The Washington herald., 1908-08-01
Bv FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Colorado. the Centennial state. one
hundred years younger than the Union. I
today celebrates It's thirty-second birth I
day There are 50 many wonderful things /
in the United States that IT is impossible /
70 select one and say this is the greatest
thing IN America But if an American
should be called upon 10 point out that
one feature Of his country which in itself
IS the epitome and reflection Of all that
is wonderful IN American progress and
new-world civilization. he would turn 10
Colorado
On August /. 1876. just thirty-two years
ago. Colorado became one Of the States
Of the Federal Union. Eighteen years
before that. Colorado was a waste Of
mountain and desert. which had not Yet
known civilization. and which was unin-
habited save by a few savages- Il is
Just fifty years since the first introduc-
ton OF civilization. the first permanent
settlement 20 the Colorado Of to-day
History contains no more wonderful rec
ord than that
To-day Colorado ranks high among its
sister States. As Yet Il has not the great
population OF Eastern COmmo1wealtfS.
but Il has plenty Of room Its mines give
Up wondroUs toll IN gold and silver, lead
and coal each year. Its mountain slopes
afford pasture for countless hocks OF
sheep Its farms support its own people
and give OF their bounty 70 the rest OF
the world. although Colorado Is not &c
counted an agricultural State. Potatoes
grown in Colorado are worth more IN
the markets than potatoes grown else
where The Rock Ford cantaloupe IS
worth three times as much as its Coarser
cousin from other states. and the canta-
loupe growers everywhere boast that
they use seed propagated in Colorado
Denver. the capital and metropolis Of
the state. is one OF the most beautiful
cities Of the country Sitting aloft. a
mile above the level Of the sea. il vel
comes the visitor from the lowlands 10 a
climate OF IuVtEOrGTiOn and delight Re
Gently IT entertained the Democratic n1-
tional convention, and everybody agreed
that Denver had beaten al records for
entertaining and hospitality.
C0loradO's gold and silver. Colorado s
miIIionai-es. COIoradO's melons. and Col
orado's ozone are known al over she
world. II is difficult 20 believe that al
these things have been brought into be-
ing within the span of half century
a look backward al the days EalI for
gotten viii not fan 20 prOdt-
Spanish g0id-seekeTs and missionaries
were the first white people 10 enter The
bounds
They found neither gold 10 be gaTnereC
nor souls TO be shriven. and they did uo
tarry- In IT6. the year Of American IN
dependence. and just q century ne-or'
Colorado became a state. there was
Spanish settlement started in the south
western part Of the territory, but IT neve
amounted 10 anything
American exploration began soon afte
q portion Of the present State was aC
Quired by the Louisiana purchase Presi
dent Jefferson ssnt Lieut. ZebuIon PIX
10 the West he found the great pea
which bears his name, although Il va
not so chrisrened until many years after
Pike was killed fighting the British il
Canals IN ISl3 MAJ Stephen Long. d
-Ns. Capt B L E Bonneville in ls3-
and Lent John c. Fremont. III Is42. wer
three other American army officers VIII
explored this land OF promise But the
were merely pathfnders, not settlers an
when they left Colorado they left bs
hind them no permanent mark Of n
advancing tide Of civilization Even II
fabIed discovery OF gold IN 1s02 by Jams
Pursley. OF Bairdstown, KY did not 20
cite great interest IN the then far ava
lands
The old proverb about the III wind
proved in the case Of Colorado, for II
10 the disastrous financial panic OF IS
that the State owes its beginning Thl
panic was caused by the great imitation
The currency By the issue OF state bar
notes. Il was q panic which struck Til
and poor alike. and many fortunes We
destroyed By II. Men turned toward q
West with hope for the future Down
Geo-zia the panic wrecked one ". Gre
Russell. OF Dawson County He gather
seven other companions in misfortu1
about him and one day in February. IS
they started for the Rocky Mountains.
Before the summer was over Russ.
and his companies aided by q sQUaw II,
whom they found IN the mountains, h
founded the City Of Denver This W
not 10 be a settlement for day or
wear. and the settlers showed by tnt
deueanor that success was the only q
.1 contemplation Tie town was call
s. Charles and was laid out under [
laws of the Territory Of Kansas, Of VIII
Colorado was then d part The name "
changed 10 ''Deuver'' in honor OF CT
] W. Denver, who was then governor
Kansas
That III wind was stiU blowing go
20 Denver The panic was sorely O
rressInE the country and Horace Gree
was saying Go West, young man Co
rado told the world. by its slow COUmU
cation through the Western army POS
that Il had gold and wealth for all
tide OF immigration turned 10 its dir
rfon. and as was the case with @
forula utue years before, the adEentJi
and the outlaw went along with
honest and hardy pioneer But n
were no uollycoddles-
BY April 1888. less than year af
the first real settlement, the people
colorado deemed themselves quite re1
for Statehood. and set about obtain
thar boon. a convention was called
meet in Denver. although there "
fewer than eco people in the whole Tel
rorv This convention met and. y
Characteristic spirit, declared the sect
10 be independent OF the Territory
Kansas II then set up a provisional e
e-Duert for the Territory Of Jefferso
selected a governor. and a delegate
Congress. and proceeded to do bUsin'
While the convention was IN sesSl
on April a. 1S59. 20 be exact wa
train bearing a printing press, and
co-lpan MED by William y Eyers
Thomas Gibson. arrived in Denver 7
davs later the Rocky Mountain News '
horn and Denver had a newspaI
When The convention reached its con,
sion. the News took down the name
kansas and substituted that Of the Te
tory OF jefferson at the head OF its
ynans. Those were brave days and br
men