The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-28
.OLD-T|MER TELLS
OF LIFE IN WEST
Visitor at Fort Madison Was One of
the First Stage Coach Driv- NJ
ers in the
West
WAS IN FRISCO QUAKE
Lost Everything He Had in the Earth
quake Disaster-Reiatives
Live at Fort
Madison.
WAS IN FRISCO QUAKE

Fort Madison Democrat: c. J. Nc.
lntosh of San Francisco, Calf, a pho.
neer of Colorado, is the guest of Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Duball Of 219 Maple
street, of this city.
Mr.. Mcintosh is the son of Captain
L. A. Mcintosh, well known in this
part of the country, who was one OF
the pioneer pilots on the lower rapids
of the Mississippi between Montrose
and keokuk and plotted boats up and
down the river in the late '40's and
and early sos. He also was one of the
contractors who assisted in building
the Burlington railroad through Fort
Madison and was engaged at the same
time in the lumber shipping business
with headquarters at Montrose.
Mr.. Mcintosh, who is visiting In the
city, was born in Montrose on March
40. 1858, and at an early age moved
with his parents to Memphis, Mo.
where his father was engaged in the
steamboat work on the river up until
the outbreak of the civil war, when
his father enlisted in the army as a
sharpshooter. serving a period of
nine months when his term expired.
He then took his family out west, To-
eating in Denver, Colo, which, at
that time, was net as large as Mont
rose but has since grown to be known
as one of the most beautiful cities of
the west and has a population of $780,
600 inhabitants.
1t was during Mr. McIntosh's resi-
dence in the west that his life of yar1-
alton began. At an early age, as soon
as he was able to work, he took up
the work of herdsman, and at the age
of fifteen was a regular frontier cow
boy, making his home on the great
plains of Texas, Wyoming and the
mountains of Utah and Colorado. He
was one Of the original drivers of
cattle from Texas to the northern
states and territories where thew were
shipped back east. Later he became
stage driver on one of the first stage
lines between Denver and Kansas City
and on account Of the large number
of cavalry men present in that part
of the country at that time, also took
up the work of hay contractor.
During the time he. served as a
stage driver it was no uncommon
thing to drive the distance between
Colorado Springs and Leadyiile, dis
tance of 1873 miles, in one day. which
was accomplished by changing the
horses every ten or twelve miles and
always his stage was accompanied by
q body of armed men, for great part
of the gold bullion was sent overland
on his route and had to be guarded
against bandits which infested the
country at the time.
After be had served period Of
time as herdsman in the southwest,
he drifted back to Denver where no
engaged himself in the saddle max
ing business, grocery, ETC., and was
then taken into the government rost-
al service, having the honor of being
the fifteenth letter carrier appointed
in the state Of Colorado.
Nc. Mcintosh had the great misfor-
tune of being in San Francisco dur
ing the earthquake and fire and like
hundreds of others. lost all he pos
sessed and also suffered the pain of
losing his wife as the result of in
juries which she sustained during the
disaster.
He is a brother Of Mrs. William
Singer of Montrpse and an uncle of
Mrs. Frank Dubal, with whom he has
come to make his home.