The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-06-07
HARVEY WHEN A BOOMER
His Futile Attempt to Make Pueblo
a Metropolis.
How He Tried to Boom City and Sub
urtan Real Estate in Colorado. q
His Mardi Gras Festival and
Mineral Palace. His Adver-
Using Methods.


Nv. IL Harvey, author of COINS FL
'nanoial School" once lived there. 1t is
/ hard for the old timers to believe that
\ the real estate boomer who turned this
quiet town topsy turvy for time is the
author of the book which has become
famous
Harvey made his headquarters at the
Grand hotel and kept his Office in his
hat most of the time. He went with tho
first overflow of Kansas real estate
boomers who had swung things so
4 hriskly in Kansas City, Wichita and
later in interior Kansas towns. Harvey
I wanted fund of money subscribed to
Sefray the expenses OF two boom wri-
fers, whom he proposed to send into tho
eastern states with pastors, billboard
literature and ready made interviews
Ter EnEuspecting newspapers to publish,
sud by these several means to advertise
8 ths merits of the great future metropo-
4 lis of tho Rocky mountain district. He
secured q fund of $50, 900 for his pur-
: pose. and tho missionaries started off.
A brass band and street parade sig
nailed their departure. They stuck thou
loeAnN~, W OAoO HstStSAd bS<hlbH tlio MOlo
& Pueblo" upon freight cars, hotel reg
istsrs, sidewalks and oven upon vehicles
sfanding in the streets They pasted big
Sheets upon bare walls, distributed
sboem editions Of the local papers aud
occasionally managed to be interviewed.
Thby We're heard Of in several eastern
cities, but it was not observed that the
infiuk of strangers seeking Pueblo real
estate was materially augmented by the
laissionary scheme.
Meanwhile Harvey had secured DOS
session of great tract of adobe uplands
several miles cast of the city, worthless
as grazing or farming land, but valua-
.sbse as basis for boom real estate pur-
poses. The land WIS marketable at
about So an aero when he made his first
Payment upon it, He had the ground
plotted, and beautiful charts were
printed showing how delightful it would
,sbe as suburban property when improved.
! Re let contracts for landscape garden
ing, had boulevard built leading from
the city to the land and several natural
slkah sinks he had designed MS pretty
Lakes. Next he built hotel to occupy
tne center of his suburban residence
quarter. This edifice was constructed Of
;; brick and stone. with wide verandas and
! beautiful gables and turrets.
Harvey succeeded in selling great
Number Of lots at 500 apiece to eastern
sbpgers through mail correspondence.
|, But when the boom was up nothing re-
smained bat the beautiful hotel, which
atas,ds today out among the bleak and
Parren hills just as far as ever from
town.
Earring the boom Harvey interested
( the Faeblo citizens in another project
8 He argued that the Mardi Gras festivi-
tiles h New Orleans and the Yelled
Z Afonhet's pauade in ST. Louis brought
s,annaally thousands of dollars into those
.seit,es from visitors, and that were Pue-
ihlo TO inauyurate the same plan the
,e,city would be beautifully advertised
81 Mass meetings were held to consider the
subject, and there Harvey made his first
attempts at public debating. The Pue-
sssbl9' citizens contributed quite literally,
tesAqaag 10 Harvey and his returned mis-
t9saqnogy boom writers all the details Of
hs easif. Excursion trains were planned
sto, run from Chicago. st. Louis. Denver
and San francisco, beautiful htho-
raphed Posters were printed, magnifi-
acant floats were suggested, and the citi-
veas declared 8 holiday week for tho
event.
81 somehow the eastern people we're not
snnsry for Mard Gras festivals, and
SEhe eEeursiohs from without the state
|brIEasie9 to natesiaiize. Harvey found in
stsenset o King Rex" and "Queen
s7he appeared with retinue Of
seryants late one evening in great mys-
3,tery at the principal hotel of that city.
& 8 What does all this foolishness mean p"
gas askea, but Harvey said: mystery
desirable, my boy. Keep yonr eye on
H Hof swo days "King Rex'' and
Eslpem Eek" lived like real monarchs
5Sda Denver, tRsir expensive retinue Of
$sersaats eating rapidly into the subscrip-
saA Fund furnished by tho people Of
dBbla Then the special train went to
nsEio ~ith the Enler of the carnival
sd Ea6pie who had received free passes.
sssay1ag ia the city, street parade was
SlrAsd, but the floats failed to material
", and aid that appeared was string
2&sf dshyery wagons Of local merchants.
aa6 night pageant proved astin greater
lnrs King Rex, nov seriously in
4 opposed ny his several Days Of revelry,
& 81 70 DO held Steady upon his triumphal
AiSt and the wicked driver toward the