The Newtown bee., 1880-07-14
An Author in Close Quarters.

Early in 1859 Charles Collins wrote book about the then unknown country Colorado, and Pike's Peak, in whic'i he gave glowing picture of tue whole region. This book had good deal to do with stimulating emigration. After the rush to tikc's Peak had been going on for some time, Collins, with the late A. D. Richardson, set out tor that place. Collins kept distributing his book all along the route and collecting his sub- scriptions at the ranches previously canvassed, until after some days of travel both began to be aware of the fact that great many of the emigrants, who had gone out weeks before, seemed to be returning. Their wagons no longer bore the bold inscription Pike's Peak or Bust" but 1t was trans .ormed to this effect, Pike's Peak Busted" The two travellers unaware of the depth ot chag- rin and significance behind this thought little of 1t until they had traversed about one-haif the route, 300 miles from St. Joseph. Here was famous stopping place, know as Jack Morrow's ranch, q place where Collins and Richardson had determined to put up at that night. Col lins, who was well acquainted with Morrow, got some distance ahead of Richardson, in whose wagon, beside hin self and the driver, were ?. number of emigrants, also bent on trying the new country.
 Collins, as he drove up to Morlo ow's ranch, was considerably surprised at the sight. The place was everywhere swarming with miners and emigrants, all excited and savage about something or another There was loud talking everywhere, and loud threats against somebody who in every breath came Tn fD, f +Ia, Nof fo1o hitter tion. Collins was about to toss one of his books to Morrow, who came lor- ward hastily when he saw him, and get ting up close to him he said, in voice husky with suppressed excitement: Collins, git!''
 What do you mean?" said Collins | excited.
 Git out O here quick" said the ex- cited ranchman, as he waved his hand and disappeared.
 Collins, now thoroughly aroused, thrust his book back under his seat and bade his driver get out and mingle with the crowd and find what was the mat ter. In n few minutee the driver re- turned with face white as 3 ghost, and told Collins that the miners were offering a reward f$2 ,O00 for the bodies of Collins and Richardson, dead or alive. | Having heard that they would be along that way they had come to stop at Morrow's ranch and secured couI le of ropes, intending to hang them.
 Collins quietly slid down from his buggy and sauntered out to the edge of the crowd. Here he heard himself and | Richardson denounced in the most sln sparing manner Seeing there was no l time to lose, he instructed his driver to strike another route, while he himself 1 circlpd around the crowd until he reached some tall grass, when he took 1 to his heels After running for more than mile he stopped. Like flash the question crossed his mind, where was Richardsonp He turned around and struck across diagonally for the old route, in reaching which, some distance from Morrow's ranch, he presently met Richardson's team moving along l leisurely. required but an instant 1 for Collins to inform him of the true ! state of affairs, hearing which he was not less frightened than Collins himself The result was that they struck off on 8 new route, and finally reached Denver I without further adventure. Denver was then a settlement of about one thousand l inhabitants, all living in tents- Soon alter their arrival there the two pre- | empted l20 acres of land each. Becom- l ing disgusted afterwarl, they threw up the land again. To this day Collins brings his fist down on his knee and says with an emphatic air of comic regret: And fools that we were, this land is now the heart of the town land sold in less than ten years afterward for a thousand dollars an acre. !"