Larimer County, Colorado - The whole text, 1911 (part 12 of 22)

There was great rejoicing in the city when the works were completed and people realized that they would no longer have to depend upon the water wagon for a drink of water or enough to fill the tea kettle, and practically the whole town turned out to witness the final tests. Under 120 pounds pressure, four streams of water were sent through 1^-inch nozzles 102 feet high. This was better than the contract called for or was expected. Fort Collins then had, in the opinion of experts, as good a system of water works as there was in the state and naturally the people were proud of it. They also appreciated more than words could express the privilege of turning a faucet in their own kitchen and getting an abundant supply of pure water for all uses. The filthy old water wagon was relegated to the rear, never more to do service in the progressive city of Fort Collins. In after years, due to the growth of the city, the system became inadequate to meet the demands of the people and an ienlargement and extension became necessary, but of this later on in its proper order. On the morning of the 14th of September (1882) another devastating fire broke out in F. P. Stover's new drug store block, situated on the corner of Jefferson and Linden streets, on the site formerly occupied by the historic Grout building, and despite every effort that could be put forth with the means at command, the handsome new building was soon reduced to smoking ruins. The fire spread to the adjoining store building owned by T. H. Robertson & Co., and it too, fell a victim to the fury of the flames. They were both new buildings under construction and nearly completed ready "for occupancy. Indeed, Mr. Stover had already moved a portion of his stock of drugs, oils and paints into the basement of his building and would have moved his entire stock within a few days. The loss on these two buildings exceeded $24,000, partly covered by insurance. This calamity quickened and intensified the appeal for the early construction of the water works for which the people had voted.

Although the grading on the Greeley, Salt Lake & Pacific railroad was practically completed from Greeley to Fort Collins and a portion of the bridging done in 1882, the track was not laid and the road completed until nearly a year later. The first passenger train was run over the road on Sunday, October 8th, 1883. It was an excursion train and arrived in Fort Collins about noon and had on board, in addition to a number of railroad officials.

about twenty of the prominent business men of Greeley, including Mayor Hawkes. Regular passenger and freight service was installed a few days later. In December, regular trains were put on between Fort Collins and Denver, via the Greeley, Salt Lake & Pacific and Denver Pacific roads and were maintained several years and until the Colorado Central railroad went into the hands of a receiver in 1889, when they were discontinued.

Jefferson Street, Fort Collins

portant buildings erected were the Poudre Valley bank block, completion of the city hall, completion of Jefferson street block, St. Luke's church, Colpitt's block on Walnut street, the Keystone block, (destroyed by fire in September) and residences for John C. Abbott, C. C. Enigh, Frank Miller, James B. Arthur, Vandewark business block, Robertson & Haynes business block, Express block on Linden street and Livingston & Sickman block on College avenue.

An enumeration of the inhabitants of Fort Collins, taken in December, 1882 and January, 1883, by authority of the Board of Town Trustees, disclosed the fact that the town had a population of 2,034, a sufficient number to entitle it to be graded a city of the second class. The census showed there were 1,150 males and 884 females within the limits of the town, and steps were at once taken to have the town declared a city of the second class. The Federal census of 1880, gave the town a population of 1,356, making the gain in a little more than a year, 678. On the 2nd of February, Governor Grant issued a proclamation declaring Fort Collins a city of the second class. The Board of Trustees met on February 14th, and directed the town attorney to prepare and submit an ordinance providing for dividing the town into four wards. This ordinance was passed and adopted

February 26th, 1883, and at the election held April 3rd, a Mayor, City Council of eight members, a City Clerk, a City Marshal, a City Attorney and a City Treasurer were elected. The campaign preceding this election was the most bitter in the history of the town, as it is apt to be whenever a moral question is embraced in the issues. The main issue was high as against low license. For years the town had been charging saloon keepers a license fee of $300 per annum, with the result that the town was over run with saloons and places where intoxicants could be obtained. There were thirteen open bars in the town in addition to three drug stores which sold liquors, and there were also five houses of prostitution in which liquors and beer were openly and flagrantly sold. Gambling houses flourished and the town was really what is known in the wild and wooly as a "wide open" town. To make matters still worse, incendiarism was rampant, hardly a night occurring without one or more alarms of fire. The loss in some of these fires was heavy, while in other instances only sheds, stables and barns were burned. The town was full of idle and vicious men, driftwood from railroad and ditch camps, irresponsible creatures, without home or friends, who hung about the saloons and brothels. Several of the fires were laid at the door of these men and were started for the sole purpose of getting a free drink. They had noticed that whenever a fire occurred, the saloons set up a drink to the fire fighters after they had gotten the flames under control. The law and order element in the city became aroused and set about organizing for the purpose of putting a municipal ticket in the field, pledged to increase the license to $1,000 per annum, believing that policy would have the effect of driving the low down doggeries out of business. The saloon interests then combined their forces and waged a bitter fight in behalf of a mayor and city council that would retain saloon licenses at $300 per annum. High and low license city tickets were put in the field and the adherents of each exerted themselves to the utmost in an effort to carry the election their way. The city was thoroughly canvassed and the position of every legal voter was known before election day. The election was held on Tuesday, April 3rd, and resulted in the choice of a high license Mayor, City Clerk and six of the eight Aldermen, thus giving the high license party control of the government. The total number of votes cast was 499, and the high license mayor was elected by 27 majority. The officers elected were Mayor, A. L. Emigh; City Clerk, H. F.

On Saturday evening, April 14th, the Board of Trustees of the town of Fort Collins met for the last time and after listening to reports of officers and transacting such business as came before it, adjourned, sine die. The newly elected city officers were immediately sworn in and entered upon the duties of their respective positions. On Tuesday evening, April 17th, the city council met again pursuant to adjournment and Mayor Emigh submitted a list of standing committees and also the names of appointive officers. These latter were: Street Commissioner, Robert Walsh; Chief of Fire Department, George T. Wilkins; Nightwatchman, C. M. Buck. The appointments were promptly confirmed by the council. The committee on law and ordinances reported an ordinance on excise fixing the cost of liquor licenses at $1,200 per annum, payable quarterly in advance. A question coming up regarding the legality of some of its provisions, the ordinance was referred to the City Attorney for an opinion on disputed points. At a meeting held April 19, the excise ordinance was reported by the City Attorney and after an amendment fixing the license fee at $1,000 per annum, one-fourth payable quarterly in advance, had been approved, the ordinance was passed and adopted and went immediately into efifect after publication. The effect of this ordinance was to weed out all but six of the saloons and the proprietors of these were each placed under $3,000 bonds, conditioned that he should keep and observe all the provisions of the ordinance regarding closing on Sunday and election days, gaming with cards or other devices in the saloon, etc., fixing the penalities for violations at from $50 to $300. The ordinance and all other law and order ordinances were strictly enforced and a radical improvement in the social and moral condition of the city followed. The riff-raff, flotsam and jetsam, the gamblers and many of the loose women that had floated in here during the "wide open" period, found it convenient to leave the city and seek localities where they could more safely ply their nefarious avocations. The result was that Fort Collins became a quiet, peaceable and law and order loving community. One year later the council passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale of intoxicants of all kinds within the limits of the city. This, however, was repealed in 1885 and the high license ordinance re-adopted, which remained in force until 1896, when the city again returned to the principle of absolute prohibition, thus entirely cutting out the open saloon, a policy that has since been strictly adhered to and enforced. In 1909 the city, by a vote of 5 to 1, accepted the provisions of the State Local Option law absolutely prohibiting the granting of liquor licenses and the sale of liquor in the town. This policy is working well and the city could not be prevailed upon to return to a policy that fostered the open saloon. It was thus that the open saloon in Fort Collins passed into history unhonored, unwept and unsung.

Fort Collins at this period, instead of the old Grout building of ten years before and the few hundred people of five years later, was a town of no mean proportions, having a population of more than 2,000 people, with business blocks of brick and stone that would do credit to many cities of far greater population; with general stores the like of whose large supplies and endless assortment are not seen outside the Mountain states; with two flouring mills, a large grain elevator, three banks, three hotels, two daily and weekly newspapers, water works, machine shops, graded schools with classes ranging from kindergarten up, good school and church buildings, and a thrifty ambitious, enterprising and intelligent class of people. Here was also the State Agricultural college with good buildings and an improved farm and between sixty and seventy students and with a record for helping the farmer, the worth of which was not half told nor realized and also with a record for wide investigation and substantial advance in the field of agriculture that had already challenged the admiration of the leading agriculturists of the Nation.

As already stated the first cemetery located in Fort Collins was on the site selected by the postoffice department for the Federal building at the corner of College avenue and Oak street, for which Congress has appropriated $100,000, and it was used for the interment of soldiers who died here in 1864- 5 and 6. In 1873 this was abandoned and grounds for a new cemetery, lying southeast of the town were purchased and laid off into burial lots. It was named "Mountain Home" and the bodies were removed from the old to the new. As time passed on this cemetery became too confined to meet requirements and on August 15th, 1887, the city purchased from Thomas Connolly an eighty-acre tract lying a mile and a half west of the city, with abundant water rights from the Pleasant Valley & Lake Canal for the sum of $4,000. One half of the tract, or forty acres, was immediately laid out by expert landscape gardeners for cemetery purposes and named Grandview Cemetery. The first interment was made in the new cemetery November 22nd, 1887, The grounds were attractively laid out with circular drives, ranging from 15 to 30 feet in width. There were several small parks and these were sown to blue grass and beautified with shrubbery and flowers. A plat of one-half an acre was set off and dedicated to the uses of George H. Thomas, Post No. 7, Grand Army of the Republic, which removed to its plat the remains of the ten soldiers buried in the old cemetery at the time of the military occupation and many deceased soldiers of the Civil war have therein been interred. No new interments were permitted in Mountain Home Cemetery after Grandview was opened, and the remains of those buried in the former have since been removed to the latter. The city and private citizens have done much to beautify Grandview and it is now one of the most attractive Cities of the Dead in the state. Thousands of shade and ornamental trees have been set out there and kept in order and now afford an abundance of grateful shade. Hundreds of well kept flower beds also add a pleasing view to the scene.

