Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-03-02
EVENING SESSION.

The evening session, the closing
ono of the Institute. was given up to
reminiscent talks on early Rocky Ford
and predictions rs to It's future. The
orchestra gave some opening music
aud then the chair called on G. W.
Swink. His entertaining stories Of
the early days were listened to with
great interest.
He said In 1871 this country was
very sparsely settled. Our ueighbors
between Timpas Creek and Apishapa
were Isom Like. J. W. Potter. A. Rus.
sell. Beatty Brothers. Joseph Graham
came william Matthews, Colonel
Todd, J. II. Low, A. Nichols, !. Den.
ness. The Bests. T. A. Galbreath. Van
Hendricks, A. Enysst. T. J. Doweu
aud = few others. In 1874 moved my
family out. J. H. Swift's family came
with ~. We had . geussai merehau.
disc store, At Old Rocky fosd, under
the name Of Russell 4 Swink. What
vegetables We got then vs bought
from J. 3. Smith just beio~ the mouth
Of the Aplshapa. Mr.. Smith raised
his vegetables on low piece Of land
near the river. and Smith and Snyder
who lived just below Nepesta had out
. small ditch and raised their garden
BY irrigation. The prices We paid for
vegetables were i2X to IS eeats =
10 cents for turnips, Is cents for rad.
ishcs aud other thinga In proportion.
In 1874 my family raised quite . little
garden. BY drawing the water out Of .
well. filling up barrcia aud letting the
water out on the beds. In 1874 we
built the little Rocky Ford Canal and
commenced to grow good gardens.
We hauled our groceries from Kit Car.
son. 20 miles northeast Of here. Il took
from five to eight days to make q trip.
think the first school was taught by
Mr.. Van Hendricks. In a little log
house north Of William Matthews
place. The first church service was
hcid under u cottonwood tree. by
man by the name Of McMains. who
was scnt west to preach to the
hca;hcn. Andy Nichols kept the first
hotel near the Old Ford. George
Nichols. tho father OF Andy. was the
first resident of what IL now a part of
Rocky Ford. His housc was a small
adobe. af;crward bough; Il and built
one room 20 Il and lived in II for
good many years. II stood near the
present site of DR.. Frnton'. residence.
fn 1870 and ~ the railroad was built.
Ia is57 laid of town Of six blocks.
three on each side of the railroad: sfr.
Nichols moved his board .I,an,y hotel
out onto the site Of the Rockford
House. II was soon after torn down
and the prcssu, adobe buiiing was
erected by Dad Scricy. William
Bcgh;oi bull; the first store house and
owned the frat store. The store
-. al 4
the Swink warehouse. had work
in,. intcrcst tu tho store and was post.
master at that time and was tho firs,
railroad agent and express agent and
received $1,000 per month for tho ser
vice. At that time we had to meet
tn- mail with blackboard OF the
north side of tho road. We carried u
in a private sack out TO tho present
site of Rocky Ford. "a the mail route
was on tic north side of the river and
! was supposed to be postmaster at
Old Rocky Ford. the old river cross
ing. Later the route was changed TO
the railroad aud we got our mail here.
Up to iSsi I had charge of the store
aud postofficc and the greater part of
the time i was station agent aud cS-
press officer. Our customers were
mostly stoekmcn. aud Il was very
there was great difference In their
manner of trading. Our home people
deal, OH a rather conservative plan.
our Texas people judged the worth of
goods by what the goods cost. II
they did not cost a good deal they
were of no account. remember ono.
Jack Armstrong. who was Mormon.
and owned quite a lot of cattle. He
came In and asked mc II I had any
whiskcy. I told him yes. lie said he
would like TO sample Il. I drew him
about n giassfui and he drank IL and
asked IL did not have another kind.
drew him another glass. He drank
that and asked for another sample
and drank that. Then thought that
was about right and asked "what
IL the price by the barrci1" Eight
dollars" "weil,' lie said 81 guess
will take half pint"
Another time man came In will,
one of our nciEhbnrs aud took him
TO be a Missourian. lie asked me for