Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-12-25
Two Pioneers Tell Thrilling
Stories.
HOW CITY OF DENVER WAS NAMED
D. 7. Evans and Col. ]. Morris Talk
Interestingly.
MORRIS MEDAL FOR BRAVERY

Christmas tree, the g:ving and Teceiv-
ing of beautiful presents, the elaborate
family dinner and the public spirit Cf
generosity and cneerfulnoss, would
seem very unnatural, but should we go
back to the Christmas OF forty years
ago, we would find all these enjoy
ments missing. and 2 most strenuous
life confronting us.
1t perhaps may he interesting to
some to learn OF the conditions of the
west and how Christmas was celebrat-
ed in the year of 1858.
d. Z. Evans, a pioneer who now re-
sides in Albuquerque tells OF the first
Christmas he spent in the west in
very interesting manner.
IN the fall OF 1858 a party of four
myself included, crossed the Missouri
river bound for Pixies Peak We had
not gcne far when we came to the
Sevenworth on the Fort Laramie road
and got in company with several boys
from Kansas. When we arrived at the
Platte river we found a party Of men,
who joined our party making it num-
ber thirty-four men. We marched up
the Platte river to where Denver now
stands. During our march we increased
the number Of the party to $50 men,
two women and six children
1--WE were divided into three camps
-one called Aurora now called Den
yer, another three miles up the river
called Idaho, and the other four miles
farther up, known as Placerville. Au-
rora was situated between the Platte
and Cherry Creek rivers. This camp
had $50 people and could boast of hav-
ing one woman and all the children,
the family of Richard WootCn, Sr The
other woman was in the Idaho camp.
The boys used to dress up on Sunday
and go to the the two camps to get
glimpse of these two members of the
fair sex, and we would pay them as
much respect as if they were queens
Just previous to the Christmas of
this winter, we held an election in our
tents and cabins for the purpose of
electing two delegates to congress.
man 10y the name of Bennett was elect
ed to represent us in congress and
man named Graham was elected to
represent us at the legislature at To-
peka. We paid their way there and
back. When our case was presented
at Washington and it was explained to
them that we had marked out a terri
tory at the western end of Kansas,
where Colorado is now located and
that We had called it Jefferson, they
wanted to know how many families
there were Being told there were but
two real families, they said we We're
only band OF prospectors and that we
were rather premature.
1T was at this time, almost Christ
mas, that the first house was built on
the higher ground. where the city hall
stood before it was burned down two
years ago. We made up our minds to
build new town. AS Camp Aurora
was in danger of being flooded in case
of high water, some wanted to call this
new town Fremont, others wanted to
call it Kit Carson, and different names
were suggested when | said, Why not
call it Denver, after the governor of
Kansas at that time 1t was agreed
3 to put it to vote, and the result was
that the town was called Denver and
has retained that name to this day
ION Christmas day the boys in our
camp wanted a change from the accus-
toned fare of meat, winch we had in
great variety, but no vegetables or
other desirable food. 1t was discovered
that some of the boys in the camp had
some New Orleans molasses. After
considerable talk we prevailed upon
them TO let us have half gallon. for
whicu we paid the small sum of IS. So
We started in on our Christmas feast
of elk, deer. antelope, mountain sheep
and turkey, touched of with pancakes
and mOlassos. But We Jared better
than we anticipated, for an OK train of
some twenty or thirty oxen arrived
from Taos, with a load of onions and
flour This timely load of supplies
completed the Christmas feast We
had to pay enormous prices for the
supplies. Flour was worth S25 per 100
pounds, sugar 81 per pound and coffee
the same.
I'VE had very little reading matter
I. that winter. think We received three
different papers and only twelve copies
OF them. We made a contract with a