The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-25


land office in Pueblo, where llc made
applfcdtlon;to fie d soldiers homestead.
,.2' - he land 'otisccon account OF having
had no official notification OF the trans
Ter ;by the president, refused to accept
the doctors application for filing. Lewis
at once filed q declaratory statement
and appealed toSthe general land office
at3Washington. where the same answer
was given him, and the decision Of the
Pueblo land office was affirmed &
Lewis then took his case to Secretary
John II. Noble. OF the department. OF the
interior. In the meantime, however, the
iike's Peak cog road began to build on
the Top or the peak, and at the request
OF Its president Lewis called uDon the
management OF the road and entered
INTO IN agreement concerning the right
or way on the peak In this interview
Lewis agreed to give the company free
or cost nll space necessary for Strictly
railroad purposes. The doctor, s,tis1led
with arrangements, went back upon the
peak.
Inc action taken by the Doctor was
soon nofsed about Manitou and Colora-
40 Springs and members OF the AIctcoro-
logical Society wrote long Letters; to him.
In which they threatened him with ar
rest II he continued his residence on the
peak, TO these letters the doctor paid
no attention. Numerous kilograms were
sent TO Washington advising the prcai-
dent Of the action taken by Lewis, and
IN the latter part OF February, scarcely
tlree weeks from his original proclaml-
ton, President Cleveland transferred the
reservation back to the war dcpa impnI.
When President Harrison took his seat
Lewis at once wrote to Secretary Proc
tor OF the war department. giving him
y, 1t, - ~ mn
Secretary Proctor was accompanied by
II nulnher Of aflidavits Of citizens OF
| Maniton In which were given sworn
statements Of tale course pursued by the
| doctor anu other matters tending 10
strengthen his claim to the summit OF
| the peak.
Secetary Proctor at once transferred
the lard back to the department Of the
| interior, and Lewis returned to his claim
and built log cabin near The lower
| edge OF ii, and just above the timber
line This cabin was built in II gulch,
where some protection from the weather
was afforded. Hitler, Il little later, lie
| took burr0s and Il horse and began to
| make his acual residence. Shortly after
| the doctor had erected his cabin the
department Mt washington deemed bcs,
to appoint 4 custodian 10 look after the
abandoned government signal station on
IhS BShh. IIth ~, iic.il MS VI tIllS, tlB-
piled for the appointment, and by the
recommends ton Of General Curtis he
obtained II.
From this time on for over two years
he occupied the Government house on
the peak and there entertained visitors
and looked after Government property
II the fall OF 1891 certain influential
persons It ia said. represented to Secrc-
tary Noble that Lewis was holding his
nloiY nj l>x,
mission which he held from the Cavern
incnt as custodian. whcrcupon Secretary
Noble notified the doctor that his ser
Vices would be no longer needed by the
government.
AT this time Lewis had been upon the
mountain over three years. or long
enough to meet the government re-
quirements for proving up the claim,
as the time hc had served In the army
was deducted.
Shortly after this time the govern
ment signal station was again re-cstab-
lishcd on the peak and remained in ac-
tive operation for more than q year.
In the meantime another change was
made at Washington, and the whole res
ton, together with o large tract of
contiguous territory. was put into the
timber reservation for the purpose of
preserving the timber Hron it that II
illS ~ Aloitl lhC SLOW iiIll lHcItDy cause
1T 20 melt more slowly and furnish wa
ter to ilrlgate sections below. This res
| e!vation Included not only the old Pixies
Peak reservation. but the whole Of Chey-
enne country, and extended almost to
Palmer's lake.
Petitions were Mt once sent to Con
sreSs asking that the reservation be no
longer continued as a timber rcscrva-
tion as there is but little timber upon
1t, and 1t does not therefore subaerve
the purposes for which {, timber rcscrvu-
ton Is set apart. These petitions wore
signed by hundreds Of people, but ac-
complished nothing, and the land is still
held by the government as 4 timber res
ervati0n.
DIR. Lewis who is now preparing TO
take his claim for a title TO the top oi
Pixies Peak before the Supreme Court.
is native of Iowa. and served two
years with an iowa regiment as s;.rgeon
during The civil war lie Is now serving
his second term as mayor OF Manitou
anu Is widely known and respected
throughout this part OF Colorado. Hun
dccds Of citizens both In Colorado
| Springs ana ManItou, believe his TILE
TO the land 10 be good, and he has on
the strength OF il been offered large
sums OF money for even u small interest
in his claim.
NAMING THE BABY