Gunnison news-champion., 1924-08-08
TRAILS AND ROADS OF EARLY
DAYS INTO GUNNISON COUNTY

Pueblo Star-Journal:-
As with the construction Of rail-
roads, the building of wagon roads fol-
lowed upon and was at least in part
, the result Of the early mining activity.
lltho in few instances, it preceded
mining development. The original
road thru this section of the country
was thru South Park from Denver,
coming out TO the Arkansas near
Buena Vista and thence down the
river. There was also road up the
Arkansas river to Canon City, which
turned northward from there and join
ed the other road to South Park. A
great many Of the settlers came to the
country over it. So far as known,
neither Of these roads was ever oper-
ated as a toll road. The one from
Denver was the main road for many
years.
The trail over Poncha pass was
widened into a wagon road by Otto
Mears In 1867 to enable him to get
his wheat from the San Luis valley TO
Charles Northrop's -four mill on the
Arkansas. II was used as toll road
for several years afterwards. Chas.
Northrop also had an interest in this
road, and operated the toll gate on
the Arkansas side, near the present
Otto siding on the ID. & X. G. W. rail-
road
The road to Cochetopa pass was
built in 1869 by John Lawrence, and
was operated as toll road for few
years, after which it was taken over
b Saguache county. II was extended
up the Pinos and over to Lake City IT
1872 by company promoted BY Otto
Mears and Enos Hotchkiss. There
was a toll gate at the Old Ute agency
on Los Pinos creek, one at the White
place. another at the Mont Hill ranch.
and still another about nine miles
from Lake City. 1t was used as the
mail route during the 70's and a regu-
lar stage line operated over it. There
were stage stations at each of these
toll gates and also one at Summit
Park in the Sawtooth range. Sam
Hoagland ran road house and
butcher shop at the old Hoagiand
ranch about fourteen miles west of
Saguache. The old road house still
stands.
A company promoted by Boyd &
Haynes built the toll road to Monarch
tChafee City in the late 70's) and
extended it across the Continental Di-
vid to Whitepine in 1880. Hugh
Boone, who is still alive and living in
Salida, had charge of the construc-
ton work. There was n toll gate Just
above Maysville and another on the
Western Slope at Black Sage About
the same time a toll road was built
from Maysville up the North Fork Of
the Little Arkansas to the Shavanc
mining camp.
Otto Mears constructed the toll road
over Marshall pass in 1877, and few
years later, one from Bonanza con-
Meeting with it at Shirley. The lat
ter was operated as a toll road only Q
few years and was then abandoned
The Marshall pass Rad was the regu-
lar mail route from the Arkansas val
ley to Gunnison until the d. R. G. W.
railroad built into that town in 1881.
Barlow and Sanderson operated a
stage line over it carrying mail and
passengers.
| There was a stage station at Shir-
ley. almost at the top of the pass and
still another on the western slope
near where Chester siding is now To-
Gated on the D. & R. G. W. The ruins
Of the two last mentioned stations
may still be seen. During the same
period Barlow 4 Sanderson also took
the mail contract and ran a stage line
to Monarch and also one over Poncha
pass to the San Luis valley, the three
lines starting from the old town OF
Cleora at the forks Of the Arkansas
Practically all Of the roads through
! the country were constructed as pri.
vate enterprises and operated under
charters as toll roads. Some wers
later taken over by the counties and
others abandoned. None have been
used IS toll roads during the past &c
years.
Little actual construction work was
done on many Of these tol roads
Usually someone with q team and