinds of beef tips and also offering the Cowbelles Cookbook for sale. In 1984 and 1986, the Cowbelles have sponsored the Kit Carson County Fair Attendant's banner. During the Beef Round-Up in lg82 at Digchner's IGA, the Cowbelles lent a hand. One day during the promotion Marcia Kliesen handed out packets of literature. During the rest of the two weeks, the customers sampled Beef Brownies, Beef Candy, and a couple more of the recipes from the Cowbelles Cookbook which were made bv Virginia Corliss. Dischner's IGA placed in the Beef Round-Up Contest. In 1984, the Cowbelles again helped by passing out beef samples. The Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders Association celebrated their 40th Annual Sale. The Cowbelles had a booth il1d gnmples of Beef Jerky made by Susan Corliss. The Cowbelles gave a donation to the 1g84 Cattle Drive for Hunger campaign. The drive was to help the less fortunate through organizations such as the Salvation Army. The Career Days in the Stratton High School found the Kit Carson Countv Cowbelles promoting beef. With lots of litlrature and the Colorado Cowbelles Beef Buzzer Board, the Cowbelles were kept busy by juniors and seniors from all over the local area. Marcia Kliesen,, Dee Cure, and Virginia Corliss worked during the Career Days. The Cowbelle Beef Cook-Off is a big event at the State and National levels. In 1984 and 1986, Kit Carson County has had entries. The Colorado Cowbelles have started a new cookoff. The Beef Bash is designed for Home Economics students in the state. The Beef Bash was held on March 28, 1986, in Greeley, Colorado. The Kit Carson County Cowbelles put an added incentive for the schools in the county. One entrant from each school would receive 925 and show their display at the 1986 Annual Banquet. The student participating was from Stratton - Patsy Miltenberger. She received Honorable Mention in the contest. Officers for 1986-1987: President - Virginia Corliss; Vice President - Marcia Kliesen and Secretary - Sharon Powell. by Susan Corliss EASTERN PLAINS ANGUS ASSOCIATION T94 The Eastern Plains Angus Association was formed in 1952 to market Registered Angos cattle. The Colorado Angus Association asked that districts be formed to help market Registered Angus. The districts and associations did not stop at the county or even the state line. Many members were from different counties and the edge of different states. These sales were held annually at the Kit Carson County Fair Grounds cattle barn. One sale was held at Producers Sale Barn. Eastern Plains Angus Association had a sifting committee that went around and checked the cattle at the different consigners, this kept the quality of the cattle offeied in the sales high. The first president was A.W. Adolf from Bethune, Colorado. Some of the directors and officers were: Marvin James, Burlington; A.W. Lambert, Yuma; Floyd Witmore, Burlington; W.R. Rehfeld, Arapahoe; Paul pollreis, Kit Carson; Chester James, Burlington; Jim Redfield, Arapahoe; Bill Lambert, Yuma; Terry James, Burlington; Carlyle James, Burlington; Doren Whitmore. Burlington; Bill Koeller, Vona; all from Colorado and William A. Davis, Goodland; Edwin Rainbolt, Kanarado; Ted Eberhart, Kanarado; all from Kansas. In 1944 A.W. Adolf bought approximately 20-25 head of registered Angus cattle from Mr. T.A. Smart from Missouri. He became a lifetime member of the Aberdeen Angus Association in May of 1949. Other Angus breeders and commercial Angus breederJ of Kit Carson County are: Lyle James, Burlington; Joe Garner, Stratton; Jacob Smit, Vona; Ray Plummer, Burlington; A.W. Adolf, Bethune; Buck Fisher, Flagler; Sidney Hunt- zinger, Flagler; Al Kitten, Stratton; Dave Richards, Burlington; Harry Smit, Vona; Burton Smit, Vona; Eddie Fuller, Flagler; Roy Johnson, Burlington; George Paintin, Stratton; Guy Paintin, Stratton; Wayne Davis, Burlington; LeRoyJones, Flagler; Gus Schreiner, Vona; Rueben Schreiner, Vona; John Smith, Vona; Benny Schreiner, Vona, all of Colorado. This is only a partial list. by Chet James DYNAMIC DIMENSIONS, rNC. T95 Dynamic Dimensions, Inc. was originally incorporated as the East Central Colorado Regional Board for Developmental Disabilities in November 1974. Following the com- munity centered program concept its purpose is to provide services for those with developmental disabilities in east central Colorado. The board's first program was the adult life enrichment class that began in July lg7b in Burlington. This activity skills and vocational training center used the current administration building at 1778 Martin Avenue from February 1977 to August 1g80 and moved adult programming to a new facility �educational program. at 1776r/z Martin Avenue. On February 24' 1986 the ECCRBDD officiallY became James Leoffler published the Kit Carson County Chapter's "Moment of Thought" with the