The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1919-12-04


a notorious character having commit
ted murder many times. He was
sentenced TO the penitentiary in 1871
for the murder of a man by the name
of Wall. He served 16 years of a
life sentence. and WAS released at the
age of 81 years. His victims were
all shot at night. The lynching was
the result of the murder OF man by
the name of Mccain from Pueblo about
October 26. 1883. fe wmiles east of
Canon City.
Canon City practically became de-
serted village in 1862? II had about
1900 inhabitants just prior to the ex-
odus. too. The condition was brought
about by reason of the fact that the
government had withdrawn its protec-
ton from Indian raids In this terri
tory. and consequently the early set
tiers vacated Tor protected territory.
so that in the spring OF 1868 there
only remained Anson Ru, d. his wife,
Harriet. their son. Anson S. Rudd,
and Felix Burdette. All of the prop
erty and the records OF the second
townsite company were turned over
to Anson Rudd 1t was during this
period that "a reign OF terror was
spread throughout this locality by
desperate cattle and horse thieves.
Among the most noted desperadoes
were the Espinosa brothers.
During the year 1864 Canon City
a IL.
who afterwards became prominent fig
ures in the upbuilding of Canon City
and vicinity crossed the plains with
OK teams. bringing with them stocks
of merchandise
The first store in Canon City was
conducted by Dodd & Co.
The first white child, Anson 6.
Rudd. was born June %. 1861
The first ire department was or
ganized Jan. /. 1879.
The first school building was erect
ed on the top OF smelter hill in 1874.
The first Labor Day proclamation
was issued April 16. 1875.
The first irrga,ing ditch which
runs through the peuitentiary grounds
and through North Canon was con
structed In 1852 In those days IL was
carried around the skyline hogback
on Hume
The Il. f. Rockafellow home wns
built In 1863 The first trees around
this beautiful place we're planted in
1872.
The first nouring min was built
across from The Roekafeilow home in
1865, Down where the city elk now
Craze used to be the old mill pond
which 81 later years became the city
skating rink.
George r. Phillips used to have his
slaughter pens around the Soda Point
I'm the middle s0sg They were la'cr
torn down and the slaughter houses
have been farther out from town the
past 25 years or more
The ID. & X. 6. was built into Canon
City in 1874 and was built on west In
1880? The big railroad war between
the u. & X. q. and the 4. r. & st. +.
took place In 1878 and 1873. Fort
Redeemer" was built at the o0-mlIe
line in the Royal Gorge. and things
looked real martial for few months
Marble Cave was a popular resort
as far back as 1889 and tally no par
ties TO that point of interest were OF
FREQUENT occurrence?
The first baptist organization in
Canon City came into being in 1866.
The first Baptist church was erected
In 1863 at cost of s1.50o between
Fourth aud Firm streets on the norfh
side of Main street,
The FIRST bath house was construct
edai the Hot Springs near the en-
trance 10 the Royal Gorge about 1877.
Later fine hotel for that period was
constructed at the spot. and the prop
erty has remained in the Dr. Prentiss