The Colony provided for two small parks - Washington and Lincoln - but only one of these (Lincoln,) has been improved, making it a veritable beauty spot. The Carnegie Public library is situated in this park.

The amount expended in 1883 for new buildings and public improvements amounted to $169,- 000. The more important of the new buildings were residences for B. F. Hottel, H. A. Crafts, Prof. A. E. Blount, Prof. W. W. Remington, John G. Lunn, B. F. Kelley, T. W. VoUintine, county jail. Mechanical hall at college. Standard Milling Company elevator, and two store buildings on Linden street for T. H. Robertson & Co.

In 1886 it was found that additional school facilities were an absolute necessity. For several years the district had been compelled to rent vacant store rooms on Jefferson street and Mountain avenue in which to house several of the grades that could not be accommodated at the Remington street school building, and it was decided to erect an eight room school house on property owned by the district at the corner of Mountain avenue and Howes street. A bond issue of $19,500 was promptly voted by the taxpayers. On August 19 the contract to construct the building according to plans and specifications, was let to the E. F. Halleck Lumber company, of Denver, for $19,000. The building was completed in time for the opening of school in September, 1887.

On Saturday, July 10th, 1886, the Lindell Mills, the pioneer flour mill of the Cache la Poudre valley, were destroyed by fire, including all of its valuable machinery, involving a loss of $60,000. The insurance on the property amounted to $28,000. The mill was owned by the Colorado Milling and Elevator company, B. F. Hottel, manager. The company immediately began preparations for building a larger and better mill to take the place of the one destroyed. The new mill was completed in due time and was equipped with modern machinery and all the latest and most approved appliances for converting wheat into commercial flour. At this time the preliminaries for the proposed Farmer's mill began to assume definite form and the trustees, on Tuesday, July 15, let the contract for the machinery and equipment to E. P. Allis & Co., of Milwaukee, at the company's bid of $36,000. The building, a brick structure, 45 by 65 and four stories high above the basement, was to be constructed at the expense of the Farmer's Protective association. The Farmer's Protective association was incorporated January 5th, 1884, under the laws of Colorado. Among the objects specified in the articles of incorporation, were the building of mills and elevators, buying and selling real estate, the manufacture of flour, feed, etc. The association was organized primarily for the purpose of protecting the interests of the wheat growers of the Cache la Poudre valley against alleged unfair discrimination on the part of the millers of Colorado in the purchase of grain. The farmers claimed that the millers were not paying for wheat all they could afEord to pay and that they were shipping wheat into the state from Utah and other states to the injury of the Colorado farmers, this in face of the fact that Colorado was producing more breadstuffs than was sufficient to supply the needs of the state. The leaders in the movement among the farmers were J. E. Plummer, Z. C. Plummer, Joseph Murray, John G. Coy, P. Anderson and the most of the leading farmers of the valley became members of the association, among whom the feeling prevailed that a mill should be built to insure a better return for their labors. The mill was built and set in operation but through mismanagement it proved a losing proposition and in a few years fell into the hands of creditors who closed it down and dismanteled it.

Fort Collins was a progressive town and its citizens believed in keeping step with the march of progress in all things that promised to aid in its development or that added to the comfort and convenience of the community. The electric system of lighting streets and for domestic ^use was being introduced in most of the large cities of the country, giving such excellent satisfaction that a company was organized and incorporated in October, 1887, to build and operate a plant in Fort Collins. The organization was known as the Fort Collins Light, Heat and Power company, its incorporators being W. B. Stewart, E. P. Roberts, E. T. Dunning and William B. Miner. On October 18th the city council passed a resolution granting the company and its successors the right to erect and operate electric lights and right of way through all the streets and alleys for the erection of poles and laying, suspending and maintaining the necessary wires and other appliances for the transmission of electricity in, through, under or over the said streets and alleys. Mr. Stewart came from Denver. He was a machinist and mechanical engineer of acknowledged ability and experience. Mr. Roberts was the general manager of the Cheyenne electric light works. Mr. Dunning was one of the leading attorneys of Fort Collins and Mr. Miner, a prominent resident and well known man of wealth. The following day Messrs. Stewart and Roberts went to Denver to order the necessary machinery for the plant, promising to light up the city with electricity about the middle of December. The city agreed to take ten arc street lights and to pay $2,000 the first year for them. The plant furnished the city with lights until 1908 when the franchise passed by purchase under the control of the Northern Colorado Power company which generated the electricity at its big power plant at Lafayette and transmitted it from there over wires to the city. The old plant was dismanteled and the building remodeled and made to house other business enterprises.

A telephone was constructed in August, 1887, by the city to connect the city hall with the water works pump house for use in cases of fire, when greater pressure was required. Six years later, July 13, 1893, the city council granted a franchise to the Colorado Telephone company to build a line connecting Fort Collins with Denver and other Colorado cities. The line was completed and an exchange was located in J. R. Will's drug store and Mr. Wills was the first manager. There were about fifty local subscribers. The list has since grown to between 3,000 and 4,000 and in 1909, the Telephone company erected a handsome and well arranged building on College avenue for the exclusive use of the exchange, and has a large number of employees on its local pay roll.

For several months previous to the opening of the year 1888, citizens and the newspapers had discussed the necessity of an adequate sewer system from a sanitary standpoint, and an attempt was made to bond the city in the sum of $8,000, the proceeds to be used in the construction of a sewer extending from the Franklin School building east on Mountain avenue to Lincoln avenue and thence to the river. When the proposition vi^as laid before the people at the municipal election, held April 3rd, 1888, it was voted down by 34 majority. The vote against the bonds was not an indication of the sentiments of the people on the question of sewers, but simply an expression against bonding the city for the purpose of constructing them. The feeling that the sewer should be built was strong, but the people disliked the idea of voting bonds for the improvement. They favored sewers and other public improvements, but wanted the city to pay for them as they were made and not issue bonds. In July the city council saw its way clear to begin the work of sewer construction and on the 7th, awarded the contract for excavating 2,870 feet for sewer purposes to V. L. Watkins who began work at once on the first sewer built in Fort Collins. This sewer was originally intended to be built of brick and to extend from a point on the river near the Lincoln avenue bridge, thence southwest on Lincoln avenue to the intersection of Mountain avenue and thence west on Mountain avenue to the alley west of the Franklin School building, a distance of 2,870 feet. The cost paid out of the revenues of the city amounted to $3,500. In 1891 this sewer was extended west 540 feet and in 1893 still further west 586 feet. The people quickly familiarized themselves with the benefits of sewers and since then almost the entire city has been underlaid with a net-work of sewers. The total number of feet constructed and now in use amounts at this time to 19} miles.

During the years of 1882-3 and 4 the city built up faster than the surrounding country which it depended upon for support with the inevitable result. Business in all lines was overdone and a period of liquidation and stagnation set in and continued until along in the early 90's, so that in the matter of growth the town but little more than held its own. The census of 1890 gave the town a population of but 2,053, a gain of only 42 during the preceding decade. A number of causes contributed to this condition of affairs, the principal one being that the farmers were not doing well. Their principal money crop was wheat and this fell off in yield per acre, due to continued cropping year after year, and to decline in the market price so that, taking out the cost of production, there was little or nothing left the producer. Then many of the farmers were in debt for their land, for improvements and for farm implements, stock, etc., and they had all they could do to keep their heads abo\'e water. Alfalfa hay was a drug upon the market and there was no demand for it. This was before the introduction of sheep feeding which a few years afterwards wrought a wonderful change in the situation. The stockmen suffered with the farmers as there was a frightful decline in the values of cattle and horses between 1885 and 1890, so that money was scarce and business correspondingly dull. It is an universally acknowledged truism, applying particularly to an agricultural and stock growing section, that unless the producers thrive the town cannot prosper. Things were about getting down to bed rock in 1889 when, through an accident the farmers began to take up sheep feeding as a hew industry. The first year only 3,500 Mexican lambs were put in the pens and fed for the Chicago Tnarket. The lambs fattened on alfalfa and corn, brought a good price in Chicago in April and May, 1890. The results of the experiment were so encouraging that farmers generally began to engage in it, so that by 1896-7 the number of sheep and lambs on feed in the county had increased from 3,500 to nearly 200,000 and in 1901 to 400,000. As a general thing the business was profitable. It enabled many a struggling farmer to pay off his debts and save his farm and home. By feeding sheep and lambs he made a home market for his surplus alfalfa, coarse grains and roots and also increased the fertility of his soil, resulting in larger and better harvests. The impulse of the prosperity of the farmers during this period was felt in Fort Collins and the town began to take on new life. A good deal of building was done, new enterprises were started and the population of the town increased from 2,034 to 3,153 in the decade between 1890 and 1900, a gain of more than 1,000 souls, notwithstanding the business panic of 1893. The creamery and cheese factory built in 1888 contributed not a little to the prosperity of the farmers and town's people, for it distributed large sums of money every week for milk and cream to producers.

