The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-08-07

was much talk of reputation. moth
matter was in the courts for several
years, and finally the over-lssue was
scaled down or refunded into a lower
rate Of interest and settled to the
satisfaction Of the bond holders
After that the county grew richer in
assets and taxable property and bust
ness like methods prevailed in the ex-
penditure of its funds, SO that the
credit Of the County has been the
very best ever since.
The Commissioners built two roads
One up the Maroon Pass to connect
toward Aspen from Crested Butte.
with the one built by Pitkin County
and one over Pearl Fass, reaching
nearly to Ashcroft. There was SO
much criticism over the Pearl Pass
road that the Commissioners invited
a delegation of representative citi-
zens to go along with them when
they went to view and accept the
road from the contractors. From the
amount Of wet goods taken along it
is needless to say that favorable
report was made, but it proved to
be a waste of money as the road was
never used but one or two seasons.
1t was worth a mans life to attempt
to go over there in the winter.
In the summer of 1880 James b.
Grant, a mining engineer just out Of
allegation. Mr.. Grant was afterwards
Freiburg, Germany, came over from
Leadville to report on the Irwin
mines. He was of the firm Of Eddy,
James & Grant afterwards famous
ore smelling company with works in
Denver and Omaha. After he return
ed to Leadville it was reported that
he called the veins "knife blade
seams" Dick Irwin addressed COM
munication to the Pilot denying the
allegation. Mr.. Grant was afterwards
elected governor on the Democratic
ticket and took for his private sec
retary N. P. Babcock, who was editor
of the Gunnison News Democrat at
that time a daily paper. Mr.. Bah
cock, If living, is writer on the New
York daily papers to this day. Gov
srnor Grant died few years ago
Irwin had vigilance committee,
more politely called "a law and order
society" We just had to do some
thing, as we were on the Indian
reservation and really outside OF the
jurisdiction Of Gunnison County with
all kinds Of people to deal with. AS
no one was ever hung fortunately, 1t
is no harm to speak Of it At this time
as some very amusing incidents occur
red. We had to deal with claim jump
ers and lot jumpers. While the or
ranization never numbered over 80
men it had its effect on het masses
surping up and down the streets, for
those who were not members did not
know who were members, and was
always discreet about making re-
marks for fear he would be talking
to q member, for it was generally
known that there was an organiza-
tion and the outsider did not know
of its strength and determination On
one occasion q man accused Of claim
jumping, was brough before. a COM
mittee for investigation in Ira
Browns cabin. A bible was procured
and the accused made to kiss it in
taking an oath to tell the truth so
help him. He did SO and trembled
like a leaf and after the investiga-
tion the accused made for the hills
and took his stake off from the dis
puted ground, not knowing what
would be coming next. On another
occasion fellow was marched out OF
town at night for selling the same
lot more than once. We had no
way of recording lots, hence it made
confusion If the man sold the one lot
two or wore times. The Pilot made a
big display head about the vigilants
putting a rope around the mans
neck as a warning for him never to
return again, all of this was not true
but we thought that it would have n
good effect on others who might at
tempt the same trick. The man did
leave camp and stayed away 3 or 4
days, long enough to get sober and
then returned to lick the editor for
slandering his good (?) name.
Very truly,