The state herald., 1899-04-14
EX-SENATOR TABOR
DIES OF APPENDICITIS.

oul VI HiS store WltnOut provisions De-
cause he could not pay.
Mr.. Tabor again began grubstakinG
miners and among others who came to
him was August Rische and George
Il. Hook. They We're two old timers
and We're shoemakers in Fairplay,
Park county and who, having heard
! or Mr.. Tabor had come to him. Rische
had come ont of the Union army and
In 1865 had located in Fairplay, fol-
lowing his trade. OF Hook little was
known. These two men are Interest,"
IN Z, 1nnsmuch as they We're the men
who marked the turning point of Mr.
Tabor's fortunes.
Mr.. Tabor grubstaled Rische and
Hook. the three forming partner
ship to share and share alike in any
strike that might be made April ~
1878. this partnership was formed. and
the two shoemakers started out from
Orc City. working along California
gulch. The men saw what they be-
ileved was good prospect on the top
OF Fryer hill and began work. 1t was
an unpromising location and they
were subjects of laughter from other
miners, but they kept mt work.
May !. 1873. when their shaft was
down 26 feet they found the ore. They
Pittsburg. II made millions of dollars,
and In addition made Leadville the
grcatest camp in the history of the
world. In the July following it was
paying $1,000 Il week. The first wagon
lead taken from ii sold for $500 Ia
bor. Rische and Hook, the firm. alb
sorbed adjoining claims and soon were
the owners of several mines.
Hook. who was of free and easy dis
position. was satisfied in September
with the money he had and sold out
his interest to his partners for $685.
600. and then began devoting himself
TO travelling about the country. Rische
shortly afterward sold his half inter
est to David ii. Moffat and ]. B. Chat.
Zee for S2G2,oOO. November Is, 1879.
the Little Pittsburg Consolidated com
pany owned the Little Pittsburg, New
Discovery, Dives and Winnemuc. The
l'ittsburg had paid S3T5.o0O and the
Winnemuc S1o3.009. S112.OO0 of the
latter sum being profit. Operations
We're extended and in 1SI.. the compl-
ny was Incorporated in New York for
S2O.OOOOOO.
From the discovery mp to April l.
1850. the mines paid S2.G07 .a34 .91 for
receipts of ore sold and 81. 4.2I9. 239. 81
actual yield New York share holders
began demanding S1O0.OOO per month,
and this drained the mine of its valu-
able contents. Mr.. Tabor in the latter
year sold out TO his partners for ST.
100000
Mr.. Tabor was u plungcr in mines
and was interested in series of prop
critics ana mines. As his wealth came
in he went heavily into mines. After
selling his interest In the Little Pitts.
burg the firm of Borden, Tabor x Co.
was formed and t.arshall Field of Chi
cago was one of the men Interested.
He daZzled men with his successes.
for he had n Midas touch and II Is said
that In 1879 and 1880 he made over
S3.oo0ooo and n dozen mines like Chry-
solite, Little Chief. Matchlcss and 9TH
er properties We're paying fabulous re-
turns.
In the summer Of 1870 Mr.. Tabor re-
moved from Leadville TO Denver. and
for twenty years has been II resident
OF this city. He plunged into Denver
real estate speculation with the same
energy that he was plunging In mines.
His FIRST purchase was the Broadwcll
property, Sixteenth and Larimer
streets. where stands the Tabor block.
built for $4,000. This he followed by
y
ON Broadway and Seventeenth street.
and next by the purchase Of the corner
Of Sixteenth and Curtis. where he built
the opera house. These Investments
created considerable excitement In
Denver. then n town Of 10000 people,
and the prosperous days for Denver
had their beginning nj that time.
In 1850 lie began the Tabor block.
and In the same year the Tabor opera
house. His announcement that the
opera house would be the finest In the
United States created much comment
throughout the country. II cost over
S2.o00,OOO, and Is even In this dny ne
counted magnificent playhouse. the
woodwork being as line to-day as
when put In.
The beginning of the end Of the for
tunes ~ MIR. Tabor began when dun
times swept over Colorado and the en-
tire United States.
In 1893 he began Investing In glgan-
tie mining deals In Old Mexico and In
Arizona. which proved losing ventures,
the Nulture. In Arizona. II Is said cost
Ing him 81 .OO0.0o0. lie had disposed OF
many OF his big mines. and Others had
been worked out. lie was taken Into
various schemes In which he lost nd-
ditlonnl money. ana ms the years
passed his property disappeared. His
Denver holdings were morigngcd. and,
being unable to meet the dcinandssfor
the money. piece after plec" slipped
away. and In January. 1897. his last
holding was sold under the hammer.
Ten years before he wns worth So
OOo. 600. II Is stated that he leaves
scarcely any property for his wife aud
thaIr twu children pNrppt mining
claims. several Of which ARE nj Ward.
MIR. Tabor Inns held various public
posltlons. lie was mayor OF Lcnhvlllc,
nftcrwnrd lieutenant governor ana
subsequently held the position Of
United States senator for short time
to M mn uncxpltcd term. At The time
of his death he wns postmaster of
Denver.