The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-01-01
THOSE WHO STARTED 0UR
FIRST BANKING BUSlNESS

Mr. Editor:
l. The first bank started in Gunni-
scr county was in the spring of 1880.
the Bank Of Gunniscn. by S. G. Gill.
The second bank in the county was
the Bank of Irwin, started by S. S.
Metzler. who had come from Silver
Cliff. Custer county, to Irwin in 1880.
Mr.. F. w. Fuller. who had a bank at
Rosita. Custer county, sold out and
came ever to Irwin with the Thomp-
son Bros, part owners Of the Forest
Queen mine. Mr. Fuller being an
experienced banker assisted Mr.. Metz
Ter in getting started The bank did
good business as long as business
lasted. Mr.. Metzler being enterpris-
ing saw the need of water works for
the town. He proceeded to lay the
pipe and connect up the water plugs
for fire purposes. which are there to
this day, though the town has been
practically abandoned for years.
The Bank of Crested Butte was
started. I think. In 1881, by Mr.. J. B.
Thompson, now resident of Salt
Lake. When Irwin began to slip OF
from the map, and the Elk Mountain
Pilot. Bank of Irwin. merchants and
all had to seek new fields of opera
tion, Mr.. Metzler bought out Mr.
Thompson and consolidated his bank
with the Bank of Crested Butte
That was, think. the fall of 1887
About that time Victor Emanuel
Metzler. younger brother, came out
from Ohio and joined his brother He
is better known among his fntimates
as NANNY Metzler.' Major George
D. Sowles of Vermont. was in the
country and his only daughter having
graduated from some college back
home. came out to spend the summer
In Irwin with her father Cupid soon
got busy. The result was Vermont
lost a young lady and Nanny Metzler
gained an estimable wife. The Metz
ler Bros. ran the Bank of Crested
Butte until about 1894 When Sam
Metzler went to Cripple Creek. not
finding things to suit him there he
journeyed on to Galveston. Texas, and
after n few years settled in eastern
New Mexico, where he died ten years
ago. His daughter Daisy. who grew
up In Crested Butte, has been . teach
er In North Denver High School for a
number of years and her mother re-
sides with her In Denver. while tho
son Edward. stnl resides in New
Mexico.
Nanny Metzler continued to run
the Bank Of Crested Butte from 1894
until about 1913. about twenty years,
when he sold out and came to Cali
fornia to reside. He has interested
himself in the date culture down
Cochella. II you happen to get any
dates in the market marked with his
brand. " E. NJ, you may know where
they come from. Or II any Of his old
time friends want any, all they got
to do is to write and he will send a
pound or a bushel or two.
M. j. Gray is another pioneer mer-
chant Of Crested Butte who sold out
about 1887 and first settled In Salt
Lake. Afterwards he helped to or
ganize the town Of St. Anthony. Ida
no. where he now resides. engaged In
banking. He spends his winters in
Los Angeles.
His son, Willis Gray. bright
young lad in Crested Butte in the
SOs. is now q National bank examiner
in California. a very honorable and
responsible position. A boy of ten
years of age in 1887. now man OF
forty-two.
The Jarvis boys, Royal and Fred
who grew up on the ranch still occu-
pied by their mother near Crested
Butte, have both done well. Fred is
postoffice inspector In California
with headquarters at San Diego
Royal graduated as a metallurgist and
mining engineer. He has taught in
different scientific schools, and is now
filling a responsible position with the
C. & A. Copper Co., at Douglas. Ari-
zona.
In the stampede to the great Gun
nison country before the railroads
were built it took lot Of freight
teams to do the hauling Of supplies
and no small amount was required to
keep equipped. over hundred head
of horses. wagons, and men, Jim Nc
Gee was household name in those
days, He had string of teams on
the road all of the time. When Aspen