The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-15
ELOQUENT Tribute to Pioneers
Ex-Governor Adams Pays Homage to Jackson's Memory.

it was those January mornings fifty
years ago when Jackson and his dog
Drum in the solitary camp fought the
wildcat and piled high the log fire to
thaw the ice-lock to the treasure chest
of God, and revealed the gold that
plat ID Colorado upon the map of liber-
ty and civilization. Jackson, Gregory
Sand their discover es were the genisis +
the new commonwealth. Had there
been no Jacksons to challenge the wild
erness; had the pay gold of these gulch-
es remained hidden, Colorado to-day
would have been but pasture land and
Denver but trading post.
Real estate boomers and boosters can
site the infancy of Colorado as justifi-
cation of their extravagant enticements
of investors. For year before these
diggings were opened, thousands of ad-
venturers swarmed over our foothills
and through our gulches, stories of
new California, of a new Ophir had
been industriously spread throughout
the states. The country was ripe for
mining excitement. The panic of 1857
had subsided, filling the land with
tragedy, with financial wrecks and
broken fortunes, depression rested upon
commerce. The hunt was eager for
new fields. The wild stories that came
from the gold mines fired the imaglna-
ton and Pixies Peak became the mecca
of a new crusade, and pixies Peak or
Bust the battle cry of new army OF
occupation. The reports were indefl-
nite-the more aluring for their uncer-
tainty. 1t IS imagination and not
mathematics that start great move
ments among men, 1t was not exact
information that was sought; freight
ers, traders, stage lines, every interest
that could reap profit sent out reports
of mysterious Ell Dorados. Here was
place where the bankrupt could start
again; where the depressed could find
nactivity; where youth could find ro-
nance and adventure; where all could
gather gold, The truth of the first
years results would have marked no
trail, would have started no argosies of
hope, would have set no fleets of prairie
schooners sailing out into the west.
Rumor fed the excitement while facts
would have killed enthusiasm. Out
side of the hills every river, creek and
dry gulch was penetrated. Color was
found everywhere, but little pay few
prospectors gathered enough gold to
fill bycuspid; not enough gold was dug
to support hundred people. The little
found was spread with the skill of a
gold beater until it covered the imagl-
nation of the nation with a golden
glow Every grain was magnified into
an ounce and every ounce into for
tune. The sands were SO stingy that
the paintings of camp would scarce
support an evening poker game. Not
withstanding the poverty of the re-
turns, great stories of rich finds circu-
lated; the caravans kept coming. Even
the discouraged "go backs" could not
stay the tide of tenderfoot goldseekers.
The gathering of thousands of splen-
did men in this remote wilderness was
tribute to advertising. The pioneers
believed that our mountains were rich
and they preached their belief; they
never doubted; they were apostles of
= 4he gospel that faith inspired faith,
Apfdence begets confidence, and that
cold feet never built great state.
Mining may be a gamble, but it is a
noble hazard, and our prospectors had
the courage of their faith and placed
their stake on 3s. They were sturdy
band OF heroes, these argonauts of '5S
and SO. Hall says in his history that
in January, before Jackson's find was
developed, before a genuine mine was
found or opened, before the soil had
been tested, seed sown or tree
planted, those hopeful men met and re-
solved that it was "a country rich in
gold, timber, rock and crystal water, -
and called convention to organize a
state government, elect senators and
officials. 1t was an act of sublime con-
fidence if not colossal nerve and deserv-
ed success. The Almighty sympa-
thized with these self-relient men, and
to prove that the gods help those who
help themselves, he gave them the
vision to see the snow-hidden treasure
and to lead them to the rich deposits
here and in Gregory and Russell gulches.
This was the origin. Here the first
stake was planted. 1t was the hour of
fate, the psychological moment when an
empire hung in the balance. That
Jackson's hunting knife uncovered the
gold was providential event, directed
by Providence. Until jackson gather
ed the few ounces from the frozen