initial edition being written on Dynamic Dimensions, Inc. (DDI). The DDI workshop provides vocational training for about 2? adults and features the manufacture of items that are aseembled primarily with the use of indugtrial sewing machines and we recycle aluminum cans. Work evaluation to identify job potential for December 5, 1961. This was an informationfilled letter mailed to every box holder in Kit Carson County and in surrounding areas (approximately 3000). "Moment of Thought" was frequently published during the year and discussed many topics quoting the "Congressional Record", J. Edgar Hoover, community placement as well as work activity for individuals in the workshop setting is also included. The life enrichment area allows clients to gain skills in minimum academic, work idjustment and socialization. Special education studenta between 16 to 21 years of age are also placed at DDI if the staffing process Jim Leoffler and Charlie Turner, Charlies 2 children. and many other authoritative sources. The "Moment of Thought" was the leader in opposing the wheat referendum. The wheat referendum offered government controls of wheat farming. The referendum was defeated in Kit Carson County by a two to one vote. identifies needs appropriate for vocational training there. Developmentally disabled people have potential for growth, development and learning. In order to realize this potential' they muit have the opportunity to make decisions, experience normal daily living, take normal risks and cope with normal consequences' exercise rights and freedoms, and take responsibility for as much of their own lives as pbssible. Our living situations are intended to provide training, guidance counseling and normal life experience to facilitate the developmentally disabled persons growth toqard more independence and self-reliance. This assumes that individuals entering our progrqm have the potential for and in fact will be moved into more independent situations. We do recognize, however, that not everyone will progress at the same pace' nor will everyone always reach a level of independence where they will not need some supervi- and Country. The information from the "Moment of member on March 18, 1962. The local chapter of The John Birch Society was organized in Kit Carson County on October 16, 1961. Don the truth again prevailed. ual needs. national defense only. All other responsibilities are reserved for the states and individ- sion and assistance to accommodate individ- The residential program began in January 19?7 with the opening of one co-educational group home for six adults at 1776 Martin Avenue. This home is currently a residence for eight females, focusing on personal and domestic skill training. A new home at 212 Marion opened in January, 1981, and provides independent living skill training for six males. These homes prepare residents for the semi-independent apartment next step living in the- community. Residential courtselors are available to work with these adults on personal skills and adjusting to community living. As these adults move into total independent living in the community, follow along counselors are available to assist them as needed. by Douglas S. Deines THE JOIIN BIRCH SOCIETY T96 The John Birch Society was founded by Robert Welch, a successful candy manufacturer. The Society was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana during a two-day presentation on December 8 and 9, 1958. Robert Welch chose John Birch as the name of his organization from a Baptist missionary in China who was murdered by the communists a few days after WW II ended. John Birch's beliefs and ideals very much embodied what the John Birch Society supports: Loyalty to God, Family, James Leoffler joined the John Birch Society on May 8, 1961 and becane a life Vondra from Boulder, Colo. was the first state coordinator. The first presentation of The John Birch Society was held a month earlier at the Leoffler home where nine members joined. All but two members continue to live in the community and still are active in The John Birch Society. The chapter membership slowly but steadily grew. The John Birch Society's goal is to return the responsibility of running our lives to each individual by returning to the very limited government that is allowed in the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution sets up a Republic, not a Democracy. Our Founding Fathers realized that a Democracy is a very dangerous form of government. Our Constitutional Republic is limited basically to uals. The John Birch Society is non partisan and functions only as an educational organization. Its sole goal is to educate the American people to the dangers of big government. The quantity of government is more dangerous lhan the quality of government. This is done through meetings, handouts, expert