The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-16
EARLY JOURNALISM.
Arrival OF the First Stage Coach In {
g.ity OF Deuyer

arrival OF the First Stage Coach In the
City OF Denver.
When the NeCs was first issued in
1859 the nearest United States post
Office was at Fort Laramie. 220 miles
north of Denver. The mails arrived
there but once or twice a month. There
was no telegraph line nearer than the
Missouri river, and to receive informa-
ton from 1.-THE States" was next to an
impossibility. About the 1st of May
messenger was induced to make the trip
to Fort Laramie, who. after hardships
and sufferings, returned with = mule
load of letters and papers. Thus the
NeUs obtained its first Exchanges.
Cut off entirely. as it were, from the
outside world, the weekly NeDs was
compelled to rely upon the events about
it for material with which to fill its col
umns. Of this there was abundance.
The daily happenings in the new COM
munities were numerous and exciting.
and often tragic; the frequent return of
prospecting parties to Denver. bringing
news of fresh and wonderful discoveries;
the products of the mines already
worked; the arrival of trains from the
East; the continued departure of dis
gusted parties who had expected to
scoop up gold by the shoveltull-these
and many similar occurrences furnished
material for local paper and made it
2 live and readable sheet. It's prompt
defense of the new mines, and its Wig
orous and painstaking vindication of
their richness. rs demonstrated by the
returns of actual workings, WAS APP
preciated by the pioneer community;
but it also aroused the most savage
criticism among those who had re-
turned. and whose reports that the new
discoveries were a humbug found cred
ence with Western bortler-State editors
The NeICS and its statements were de-
nounced in the most emphatic and
offensive manner in the columns of
many Eastern journals. Time, indeed,
was only required for its vindication.
1t was during the last days of May,
1859. that the iIrst overland coach of
the pixies Teak Express arrived in
Denver, bringing passengers and mails.
Its advent was hailed with the widest
enthusiasm. and in few weeks the line
was fully equipped, coaches ran with
great regularity, and daily communica-
ton with the East was assured. much
to popular satisfaction. Still the extent
and value of the new mines was a mat
ter of doubt, but an event now occurred
which was destined to settle the queS-
ton beyond dispute among the many
thousands who were still skeptical con-
corning the richness of the new dis
covcrieS.
In one of the first coaches of the over
land stage line came Horace Greeley.
the veteran editor and proprietor of the
New York Tribune He was accom-
panied by A. ID. Richardson, then of
the Boston Journal. and Henry Willard.
then OF the Cincinnati Commercial.
These gentlemen visited the new dig
gings" i'll Gregory and neighboring
gulches. and at the request of Mr.. B.
d. Williams, then superintendent of
the overland line, made a very thorough
examination of the workings and their
returns. As I result they united in a
written statement of what they had
learned and seen. which statement over
their own signature, was published in
an extra edition of the NsWs on the
18th day of June, 1859. This extra
was printed on wrapping paper.
The publication of this report caused
a howl of vindictive denial along the
entire Missouri border. 1t was boldly
charged that the extra edition was
forgery. Mr.. Greeley's visit to the
West was not generally known; Messrs.
Richardson and Willard were not then
rs famous rs they subsequently became
in journalism.
A. d. Richardson. who became IA
nous as war correspondent, died by
the bullet of murderous assassin.
Henry Willard. once a newspaper man
of no mean ability, was later the famous
capitalist and financier of Northern
Pacific railroad fame. The report to
which they subscribed their names,
certifying to the wealth of the future
Colorado mines. has forever identified
them with our history. while its printed
copy hangs framed upon the walls of
the managers room of the NeWs.-
Dcnrer (CoL. NeUS.