Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-11-28
DENVER soRTv.FouR YEARS OLD
Citizens Have = Dinner to Celebrate
the Occasion.

Denver. Nov. lS.-Beneath tho blue
dome of the ball room OF the Adams ho-'
tel last night gathered 2s5 Of Denver's
representative citizens to celebrate the
forty-fourth anniversary OF the won
derful city OF the plains. 1t was bus
mess mems banquet given by and TO
those business men who ar charged by
their compatriots with having done
more to ring the change On the name
OF Denver In the commercial world
than any others In the state, Al the
guest table sat the invited ones. Senh-
tor Teller. Governor Ormhn. Governor
elect Peabody. Mayor Wright, Henry V.
Johnson aud William Scott Lee. former
mayors. and Charles J. Hughes. II was
expected that former Governor Routi
would be present. but other engage
ments prevented.
John s, Flower, the toasi master. said
that the party was there TO celebrate
the birth fourty-four yeaTa ago OF the
settlement now known n Denver. but
81 believe IL Is a birth anew that Is TAX
Ing place tonight. When the news
flashed over the wires announcing tho
sale OF the bonds OF the Mutiat road. u
announced the birth Of n new Denver.
Mr.. Flower then introduced Senator
Henry n. Teller.
II am not n pioneer" said Senator
Teller. u got here In 1861. II was tha
most desolatc. God-forsaEcn place !
had ever seen. made my way up into
tho mountains. which wns the only
place where there was money. These
plains have become fertile farms. this
city has become one OF the leading cit
les Of the world: the state of Colorado
has become the third producing gold
region. Men with shovcls and picks In
the hills have made the city-not tho
men here around this fcstal board TO-
ni.ht.
l don't believe you appreciate the I'm
port Of this irrigation bill recently
passed by Congress. II the mining In
tho hills should cease. we would. by the
aid Of this Irrigation bill. continue In
our onward course Of development. l
expect to nee 100000 people In this
city. expect many OF tho younger
men to live long enough to sec pop
uIntion Of b0O. 900. I want To advise
you that the best wny to see this great
growth is to give Mr.. Mofats road
financial aid. You will ind that the
capitals, will conclude that investment
In n growing city like Denver Ii tho
best place for his money.
"Thc people of the country are seek
Ing homes where there Is plenty of
water and sunshine like there In In
this state. The irrigation fund Ia
perpetual one that will be turned over
and over again ns the year go by. We
ought to make state here that will be
second to none OF It's size In the whole
Union.'
Governor Elect James II. Peabody oi
| Canon City was the next speaker. II
| md myself In the same condition.. SAID
he, ms fellow TINT wan given twenty
| four hours to leave Denver. He said
he didn't need half that time: ana !
don't need half the time am allowed
in which TO say what | have to say.
New business blocks and new houses
are seen everywhere In Denver. The
hundreds OF railroad trains that are
waving their black plumcs In the
mountain passes are doing their share
In making Denver the great city OF tho
West. There is n little paper In Colo
rado whose motto is: 'whosocvcr hath
n horn and bloweth II not. that horn
! shall not be blown Now. gentlemen.
I advise you to blow your own horns.
for no one will blow them for you. ]
predict that In ten years Denver VIII
have population of half n million.
To the toast "Denycr' Hon. Platt
Rogers responded. Great minds ha
said, leap along the same channels:
from n material standpoint the past
forty-four years have witnessed the
greatest changes. Contrast Denver OF
1858 with the Denver OF 1902. 1t Is
with touch OF pleasure to revert to
the Denver OF 1858 along the banks OF
the Platte and Cherry creek. To those
who had settled on the banks OF Cherry
creek the mountains were too forbid
ding and scarcely calculated to sustain
life. But two men. more brave han
their fellows. pushed up Clear creek
and discovered gold in paying quanti-
ties.
He then recounted the history of
Denver. telling how Golden had out
stripped It and become the capital:
how Boulder had the promise OF becom-
ing the metropolis OF the state. He
paid a glowing tribute to the guiding
hand Of John Evans. TO whom Denver
is indebted for most of the good things
that have come. He told how Evans
constructed the South Park railroad.
the Denver G. New Orleans. and of how
Loveland built the Colorado Central.
John Evans. he denominated the
leading man OF Colorado. and told how.
during the last conversation he had
with John Evans. the latter had out
lined exactly the railroad now being
constructed by David II. Moffat, and
said that the mantle of Evans had fal-
len worthily on Mr.. Moffat.
At the conclusion of the speech the
entire assemblage rose and sang ''Tho
Star Spangled Banner 10 the accom-
paniment of the orchestra.
Pioneers who arrived here prior to
1862 were asked to arise. and in re-
sponse Senator Teller. Walter s.
Cheesman. Frank Hall, ID. X. Wall and
MIR. Welsh arose.
In response to the toast 'The New
Road OF d. Il. EiofIai, which was pro-
pounded standing. came Charles J.
Hughes, Jr., the orator of the day.