The Elk Mountain pilot., 1914-01-29
Community Guild Hall
A Little History of Its Origin
Its Possibilities and Good
to the Community

ago, and now reality, is the his
tory of the building in nut shell
Details will oc interesting to many,
therefore, we shall begin our story
with fighting mosquitoes and end
with our battle with the snow.
II was shortly after cur visit from
DIR. Merritt that the dream seemed
to be coming true. Little by little
parts moved together and we began
to see the faint outline of a building
growing as if by magic. But those
days and weeks were not magical,
but were full of reality and feeling,
and when the good message reached
us to go and procure your material
from the forest of grand pines, "our
joy was unbounded, hut never-the-
less was incomplete until we felt the
sting of the mosquitoes sword, and
then the battle was on. For eight
long days corps of ready men with
saws and axes tramped, traniped,
tramped to the bills, there to labor
under the spreading arms Of sturdy
trees, as one by one they were fdlled
to the ground from their great
heights. We shall not forget the
mosquitoes for they used the best
means they could to drive us from
our work, even at dinner hour they
did not leave us alone. 1t was a
victory to them when we left their
territory ut night, and we were glad
to retreat.
From here we journied to work
against many odds in wrecking the
old church at Irwin, which stood
at oneytst1le hislpst, elevations Of
any church q Itha - 1lbO9 States.
..Ai1As~aesAsalI u -. *.
thru sunshine and fnin, two ears,
furnished to us by the ID. & X. g., )
were loaded with the lumber, and
that building found its way to
Crested Butte, to be used in another
good cause for which the lumber
had long since been consecratcd
The foundation was well laid, the
frame was then constructed and
many a poor finger was bruised and
many bodies were tired as work
progressed on the building. Many
friends from New York to San Fran
cisco and from the southland to
the north were inspired to take their
pen in hand and send us encourage
ment. Some had their private
stenographer write to us, some had
to walk to the postoffice and mail
their letters, and others had to ride
for mile to the nearest office to
send their gifts. Through all OF
these various means, ranging from
the work of many calloused hands,
to the penning of letters, came
the means from which the dream
was to be realized. Six months and
more have passed since the first
signs were noticed of I: possible
community house and now when
the snow lies six feet deep and it
is still showing, we have our build-
ing to use.
You ask, what is it all for?"
and our answer is, for better men
and women, morally, physically
mentally and spiritually. We ask
you, is there any better object to
aim at in this world? Your answer?
You ask, what have you in the
building to attain these rcsults?"
We answer, a gymnasium, one of
best in this state according to the
size of the town, with ample room
for everyone to build up the body.
We also have shower bath rooms,
for cleanliness is next to godliness.
a reading room will be for the men,
tai training work, which is one of the
most essential elements for a COM
plctc model morality shall reign su-
preme thruout this building in every
line of work. Again, why did men
take up this task, why were bodies
made tired and the flesh sore, why
the many hours spent in correspond
enceg The answer: All for others.
Now, the story remains incomplete,
,cnhtin.ci on las. ra1e)