Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-27
PIONEER OF THE olO West
DAVID K. WALL MAKES VISIT
TO WASHINGTON.
Was a Stage Driver in 1879 and
Wants to See President
Roosevelt.

One OF the pioneers of the old west
David X. Wall. at present living in Den
YER. Col, has been In Washington for the
past week sightseeing and also in the
interest of a claim against the govern
ment for carrying mail in the bygone
stage days. The present trip of Mr.. Wall
~ years. and though astounded at the
changes in that time. he says he recog-
nizes many familiar sights.
The old frontiersman is stopping at 22s
North Capitol street. Speaking of his life
and experiences yesterday to Star re-
porter. Mr.. Wall who appears to be little
more than sixty years old, told of leaving
mis- home In South Bend, Ind. during the
gold craze in ls43 in California and stag
ing it across the continent to the Pacific
coast in 1850.
After got there" he said Il mined
ard farmed ana sold merchandise for
three wears. I saved enough money to
buy fifty mules. and purchasing my stock
in Frisco shipped it up the Sacramento
river to the head of navigation. and there
packed ii on the mules. The journey
then led some 80 or POO miles over and
in the mountains into the gold regions.
Arriving there l sold my goods at fabu-
lous prices.
Il tell you. that journey with the pack
team was journey. Thieves, thugs
robbers OF various grades. were only in
cidents. The prize was worth the risk,
though"
After three years in the gold regions OF
the Pacific. Mr.. Wall. in company with
several other men, concluded to settle in
Colorado. They made the journey from
San Francisco to near the present site of
Denver. by wagon. where they each
toLA n,,t 1ot, nd 10
and incidentally mining. Mr.. Wall stated
that near the present site OF the town Of
GOulden, about twelve miles west Of Den
yer, the first gold ever mined in Colorado
was taken from the earth by himself a
cousin and one of their companions and
so far as he knows was the first Of what
is known Is lead mining. The deposit was
found on the ridge Of a fairly high noun
tain spur and cleared anywhere from 70
cents to s. in every pan washed.
His move west. MIR. Wall stated had
proved profitable to him from a financial
standpoint.
His claim against the government,
which amounts to $4,000. he stated. was
fo.' carrying mail from the constructed
end of the Denver. South Park and Pa
cfc railway 10 Leadville. which was
building between that place and Denver.
in 1879. gold having been discovered in
that locality several years previous. The
present claim arose from Mr.. Wallis buy
ing out another man who ran stage ana
held the contract for carrying the mail:
but it is alleged he failed to have the
contract adjusted. The mail carrying
lasted for several years and the traffic
was particularly heavy In running the
stage line about 90 horses and twenty
three stages were used with relays
twelve miles apart. At each trip IT was
necessary to run from two to six stages
with separate wagon for the mail.
Mr.. Wall expects to be presented to
President Roosevelt at the White House
tomorrow morning by one of the Colorado
congressional representatives, after which
he will leave for his home