Gilpin observer., 1916-07-27
THURSDAY, JULY 9th, 1916.
EX-SENATOR PATTERSON DIES

Ex.-U. S. Senator Thomas NJ. Pat
terson died at his home in Denver
last Sunday of apoplexy after few
days illness.
Mr.. Patterson was one of the re-
manning few that was a potent fac
tor in state and national affairs,
since Colorado joined the sisterhood
of states forty years ago. Mr.. Pat
terson, in 1872, then a young lawyer,
came to Denver, then large village,
opened law office and began the
practice of law His zeal for his
client, combined with that rich and
overflowing wit, characteristic of the
Celtic race, soon won him fame, and
in 1874 was elected by the territory
a Democratic delegate to congress,
where he was successful in getting
passed the enabling act that later
made Colorado one of the states Of
the union.
In August 1876, the president pro-
claimed Colorado a free and independ-
ent state, and Mr.. Patterson and
Judge Belford were selected as op-
posing congressional candidates. Col
orado's population at that time was
in the mining section, and the two
contending parties arranged for the
candidates to hold joint debates in
every mining hamlet.
The campaign that followed was
one of the most exciting that was
ever pulled off in the state, as these
giant expounders of ora.ory presented
their respective issues to large out
door meetings in the mining sections
and resulted in the sending of Mr..
Patterson as Colorado's first repres-
entative to congress.
In 1892, Mr.. Patterson purchased
the Rocky Mountain News and after
wards the Denver Times, and the
welding of these two papers made
his influence in politics a power in
tie state, and secured for him the
office of United States senator in
1901.
Mr.. Patterson never was what is
termed, a philanthropist, although
through his influence and that of his
papers, many poor family had their
tables well laden with dainty viands
at Thanksgiving and Christmas times
and where a case of destitutiOn was
reported, he saw that the family was
amply provided for.
Mr.. Patterson was frugal in his
habits, and invested all his spare
money, mostly in Denver real estate
that so increased in value, that at
his death he was reputed to be very
wealthy. Fer the past forty years he
has been cartooned and maligned by
the public press, but in all that time,
the finger of SANDER was never point
ed to his morality, nor a breath
of suspicion traced to graft in the
accumulation of his great wealth.
Mr.. Patterson was not always
right on public questions as the ma
jority viewed them. but like the late
Senator Wolcott, he weighed mat
ters carefully, and when convinced
that he was right expounded his prin.
ciples, regardless CT the outcome
To his friends he Qike Wolcot) was
true, and unrelenting to his enemies
These characteristics naturally made
him enemies. In the campaign OF
1914 his friends forced him to be-
come the Democratic candidate fol
governor in which he was beaten, ant
this defeat. like that Of Greeley and
Blaine, undoubtedly had much to dc
In the shortening of his useful life
In the law, as a journalist. and In
the prevention OF graft, he was 9
success, and as time in its never
ceasing evolution. adds to the pages
Of Colorado's history. the name o.
Thomas NJ. Patterson will ever b,
prominent as one of the chief found
ers Of the greatest rare metals state.
Of the most enlightened and humane
republics on earth.