Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-14
LEFT OTTUMWA
IN LATE EIGHTIES
HEAD OF A BIG MINING CONCERN
GROUPED OTHER oTTUMWANs
ABOUT HIM AND THEY ARE
MAKING GOOD.
(BY j. X. DouGHERTY.)

fD6nV6r, COlO., july lS. -tSpecldl.J
The state of Colorado owes a big
debt to Iowa. Back in the late
eighties and early nineties when the
now great and wealthy state of the
Rocky Mountain region was passing
through its formative period, 1T was
Iowa brains and Iowa Drawn that took
up the giant task of hewing the solid
foundation for the prosperous Colo.
RADIO Of today.
Foremost among the men who
came to be known as the iowa
crowd" in Colorado was ]. G. Osgood,
who is credited with having done
more than any one man to develop
the resources of Colorado and place
it Where 1t is, in the front rank Of
mining states.
Came to Ottunwa in 1870.
1t was in Ottumwa that Mr.. Osgood
gained the first knowledge of the min
ing business He came to Ottumwa
from the east in 1870 and secured a
position with the Union Mining com
pany, off, which c. o. Godfrey and w.
J. Ladd were the owners, remaining
with that company until 1t dissolved.
Then Mr.. Osgood went to Burlington
and worked as bank clerk until Will
{ liam Haven, then, as now, promin'
ent mining operator in Ottumwa, To-
Gated the vein of coal that resulted in
the organization of the Whitebreast
Fuel company. when Mr.. Osgood went
to Chicago, opened up offices for the
new company and had a large part in
the development of the property.
Late In the eighties Mr.. Osgood
went to Denver and bought the Colo
RADIO Fuel company, then a small insti'
tuition owning and leasing few Colo
rado mining properties. Under the Os-
good management the fuel company
expanded and in short time the Col
orado Fuel and Iron company was alb
sorbed. These, two companies were
formed into the Colorado Fuel and
Iron company, which was built up by
Mr.. Osgood until 1t became what it
is today, the largest and richest cor.
poration in Colorado and one of the
largest coal and iron properties in the
world. :,
Mr.. Osgood drew his associates in
building up this mammoth business
from Iowa.
Iowa Men With G. F. & !. Co.
j. A. Kebler and John T. Kebler Of
Burlington had big part in aiding
Mr.. Osgood in the development of the
property. ]. A. Kebler rose to be the
manager of the iron department, then
vice president, and later president
John T. Kebler was manager of the
fuel department when he died two
years ago, his brother having preced
ed him in death.
DR.. Rouse was brought from Bur.
lington to be superintendent of one OF
the company's big mining properties
and R. ]. Copeland was another Bur
lington man who held responsible
position with the company
D. G. Beeman was taken from his
practice of law in Ottumwa to be
made the general counsel of the com
pany, position he still retains, an6
Mr.. Beaman has become recognized
as one of the brainest men of the Col
orado bar.
DR.. w. F. McCue, who was connect
ed with the Ottumwa Water company
was brough out to Colorado to be
made superintendent of the pipe de
partment, still retaining the position.
In 1901, A. D. Moss, who was one o
Ottumwa's pioneer dry goods mer
chants, was made assistant treasurer
of the company, and Mr.. Moss still re
tains that position in the company
whose monthly pay roll has grown tt
be from 100000 to 100000 month
S G.. Pierson, whose wife was for
merly Miss Grace Tisdale of Ottumwa
is purchasing agent of the compan,
and Lester NJ. Linton. formerly OF OF
tumwa, is the assistant PURCHASING
agent.
In the Colorado Supply company, {
subsidiary corporation which is Nvir
tually a part of the Colorado Fuel ant
Iron company, are several othel
Iowans and Ottumwans.
G. M. Schenck, the president of th,
company, came from Burlington tt
Ottumwa to be the treasurer of thu
Whitebreast Fuel company and late
joined Mr.. Osgood in Denver
A. F. Kindall, who was with the
Western Supply company in Ottumwa
Continued on page 81