The Elk Mountain pilot., 1880-08-26
WHAT ENTERPRISE WELL DO.
Some Fs!s Relative TO the Rapid Gr,sth Of
Irwin, Tier Leading Merchants Etc.

"A little over one year ago all this
region Of country where the town of
Irwin, or what is better known as the
Ruby mining camp, was dense forest,
inhabited only by stray bands of the
Ute Indians who would pass back and
forth, as the White river trail passed
up through where our 'ourishing town
Is now situated. The deer could come
down from the hillside to drink from
the lake, the clumsey bear could prowl
in all his majesty fearless of the hunts
mans trlsty rifle, and years had rolled
round for almost countless ages with
no apparent change to the beautiful
forest; not even the placid lake bore
assrlpple caused by any human agency.
Finally the bold, daring prospector
ventured up here, and as their =" finds"
proved rich, the news spread until the
little settlement numbered perhaps a
couple of hundred. Prospectors
worked early and late hunting for the
extensions" and big "leads" that
were known to exist in this vicinity.
Everything went along smoothly until
the Indian scare, which was closely
followed by deep winters snow,
which came earlier than usual catching
the miner man out of "grub," as all
communication with the outside world
had been cut off, after the snowfall
Consequently we might say that Irwin,
or Ruby mining camp, lay dormant
until about June Of this year, as there
were only about forty men remained
in camp all winter, who kept soul and
body together by packing" their
grub on their backs from Gunnison,
a distance of about thirty miles, most
of the time.
Since about the middle Of June the
rash commenced and any one that is
familiar with the growth of our town,
IS we'll aware of the rapidity with
which a full grown little city hath
sprung up in the night time as it were.
Just think of it, sixty days ago there
could not be enough sawed lumber had
in this camp to make an ordinary
coffin, but to-day, We have at least
three blocks of one and two story
houses on Ninth street, some of them
are business houses that would do
credit to the more pretensious cities.
Among the largest and most important
business house that one notices on
upper Ninth street, Is that. OF
n. .sHURTLEFT s co.
These gentlemen have just com
pleted their large new store building
two doors above the old business
stand, which is twenty-five feet front
by ninety feet deep. The front is all
glass, there being a large plate glass
window on each side of the large fold
ing doors. The building is sealed
over head and side walls. Both sides
are fitted up with shelving, cne side
for groceries and canned goods, while
the other side will be for dry goods,
clothing and notions.
This is the oldest business house
in Irwin, and one of the oldest in
Gunnison county, having been started
here by Messrs. Field & Kelsey last
summer. These gentlemen closed out
their mercantile business to the enter
prising firm Of Shurtleff g. Co., who
have by perseverance, energy and
square dealing, built up an immense
business, such as will warrant them to
keep complete stock Of general
merchandise.
Mr.. N. Shurtleff, the senior partner
of the firm, was formerly in business
at Peoria, Illinois, where he was very
successful, and well and favorbly
known for many years. Mr.. Richard
Roelfs, the junior partner is from
Pekin, Illinois, where his father has
been in the mercantile business for
forty years. These gentlemen have
also acquired some valuable mining
interests since they have been in busi-
ness here, and it is their intention to
keep a force Of miners at work all
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