Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-09-15
THE PIONEER WOMEN OF
THE SAN JUAN

! n P1ONEGH WOmEN VT
THE SAN JUAN.
BY Ezra T. Elliott, at San Juan Pion-
ecrs' Banauett.
| am more than pleased to respond
to this toast. as 1t not only touches
me, but the heart of every male mem
ber of our association. While 1t Is
impossible to do such subject jus
tice, | will merely dwell upon some
of the incidents connected with these
women who braved the hardships and
discomforts attached to becoming
pioneers. For myself ! have al
ways loved the gentle sex. from the
time my mother folded me to her
breast as babe, and have always
been willing to give woman the palm
for elevating our moral tone. besides
ministering to our pains, troubles and
pleasures. love them all. from the
toothless new born maiden to the
honored and revered grandma with
none of the intermediate ages barred
In the early days. before the time
OF Palace cars and well equipped
lunch counters, number Of our
pioneer women, with fortitude and
bravery, came over the snowy ranges
with their loved ones. and without
complaint tackled the alkali dust on
the old stage route and bumped their
heads against the roof of the old Con
cord stages. with as much nerve Us
any OF us. and my friends, 1t was no
light task either to take these old
stage rides, stopping over at stations
not noted for cleanliness. filed with
Inhabitants that make housekeep-
ers heart throb with dismay. and
hartily eat a meal. that to say the
least was not equal in point of cut
sine TO the renowned Delmonico's.
But even this method meant speed and
all We're eager to enter the fabled
gateway of the Golden San Juan to
share with others the shower of veal
tn TO be lavished upon them. Del Nor
te was the first objective point and
here gold pans, picks and shoyels
were purchased from my old friend
Alva Adams at a remunerative profit,
the eager seeker after wealth giving
mp all OF his money for a few articles
needed. Then off to the mountains,
where every gulch was supposed to
be filled with gold and silver. which
only needed tickling of the ground
TO produce untold fortunes. Many
lair pioneer woman with her family.
would earnestly and hopefully scan
The pyrites of iron brought in from
the daily prospecting, as she stood
by the camp fire frying flapjacks and
bacon and wipe the tears from her
eyes caused by the binding smoke
the wrong way.) seeing in the future
II golden dream realized, a home back
in the States, a higher education for
her children and mayhap nobleman
with a glittering title to be purchased
for one of her little flock. Dreams. all
dreams-few of those gallant danes
ever realized their ardent wishes, but
year in year out, never complaining,
but always filled with the hope that
tomorrow would come and with 1t
The coveted wealth, kept on at the
wash tub and cook stove and reared
their progeny according to the lights
hat God had given them; surrounded
by grandeur of Nature that made
stalwart men of the boys. ready to
ill any place on the Worlds stage.
and gentle and sweet ladies of the
girls. broad-minded and pure as the
snow-born mountain rills beside
which they were born, and fitted to
becomingly occupy any station in me-
tropolltan society. Some among these
pioneer women reached a point away
beyond their fondest aspirations, and
with every wish and early hope graf
lied, drifted back into the great world
honored and respected: and | can say
right here that, never to my knowl-
edge has one of these fortunate ones
turned her back upon her sister pion-
eer. who had not been so fortunate in
her life struggle. but has remembered
the days OF trial and tribulation, when
they labored In the gulches together
at their primitive firesides in the old
log cabins. | have seen strong men
break down under the strain of labor
un-rewarded only to be braced up by
the exhilarating cordial of woman's
love and faith, and be able again with
renewed strength, God given, to take
up the fight and finally win out in the
race. ! have in mind one man of many,
and | will not mention his name,
some of you may recognize the pic
ture, who for years had worked and
worked upon claim. doing only what
one man could do. with the occasion
al assistance OF friend, when by
stroke OF fortune he came into pos
session of some three thousand dol
lars, He was ready to quit, settle
down in some valley and raise few
pigs and potatoes. but the wife,
strong in her faith and willingness to
enduse, says. no. we've worked hard
on this gamble, put II all In the