speak- ers, billboards, books, films, videos, letters, and many other lawful means. The Society endured some turbulent years during the 60's. The troubles started when members decided to put up along U.S. 24 a large "Impeach Earl Warren" sign in early December 1962. Earl Warren was the U.S' Supreme Court Chief Justice at that time. The decisions made by the Warren Supreme Court were unconstitutional and destroyed those freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. This large sign was burned down, the poles were chopped down, and many other attempts were made to destroy Thought" snowballed until the referendum was soundly defeated nationally two years later. Everyone said it could not be done but Every year the local members traveled with books, brochures, and other educational materials to the National Western Stockshow, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Colorado State Fair, and Kansas State Fair. The members visited many county fairs presenting information to interested Americans. "Get U.S. Out of the U.N." billboards have also been an integral part ofthe JBS progrnm to inform the American people to the dangers of World Government. The billboards are today there warning how the United Nations is designed to destroy America's sovereignty and, therefore, abolishing the freedom we enjoy. JBS members went from door to door having citizens sign petitions demanding that the United States get out of the United Nations. Today the JBS declares that the United States must get out of the United Nations and the United Nations must get out of the United States. Americans are awakening to the dangers of the United Nations. "strike for Less Government" was published in two editions to counter the American Agriculture Movement's demands for more government involvement in agriculture. The demand for parity was asking for total government. "Strike for Less Government" proved that the government is the "middle man" who is charging the consumer the high prices. The local chapter stated that returning to the competitive free enterprise system was the only solution, the government had to be removed. "Tax Reform Immediately" fliers are distributed to inform the American people about how the U.S. Congress is spending America into debt and thus charging our posterity for our expensive spending programs today. These fliers help show the American people how most of this spending is unconstitutional. Also, it shows how each this sign. The members rebuilt the sign after each attempt. Our freedom of speech and private property was under attack. James Leoffler was interviewed in front of the sign by a Denver television station. "The Denver Congressman and Senator votes on spending bills and how much it costs each of us. Today The John Birch Society also publishes every three months the "Larry McDo- published many articles and pictures concerning these signs. A "Newsweek" reporter with the communists is suicidal for America. Why do we spend $300 billion a year to protect ourselves from the communist countries but then give them loans, technology, Post" and "The Rocky Mountain News" interviewed James Leoffler but the "Newsweek" editors only published a picture of the sign. Some of the people who were misled and helped to destroy the signs came back later and helped put the signs up again. Some even apologized for being deceived and thanked the John Birch members for their nald Crusade to Stop Financing Communism." This flier shows how aid and trading material, and foodstuffs so they can continue to threaten us? This flier algo shows how each congressman and senator votes on bills dealing with aiding and trading with the communists. �John Birch Society members vigorously promoted "Stop Aid and Trade" petitions to send to the United States President, Colorado and United States Senators, and this area's United States Representatives to stop any further aid and trade to the communist countries. Approximately two-thirds of the Kit Carson County residents signed these petitions. The local chapter ofthe John Birch Society sponsors expert speakers for presentation in the area. They mail books, magazine reprints, and any other pertinent material to local residents. Local Chapter members take part in local parades advocating the importance of less government and how powerful groups of people are trying to direct America towards a World totalitarian government. This World government would offer no freedoms to the people of the world and would be operated closely along the same framework as that of communist countries. The John Birch Society follows its slogan: Truth is our only weapon and education is our only strategy. The truth always proves just and the American people are beginning to realize that America is in trouble and what the Society is presenting is being proven correct. The John