Perhaps the darkest day of the entire decade occurred on October 5th, 1895, when the Lindell Mills again burned down, involving the destruction of the only flour mill in operation in Fort Collins and a pecuniary loss of $125,000. It was the second time the Lindell Mills had been destroyed by fire. The first time was in July, 1886. They were rebuilt in 1887 and had been in successful operation until the flames devoured them in 1895. Several thousand sacks of flour and about $4,000 worth of grain sacks were consumed in the last fire. The elevator adjoining the mill contained 50,000 bushels of wheat, much of which was made worthless by fire, water and smoke. In 1896 the mills were rebuilt on a larger and more substantial scale, and are still in operation. They furnish a ready market for all the wheat grown in the vicinity.

A majority of the aldermen elected at the municipal election held April 7th, 1896, were ardent prohibitionists and it was not long after they took their seats in the council before an ordinance.

prohibiting the open saloon and the sale of intoxicating liquors of all kinds, was passed and adopted. Since then the sale of wines, liquors and beer in Fort Collins has been illegal and every known violation of the ordinance has been dealt with by the courts, not always in a merciful manner. For fourteen years the city has been without an open saloon and this condition bids fair to be continued indefinitely, as public sentiment in Fort Collins is bitterly opposed to the liquor traffic.

F. R. Baker, a strong anti-saloon man, was mayor of the city at that time and the anti-license aldermen who voted for the prohibition ordinance

Linden Street, Fort Collins Looking Southwest

In October, 1898, the Colorado & Southern railroad company began the erection of a new pasenger station to take the place of the old small, badly arranged and worse looking brick structure that had been in use since October, 1877. The new station is still in use and at the time it was built was conceded to be the handsomest and most conveniently arranged station on the entire road. It is 31 by 80 feet, ground dimensions, and built of gray stone laid up in broken ashlar style, with cut stone caps and sills and arches. It cost between $8,000 and $9,000. It was completed and occupied in May, 1899.

The decade between 1900 and 1910 was the most prosperous era that Fort Collins ever experienced. The population increased during the ten years from 3,153 to 8,210 and business of all kinds was flourishing. There was no boom, just a steady substantial growth with a constantly increasing trade in every department of business. Citizens had awakened from the lethargic condition that prevailed for several years during and after the panic of 1893, and early in the decade began to take a more optimistic view of things. New business blood had been introduced, the farmers were making money and doing well, more land had been brought under cultivation and the banks were carrying large sums in deposits, and everything of a material nature seemed to be favorable to continued prosperity. New business blocks and new dwellings and residences were erected in large numbers and new people came in to occupy them. In 1901 the receipts of the postoffice exceeded $10,000 per annum which entitled the town to the carrier delivery system which was installed that year, three

Corner Of West Mountain And College

In 1899 a public library association was organized and the collection of books gathered up by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and by the Rev. George N. Falconer, numbering about 800 volumes, all told, were donated to the association as a nucleus of a public library. These books were gathered up and first housed in rooms on the second floor of the Welch block and Mrs. Jane Budrow was appointed the first librarian. A few months later Mayor F. R. Baker, in accordance with the statutes, appointed a board of directors consisting of Mrs. Ida M. Warren, Mrs. P. J. McHugh, Miss Mary Killgore, Judge Jay H. Bouton, Ansel Watrous and T. A. Gage, with the Mayor as an ex-ofKcio member, which board accepted the books from the old association and they then became the property of the City's free library. The books were soon after moved to a room on College avenue where they remained until the fall of 1903 when they were placed in the Carnegie library building in Lincoln Park. Through the efEorts of Mrs. D. A. McLean and other citizens, Andrew Carnegie, the well known steel manufacturer and philanthropist, donated $12,500 towards the cost of a suitable library building, conditioned that the city should support and maintain a free public library, which the city authorities agreed to do. The library now contains nearly 8,000 volumes of choice books and is one of the fixed and most popular public institutions of the city.

The most notable event in the history of Fort Collins, in a material way, since the completion of the Colorado Central Railroad in 1877, was the building of the beet sugar factory in 1903. This subject had been agitated since 1888 when it was demonstrated by experiments at the State Agricultural college that sugar beets, carrying a high percentage of saccharine matter could be successfully and profitably grown in Larimer county. This agitation resulted in a concerted m.ovement started in 1891 to get a factory here, and a representative of the Oxnard interests promised that if the farmers would engage to grow 5,000 acres of beets he would see that a factory was built. At that time he said nothing about a bonus or subsidy. Committees were appointed to solicit acreage and its members soon secured pledges for the required number of acres. The Oxnard company was notified of what had been done and a few days later a representative appeared on the ground and demanded a bonus of $150,000 cash, site for a factory and free water for its use. This demand was promptly negatived and that was the last heard of the Oxnard proposition. In 1901 Loveland succeeded in getting capital interested in the building of a factory there and the plant was completed and placed in successful operation in October that year. The Loveland factory proved to be such a pronounced success and the establishment of the enterprise had such a decided effect in advancing values of real estate, both farm and town property, that the people of Fort Collins were stimulated to extra exertion in behalf of the location and building of a factory at that point. Public meetings were held in the winter of 1901-2, at which an encouraging degree of enthusiasm was promoted. Committees, headed by Jesse Harris and Frank E. Baxter, were appointed to solicit beet acreage and they entered upon their work with an energy that promised success. They soon had the required acreage pledged and James B. Arthur and Peter Anderson were sent east to look over the factories in Michigan and to confer with the Kilby company of Cleveland, Ohio, which built the Loveland factory, and others for the purpose of getting capital interested to the extent of furnishing the money to build and operate a 600 ton per day plant. They were authorized to close a contract for the construction of the plant at once. This was in January, 1902. They returned from their mission on January 20th and submitted a report in which they set forth what had been done in the premises and what the prospects were for getting a factory that year. The substance of the report was that it would be inadvisable to attempt to complete a factory in time for the fall campaign; that it could be done if conditions were altogether favorable but that it would cost more money than if the contractor had more time in which to do the work. The matter rested in this shape until April when it was decided to deposit all the beet contracts with Joel F. Vaile of Denver, to be held by him until such time as they could be legally transferred to the Fort Collins Sugar company, positive assurance being given that the factory would be built. About the first of August the Fort Collins Sugar Manufacturing company filed its articles of incorporation. The company was capitalized at $350,000, divided into 3,500 shares of $100 each. The directors for the first year were to be J. S. Brown, Denver, B. F. Hottel, James A. Brown, James B. Arthur, C. R. Welch, J. S. McClelland and F. M. Shaw. At this time Mr. Shaw reported that contracts had been secured for the growing of 6,- 483^ acres of beets for the years 1903-4 and 5. By Saturday, September 10th, the stock had all been subscribed for and a meeting of the directors was held that day for the purpose of electing officers with the following result : President, B. F. Hottel ; Vice-President, James B. Arthur; Secretary, F. M. Shaw; Treasurer, C. R. Welch. At that meeting it was given out that the company was then fully organized and expected to break ground for the sugar factory within a few days. B. F. Hottel, James A. Brown and F. M. Shaw left for the East on the 12th of September and wired back from Cleveland on the 20th that they had let a contract to the Kilby Manufacturing company for a 600 ton per day sugar factory to cost $650,000, the plant to be completed on or before September 15th, 1903. On their return home a meeting of the stockholders was held September 23rd to hear their report. It was then decided to build a 1,200 ton pjant and to increase the capital stock to $1,000,- 000, and the Kilby Manufacturing company was notified to that effect. Mr. Kilby immediately wired back September 30th, that he accepted the change and would construct a 1,200 ton plant. On the 16th of October the Fort Collins Sugar Manufacturing Company was reincorporated as the Fort Collins, Colorado, Sugar Company. The capital stock was fixed at $1,000,000 and the officers of the old company were retained for the new. The company purchased the Alexander Barry farm of 120 acres and the Buckingham tract of 480 acres for a site for the factory, paying $18,000 for the Barry farm and $48,000 for the Buckingham tract, and on Wednesday morning, November 12th, 1902, the ground was broken for Fort Collins' big sugar factory. On the day before the Fort Collins Railway Development company let a contract for the grading of a line of railway from Fort Collins to Wellington in the Boxelder valley, a distance of twelve miles.

The beginning of construction work on these new and important enterprises had a marked effect on real estate values, both urban and suburban. Farm lands in the vicinity of the city that a few months before could have been purchased for from $100 to $150 per acre, almost immediately were advanced to $200 and $250 per acre and city property felt the impulse in a corresponding degree. The city took on new life and the seasons of 1903- 4-5 and 6 were remarkably busy ones for the builders. Labor found ready employment and many new business enterprises were established. The city directory issued in 1905 showed that the town had more than doubled its population since work was begun on the sugar factory and the Wellington extension of the railroad. In the summer of 1904 all the local stockholders in the Fort Collins, Colorado, Sugar Company sold their shares to the Great Western Sugar company, a subsidiary company of the American Sugar Refining company, which had been organized. The local stockholders held $300,000 worth of stock of the old company for which they were paid par value with 6 per cent interest, and the management of the company was vested in new hands. The factory was completed and began slicing beets on January 4th, 1904, with between 60,000 and 70,- 000 tons of beets, the entire crop of the season of 1903, on hand to work up into sugar. The sugar making campaign closed about the first of March with more than 15,000,000 pounds of granulated sugar to its credit. Eight crops of beets have been harvested in Fort Collins district since beet plant- ing began in the spring of 1903, for which the Great Western Sugar company has paid to the farmers $5,860,000, and to employes in and about the factory about $2,000,000, making a total of $7,860,- 000 that it has expended for beets and labor. This is exclusive of the cost of the factory which was $1,250,000, a large part of which was paid out for labor and material on the buildings.

