Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-07-18
DEAD COLORADO TOWNS.
Deserted Villages That Were Once Alive
with a Bristling Population.

Deserted Villages That Were Once Alive
with n Bristling Population.
The otherday a representative of Tho
Republican was on a Rio Grande
train when The brakeman yelled out in
s%tentorlan tones;
"Cleorn.'
On looking out of the window ouly
two houses could be seen.
What a change time had wrought
In June Of 1879 this same town was
by far the largest place between Canon
City and Leadyille. Almost every on
ceivable branch OF business was repre-.
scented, and In most OF them there was
active competition. Houses were go.
ing up as il by magic, and lumber
commanded almost a fabulous price.
Saloons were found in almost every
block, and dance halls were scattered
about in p~rofusIon. But u month later
the town concluded 10 move. and a
few weeks later the majority OF the
residents had taken up their perma-
men abode in what is now the louS
Ihing town Of Salida.
Colorado has many places with a
history something similar 10 that Of
Cleora, which, by the way, was named
in honor VI the belle Of the Arkansas
valley, Miss Cleora Boyles.
Rollinsville, near Caribou, was a
booming place in 1871, and town lots
were at a premium. Hundreds Of
people were proud TO call il their
home, and it was thought to be found
ed upon a rock. Today the rock is
there, but the population has lied to the
FOUR winds.
How is that town of Iona on the
Rio Grande river getting oni" said a
gentleman the other day who left the
state in lS7A Il visited it just before
/ left the territory, and | thought it
would likely make a good place"
Jack rabbits have been jumping
through the remaining adobe build
ings for years.
Kit Carson had 4 population of al
most 10000 people in 1869, and the pc
cularity about the was that the great
majority Of then resldeL III ducoutS.
WhA the railroad pushed on 10 Den
yer the following year, the residents
of KitvCarson headed the procession.
Sunshine in 1915 had a population
of several thou and, while today there
is only a hand nj Of people there.
BuckSlln Joe and Hall Valley in
Park county were once tlourshiug
places. but about all left Of them is
their name.
Weston tried TO put on airs in 1879,
at which time there were about 5000
people there. The postofiice still re-
mains, as do one or two stores.
Along the old stage road between
Leadville and Aspen. at what was
known as independence in 1850 and
for a few years thereafter, mol q single
soul is now living. Hundreds Of de-
serted houses are standing tenautless.
aud solne of them are quite prelen-
tious. a newspaper was once pub
lished in the corporate limits Of the
city, and the arm of the Washington
hand press on which il was printed is
now sticking out of the office window
The proprietor was too much disgust
ed TO take 1t away.
There was great excitement at Bo-
mama, in Saguache county, in lSS2. A
daily paper was published there by w.
b. Mckinney, now of The Pueblo
Press, and it was a good one, too.
Everything doomed except the mines,
and the tenderfeet pronounced il an.
other Leadville. Four thousand peo-
pie almost broke their necks 10 get
there, and of all that number not a
hundred now remain.
There are many other places in Col
orado with histories similar to the
towns mentioned. Some Of them were
killed by the onward march OF rail.
roads and others because the mines
around about did not have the value
witt which they were cfeditcd. Den.
yer Z publican.