New-York tribune., 1909-01-03
LEADVILLE PIONEERS
WILL CELEBRATE
SEVENT'Y-NINERS TO RE
NEW MEMORTES.
Days Of Prodigal Wealth, Despera-
does and VigiIantes To BE
Recalled at Reunion.

Recalled at Reunion.
What the Forty-niner is to California. the Sew
snty-niner is TO Colorado, for the chances are
that the man who in the Centennial States in
1873 took part in the grand rush LeadviIe and
helped to make history OK picturesque in
that feveTish mining camp at timber line. the
crest OF the continent Plans afoot for a
union Of SeveRty-nineTs in Leadville late this
month, and the celebration Of oldtimers will shed
interesting sideghts of the most picturesque
eras IN frontier history. When the Leadvile boom
set the whole country agog. the West its
widest and woolliest- Most Of the steel that
shipped West in the form OF revolvers- The
West was full Of soldiers Of fortune, ready for
anything the gods of chance might send-and most
Of them praying for new gold camp One day
The prayer was answered for early in 1879 the word
came cut Of the Rockies that mine Of fabulous
richness had been opened the foot Of Mount
Massive. one Of the highest peaks IN Colorado. 1t
was brief but thrilling story, the stories of
new gold camps always 1t that q
keeper named Tabor had 'grUbstaked' two miners
raIned Rische and Hook. who had sunk a shaft
one OF the most unpromising hills in the district
The miners came back several times after
grub and Tabors friends advised him to turn
them of; but the storekeeper said he had faith
"a the men and sent them back with full packs.
One day Tahor's faith was rewarded, for, at a
depth OF twenty-eight feet, these TWO poverty
stricken miners uncovered a lode Of SURPRISING
richness This the beginning OF the Little
Fittshurg mine. Of the greatest mines ever
opened IN the West-and also It was the beginning
OF the spectacular career of Horace A W. Tabor
who opened mine after mine, and acquired million
after million only TO have every dollar swept
away from him few years later. There was no
doubling the genuineness OF the discovery made by
Hook and Risclle- The smelter returns from the
showed fabulous values The spread
like wiIdfre. and soon Fryor Hill. the OF
the strike, was covered with claims and shafts. On
this hill were developed such great mines the
Robert z. Lee. Climax. Dives Duncan, etc. Other
hills were prospected and gave rich returns
THE RUSH TO LEADVILLE.
Barly in 1873 tie rush TO LeadviIe began There
railroad the camp from Denver. The
reckless and women who rushed TO the
camp had 10 stage II" the toughest oc noun
tain roads Every pound Of produce consumed in
the camp had TO be freigfted by wagon, and men
who able to resist the lure Of the mines made
Independent fortunes in this business the freight
rate . cents pound. Passenger rates were
in proportion. Hnd the stage proprietors waxed
wealthy IN carrying the adventure-seeking thou
sands The camp. As II by magic a city
of twenty-five thousand people was born among
the clouds. nearly eleven thousand feet above sea
level. Leadv3ne merits the name the Cloud
City which given 1t in early days. At such
an altitude pneumonia is almost invariably fatal
and the death roll Of the camp reached alarm
ing proportions In addition to pneumonia, des-
peradoes began 10 reap q death harvest 1t seemed
II all the desperate characters in the West had
come 10 this seethiag camp. where dawn found
the lights still lit Saloons hurdy-gurdys. honka-
tonks and gambling dens constituted majority
Of the business establishments. At night it was
not safe for q to venture out of the glare Of
lights in the centre Of town In fact, ii was none
safe in the heart Of Leadville. for the despe-
radoes were so strong that they laughed at the
suggestion OF law and order. The usual morning
Inquiry was: rs there a man for breakfast! Csu-
elly l. was found that one had been mur-
dered IL the Of the night, and the killing
furnished a breakfast table topic Of conversation
The desperadoes did not corfine themselves 10
ordinary hOld-ups and gaming table murders
They jumped mining claims in the hills sometimes
and shot the rightful owners who made protest
Then they formed themselves into unique asso-
citation known a. the lot jumpers" City lots in
LeadVille had risen 10 enormous values Lots that
would not bring SIS fail Of 1878 held at
SIS 600 in the spring OF 1873. The lot Jumpers made
& specially Of jumping the most valuable city
property. just as they jumped the valuable mining
claims that were comparatively unprotected In
come instances where buildings had been started
the Tot jumpers drove the WorkInen away and
pitched the lumber into the street and then calmly
announced that they would hold the property
against ell claimants One man who had built a
store on q valuable lot and who slept IN the place
reused al midnight and chased into the street
Fke the lot Jumpers took possession Of the prop
erty. Another who had barricaded his door
smoked out" by a yoley OF bullets fred
through his frame store. He narrowly escaped
death. and satisfied TO make hasty retreat
and leave his property in the hands OF the des-
per2Goes.
one night, however, little barber named Book
haus changed all this. He d rank tender
foot" ard carried a revolver Of tiny cabre. This
be held In his hand when he making mis- way
home at midnight. He Set by two high
wAymen. and when he held up his hands his pistol
was accidentally discharged. The bullet struck one
Of the highwayInen in the heart, and the other
fellow away, after shooting few times the
frightened barber. Bockhaus fired instinctivey at
the other hghwaynan and wounded him Then he
gave the alarm and collapsed through fear The
wounded highwayman captured and proved 10
lie z desperate named Stewart The whole town
viewed ths body CT the dead highwayman and
right then and there q vigantes' committee was
formed The committee told undesirable citizen
named Frodsham TO hit the trail" FrOdsham. who
had been a leader OF the Tot Jumpers laughed.
That very day lie jumped lot and staggered
through The streets boasting OF his deed. de was
promptly arrested and thrown in jail with the
wounded highygayIran. Stewart. That night a
crowd OF determined men formed. The Sheriff was
captured and his keys taken from him. Silently
the crowd marched the jail, unlocked the doors
and took Frodsham and Stewart. They were
hanged 10 the joists Of building, and notice
was pinned the breast reading as fol-
lows
VIGILANTES TAKE A HAND.
Notice to all lot thieves. bunco steerers. foot