The growth of the town was so rapid in 1902-3, that the demand for water for domestic uses was greater than the supply and it became necessary to make provisions for an increased quantity of that indispensible necessity. The old water works system, completed in 1883, was totally inadequate to meet requirements and besides, the water was in constant danger of contamination from sewage from Bellvue and the settlements on the North fork of the Cache la Poudre and was also full of impurities during the frequent flood periods that had their rise mainly on the North fork. To remedy these evils and to insure a larger supply of better water it was decided, after a series of investigations, to extend the supply pipes up into the canon to a point on the main stream above the confluence of the North fork. In the summer of 1903 the people voted to issue municipal bonds of the city to the amount of $150,000, the proceeds of the sales of which to be used in the extension and enlargement of the city's water system. The bonds were sold and in September a contract to construct the new system was let to Holme & Allen of Denver, who completed the job in the spring of 1904. The contract called for a gravity system that would supply the city with 4,000,000 gallons of water every 24 hours with a pressure of 90 pounds to the square inch at the intersection of College and Laporte avenues. This system afforded an ample supply of unfiltered water for all purposes, but, during the spring floods, the stream carried a great deal of impurities making the water unfit for use for a few days at a time. To remedy this the city, in 1909, installed near the head works a mechanical filter of sufficient capacity to cleanse and purify all the water the system could carry. Since then Fort Collins has enjoyed the luxury of a bountiful supply of the best and purest of water at all times. As a provision against accidents and to make sure of a supply, the city in 1910, had constructed a cement storage basin at Bingham hill, with a capacity of 5,000,000 gallons of filtered water to be held in storage and to be drawn upon only in case an accident should occur to the pipe line above that point. At present Fort Collins prides itself on having one of the best municipal water plants in the Rocky Mountain region.

In September, 1903, a contract for the construction of the Carnegie public library building was let to Butler & McDaniels and the building was completed early in 1904. This is a beautiful building, its exterior walls being of red sandstone ornamented with gray sandstone caps and sills, and cost about $15,000 to build and furnish. It is located in Lincoln Park, fronting on Matthews street, one of the main resident streets of the city.

In 1904 the Poudre Valley Gas Company was incorporated with a capital of $100,000 for the purpose of constructing and operating a gas plant which should furnish illuminating and heating gas to citizens of Fort Collins. The stock was all subscribed by local capitalists and construction work was begun that fall and prosecuted with vigor during the following winter. The works were completed and gas was turned through 6 miles of mains in March, 1905. Since then about 5 additional miles of mains have been laid, making In all 1 1 miles of gas mains In the city, from which 800 consumers are supplied with gas for illuminating and heating purposes. The officers of the company are President, B. F. Hottel; Vice-President, F. P. Stover; Treasurer, James A. Brown; Secretary, F. W. Stover; Mana-

In the fall and winter 1906 a ten day's campaign was started for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions to a fund to be used in erecting and equipping a Young Men's Christian Association building. The campaign resulted in securing pledges to the amount of about $65,000. With this sum to begin with the association selected plans and proceeded to let contracts for the construction of a $60,000 building. The structure was completed in February, 1908, and the first public assemblage to meet in the new building gathered on February 26 to listen to an address by George B. Hodge, International Secretary of the Educational department of Y. M. C. A. work. The building completed, furnished and equipped, cost $90,000, the entire sum being raised by voluntary contributions. The building and its equipments is a monument to the enterprises, liberality and progressive spirit of the people of Fort Collins and vicinity.

The Fort Collins Hospital association, organized in 1903, erected a large and well furnished building in 1906, at the corner of Matthews and Magnolia streets, thus supplying the city with a growing and very important need.

Realizing the need of more park room, the city, in 1907, purchased 60 acres of the former John Sheldon farm, paying therefor, $48,000. This tract of land is gradually being improved and converted into a public park. It is situated just west of and adjoining the western limits of the city, and is within one block of the Mountain avenue street car line. It is the purpose of the Park Commission, as soon as available funds can be obtained, to make a veritable beauty spot and breathing place of this park. It will command a fine view of the mountains on the west and the city on the east, while on the north and south stretching away for miles in each direction lie cultivated fields and handsome farm homes and orchards.

In the fall of 1906 the city council of the City of Fort Collins granted a franchise to the Denver Interurban Railway company which gave the company the right to construct and operate a system of electric railways along the certain specified streets and avenues of the city. The company began construction work in the summer of 1907 and on December 28th began operating street cars over the five miles of track laid upon the following named streets and avenues: College avenue from Jefferson street to Pitkin street; Pitkin street from College avenue to Remington street; Remington street from Pitkin to Elizabeth and thence along the last named street to College avenue ; Mountain avenue to Grandview Cemetery; Jefferson from

The Maude Belle, Capt. Post'S Pleasure Boat On Lindenmeier Lake

College avenue to a connection with the Mountain avenue line at Peterson street; Linden street to Jefferson street. In 1908 the company extended its Linden street line on past the sugar factory to Lindenmeier lake, and in 1909 placed cars in operation on Peterson, East Magnolia and Whedbee streets to Elizabeth street. The company gives a twenty minute service on all these lines and the people of Fort Collins find the street cars of great convenience. The tracks and equipment are firstclass in all respects and the system is well managed. Aside from sketches of the rise and progress of the difiEerent churches, the public schools, theaters, women's clubs, and fraternal societies, the foregoing completes the story of the salient features of the history of Fort Collins from the time the soldiers were stationed here in October, 1864, to the close of the year 1910. From that lonely military post, away out on the frontier at the base of the Rocky Mountains, 600 miles beyond the boundaries of civilized rule, Fort Collins has grown to a city of 8,210 people, with its churches, public schools, theatres, fraternal organizations, street cars, gas works, water works, embracing 40 miles of distributing mains, 19] miles of sewer mains, its public library, park system, race track and manufacturing plants, besides many public conveniences and business enterprises which are only found in a wide awake, progressive community. What the next fifty years has in store for Fort Collins time alone will determine. That it faces a promising future cannot be denied, but it must be left to the historian of half a century hence to tell the story of its growth and advancement as intervening time shall unfold and reveal it.

In July, 1909, the Union Pacific Railroad campany authorized and instructed its agent, Jesse Harris of Fort Collins, to purchase all the property embraced in five city blocks lying between Jefferson and Willow streets for use as a right of way through the city and for terminal facilities. The purchase was made at an expense of about $400,000, and in 1910 the ground was cleared of buildings, fences, trees, etc., and made ready for the railroad graders. The company had already graded a track from Denver to a point near the town of Milliken for a line of road from Denver to Fort Collins, and during that summer and fall it had completed the grade to Fort Collins and had also erected all the bridges and culverts along the line. In October work was suspended until the spring of 1911 with the announcement that it would then be resumed and the line completed and placed in operation at the earliest possible moment. This move on the part of the Union Pacific was greeted with many manifestations of pleasure by the people of Fort Collins, who had long looked forward to the time when a competing railroad should be built from Denver into the city. The new road, when completed, will afford a sliorter and more direct route to the Capi- tal of the state and also provide a direct outlet to the east over that company's line from Julesburg to Denver, via LaSalle, thus cutting out the delay and expense of the haul to Denver in order to connect with lines leading east.

This movement also spurred the Colorado & Southern Railroad company to action and in December, 1910, it began the work of grading an extension of its line of road from Wellington to Cheyenne, the Capital of Wyoming, so it is highly probable that by the first of July, 1911, Fort Collins will be on a main trunk line of railroad extending from Puget Sound to the Gulf of Mexico, and also on a direct line eastward via the Union Pacific, privileges the city had been hoping for and expecting for nearly thirty years.

When the soldiers were in Fort Collins in 1864-5 and 6, they buried their dead on ground lying between College avenue and Mason street, now crossed by Oak street. This ground was used for several years afterwards for cemetery purposes, but when the Colony located here in 1872, new burying grounds were laid off at the east end of Laurel street, to which many, but not all the bodies in the old ground were removed. Later when Oak street was being leveled off to grade, the bones of several bodies interred in unmarked graves, were plowed up. These grim reminders of early day deaths were gathered up and properly buried in what is now known as the old cemetery. The names of those who occupied these unmarked graves have passed from the memory of even the oldest inhabitant, and their life history is as a sealed book with the present generation.

Mrs. Agnes Giddings, wife of E. C. Giddings, was the first white child born within the limits of the present City of Fort Collins, and she came into the world as the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Augustine Mason on the 31st day of October, 1867. As a singular coincidence she was born in the house in which Mr. and Mrs. Harris Stratton were married on the 30th day of December, 1866, and who were the parents of the second white child born in Fort Collins, who is now Mrs. P. J. McHugh. These ladies are both residents of Fort Collins and admired leaders and factors in church, club and social circles. They have grown up with the city, and have seen it develop from a frontier military post to one of the most important cities in the Centennial State, and their efforts and influence have always been cast on the side of moral, educational and social advancement. The wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Harris Stratton was the first one celebrated in the then embryo City of Fort Collins. Mention of this wedding is made elsewhere in this book.

