Gilpin observer., 1911-03-09
THE GOOD GENN or GREGORY GULCK''
Through the Courtesy Of the Denver Republican the Observer
Reprints an Interesting Article on the Early History Of
Gipin County

certain the facts about the new lant
Of gold and acquaint the feverisf
pixies Peak or Bust" east with the
| results of their personal observations
What Greeley and Richardson saw or
that visit is written history in the
columns of the New York Tribune
and in Richardson's graphic "Beyond
the Mississippi"
When the two Investigators reach
ed Gregory gulch they found nearly
seekers swarming the deep, narrow
cash in the hills. Those $4,000 men
there were few women-included
every element of society in which
the good predominated A rough but
just miners law held the criminally
inclined within bounds or expelled
them from the camp unceremonious
ly. There were three miles of cabins
up and down the narrow gulch. form
ing one great teeming camp divide I'd
into three municipalities Black
Hawk, Central City and Nevada, and
these three municipalities remain un.
to this day, though the latter, high
est in the hills. has dropped and
shrunk while the other two have
thrived and prospered.
Mining in Colorado was just born
and though the infant had set up a
lusty cry that was heard as far away
as the Atlantic on one side and the
Pacific on the other. it was yet a
weak child and the anxious parents
knew that It's young life must be
carefully guarded or would not sur
vive. So when Mr.. Greeley and Mr..
Richardson came along to feel the
infants pulse and test its temper
ature 1t was determined that the re
port should be favorable, whatever
the cost. So the good but shrewd
miners of Gregory gulch decided tc
take no chance. and the few survi
vors Of the golden era tell you this
with a wink Of the eye and mingled
feelings Of pride and shame. There
was gold in Gregory gulch. Everybody
knew that. for everybody was taking
1t out But there were barren spots
as we'll as rich ground and word had
come that Mr.. Greeley has said no
thing would satisfy him except
the extraction Of gold from the
ground with his own hands. He woul'
take a pan and himself wash out the
dirt.
! So what did these worthy miner:
do but arrange plan by which Mr.
Greeley would be offered his choice
o: dozen or a score Of spots from
which to dig the golden dust. Te
make assuranc, doubly sure. the hon
est miners loaded their shotguns uI
and shot the precious loads into the
ground at those places that had beer
selected for inspection.
The whole camp met Mr.. Greeley
mine. which afterwards became cele
brated. The great editor and farmer
was told to dig anywhere. and ht
did. only like the spectator at tht
sleight. Of hand siow. he unknowing
ly took the card that was dexter
ously forced on him by the professor
of egerdemain-and Colorado becam,
the great mining state it has remain
ed ever since.
GreeIey's salted Mine.
1t wasn't cheating. The gold tina
was shot into the ground had al
come from Gregory gulch, and there
was plenty more there. as was prove
millionwise in subsequent years. bu
here was an emergency that had t.
be met. The country would be ruin
ed forever II the great Now Yorl
Tribune should declare 1t fraud ant
a humbug. No chances could be TAX
en-. No chance was taken.
| Gathered around Mr.. Greeley tina
day were miners. storekeepers. law
yers. engineers, bankers. gold dus
buyers. gamblers, adventurers an,
the rag-tag and bob.tail Of all minin.
camps. and over tho heads OF al
lowered the genius Of Gregory gulch
Good fortune persistently pursue
those that tho kindly disposed JIM
had marked for their own. At on
time. less than 20 years after tn
Greeley verdict. the political destinie
OF Colorado. both at tho nationa
capital at Washington and the stat
capital at Denver. were in the hand
of men who had lived and toiled an
fought together in Gregory gulch.
Jerome b. Chaffee and Henry N
Teller went to the senate and Jim
Belford. sometimes called "the Rex
headed Rooster Of the Rockies" b
those who loved him. sat In the low
or house. Chaffee. whose daughte