North Park union., 1900-08-17
COLORADO NOTES.

Forest dreS are doing much damage
north of Gothic In Gunnison county
A tornado caused considerable dam
age at Sterling on the 4th. 1t demol-
ished the Catholic church. unroofed
several buildings and injured many
others.
The comptroller Of the currency has
issued statement showing the condi-
tIon Of the national banks OF the state
of Colorado on June 10Th last. showing
the following: Loans and discounts.
1881 .317; money reserve In banks,
S2.9O7 ,9O3: surplus, $685.. .786; undivided
profits. &434. .45O: individual deposits.
$23.OiS. 2W. At the time held an aver
age reserve on hand Of 1888 per cent.
The Rio Grnnde railroad has let the
contract for the construction OF Its line
from Texas creek to Silver Cli6 to Or
man & Crook. Work will he begun at
once. and the contractors promise that
II will be completed by December lst.
The contract calls for twenty-sIx miles
of heavy grading, but the contractors.
II IL said. will have few problems to
solve in its construction, MS most of the
survey In over level country. The
bridge department OF the road hns
gangs OF men now Mt work near Texas
creek erecting buildings for the bridge
builders and preparing for the begin
ming OF active work on the road.
Stringent orders have been issued to
train crews on Colorado roads to be on
the lookout for train robbers. The
crew was told to carry revolvers and
to use them II robbers attacked the
train and there was any prospect OF
killing one OF the bandits without en-
dangering their own lives. The orders
were the result OF the robbery Of the
Union Pacific near Hugo, Colorado,
early Sunday morning. In which VIII
liam ]. Fay was killed. While 1t is
realized that the crew would have had
no chance. perhaps. to prevent the
Hugo robbery. II Is argued that had
the men been armed they might have
shot one Of the robbers.
George Shepperd was killed Friday
afternoon while chopping timber on the
Solomon ranch, II mile and half west
Of Greenland. His uncle and cousin
were with him when the accident oc-
Cured Mr.. Shepperd was cutting on
a large log when silver flew from the
wedge. cutting open one OF the large ar
teries in the right leg above the knee.
The injured mans uncle ran to the
Noes ranch to get aid In caring for the
turned too late. The man bled to death.
Some think that sudden death was the
result of the shock. ns the man was
suffering from heart disease.
Additional plans for the Twin Lakes
reservoir dam have been MED win
State Engineer McCune by Secretary
w. l.. Hartman of the Twin Lakes
Reservoir Company. The plans are in
and will entirely close up the water
way. Mr.. Hartman states that the
reservoir scheme is nm entire success In
every way and will fully meet all de-
mnnds. The reservoir covers an nreh
of 400 acres and the water VIII DE
run through the Arkansas, n distance
OF 200 miles. to point near Rocky
Ford. There II will be taken out by the
company's ditch and distributed
through the valley. A test run which
was made from the 10Th to the 2dth OF
July was most successful. the flow be-
ing equal to the estimates.
Gilman, the mining town on Battle
mountain. near Red Gin. suffered n
destructive fire Mt an early hour We'd
ncstlay morning. The entire business
portion of the place was wiped out.
Both sides of Main street from the
west end OF the Iron Mask hotel, on
the south side, and TO w. n. BuelIs
residence on the north side. was laid
desolate. Fire was discovered at two
o'clock In the upper rooms OF Matthew
Lackner's residence, although there
had been no fire In the house since
the evening before. The room was oc-
cupied by Miss Mary 1.ackner ana
Frank Martins little child. Both were
T., tnH
difficulty. The buildings We're very
dry. and under strong wind the
flames spread rapidly In the face OF
an heroic fight pu, up by the citizens.
Except the hotel the buildings destroy
ed include every business house In
town. The Congregntio church.
postottice and several residences. "A to-
tnl Of thIrty-three buildings. were de-
stroyed. The estimated loss Is $3l.-
45O. and the known insurance IL ST.
100, About ten business houses were
burned out and about fifteen families
lost their homes, very little being saw
ed in any case.
The development OF the oil fields of
Routt county will be in full swing
during the month Of August The
noutt County Improvement Company
OF Florence has complete plant OF
boring machinery on the way. car
lond has been sent from Florence.
while more is coming from Pennsylva-
mia. The first well is 10 be put down
on Elk river, seven miles from Steam
boat Springs. The company has leas-
ed nearly 1000 acres OF patented land
from ranchmen In that vicinity. They
figure upon having TO go down to n
depth of 1,5OO or 2OO feet before the
oil stratum is struck. Six or eight
miles further and In the vicinity Of
the oil springs the Stukey brothers
have located about 10000 acres Of oil
placer land. which is to be worked by
Hon. h. Clark Wheeler. and he Is en-
pected to be III there with machinery
during the month. There is no ques-
tiop in the minds of expert oil men
who have been here that oil will be
struck. At the oil springs man Is
enabled to dip up several gallons Of
the crude petroleum as 1t rises TO the
surface. An analysis of this oil shows
1t to be very valuable. 1t Is believed
that II oil Is struck. with the immense
field which there Ia In the country, 1t
will be powerful iIducement for
building in a railroad.
The revenue commission will meet
August 10 to consider the recommend
ations made by Governor Thomas.
which were forwarded yesterday. The
governor says that the state should
hnye n revenue of at least $500, 900
more than 1t has had during the past
eight years In order to get along with