The Grit-advocate., 1902-08-29
Julesburg, Past and Present.

JuleSburS, PaSt ana Present.
Julesburg is the most historical town
of northeastern Colorado. Its fame
dates back to the period of the over
land emigration to California. Re-
mote from the settlements in the
mountains or the trading posts of st.
Nrain, Luptun and Latham, but near
er their base, Julesburg was frequent
ly exposed to raids of hostile indians.
1t was the scene of numerous attacks
in the early immigrant and staging
days, when it was an important point.
1t was noted also as the place where in
summer the most terrific thunder
storms expended their fury. The
present county seat of Sedgwick coun-
ty is the fourth town of the name
founded in that section.
The original Julesburg was estab-
lished at Jules ranch on the south
side of the Platte river, little east of
Fort Sedgwick. 1t was named for
f'renchman, long known on the from
tier us Old Jules. Indiana made a de-
scent on the ranch, killing and wound
ing number OF the occupants. The
second Julesburg was then founded at
point three msles east Of the first
site and sume four miles from Fort
Elements Of that name were stations on
the overland route to Denver, Oregon
and the Pacific. The third Julesburg
was located little to the north of the
Platte and in the same direction from
Fort Sedgwick, four miles distant.
This became the terminus of the Union
Pacific railway for ii time, a town of
tents and shantics, whittier drfted and
lodged the most notorious and reckless
gang of outlaws, thieves, thugs, and
assassins ever cOngregated AT any one
point on the western frontier.
Gambling, drinking, rioting, murd-
err. robberies and confusion worse con-
founded marked both night and day,
until the crowd was dispersed and
scattered by the advance of the rail
road to Cheyenne, where in due course
similar scenes were enacted but upon
a limited scale. AT one time, accord
ing to the estimates of old settlers
from 5000 to 10000 were gathered in
and about the old .Julesburg, but the
latter estimate is undoubtedly largely
in excess of the actual number. This
third Julesburg only lived in the mem
Ory of the few who survived its TRACE
dies, with an occasional chapter recit-
ing it's horrors published in the peri
odical and newspaper literature of the
day. 1t IS now known as Weir, mere
ly IA sidetrack station on the Union
Pacific. almost without population and
exhibiting no trace of its former re-
nOwn.
The fourth or present Julesburg, a
few miles east Of Weir, IS situated on
the Platte river. 1t was formerly
known as Denver Junction, for here
the branch line of Union Pacific for
Denver, which strikes off from the
Cheyenne division at Llsalle, again
unites with the main trunk line and
gives the place some importance as
shipping point, 1t is now wholly re-
spectacle village, occupied by indus
trious and law abiding people. Harry
Entriken, who lived in Julesburg
when it became the temporary termi-
nus of the Union Pacific railway and
remained there some fifteen years, is
the only person residing at the present
Iulesburg who resided on the old site
II a stranger should happen to drop
into the town nowadays he would be
so impressed with the presbyterian
quietude of the place that the stories
of former hflarty would pass before
his vision like the tail-end of a fairy
story.-Denvcr Field and Farm.
JUST LOOK AT HER.