Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-11

the company plating townsite.
Later John Morse, Mason Jackson.
Dan Culver, Mr.. Tighlman. F. A Foin
and John Fowler became associated.
Birth of Durango.
When it had been decided to build
the Rio Grande from Alamosa over
Conejos range to the Animas river a
number seeing the opportunity, came
here and purchased lands, James l..
Luttrell representing the purchasers.
principal of whom were Dr. Bell and
General Palmer. In the fall OF 1881
the town was plated and the first
buildings were erected along the rail-
road track, few more substantial
structures starting along the present
principal street, Maine avenue. A
number of residences were hurried TO
completion that fall and winter, on
the mesa or high grounds east. In
the spring of 81 other additions, in
Guiding North Durango, were plated
and building continued as fast as lum-
ber could be procured from number
of nearby sawmills. The first bricks
at the corner of Main avenue and
Ninth street, were completed in 81 by
C. M. Williams. In the beginning the
law abiding people had sore trials
with that ruffianism which has fol
lowed the border of civilization from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. Since the
fall of 80 the city has grown to a
population of nearly 5000, with three
of the largest school buildings In the
| west and five of the most modern
church edifices. The city was first
| lighted with electricity in the spring
| OF 1887. The first street cars were
operated in 1890, and the first electric
line was built to Animas City during
| the years of 81 and '92.
Durango has three of the most sub
stantial banks in the west, carrying
| an aggregate deposit of $2,OOO,OO
They are the First National, Colorado
| State and Smeter City State.
| Contemporaneous with Durango in
| stitutions is the lockwood powel
| plant, twenty-three miles north, oil
the Animas river, supplying the mine'
and mills of the San Juan minins
camps with electric power. The plan
contemplates increasing its 60,0O'
horse power and constructing various
|
| building OF lines of transit.
| Durango has but one smelter, tina
| OF the American Smelling & Rehnins
company, controlling nearly all th'
| smelters in the United States, as wei
| as others abroad. In 1881 it wal
| about a fifty ton plant Today 1t II
| treating over 500 tons of ores ant
materials. Durango has two large ma
chine shops and three modern found
ries. Some of the larger stores carr,
stocks of goods exceeding 100000
| Durango has located in its mids
one of the largest state fish hatch
cries in Colorado, for the propagation
of mountain trout. It was establish
ed in 1894 at point in the vale.
above but was brought to the city II
1904. Millions of young fish are fur
| nished from here for all the stream
in the south half of the state. Thi
southwest region today is regarde,
as one of the most attractive fishinl
sections in the west.
The first newspaper established II
Durango wasthe Daily Record. by Mrs
C. w. Romney, issued in January. 81
in small tent, while building wa
being erected in front of 1t. Governo
Hunt backed the enterprise. The sec
ond paper soon followed by John Reid
who purchased the Southwest whicl
had been established in Animas City II
the fall of 70 by Eugene Engley, NOV
ing the plant to Durango. The thir
paper. The Herald. soon followed b.
George Marsh of Michigan. The pres
ent papers are published as follows
Daily and Semi-Weekly Herald by G
n. and S. W. Raymond, Daily an,
Weekly Democrat by Thos. H. Tulley
and the Banner by o. s. Galbreatt
The first election was held in Du
rango in the spring OF 1881, whel
John Taylor was elected mayor, witt
six councilmen. There are a mayo
and eight councilmen today.
Durango now has four railways, ur
der the same Gould or Rio Grand
system; one to Silverton, one to tn
east, one to the west and one t
Pennington. N. NJ. The building o
the Southern Pacific railway from 1t
main line south, to Durango in tn
near future is regarded as assured.
Durango has three parks, among tn
handsomest and best kept in the west
Coal Made Durango.
Little was known of the coal re
sources lying on three sides of Du
range when the first smelte. was bull
but 1t was evident then that ther,
would be enough to operate tn,
smelter. Since 1881 much has beer
done in the exploration of the Goa
area, which has been proven to b,
one of the most extensive in tn,
world avtapding on into Nau Mavtc,