The Springfield herald., 1900-07-06
COLORADO NOTES.

All of the coal miners at the Union
mine, sixteen miles above Glenwood on
the Cardiff branch of the Midland,
went on strike Monday. The cause ap-
pears to be the ungranted demand Tor
an increase of twenty cents per car ior
digging and minor grievances. FIFTY
men are involved
Rumors are again rife concerning the
building of railroad from Florence
into Custer county. A few days ago
1t was announced that the Denver "
Rio Grande directors had voted Sboo,-
600 to build line from Texas creek
or CotopaXi. This has stirred the Flor
ence Southern Company, which four
years ago completed survey for
line to Silver Cliff.
A whole shift employed on the Santa
Rita mine has been discharged be-
cause of the disappearance of some
high grade ore. The management was
unable to detect the thieves, and there
fore made the wholesale discharge,
hoping to include the guilty parties in
the lot 1t is said that the ore has been
traced to an assay office in Victor. Fur
ther developments are expected.
Friday morning it became known
that work had begun on the grade Tor
the Florence Southern. Upon inyesti-
CATION it was learned that upon in
structions received from headquarters
at Denver, Frank Ruby put dozen
men to work on the companyS survey
paralleling the Rio Grande around
Vinegar hill. in extension Of the work
done several years ago on Railroad
street The men worked all night and
had completed considerable grading
at dnybrenk. When Mr.. Ruby was
asked by II reporter about the work
being done ut this time on the Florence
Southern. he replied that it was sim
ply done to hold its right of way in
view of early developments pertaining
to the construction of the line into Gus
ter county.
William Mackin, prospector, was
killed by a bolt of lightning in East
Mancos on Friday afternoon, and it
was not until last Saturday evening
that the body was found. He went
from his cabin to stake out his horse,
and the back of his head received the
stroke. He was about 60 years of age.
The Colorado Midland has aban-
doned for good the old Hagermann
tunnel and pass west of LeadYille, ana
the picturesque seven miles of road is
being demolished. The big trestle over
which the trains approached the tun-
carried away and stacked at Colorado
City. The rails will be torn up. and
soon only hole in the mountain VIII
mark the most wonderful piece of rah-
road engineering in the state.
For some time trouble has been brew
ing between the teamsters of Lyons
and the owners of the toll road between
there and Estes park. The climax was
reached the other day when John
Walker and Norman Billings attempted
to pass the gate without paying toll.
The company had placed in charge of
the gate Charles Knapp of Longmont,
who claims he has instructions TO col
lect toll or keep parties from going over
the road. even should he be compelled
10 kill them at tile gate. When Walker
and Billings made an attempt to pass
the gate. Knapp promptly presented
cooked revolver. and lcveling it at
Walker told him that he would certain
ly kill him if he attempted to pass with
out paying toll. The argument en-
forced by the gun was convincing and
toll was promptly paid. However, the
end is far from being reached as yet.
That an attempt will probably be
made TO force the road open by deter
mined men.
What within Il comparatively short
time will be the largest coke plant in
the West is now in its infancy at Red
stone. Pitkin county. according TO
Henry Denman. state coal mine in
spector. Near Redstone, Pitkin coun-
ty, he found new mine, the Coal
Basin, in operation under the proprie
torship of the Colorado Fuel and Iron
Company. Some development work
was done on this property about four
years ago. but the mine was aban-
doned. The Colorado Fuel and Iron
Company prospected the ground later
and found that it produced a fine quail
ity of bituminous coal. especially
adapted for the manufacture of coke.
Recently the company began taking
out coal. and last month the embryo
coke plant. consisting of fifty ovens,
produced 500 tons of coke, the first
output of the works. 1t is intended. if
the circumstances continue favorable
to the new project. to have 800 ovens
in operation at Rcdstone before the
coke plant is considered complete.
A La Junta dispatch says: Rev DR..
Weaver, pastor of the First Presby-
terian church of Pueblo; Rev. Dr.
Patchell. pastor of the First Conere-
gational church at Pueblo. and Rev.
DR.. Farley of the Central Christian
church of Pueblo. came down Monday
morning ana meeting was held at
the NJ. L. church regarding the re-
establishment of the Fries Orphans
home at this place. These gentlemen
contradicted the statements made in
the papers as to Mr.. Fries neglect of
the home. They say that under the ex-
element of the hour neither the people
nor the daily papers gave Mr.. Fries n
chance to be heard and that he has
been basely misrepresented. Mr.. Fries
said that there was no doubt but that
the home would be located here; that
he was daily receiving letters from
various parts of the state assuring him