The night before Christmas, 1881, a colored man named Albert Sherwood, employed as a cook at the Tedmon House, was shot and killed by a white man named Lindeville, better known as "Tex," in a carousal at a bagino kept by colored women on N. Meldrum street. This was the first murder committed in Fort Collins. The murderer escaped punishment by pleading self-defense. Sherwood was striking Lindeville on the head with a pitcher when the latter drew his gun and shot him.

The First Methodist Episcopal church was the first of the religious orders to organize a class in Fort Collins, and the organization has since kept pace with the growth and development of the city and surrounding country, that church having a larger membership than any of its sister denominations. The first class was organized in 1867 by Rev. O. P. McMains. He was succeeded by Rev. Geo. W. Swift, who remained on the circuit which then embraced the Big Thompson and Poudre valley classes for a period of one year. He was succeeded by Rev. J. R. Moore, who ministered to the Fort Collins class two years, the circuit having been reduced to the Poudre valley alone. Then followed Rev. J. P. Dew, who, in 1873, began the erection of a place of worship on lots situated immediately west of the Colorado & Southern railroad's main tracks. Rev. R. W. Bosworth succeeded Rev. Dew and completed the building of the church and it was dedicated by Rev. Geo. H. Adams, Presiding Elder, in the spring of 1876, Mr. Bosworth remaining in charge three years being succeeded in 1876 by Rev. C. A. Brooks. The lots on which the church was built were donated by the Larimer County Land Improvement company. Through irrigation and seepage the lots became covered with water so that for a greater part of the season it was impossible to get to the church without wading through mud and water, consequently services in the church were abandoned. After that services were held in the second story of the Old Grout building, until the spring of 1878, when the church building was moved to a new site on Mountain avenue. The lots for the new site were donated by A. L. Emigh. The old building was abandoned for church uses in 1897, when the new place of worship was completed at the corner of College avenue and Olive street, but it is still standing and is used as a garage. The new edifice was begun while Rev. James F. Coffman was pastor and completed during the pastorate of his successor. It is one of the finest church buildings in the city, seating about 1,200 persons. It is supplied with an excellent pipe organ and the attendance is uniformally good. The present membership numbers 929 and the Sunday school has an enrollment of 1,165. Mission work is carried on at St. Paul's chapel on Shields street, and at Sunnyside. Rev. H. G. Porter is the present pastor. The present value of the church property is $43,500.

The First Presbyterian church was organized August 25th, 1872, by Rev. Sheldon Jackson, Superintendent of Territorial Missions, with the following membership : Mrs. Caroline McAdams, Miss Hattie G. McAdams, Mrs. Rebecca Lyon, Mrs. Mary E. Peterson, Mrs. Alice McGoffin, Mrs. George E. Buss, Mrs. S. S. Sykes, George T. Sykes, Wm. M. Neece, Mrs. Mary S. Peterson, J. H. Mandeville, Andrew Cowan and Mrs. Christina Vescelius. George T. Sykes was the first elder and Rev. R. G. Thompson, then of Greeley, the first pastor. Previous to that, however, Rev. W. T. McAdams preached to the little band of worshippers. The church was received into the Colorado Presbytery in September, 1872. Articles of incorporation were filed in December, 1873, by Henry

C. Peterson, J. C. Matthews, W. C. Stover, W. S. Vescelius, A. K. Yount and Andrew Cowan, who were elected the first trustees of the church. Rev. Joseph Patterson began ministering to the church in June, 1873, remaining in charge two years. Meetings were then held in the Old Grout building, the school house and whenever and wherever a suitable place could be obtained. Rev. D. E. Finks succeeded Rev. Patterson in June, 1876. The first regular place of worship, which stood at the corner of Linden and Walnut streets was commenced in 1876 and dedicated on June 24th, 1877. The Sabbath school was organized in July, 1877. Rev. Finks served the church as pastor until the fall of 1881. Between the time Mr. Finks resigned in 1881, until May, 1886, when Rev. J. W. Partridge assumed charge, the church pulpit was supplied by Rev. Duncan McCall, Rev. J. G. Smith, Rev. David McTavish, Rev. E. H. Curtis, Rev. T. E. Bliss and Rev. Carl H. Stone. The corner stone of the present house of worship at the corner of Remington and Olive streets, was laid on June 27th, 1887, and the building was completed in November of that year. The cost of the new church edifice was about $9,000, and it has a seating capacity of 400 adults. Andrew Armstrong was superintendent of construction.

The present number of members is 617. The Sunday school has a membership of 452. The congregation purchased a pastor's residence on Matthews street in 1905. Rev. J. G. Klene is the present pastor of the church. Special missionary work is carried on at the Logan street chapel. The present value of church property is $25,000.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church. The credit for holding the first religious services in Larimer county belongs to the Catholic denomination. A few years after John B. Provost and his companions came from Fort Laramie in 1858, and located at Laporte. Right Rev. Joseph P. Machebeuf, the intrepid pioneer Bishop of Colorado, came to the Cache la Poudre valley and held religious services at the homes of the people. The date of his first visit is not known, but between 1858 and 1878 the new settlement was visited by other missionaries. Fathers Raverdy, Robinson (now Vicar-General), Mc- Grath and Rithmeyer being among the number. They came from Denver and celebrated mass at Laporte and at the homes of Catholics living west and north of Fort Collins, most frequently at the home of Frank Michaud. In the summer of 1878, the late Bishop Machebeuf of Denver, celebrated mass for the first time within the limits of Fort Collins.

The services were held in the hall on the second floor of the Old Grout building. On this visit the Bishop authorized the purchase by Frank Michaud, of the school house of district No. 5 from the Board of School Directors, composed of W. F. Watrous, J. S. McClelland and Dr. W. C. Stephenson. This school house was erected in 1870 and was the first frame school house built in Larimer county. The amount paid by Mr. Michaud for the building was $400, which was raised by subscription. The property was held for several years in the name of Mr.

Farmers Loading Beet Pulp For Stockfeeding Purposes

Michaud, who has always been one of the foremost men of the parish. Shortly afterwards two adjoining lots were purchased for a rectory and held in the name of W. J. Prendergast for two years, when the whole church property was turned over to Bishop Machebeuf, trustee for the Catholics. The congregation met in the school house, which had been repaired and converted into a place of worship, until in August 4th, 1901, when the beautiful new church was dedicated by Bishop N. C. Matz of Denver.

In 1879 the pastors of St. Joseph's church became residents of Fort Collins, their names and dates of service being as follows : Father Abel, 1878-80; Fathers Cummings and Navet, 1880-83; Father Raiber, now of Colorado Springs, also visited Fort Collins in 1880; Father J. J. LePage, 1883- 84; Fathers Gleason and Emblem, 1884-85; Father R. P. Robinett, 1885-91; Father Edward Downey, 1891-92; Father R. P. Robinett, 1892-98; Father Volpe, 1898. It was during the incumbency of Father LePage that the old rectory on Peterson street was built. The most progressive and most prosperous period in the history of St. Joseph's church is that of the years that followed 1899, when

Right Rev. N. C. Matz sent Rev. G. Joseph La- Jeunesse to Fort Collins to take charge of the parish. Since then the membership of the church has more than doubled and the value of all church property has increased from $1,600 to $43,000. The present number of members is 1,000, and the number of children enrolled in the Sunday school is 75. The corner stone of the new church was laid in 1900 and the building was completed and dedicated on August 4th, 1901.

Plymouth Congregational. Organized in 1908, with a list of 40 members. The membership has since increased to 70 and is still growing. At first the congregation worshipped in a room of the Y. M. C. A. building, but in the spring of 1910 a frame chapel was purchased and moved to a lot at the corner of Magnolia and Meldrum streets, owned by the church, and repaired and seated, and where regular services are now being held. The first pastor was Rev. R. T. Cross who resigned in 1910 and moved to Ohio on account of his wife's health. Mrs. Cross died a few months later. The present value of the property owned by the church is $2,500. In February, 1911, Rev. Albert A. Robertson formerly of St. Louis, accepted a call to the pastorate and is now in charge. The number enrolled in Sunday school is 50.

United Presbyterian. The United Presbyterian church of Fort Collins was organized on January 2nd, 1906, with the names of 23 persons enrolled on its membership list. Rev. W. B. Gillis was installed as pastor and he is still serving the congregation. In 1907, a very pretty and well arranged place of worship was erected at the corner of Matthews and Mulberry streets at a cost of several thousand dollars and here regular services are conducted every Sunday by the pastor. The number of members has increased from 23 to 56. The present value of church property is $10,000. The number enrolled in the Sunday school is 55.

