The state herald., 1900-08-10
COLORADO NOTES.

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 a statement showing the condi-
tion Of the national banks Of the state
of Colorado on June Goth last showing
the following: Loans and discounts,
$12,321 ,317; money reserve in banks,
$2,9O7 ,903; surplus, SG35, 7S6; undivided
profits, $434, ,45O; Individual deposits,
$23, ,O4S, ,256. At the time held an aver
age reserve on hand of 4253 per cent.
The Rio Grande railroad has let the
contract for the construction Of It's line
from Texas creek to Silver Cliff to Or
man 4 Crook. Work will be begun at
once, and the contractors promise that
1t will be completed by December list.
The contract calls for twenty-siX miles
of heavy grading but the contractors,
1t Is said. Will have few problems to
! solve In Its construction, as most of the
survey Is over level country. The
bridge department Of the road has
gangs of men now at 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 Will
liam j. Fay was killed. While 1t Is
realized that the crew would have had
no chance, perhaps to prevent the
Hugo robbery, 1t Is argued that had
the men been armed they might have
shot one of the robbers.
George Sheppcrd was killed Friday
afternoon while chonping timber on the
Solomon ranch, n 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
dying man, but the rescuing party re-
turned too late. The man bled to death.
Some think that sudden death was the
result of the shock, as the man was
suffering from heart disease.
Additional plans for the Twin Lakes
reservoir dam have been filed with
State Engineer McCune by Secretary
w. l.. Hartman OF the Twin Lakes
Reservoir Company. The plans are in
accordance with the original scheme,
and will entirely close up the water
way. Mr.. Hartman states that the
Reservoir scheme is nn entire success In
every way and will fully meet all de-
mands. The reservoir covers an area
of 1,4OO acres and the water will be
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 2Gth Of
July was most successful, the flow be-
ing equal TO the estimates.
Gilman, the mining town on Battle
mountain. near Red CHI, suffered n
destructive fire at an early hour We'd
nesday 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 10 W. y. Buell's
residence on the north side. was laid
desolate. Fire was discovered at two
o'clock In the upper rooms of Matthew
I.ackner's residence. although there
had been no fire in the house since
the evening before. The room was oc-
cupled by Miss Mary Lackner and
Frank Martins little child. Both Were
slightly burned and were rescued with
difficulty. The buildings We're very
dry, and under strong wind the
flames spread rapidly In the face OF
nm heroic fight pu' up by the citizens.
Exccp, the hotel the buildings destroy
ed include every business house In
town. The CONGREGATIONAL church,
postofiicc and several residences, n to-
tai OF ihlrty-threc buildings. were de-
stroyed. The estimated loss Is SAL
I5O, aud the known Insurance Is 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
nouit County Improvement Company
of Florence has 4 complete plant OF
boring machinery on the way. A ear
load has been sent from Florence.
while more II coming from Pennsylyn.
MIA. The first well is W he put down
on Elk river. seven miles from Steam
boat Springs. The company has leas-
ed nearly 2,OaO acres OF patented land
from rnnchmen In that vicinity, They
figure upon having TO 20 down 10 a
depih Of i,5O0 or 2.O,p feet before the
oil stratum IL struck. Six or eight
miles further and In the vicinity OF
the oil springs the Stukcy brothers
have located about 1900 acres OF oil
placer land. which II TO be worked by
Hon. II. clark Wheeler, and he Ii ex-
pccicd 10 be m there with machinery
during the mouth. There N no aucs-
tlon IN the minds of expert oil men
who have been here that oil win be
struck. At the oil springs man is
enabled TO dip NJ several gallons OF
the crude petroleum ns II rises To the
surface. An analysis OF this oil shows
II 10 be very valuable. II IL believed
TINT " oil II struck, with the immcns.
field which there Is In the country. II
VIII he n powerful iduccmcnt for
building In q rnllroad.
The revenue commission viii meet
August II TO consider the recommend.
n,lons made by Governor Thomas.
which were forwarded yesterday. The
governor says that the state should
have u revenue OF nj least 500, 600
more thun ID hna Ind during the nnst
cish, years in order TO get along with