The herald., 1896-12-31
ROMANCE OF THE WEST.
Senator Tabor's Lost Fortune and a
Denver Woman's Prosperity.

tition for plaintiff is granted"
The entering of this order in the rec
ords of the district court of Arapahoe
county a few days ago was an incident
passed unnoticed by the casual fire.
quenter of the hall of justice. but to
those who have kept track of the for
tunes and misfortunes of the early pi-
oneer it meant the last act Of drama
which wiped out of existence the laet
dollar of the once magnificent fortune of
former Senator Fl. A. w. Tabor and the
first appearance in business circlesNof
woman whose wealth was made by
lucky turn of fortune.
The petition of Mrs. Smith was one
praying for an order from the court CIV
ing her possession of the Tabor block,
seven story brown stone structure COW
ering block of ground on the corner of
Sixteenth and Larimer streets, and the
Tabor grand opera house, the handsom-
est theater in the west. under foreclos-
ure aggregating $SO0,000.
On the day the property passed from
his hands Mr. Tabor was allowed to re-
move from the box Office of the play
house one large iron safe and beauti-
full life-size oil painting of Richelieu and
Julie, representing them in the scene
where the great chancellor of France
defies the kings brother, which was pre-
sented to him by the citizens of Denver
on the opening of the house by Emma
Abbott, September 5, 1881 These two
articles are all that he retained out of
property and cash which fifteen year.
ago amounted to more than S6,000,00O
When yonug man of 25 years Tabor
was fighting srasshoppsrs and starva-
ton on a small claim in eastern Kansas.
Becoming disgusted with that kind of
life and learning from returning trap
pers of the rich gold discoveries made
along Cherry creek in 1858, he packed his
wife and few belongings into prairie
schooner and in 1861 started for the new
Ell Dorado. For many years he followed,
with indifferent success, the tickle god
dess through the exciting days of Gold
en-, Central City, Blackhawk, Brecken-
ridge and Buckskfn Joe.
This diecouraging and monotonous ex-
istence was followed until 1877, when he
again found himself stranded i,a Orc
City, a placer camp near the head OF
California gulch. Rumors of the rich
carbonate discoveries on Fryer, Iron and
Carbonate hills were beginning to be
heard. So he sold his last yoke of oxen
and with the proceeds opened little
store on the site where Leadville now
stands.
This was early in the spring of 1875
and in April of that year August Richie
and George f. Hook, two shoemakers,
who had been prospecting for long time
with poor results, applied to Tabor for
grub stake agreeing to divide, share
and share alike, In anything they might
find Tabor supplied them with the
necessary articles and the cobblers went
directly to the top of Fryer hill and began
digging. Everyone laughed at them
for wasting their time and stake in so
unpromising place. They persisted in
their work. having to make frequent
acquisitions upon the store for supplies,
which were always granted.
About May 1, after reaching depth of
twenty-six feet, they encountered vein
of rich carbonate ore, and in that hour
the famous Little Pittsburg mine be-
came a reality. The first wagon load
of ore taken out sold for $215, and the
yield during the last half of the follow
ing July was at the rate of $4,000 week.
When the ore body had been thorough
ly developed, its richness was revela-
ton to everyone. In September Tabor
and Richie bought Hooks interest for
$1,000. The mine paid 100000 month
in dividends for many months and then
Tabor sold his half interest to Senator
]. B. Chaffee and D. II. Moffat for ST.
900 600.
He Immediately entered into partner
ship with Marshal Field of Chicago and
bought up the Chrysolite and adjoining
claims The first five dividends paid
out of this property amounted to S1,000,-
600, and its production during the eleven
months prior to April l, 1880, at which
time he sold his interest for 81, 500, Geo, was
So. 100000
In the meantime he had become inter
ested in the famous Robert Il. Lee mine.
which has produced more rich ore than
any mine on the continent outside of the
Comstock of Nevada The average
daily output of the Lee during its best
days was $15,000 or the startling total
of $5,475,0 900 a year. On the 18th of Jan
uary. 1850, this mine gave it's owners,
in the twenty-four hours, $12S00O, sum
never equaled by any mine in the world.
Much of this ore ran as high as 1lO00
ounces in silver to the ton, and as the
white metal was then worth in the neigh
borhood of $1.25 an ounce, the enor-
nous profits can readily be imagined.
Besides these fortunes which came in
rapid succession, Tabor made from two
to three million dollars out Of the Morn
ing Star. Matchless and other Leadvile
mines, and at ore time it was said his
daily income was greater than that of
any other man between New York city
and Nevada.
In 1880 the city of Denver was pros
porous town of $4,000 inhabitants. Ia
bor's confidence in her future induced
him to come here in that year and be-
gin the erection of La Veta place, a ter
race, "out on the prairie" as the town
folks declared, which cost him in the
neighhorhood of 81 900, 000 and at that
time was the hardsomest residence west
of Chicago. This he Immediately fol
lowed with the Tabor block ard the Ia Dor
Grand opera house, at a cost of nearly
50, ,OO0, 900.
Fortune came quickly, so did his finar-
cal troubles. and FIVE years ago he was
compelled to seek assistance from a
New York insurance company. They
advanced him S400.C00. The panic of
1888 increased his distress, and a second
mortgage for $375000 in favor of MIS-.
Smith was placed on his property, and
In the end she came into possession by
settling the first and foreclosing her
own.
Mrs. Smith not many years ago was
Mrs. Laura Swickheimer, She and her
husband David lived in Rico, mining
camp in the southern part of the sta,o.
and like Tabor, he was prospector, aud
was working a claim he had PANIED the
Enterprise. For two years he had work
ed his way into the side of the mountain
hoping with every blast to open up the
vein
Each day brought only disappoint-
ment and a steady decrease of supplies
and funds, until at last not cent nor a
loaf of bread remained In the Cahia
With heavy heart the couple nailed up
the entrance to the Enterprise and he
gan. preparations to tramp out of the
camp In search Of other work.