German Evangelical Congregational. This church was organized in 1903 with about 100 members. The first pastor was Rev. Paul Burkhardt. In 1904 the congregation began the erection of a large brick church at the corner of Whedbee and Oak streets and completed it in 1905. The present value of the church property is $10,000, and the membership has increased to 150. There are 100 children enrolled in the Sunday school. The membership of the church is composed of Germans or people of German descent.

with Charles E. Schaap as first reader, and Mrs. Libbie Oldershaw as second reader. Meetings for services were held at the residence of S. W. Battey. In January, 1905, the First Church of Christ Scientist was incorporated under the laws of the State of Colorado, with the following members: Mrs. Annie Battey, Mrs. Libbie Oldershaw, Mrs. Ruth Battey, S. W. Battey, Albert R. Chappell, Bessie Coffman, E. M. Cole, Sophia Deatrick, Elisha King, Cordelia Miller , George Miller, Mame Robinson, Oscar Robinson, L. M. Strayer,

West Mountain And College Avenues Fort Collins

S. H. Seckner, Ida Seckner, Mildred Seckner, Mrs. Louis Secord and Alice Tedmon. At the present time services are being held in Unity church on College avenue, with Mrs. Aurilla Crain first reader and S. H. Seckner second reader. The church supports a reading room situated in the McPherson block on Linden street. Judge Jay H. Bouton has given the church a lot on which the congregation will erect a place of worship of its own in the near future.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church. The Missionary station at Fort Collins was first permanently occupied in 1875, when regular services were held on the first Sunday in May in the building originall> used by the Larimer County bank. This building stood where the Avery block now stands and was a small frame structure. The building and the lots it stood upon was purchased for $600 and deeded to the Bishop of the jurisdiction and his successors in oifice. The building was repaired and improved and consecrated as St. Luke's Episcopal Church. The Rev. Francis Byrne was placed in charge of the parish under the missionary jurisdiction of the Right Rev. Bishop Spalding of Colorado and Wyoming. The first executive committee named by Rev. Francis Byrne, was composed of Joseph Coyte, Jr., Jay H. Bouton, Albert Haffenden, James Conroy and Richard Burke. Joseph Coyte, Jr. was chosen

Senior warden; James Conroy, Junior warden and Secretary; Jay H. Bouton, Vestryman and Treasurer; Richard Burke and Albert Haffenden, Vestryman. The church was incorporated in July, 1876, and a constitution and by-laws for the guidance of the vestry adopted. The first altar cloth, worked in beautiful Ecclesiastic designs, is still in existence and being preserved by B. F. Hottel. In August, 1876, the church purchased Totton's hall in which services had been held under a lease for more than a year. Bishop Spaulding contributing $350 toward the purchase money. A rectory, costing $920, was built in 1878 at the corner of Oak and Howes streets, the building committee being composed of Richard Burke, B. F. Hottel, Jay H. Bouton, James Conroy and Joseph Coyte Jr. Mr. Coyte was the contractor. In January, 1881, the church purchased a lot at the corner of College avenue and Oak street on which to erect a new church building. The lots on which Totton's hall stood were sold for $2,000 and the building was moved to the rear of the new church lot and fitted up for a dwelling. The corner stone of the new stone church was laid on Thursday, November 2nd, 1882, and the building was completed and dedicated the following year. It cost about $6,000. On July 8th, 1875, a few days after he took charge of the parish. Rev. Francis Byrne performed the ceremony at a double wedding, the contracting parties being Jay H. Bouton and Miss Celeste Nixon, and Albert M. Bristol and Miss Jennie Nixon.

First Baptist Church. This church was organized June 1st, 1879, byJRev. ^ladison Harry, pastor of the church at Loveland, who served both congregations for a little more than a year. There were but five members when it was first organized, but this number was increased to 14 before the close of the }'ear. The congregation worshipped a few Sundays in the Methodist church, then in the Presbyterian church from July, 1879, to June, 1881, and then in Odd Fellows hall, the Poudre Valley bank block, and later in a vacant store room in

Union block on Jefferson street. In 1881 the congregation purchased the lots on which its present imposing church building stands, and in 1887, a small brick chapel was erected for the use of the church. This gave way in 1903 to a handsome stone edifice, modern in its appointments, which was completed in 1904, and dedicated on June 4th of that year. The present value of church property is $25,000. The membership has increased from five in 1879 to 400 in 1910, with 250 children enrolled in the Sunday school. Rev. Dr. M. P. Hunt, late of Louisville, Kentucky, is the present pastor. Special missionary work is carried on in Lake Park, a suburb of Fort Collins and at Wellington, Colorado. Among those who have served the church as pastor since its organization are Rev. Madison Harry, Rev. W. B. Winn, Rev. E. N. Elton, Rev. J. B. Murch, Rev. W. H. Moore, Rev. S. N. Monroe -and Rev. Dr. W. T. Milliken.

First African-American Church. This church was organized and established Jan. 19, 1908, through the efforts of Mrs. Edith J. Goodall, a missionary of the African Methodist Episcopal Conference. The organization was perfected at the home of Mr. Gus Green, 230 Cherry street. The organization was recognized and confirmed by Rev. James H. Hubbard, Presiding Elder of the A. M. E. Conference at the home of Charles Clay, 317 Maple street, on February 9, 1908, Rt. Rev. Abraham Grant, Presiding Bishop. A small but neat and substantial place of worship was erected at a cost of more than $500. Here the congregation held services for nearly two years, but being unable to pay off the debt resting against the property, the building was sold November 9, 1909, to the Congregationalists, who moved it to the corner of Magnolia and Meldrum streets and are using it as a house of worship.

Seventh Day Adventist. This denomination was organized and became a church body on February 5, 1887, with 12 members. Elder J. D. Pegg was the first pastor and the value of the church property was $1,000. A new church building was erected in 1901 at the corner of Magnolia and Whedbee streets and the church property is now valued at $3,000. The membership roll contains the names of 70 members and 63 children are enrolled in the Sabbath school. All local organizations of this denomination work in one general organization, and at the present time have missionaries in every nation on earth except three. It is claimed that the Seventh Day Adventists have a greater number of missionaries employed in foreign fields than any other denomination, except Presbyterian. Elder Watson Ziegler, who is the present pastor of the church in Fort Collins, has served as such for the past fifteen years.

Second Presbyterian Church. A Sunday school was opened in what was known as the West Side Chapel in December, 1902, and this paved the way for the organization on October 11, 1907, of the Second Presbyterian Church, with 36 members. The value of the church property at that time was $1,000. This has since increased to $3,500. Rev. H. S. McCutcheon served the congregation from December, 1907, until the close of 1910 and he was soon afterwards succeeded by Rev. Nelson B. Kline. The church roll now contains the names of 81 members and there are 150 children enrolled in the Sunday school.

Unity Church. Those in Fort Collins of the Unitarian faith perfected an organization on January 2, 1898, under the leadership of Rev. George N. Falconer who served the congregation as pastor until 1902. At the close of his first year's pastorate. Rev. Falconer had 74 members enrolled on his list. For a few years, services were held in Odd Fellows hall, but in 1903 the congregation began to lay plans for a house of worship of its own. A lot, situated on the southwest corner of College avenue and Mulberry street, was purchased of C. R. Welch for $1,500 and on this a beautiful stone building was erected in 1904-5, at a cost of $15,000. The church was dedicated on June 9, 1905, and has since been in use as a place of worship. Rev. John C. Mitchell is the present pastor and the membership has increased to 112. Mrs. C. J. Sperr, Superintendent, reports a list of 52 children enrolled in the Sunday school.

The Christian Church. The First Christian church of Fort Collins was organized in 1890 with about 30 members, a large percentage of them women. Rev. Dr. L. S. Brown was first called to minister to the congregation, which worshipped for several years in a large floored tent called the "Tabernacle." Rev. S. R. Wilison succeeded Dr. Brown in 1895 and he at once set about making preparations for a church building that would afford more comfortable quarters for the congregation. The membership embraced but a few men and only one or two of these had the necessary business qualifications to enable them to take the lead, consequently the burden fell largely upon Rev. Willson's shoulders. At last, after securing a goodly number of pledges for varying sums of money and borrowing a sum from the Church Extension fund, he was enabled to proceed with the work of building. The church edifice was completed and first opened for worship on May 1st, 1898, the day Commodore Dewey compelled the Spaniards to haul down their flag in Manila Bay, Rev. Wilison himself doing much of the work on the building. The church stands on the southeast corner of College avenue and Magnolia street, and is a monument to the energy, sagacity and perseverance of Rev. Wilison and his handful of earnest church workers. The property is now worth $20,000. The church has a membership of 300 and there are 200 children enrolled in the Sunday school. Rev. Wilison was regular pastor of the church for three years and has often supplied the pulpit since his retirement during vacancies in the pastorate and during the temporary absence of the regular pastor. During the first years of his service as pastor he received $30 per month, the congregation not being able to pay a greater sum. The church is carrying on special missionary work and conducting a Sunday school in a chapel at 1002 West Oak street.

There are five conservatively managed and prosperous banks in Fort Collins, affording excellent banking privileges for the city and surrounding country. Three of these are National banks and and banks of issue, the other two being organized under the laws of Colorado. Three of the five, The First National bank, the Commercial Bank & Trust company and The Fort Collins National bank, conduct savings departments in connection with their commercial business.

The capital stock of the five banks, all paid in, amounts in the aggregate to $450,000, and in the month of December, 1910, their combined resources amounted to $3,170,481.82; total deposits to $2,029,136.41, and total surplus and undivided profits to $288,258.05.