Birch Society is the voluntary association of individuals whose ultimate goal and belief is that with "less government, more responsibility, and - with God's help - a better world." by James Leoffler ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION TS7 Blomendahl, Roy Bader, and C.L. Hines of Burlington, Elmer Kueker and Art Gaines of Flagler, John Schritter of Bethune and Earl Livingston of Seibert. The first officers elected were Art Gaines, president, Earl Livingston, vice-president, and Elmer Kueker, secretary-treasurer. Trips to Washington, D.C. followed a formal application to REA, but the proposed unit was not considered feasible by REA in view of the high cost of power in this area. Changes in an application plan were turned down a second and third time, but the board persevered despite the grim prospects for REA coming to this area of Colorado. In March, 1948 the board began negotiating with Inland Utilities with offices in Hugo. In May final arrangements were made for purchase at a meeting in Kansas City attended by board members, Inland officials and REA officials. In the summer of 1948 the first loan of $3,875,000 was approved by REA. This loan was to cover the purchase oflnland properties in this area and defray the expense of building the distribution system into Kit Carson County and a generating plant. Hugo, Bovina, Arriba, Seibert, Vona, Stratton, Bethune and Cheyenne Wells were being served by Inland Utilities and the Town of Flagler was purchasing power from Inland on a wholesale basis and retailing to its consumers. On September 10, 1948, Elmer Kueker as treadurer ofthe new REA unit wrote and gave a check for 955,000 to Inland officials at Hugo. The new organization had already been incorporated under the name of K.C. Electric Association. John Rose, who had served as manager for Inland Utilities, was retained as manager for K.C. Electric, as well as all other Inland employees. The first major project was construction of 108 miles of main lines and the construction of distribution system lines throughout Kit Carson County. Completed in 1951, the first rural installation occurred on Thursday, April 26, 1951, at the home of Herbert Klusman, southwest of Flagler. By July the west half of Kit Carson County was mostly energized. The Korean conflict caused shortages of aluminum and copper materials but in general construction proceeded fairly close to schedule. On May 5, 1951, KC Electric began taking power directly from the Bureau of Reclamation Big Thompson project over lines that came to Limon; from there KC took .C. Electric Association original board of direcrs elected in 1945. L. to R.: George Blomendahl, the power. L. Hines, Elmer Kueker, Earl Livingston, Art nes, Thornton H. Thomas (attorney), John systems in the towns served by KC Electric began in spring 1952 with Hugo; Flagler and Arriba in 1953; and later Seibert, Vona and Schritter Records indicate that the first formal action in organizing an REA cooperative in this area of Colorado was in 1942 at a Flagler fiarm Bureau meeting, when Art Gainesjsr. pas appointed to look into the matter. Some palk had gone on in the'30's around Flagler, put nothing transpired in that regard until [he fall of 1943 when a committee appointed py the Kit Carson County Farm Bureau pomposed of Art Gaines and Elmer Kueker pf Flagler and Roy Bader of Burlington began pork to obtain an REA unit for the Kit parson County area. Following meetings with from influential groups late 1944, the up" for REA began in "sign fn [,he county in January of 1945. During 1945 Jnany representatives h meeting of interested persons in the county elected the initial board of directors: George The rebuilding of electric distributions Kit Carson, closing with the rebuilding in Stratton in fall 1954. Subsequent loans were approved which enlarged the area served into rural Cheyenne County. KC now serves 4,236 consumers with 2,201 miles of line in Kit Carson, Cheyenne and Lincoln counties. Annual operating revenue exceeds gl million. 'r-+ I rl � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of Kit Carson County Description An account of the resource Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Book Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kit Carson County Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1988 Subject The topic of the resource history Description An account of the resource A history of Kit Carson County as record in the book History of Kit Carson County. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salmons, Janice Hasart, Marlyn Smith, Dorothy Language A language of the resource English Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. History of Kit Carson County Volume 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Curtis Media Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>