The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-04-21
PARS0N JIM.

The express trains OF that monument Of
engineering skill, the Denver and Rio GrandC
railroad, now daily traverse the extreme
eastern portion of the Rocky mountains
living between the city OF Denver ON the
north and Pueblo on the south; and sumner
tourists, at we'll rs all the year round men Of
business. pass over the picturesque road by
hundreds and by thousands in the course oil
n single year. There was IA time, however
not very long since, either--when white men
were very scarce in that section, and when
the only means of locomotion was much
dilapitated Concord coach, whose trips were
alleged to DO weekly, though, rs matter OF
fact, the time schedule of said coach was
practically filed out 10 suit the driver, as
lie, with much "cussing" and little speed
carried Uncle Sans mails from stage Ia
stage.
Rather more than twenty years ago there
was, about midway between Denver and
Colorado Springs point on the road where
the broad valley narrowed into deep and
wild gorge, known as the George Washington
Gulch. The gorge is there yet | presume,
but the name has apparently disappeared,
there being no such station on the railway,
nor, so far as can discover, such place on
the revised maps of Colorado. But in those
old days George Washington Gulch was a
relay station of the Denver stage line. Leav-
ing Indians out of the question, they being
Of ubiquitous nature, the resident popula-
ton of the gulch numbered three souls, all
told while a census would have revealed tho
fact that these all occupied the same dwelling
house. There was in those times no town or
settlement Of any account between Denver
and the Springs, so that the stage company
was compelled TO establish number of sta
tons at perfectly wild and unpopulated
points 10 effect proper changes Of horses. So
a rough shed had been erected in tie gulch
h do duty as a barn for the accommodation
Of the four horses usually to be found there;
while adjoining was frame mansion, con-
listing Of one apartment, which served as
sleeping room, parlor, dining hall and
kitchen for tho three inhabitants, as well as
being the official headquarters OF the Hon.
Samuel Green, who, In addition to his posi-
ton as agent OF the stage company, held a
postmaster's commission from the president
Of the United States
The Honorable-be it remembered that Mr.
Green was government, official, though no
postofilce business had ever passed through
his hands, not even a letter 10 or from him
self, unless we count those which had TO do
with the stage business and went ''deadhead'
the Honorable Samuel Green's companions
in the solitude of the gulch were q negro
named ADMINISTRATORS from his propen-
sty for pTevarication--who WAS chief groom
Of the stables and a half breed Indian,
whose main occupation was to trap aud shoot
game and then cook it. The latter individ-
ual was known as Francis Murphy, and his
chief failing was fondness for undiluted
whisky.
At the cl,se of fair summer day the
Honorable Samuel Green, with Messrs.
Murphy and Ananias, sat together on a
bench placed along the front Of their resi-
dence Tho two last named gentlemen were
still enough to justify ono in the supposition
that they must be sleeping; but the Honor
able Samuel was busiy engaged in rapping
and rubbing two or three little pieces of rock
which lay in the palm of one Of his hands.
He was evidently much interested
"'Niasl" said no Mt last
"SahP responded tho woolly headed
darkey, rubbing his heavy eyes.
pm gon' through to Denver with Bill
tomorrow" Dill was one Of the drivers on
the stage line; the other was Si-abbreviated
"You IN Francis Murphy keep awake part
o the time an sorter watch things while
I'm gone-do yer ketch on"
YES, in course, sab"
Four days later the Hon. Samuel Green re-
turned to the gulch from Denver, .and
brought with him Il regular mining kit
picks, mattocks, hammers, shoves, blasting
powder and other useful articles.
Two weeks passed, and again the postmas-
ter of George Washington gulch went
through with Bill"-ths time loaded down
with samples OF rich silver ore.
By the following spring the gulch was
alive with a population of over 800
white men and three women-pot count
ing Indians and Chinese. George Washing
ton Gulch contained rich vein Of silver
enough to make it a scene of much activity
for five whole years
About a year after the postmaster's i'm
portant trip to Denver, George Washington
Gulch was floating bravely on food tide of
wealth and prosperity. The Honorable Sam
uel Green actually had considerable postal
business TO transact, besides which, double
coach service had to be put on tho road
while Gulch passengers arrived or departed
with every coach. Add to this the fact that
Tue postmaster owned an interest III the rich
est claim in George Washington Qulch, and
81 will be readily understood that he had do
veloped into an individual Of considerable
Importance.
Still, if ono had about that time quietly
Investigated among the strange characters
who formed the curiously cosmopolitan pop
ulation Of that Colorado valley, with a Wow
TO learning who among their number was
held in the highest esteem, tho Honorable
Bamuel's name would scarcely have received
mention. The parson was the favorite
among "the boys" and hardly q man but
would gladly have given his last dollar, ay,
or his LIES blood, had anything 80 serious
been necessary, to help the parson out Of a
tight place. Never let it be imagined for a
moment that the parson at the Gulch was
the orthodox pastor, in the habit Of wearing
broadcloth Of clerical cut and white cravats.
He wore broad brimmed hat, certainly,
but 1t was of the approved cowboy pattern
TO coat he was we'll nigh stranger, being
content to appear in heavy red wooden
shirt; while for trousers he substituted the
highly ornamented and picturesque buckskin
brooches affected by Mexicans, Indians and
other denizens Of the far west, 1t is also
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