The Poudre Valley National bank, started as a private institution with a capital of $6,000, was opened for business November 9th, 1878. Its officers were William C. Stover, President and 'Charles H. Sheldon, Cashier. Mr. Sheldon is still cashier of and a large stockholder in the bank. In 1893 the capital stock of the institution was increased to $100,000 and the bank was re-organized and incorporated under the laws of Colorado. It was then known as the Poudre Valley bank. In 1905 the capital stock of the institution was increased to $150,000 and the bank was converted into the Poudre Valley National bank. In December, 1910, its resources amounted to $1,320,980.03; its deposits to $913,353.12 and its surplus and undivided profits to $107,626.91. The present officers and directors of the bank are: President, B. F. Hottel; Vice-President, F. P. Stover; Cashier, Charles H. Sheldon; Assistant Cashier, Verner U. Wolf; Thos. H. Robertson, A. W. Scott and Fred W. Stover.

Avenues, Fort Collins

the laws of Colorado. On Monday, January 3rd, 1881, the bank opened its doors for business in the Opera house block with the following officers and directors : President, Franklin C. Avery ; Vice- President, Noah Bristol; Cashier, Charles P. Scott; William G. Bixby, Daniel Hawkes, A. L. Emigh and Edgar Avery. The original stockholders of the Larimer county bank were Franklin C. Avery, Noah Bristol, William G. Bixby, E. N. Garbutt, Chas. P. Scott, James Benedict, Daniel Hawkes, Bruce F. Johnson, David Hapgood, Abraham L. Emigh, Eber T. Dunning and Harry N. Haynes. On December 21st, 1881, the board of directors decided to convert the Larimer County bank into the First National bank of Fort Collins, and on January 31st, 1882, the Comptroller of the Currency issued a certificate of organization authorizing the institution to do business under that name according to the provisions of the National banking law. Franklin C. Avery, the founder of the bank, served continuously as its president until 1909, when, owing to ill health, he resigned and Hon. W. A. Drake ' was elected successor. At the present time the resources of this bank amount to $899,914.72; its deposits to $512,537.45 and its surplus and undivided profits to $133,777.27. The officers and directors are : President, W. A. Drake ; Vice- Presidents, W. Ed. Wright and A. C. Kluver; Cashier, W. C. LeMaster; Assistant Cashier, O.

The Fort Collins National bank was organized and established in 1900, with a capital stock of $50,000, which was subsequently increased to $100,000. The first board of directors was composed of James A. Brown, P. Anderson, R. Breniman, T. A. Gage and James E. Prout. Mr. Anderson was elected president and G. A. Webb, cashier. Mr. Anderson resigned the presidency in 1901 and Mr. Brown was chosen to succeed him and has since been the chief executive officer of the institution. The present resources of the bank amount to $467,938.38; its deposits to $248,179.38 and its surplus and profits to $32,775.73. The officers and directors of the bank at this time are: President, James A. Brown; Vice-President, R. Breniman ; Cashier, G. A. Webb ; Assistant Cashier, B. A. Gage; H. D. Humphrey, Chas. O. Culver, S. W. Johnson, G. A. Webb and M. M. St. Clair. Among the original stockholders in the Fort Collins National bank were P. Anderson, P. J. Gaum now of California, James E. Prout, deceased, Joel Roullard now of Idaho, W. G. Silcott, deceased, D. H. Taylor, deceased, Edson Warren, deceased. Of the original stockholders the following are still with the bank: R. Breniman, James A. Brown, T. A. Gage, Willard Harding,

The Commercial Bank & Trust company was organized under the laws of Colorado and established on May 23rd, 1906, with a capital stock of $50,000. B. F. Clark was the first President and Clark Sm.ith, Cashier. The resources of the bank amount at the present time to $303,022.44; deposits to $241,047.27 and its surplus and profits $11,975.17. The present officers and directors are: President, L. C. Moore; Vice-Presidents, H. H. Scott, C. W. Zepp and T. H. Eves; Cashier, M. G. Nelson; Assistant Cashier, A. J. Whistleman;

The Fort Collins Bank & Trust company was organized and established under the laws of Colorado in January, 1910, with a capital stock of $50,000. Excepting in the office of cashier, there has been no change in the official roster of the bank since it was organized. The resources of the institution at the present time amount to $178,626.25; deposits, $114,019.28 and its surplus and profits to $2,102.97. The officers and directors are: President, C. R. Welch; Vice-President, S. H. Clammer; Cashier, T. S. Jones; Assistant Cashier, M. C. Smith ; C. E. Daniels, H. M. Rubey, J. S. Stanley, W. C. McKeown and Harry Van Horn.

George H. Thomas Post, No. 7, Grand Army of the Republic, was organized in Fort Collins on June 29th, 1881. Eugene K. Stimson, who was commander of the "Department of the Mountains", which included Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico, was the mustering officer, assisted by Comrade Van Horn. The meeting was held in Grange hall, in the second story of a frame building that stood at the intersection of College and Mountain avenues. This building was burned in 1883. The records shows that the following comrades were present:

Lundy and Keown were born in Ireland, the others being native born. These were mustered in as the nucleus of one of the most prosperous and progressive posts in the department.

The post meetings were held in various halls up to January, 1899, when the hall formerly owned by the I. O. O. F. was purchased. The meetings are held the second and fourth Saturday evenings of each month. The roster shows that there have been up to the present (Mar. 31, '10) 310 members.

Of the twelve charter members, six are known to be alive. Those who have contributed largely to the success of the post and who have served as adjutants are in the following order:

The comrades represent seventeen states and eight foreign countries, viz: England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, France, Germany and Sweden.

Officers For 1910

H. H. Sargent, Post Commander. Wm. H. Fox, S. V. Commander. A. E. Crocker, J. V. Commander. J. C. Davis, Chaplain. T. C. Parker, Surgeon. Wm. N. Cooper, Quartermaster. E. W. Hodges, Officer of the Day. J. H. Buttorff, Officer of the Guard. R. Q. Tenney, Adjutant.

The Auxiliary organizations of this post are Geo. H. Thomas, W. R. C. No. 26, organized February 8, 1889, having at present a membership of 100, and is one of the progressive up-to-date corps of the department. Mrs. Hattie Oldfield is president and Mrs. L. Davison, secretary for 1910. This W. R. C. raised the funds and presented to the post the finest soldier's monument in the state, "Dedicated to the known and unknown dead". This is a life-sized soldier standing at "parade rest," on a base eight feet square and six feet high, the whole standing twelve feet high. The cost of this elegantly carved granite memorial was $1,250 and it will ever stand as a token of the patriotism and loyalty of this noble band of self-sacrificing women.

Capt. I. N. Thomas Camp No. 17 was organized March 4, 1893, with 58 charter members, 52 of which mustered in at that time. Geo. W. Bailey was made Captain, Don A. Carpenter, First Lieutenant and Henri S. McClelland Second Lieutenant. This camp was later re-organized under the name of Carlos J. Stolbrand Camp No. 24.

Caroline Scott Harrison Tent No. 2, Daughters of Veterans, was organized in May, 1893. This tent was reorganized on May 20, 1898, as Aunt Beckie Young Tent No. 6. Mrs. Minnie Francisco is the President for 1910.

The secret, fraternal and beneficiary orders are well represented in Fort Collins, there being no less than thirty-eight well supported and flourishing lodges, camps, wigwams, eyries, unions, chapters, cantons and asylums in the city, which embrace the following :

P. E. O. Sisterhood. Royal Arcanum. Royal League. Royal Neighbors. Modern Brotherhood of America. Fraternal Aid Association. Homesteaders. Highland Nobles. Home Guards of America. Knights of Columbus. Knights and Ladies of Security. Degree of Honor.

Union Veteran League. This organization is composed of Veterans of the Civil war who served three years or longer in the armies of the United States during the rebellion of 1861-5.

There is also a well organized chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution and an Association of the Pioneer Women of the Cache la Poudre Valley. The Fort Collins Pioneer Association, composed of men and women, was organized in 1905.

This church originated in a revival service held in the winter of 1886 by the evangelist, H. W. Rankin. The organization was perfected December

11th, 1887, Rev. T. C. Kirkwood, assisted by Rev. Charles A. Taylor, officiating. Ellis Moore was made Ruling Elder and Henry Franz, Deacon. The church then had a membership of 20. Rev. A. W. Cooper became pastor and served as such for two years. Rev. Chas. A. Taylor, pastor of the Timnath church then supplied the pulpit until in the fall of 1889, when Rev. A. S. Kemper accepted a call to the pastorate. He carried on the work in a very acceptable manner for about two years and then resigned. During his incumbency quite a number of members were received into the church.

In May, 1892, Rev. Franklin Moore, a licentiate, took charge of the work and faithfully and satisfactorily served the church for eleven years. In the fall and winter of 1894-5, a stone building, costing $2,000 was erected, $600 of the amount being contributed by the board of church erection of the Presbyterian church. The new place of worship was duly dedicated on February 3rd, 1895, Rev. Robert Coltman, assisted by Revs. A. E. Chase and Franklin Moore, officiating. During Mr. Moore's pastorate about 100 members were received, over 50 of them by baptism. His resignation took effect May 1st, 1903. The church was without a pastor then for nearly two years. On April 1st, 1905, Rev. W. D. Reaugh took charge and acceptably served the church for two years. He was- followed by Rev. A. H. Moore, a licentiate, who supplied the pulpit one year. The present pastor, J. H. Henry, began work December 1st, 1909 and is proving a very efficient pastor.

