The Elk Mountain pilot. [volume] (Irwin, (Ruby Camp), Gunnison County, Colo.) 1880-19??, 1919-07-31

placed team and driver at my dis
posal that l might see all of the
valley. To repay the compliment
wrote an article of some three or
four columns for the Denver Tribune
treating of the soil, climate and ad-
vantages for the settler. The Tri-
bune at that time, l think was man
aged by Fred Skiff and edited by o.
H. Rothacker and Eugene Field. Gov
ernor Crawford took 1000 copies of
the paper and sent me deed to a
town lot. The consideration written
in the deed was $50. but was told
at the time it would not sell at any
price as it was SO far out, however, l
kept it by paying taxes for IL or Is
years, when it sold for $1,000. The
Governor found two young man by
the name of Edwin Price and Darwin
P. Kingsley to start his paper which
was called the Grand Junction News.
In the Republican State Convention
of 1886, when the slate was being
made for candidates for the different
offices, after getting pretty well down
the list, it was discovered that the
Western Slope had no representation
ON the ticket. That part of the state
had always been called the Western
Slope. A. M. Stevenson suggested
that they put on the ticket Mr.. d.
P. Kingsley for State Auditor, that
he seemed to be a clean cut aggres-
sive editor of the Grand Junction
paper. Meeting the approval of the
convention he was nominated and
elected. The State Auditor in Colo
RADIO is also the Insurance Commits
sioner for the state. Heretofore the
big insurance companies had been
doing about as they pleased, not pay
ing state license tax, but when Kings
ley got in office he pursued more
business like policy, and made them
toe the mark. The result was that
at the end Of his term Of two years
he was offered position with the
New York Life Insurance Company,
without his seeking. and was sent to
the Boston office. In the course of
time he was transferred to the New
York General Office, and soon got to
be one Of the vice presidents. At
the death Of the President. John A.
Mccall, some ten years ago, the Com
pany had no other choice than to
make Darwin P. Kingsley President,
and there he is to this day,drawing
down possibly $4,000 yearly salary,
more or less. I suppose, as he is at
the head Of the largest life insurance
company in the world. He always said
he made his maiden political speech
at Crested Butte. If he did I must
have introduced him to the audience,
as lived there at the time and usu-
ally acted as wet nurse on all such
occasions.
Governor Crawford died about 30
years ago leaving the town company
and his estate in an embarrassing
condition About 20 years ago the
writer purchased the remnants Of the
town company that tho estate might
be settled It consisted OF ten or
twelve hundred lots, the Brunswick
Hotel and other odd bits Of real es-
tate The price paid was about $780,
600 and it took nearly all OF that
amount to pay the debts Of the COM
pany, leaving but little for the estate.
]. R. McKinnis and v. 2. Reed. OF
Colorado Springs, were associated
with me in the purchase. Mr. Nc
Kinnis now resides in Los Angeles
and Mr.. Reed died while on visit to
San Diego, Calf, about three months
ago, worth over $14,00O.0O0. He did
not make it all, however, out OF the
Grand Junction town company. as he
increased his fortune out of the re-
cent discovery Of oil in Wyoming
Governor Crawford, always q frail
man physically, had a grand intellect
in business and political way. num-
bering among his friends some OF the
foremost men of the country Of his
day. Such men as Simon Cameron, OF
Pennsylvania, and John w. Forney, OF
the Philadelphia Press, of the war
period, were among his especial
friends.
The senatorial candidates for the
Gunnison district for 1882 were A.
M. Stevenson on the republican ticket
and James X. Robson. superintendent
of the C. C. & I. Company, OF Crested
Butte, on the democratic ticket. There
was a contest over the election which
was not sottled until the latter part
of the session by giving the seat to
Mr.. Stevenson.
Pitkin county, where Aspen is 20
Gated was also a part Of Gunnison