Cañon City record., 1909-07-08
FRONTIER SKETCHES

their failure to come at the right
time. This angered the outlaws and
they proceeded to shoot up the town,
killing the Jew, who while not partic-
ularly popular was straight, relia-
BILE business man; another man, four
women and child who happened
to get in their path were shot in cold
blood.
1t is likely that had the robbers
secured the 100000 or merchandise
of considerable value the matter
would have been passed by with slight
interest Indignation was intense at
the UNANIMOUSLY atrocious murders,
and the voice of the whole southwest
was raised for their capture and that
they be brought to justice. A re-
ward of 100000 was promptly offered
by the authorities of Cochise county
as an incentive to start their own, ,ele-
ment to bring in the six desperadoes.
Within Two weeks they were behind
the bars of Tombstone Jail. The vfgi-
lantes' organization at that time was
400 strong, but no thought of lynch
ing was entertained for all knew that
the law would take its course speed
lily and effectually, and the populace
was heartily tired of taking the law
in their own hands
y v u
The Gold Stampede of Fffty-Nine:
During the winter of 1S5S-59 the pa
pers generally throughout the United
States began to give publicity to a
great gold discovery reported to have
been made in the Pixies Peak region
of the Rocky mountains. From week
to week as time passed more extended
accounts were given until the reports
of gold finds became of a fabulous
proportions. The discovery was re-
ported to have been made in Cherry
creek, at or near its junction, with
the South Platte river, and one Of the
newspapers published in Cleveland.
Ohio. printed a picture which was
claimed to be a map of the country.
Pixies Peak was given as the central
igure. The South Fork Of the Platte
river was represented as flowing out
from the mountain near its base and
Cherry creek as coming out of a gorge
in the mountain side. forming a juno
ton with the Platte in the low lands
at which point Denver was designa-
ted.
Reports went so far as to claim that
gold was visible in the sands of tho
creek-bed and that the banks would
pay from grass roots to bed rock. Peo-
pie became wild with excitement and
. stampede to Pixies Peak appeared
Inevitable The great question with
the excited people was as to the
shortest. cheapes and quickest way
to get to the country. with little
thought of personal safety or comfort.
or as to how they should get back In
the event of failure. But the problem
was soon believed to have been solved
to the satisfaction of all concerned.
A brilliant idea took possession OF
the fertile brain of an energetic Buck
eye citizen
plan was conceived and to an
extent put into execution. A canal
boat which had been converted into u
steam tug was secured. not only for
the purpose of transporting the null
titudes from Cleveland to Denver. but
to transport the millions OF treasures
back to civilization or as was then
put TO Gods country" Passengers
were advertised for at 800 a head.
The route given was as follows: From
Cleveland. Ohio. thence via Illinois
canal to the mouth of the Mississippi
river. then to the mouth of the Miss
ouri river and up the Missouri to the
mouth of the Platte and thence up the
Platte to Denver. 1t was with pride
that this boat was advertised as the
first to form line of steamers which
would regularly navigate the Platte.
OF course this trip was never made
for in fact at certain seasons of the
year it would be difficult to float q
two-inch plank down the river from
Denver to the Missouri. Yet this is
but illustrative of the hundreds Of
visionary, crude and novel plans con-
ceived and adopted by the thousands
OF so-called Pixies Peakers who
swarmed the plains between Denver
and the border during the early part
of 1859. Having caught the fever and
as there was no remedy for the dis
ease equal to the gold hunters ex-
perience. horses and wagon werc se-
cured and with travelling companions
the trip was made by land. Kansas II