Pueblo chieftain., 1921-09-25

ed to take charge OF the steel works
watchmcn and held that position until
retired and pcnsioncd several years
ago, There were four wards in tho
town OF Bessemer each presented by
two counc;lmen. At the time of CON
solidaticn there were. it l remember
right. Sol Fisher. Mike Martin. George
dyD Miles, James Ieithcad and Wm.
keltner Mcssrs. Fisher. Pannebake-
and Martin are sths residents OF
Pueblo. Paddy Miles was a real estate
dealer and went to California. MoSsrs
Loithhead. Kcltner and Hall are dc
ceased. Mayor Dempsey favored con-
solidauon. Mayors Frank Hawke and
i. II. Sharkey who preceded him op-
posed II. The evening the motion 10
consolidate carried the council cham
Der in tho city hall was packed and
there was much feeling pro and con OK
pressed. Besscmer lost paid fire
station, and I think pay for tho city.
hall; also Increased taxes and was
tabled tho eighth ward Of the city of
Pueblo. being allowed two aldermen.
This is practically all tn. recorded his
tory OF consolidation. altho there was
much that transpirod relating to 1t
that Is not recorded. To record some
Of 1t would burn the paper.
In decentralization ycsr-Se-sn-
mcr was town OF considerable com
OF from four to six thousand souls Its
northern limit was Warrington and
fatrtiow streets and 10 the south
Division street. Westward IL extended
TO Berkeley avenue, and cast across
tho Rio Grandc railroad tracks IL took
up tho entire mesa blum north of tho
steel works and the Nuckols packing
plant. This Is east Bcssemcr conpri--
ing foreign colony. It's business in
torcsts lying along cast Northern ave-
ever. was along Furnace street facing
the steel works blast furnaces. The
dwelling there were double old IA -h-
ioncd ones. built for employees by the
G. G. !. company, aftcrwsrd and
now the 9. L. & l. company. The COM
pany store was conducted by George
Dunhaugh and j. 4. Joy In tho large
building now standing at the corner of
Northern and Abriendo avenues. This
business was later absorbed by tho
Colorado supply company. an auxiliary
OF the e. +. & I. company. on an op-
posite corner was the general morchan-
disc store OF tho late Henry Herman,
and now. in more metropolitan quart
crs the Herman Mercantile company.
managed by 4. Alfred Herman son Of
Henry, who in carly days used to
toddlo about tho store IN knee pants
ON leaving school \. Alfred for a time
managed the grocery department and
eventually became tho head OF tho
Arm With his advent tho store became
progressive and is today In tho first
class Of rucbio's department stores.
In those days. during Henry Her
mans regime the store script" Eys-
tom was in vogue In Rcssemer. Her
mans handled tho script Of the Eilcr
Philadelphia and Pueblo smciters The
supply company took care of steel
works scrip. Speaking Of scrip. II wa,
tho nucleus OF much speculation. When
employees would draw II from the COM
panies, EpcculatorH would pay for the
paper 50 cents on tho dollar and aoll
1t to boarding houses. private indivitu-
ais, etc. at 10 cents. The paper was
good for fun face value in purchasing
at Hcrman's or tho company store.
Scrip buying became a craft. Pay
days then were onco month, and n
an omploye wanted ready money he
would draw s. or $40 in scrip and dis
count II 70 per cent for cash Tho sy--
tom wAs discontinued by the c, r. & I
company and tho Pueblo smelter sew
eral yesrs ago. long after tho Eiier and
Philadelphia plants wore dismauttod
Travel down town" as il was
called. was by bob-tsiled street cars.
the motive power being horses and a
faithful old white mule. The tracks
came up Abriendo avenue from South
Union avenue to Northern. then cast
along the latter to hbrionde avenue.
and loopod around the block at Ahri-
endo and Northern. Years after when
electric power was introduced tho line
was changed as at present In tho
old horse car days steel workers when
down town Saturday nights and re-
turning lato used to get out and help
the horse up tho South Union avenue
hill onto tho mesa by pushing tho car.
ono night tho bunch. led by the Van
Fossen boys, tried TO put tho old white
mule in the car and push him up. too.
Tho mule seemed willing. but tho car
N,4r
making. jolly crowd Of steel workers
IN iho.n daNE and MrlI rnrnrr,, hrrr.I