Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-11
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Within month after ratification OF
the treaty by congress, opening the
country, save a fifteen mile strip east
to west, for settlement, people began
to leave Bakers park to locate
ranches and prospect in the La Plata
mountains, but the conditions being
made more favorable at Silverton. by
the erection Of q smelter. that section
took and held the lead in mining until
this day. Among the first to locate
ranches in the Animas valley were
Frank Williams, Seth Sackett. Frank
Trimble, for whom .Trimble Springs
are named, A. johnson. David Miller
and Robert Dwyer. A number of cab
ins were built that fall near the juno
ton Of Hermosa river with the AMI
mas. Mr.. Dwyer built q cabin on his
ranch, on junction. a part Of which
is now Brookside addition, and re-
manned there that winter. In the fall
Of '73 Alex Wilson. Mason Greenleaf,
William Brookover. NJ White. William
Crowell and others came in from Ari-
zona to prospect In the La Plata noun
tains. but reaching there late, con-
tinued on to Del Norte to winter. or
ganizing at Denver In the spring OF
1874 a syndicate for continued ex-
ploration OF the La Platas. A. R. Lew
Is, A. Chubbuck and James Kinney
Joined the party at Denver In the
spring Of IA and reached the La Plata
river on May 4. They brought wagons
around by Ojo Caliente. New Mexico.
and begun an early campaign for the
recovery Of placer gold from the La
Plata bar. Some Of these located
ranches while waiting for the SHOWS
to disappear. When they went In to
go to work ON the bar they found an
other party In charge Of the ground,
but compromise was effected, and
all Joined together In the location OF
twenty acre tracts. 1t was called the
California bar and later mining dis
trict of that name was organized; hav-
Ing no known bounds. but contemplat-
ing as the chief object, embracing the
La Plata mountain group. The Par
rott City Ditch company was formed:
T. M. Trippe and brother. Charles. A.
NJ. Fuller. Seth Sackett, Robert Dwyer
and Hugh Lambert and sons. were
then improving their ranches in the
Animas valley above Durango. Thus
began the development of what is
now La Plata county, and Bakers
park, which had begun to attract much
attention for its mineral discoveries,
was at that time a part Of the La
Plata. 1t was that year that Dempsey
Reese, Bill Mulholland and Thomas
Blair mapped and plated the town Of
Silverton. Eureka. Animas Forks and
Mineral Point were next established
as mining towns, and later Gladstone.
Howardsville. at the mouth Of Gun
ningham and stoney gulches. was the
first settlement there however. A toll
road was begun over Grassy Hill route
toward Del Norts. and another east Of
there to connect was built
They Welcomed Food.
On July 4, 1874. A. Chubbuck. q.
H. Cooper and Harry Jones. a colored
boy, arrived from Denver with sup
plies at La Plata and we're greeted
by the prospectors who had run out
Of provisions. The Fourth menu was
beans, bacon and bread with sugar
for the coffee. John Moss was elected
first recorder OF the new California
mining district. Silverton. forty-five
miles north. was growing and George
Greene & Co. OF Iowa, were breaking
ground for the building OF smelter.
opening the first general merchandise
store there. managed by w. K Earl.
At that time many OF the explorers
we're working in both the La Plata
md Silverton districts. travelling to
md fro over the old Baker trail. be-
ween the two campA