Soon after the completion of the Greeley, Salt Lake & Pacific railroad, in 1882, the nucleus of a village sprang up at a station on the railroad six miles southeast of Fort Collins. It was started in the heart of a thickly settled and prosperous farming community which had, theretofore, been known as Sherwood, in honor of one of the pioneers of the Cache la Poudre valley. The first dwelling erected in the embryo town was built by William Groff, which was later purchased by T. J. Wilkins and is now the home of his widow, Mrs. Wilkins. A schoolhouse, known as the Fairview school, was built in 1882 to take the place of the old log cabin, built in 1869, in which a school was taught until the new house was completed. The old school house stood on the south side of the river and Miss Mary Moulton, now Mrs. F. W. Sherwood, taught the first school opened in that district in 1870. The new school house was built on the north side of the river a short distance north of the railway station. A Presbyterian church was organized in 1882, to which Rev. Charles A. Taylor, the first pastor, gave the name of Timnath, taking his cue from the 14th chapter of Judges in Holy Writ, the first verse of which reads as follows:

The Foreground Are Tommy Cline

From that time the village has been known as Timnath. In imitation of Samson's example, many a present day Samson has gone down to Timnath to take a rosy-cheeked damsel for his wife, justifying his course by liberal quotations from the Bible. Rev. Taylor was appointed the first postmaster and the postoffice was located in the kitchen of the manse, which was not plastered, and the letters would be stuck in the crevices between the siding.

A church was completed and dedicated in 1888 and from that time the town began to grow and spread out until at present almost every line of business is represented, and Timnath has become an important shipping point for fat live stock, and the products of the farm. There are large well-filled stores, a hotel, a bank, public hall and several other public conveniences. A few years ago the railroad company built a small but well-appointed station to take the place of the old uncovered platform that served as a depot for several years.

The first settlers in the vicinity of Timnath were Thos. Cline, R. G. Strauss, Simon Duncan, Ebenezer and Thomas Davis, J. M. and F. W. Sherwood, Paul Flick, Capt. Geo. E. Buss and others. They all had more or less exciting experiences with the Indians. Mrs. Duncan was alone with her small children one day when a number of redskins came to the cabin. She siezed a gun and opened fire upon them through the chinking of the logs and her unwelcome visitors turned and fled, leaving her the victor. They never troubled the Duncan cabin after that, though it is possible that all they wanted at that time was to beg or borrow something. At another time, in 1867, word came down the river that the Indians were on the war path, and many of the women and children hid themselves in the bushes or tall grass. Mrs. Thomas Davis and little two year old son, John, were at home alone when the alarm was given. She took the child and both hid in the willows, remaining there a day and a night until she thought the danger was past. John

The old log school house was for many years a landmark on the road between Greeley and Fort Collins. Religious services were often held in it and people drove for miles to attend them. The old Fairview school house built in 1882, became too small to accommodate all the children who wished to attend school and a larger and much handsomer school building was erected in 1909.

On James Strang's farm, near Timnath, stands an aged Cottonwood tree, known as the council tree. Beneath its wide-spreading branches the Arapahoes and Cheyennes used to hold their councils, and on the old tree in 1862, Robert Strauss saw the Indians hang a redskin enemy, probably a Ute or Pawnee, who had fallen into their hands.

This institution was organized as a private bank in June, 1906, with a capital stock of $10,000. John A. Cross, now State Senator, was the first President, I. J. Mead the first Vice-President and

E. W. Thayer the first Cashier. On September 19th, 1907, it was incorporated as a state bank and the capital increased to $15,000. The total resources of the bank on the date of the statement issued on November 10th, 1910, amounted to $72,- 683.69; its deposits, including savings accounts to $53,051.75 and its surplus and profits to $4,631.94. Its present officers and directors are: President, J. M. Edwards; Vice-Presidents, H. H. Thayer and H. G. Springer; Cashier, E. W. Thayer; B.

This church was organized in the spring of 1882 with 50 members. Religious services were held previous to that time, however, in the old log school house which stood across the river from the present town of Timnath. Rev. Charles A. Taylor was the first regular pastor of the congregation. The church building was completed and dedicated August 25th, 1888, and the present value of the church property is $6,000. The membership roll at present contains the names of 90 persons, and the Sunday school has an enrollment of 75. Rev. J. M. Wylie is the present pastor. All departments of the church are working together in harmony for the up-building of the kingdom.

The 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry played such an important part in the early history of the Cache la Poudre valley, particularly of Fort Collins, that a brief account of its organization and service on the Plains during the Indian troubles of 1864-5 and 6, will, I am sure, be of interest to the reader. For this sketch, prepared by an officer in that regiment, I am indebted to Rollin Q. Tenney of Fort Collins, who clipped it from a recent number of the National Tribune, published at Washington, D. C. The writer says :

"Seeing a short sketch of the 11th Ohio Cavalry, we desire to make a few corrections or additional statements. In 1861 the 1st battalion of the 6th Ohio Cavalry was detached from the regiment at Benton Barracks, and sent to Fort Laramie to relieve the 2d U. S. Dragoons, which were sent south. This battalion was commanded by Maj. Wm. O. Collins, of Hillsboro, O. Very soon Maj. Collins discovered his battalion was unable to cope with the "wily red man," and he got permission from the War Department to recruit a second battalion for this especial service, which he did, and the two battalions were organized and called the 11th Ohio Cavalry.

"Maj. Collins received a Colonel's commission. Soon thereafter, there were 200 recruits secured for this regiment, and on the arrival of the recruits at regimental headquarters. Fort Laramie, they were organized into two new companies, K and L. The 1st battalion was mustered out at the expiration of its term of service. The other companies were retained until the close of the war or until relieved in 1866. The regiment was commanded successively by Col. Collins, Maj. Mackey and Maj. Evans. The regiment established Fort Collins, Colorado, Fort Halleck, Wyoming, and Fort Connor, Montana, and guarded the overland stage route from Denver to Salt Lake City. It was with Gen. Connor on his famous expedition in 1865 against Red Cloud and Sitting Bull in the Powder river and Big Horn country. The regiment had numerous fights with the Indians, the most noted of which was on the Rosebud, a tributary of Tongue river, and not far from where Gen. Custer's massacre took place later. This battle was fought by Gen. Connor's command on that expedition, and the command consisted of two companies of the 2d California Cavalry, two companies of the 7th Iowa Cavalry, two companies of the 11th Ohio Cavalry, one company of Pawnee Indian

"The Indian forces, commanded by Sitting Bull and Red Cloud, were said to be of 5,000 warriors. Gen. Connor's command marched all night and attacked the village just at daybreak, defeating the Indians, capturing and burning the village and capturing about 600 head of horses, mules and ponies, the most of which were stolen from the stage company and emigrants the year before. Connor's loss was two killed and several wounded. The Indian loss was supposed to be about 100. This expedition of Connor's was the expedition with which Col. Cole, with two regiments of Missouri Cavalry, was to form junction with Connor on the Yellowstone; but Col. Cole's command failed to connect, and retreated from the country in disorder. After this expedition. Red Cloud and Sitting Bull signed a peace treaty at Fort Laramie, and remained peaceable for a short time.

"The regiment did very strenuous service, three and four men being placed at stage stations to protect them, and it was not unusual for a war party of Indians to dash in, kill the soldiers, burn the station and drive off the stock.

"The writer, a member of Company K, had the honor of commanding the escort to Speaker Colfax, Ex-Lieut. Governor Bross, of Illinois, and Richardson, of the New York Tribune, and Samuel Bowles, editor of the Springfield, Massachusetts, Republican. This was during the time of the Indian troubles, and the stages were only run through with escorts, traveling by night only. This was Speaker Colfax's overland trip from the Missouri river to San Francisco in 1865, I think. The regiment was relieved by the 7th U. S. Cavalry in June, 1866, and was mustered out at Columbus, O., Aug. 14, 1866." - P. W. Brown, Second Lieutenant, Wth Ohio Cavalry, Runnells, Iowa.

The election precinct known as "Home" embraces all of that territory lying west of Livermore precinct to the summit of the Medicine Bow range, south of St. Cloud and Laramie precincts and North of Estes Park precinct. The first permanent settler in this precinct was John Zimmerman, who located near Cameron Pass in 1880. He and his family consisting of wife and four children, two sons and two daughters, were the only occupants of all that region for about two years.

In May, 1879, the Cache la Poudre and North Park Toll Road company was incorporated with a capital of $5,000 to build a wagon road along the Cache la Poudre river from the foot of Pingree hill, or Pingree's Camp as it was then called, past Chambers lake and over Cameron Pass into North Park. The directors for the first year were A. H. Patterson, S. B. Stewart and L. R. Rhodes. Mr.

That year J. A. Clark built a hotel on Cameron pass and J. W. Norvell and his associates started a store near Clark's hotel. Hotels and stores were also built at Teller and Lulu the same year, and a newspaper, called the North Park Miner, was started at Teller. In 1882 Mr. Stewart put on a line of stages from Fort Collins to Teller and secured the establishment of a daily mail route be-

Lake Como, At Zimmerman'S

Stewart began work on the project that jear and in 1880 completed the road and opened it for travel to Chambers lake. Mr. Zimmerman moved his family in over that road. About that time a mining excitement broke out in the southeast corner of North Park and by the following year a town with several hundred inhabitants had sprung up on or near Jack creek. The town was named Teller, in honor of United States Senator Henry M. Teller. Another mining camp was also established about this time in the northeast corner of Grand county, and it was called Lulu in honor of the eldest daughter of B. F. Burnett, who was one of the principal locators. Mr. Stewart extended his road in 1881 from Chambers lake to Teller and for three or four years while the Teller and Lulu camps were flourishing, there was a great deal of travel over it.